OBITUARY

Catherine “Katie” Marie Breiten Winegeart

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Growing up she enjoyed country life on the farm in George West, being raised as an only child surrounded by numerous cousins. She attended school in George West and could still recite the George West High fight song until the day of her death. Her junior year she moved to San Antonio where she attended Brackenridge High School. In San Antonio as an older teenager, she worked at WOAI radio station where she was able to meet a few of the country artists and even shared a bottle of Four Roses with the Texas Troubador himself, Ernest Tubb.

In 1947 while working at Woolworth's in the record department, a young cowboy came in to buy records. He asked if he could pick them up later and wrote his name on the brown paper bag, "Archie Perry Winegeart.” She remembers laughing at such a name and then being stuck with it the rest of her life.

She and Archie were married July 16, 1948. One year later their daughter ,Claudia, was born. In 1952 Mike was born and in 1954 Perry. They moved from San Antonio to the Peach Creek area of Gonzales County in 1954. In late 1960 they moved to their ranch south of Gonzales on Highway 183 where she and Archie farmed, ranched, and welcomed a foourth child, Sarah, in 1961.

Catherine, or Kotzie as her family lovingly refers to her, was truly a jack of all trades. She worked in the county clerk's office and as a legal secretary for several lawyers in town for many years. She then worked as a nutritional resource agent for the Texas A&M Ag Extension Office. Her next endeavor took her “on the road”. For 25 years she traveled throughout the state of Texas as a sales representative for numerous floral wholesalers, making life-long friends wherever she went. After "retiring" from the flower business at the age of 72, she owned and operated the Bloomin’ Friends gift shop that she ran during the day while driving to Austin three days a week to earn her license as a Registered Massage Therapist.

Through all these endeavors she was still Archie's "right hand" man, gate opener and ranch hand. She could stack those square bales of hay better than most men. Catherine had a great love for all animals, including snakes! She and Archie raised horses, cattle, rabbits, rat terriers, lots of farm cats and her beloved pigs.

In the mid 1990's she began making and sharing yeast rolls. No wedding, funeral, birthday celebration or holiday was complete without her famous "Kotzie rolls.” In the early 2000s not only did she run her store, give massages, and work the farm with Archie, but she was also a loving, gifted caregiver for her parents, Cornelia and Hugo. She was a hard worker and always ready to face any task, large or small, head on.

Catherine was a member of First Baptist Church of Gonzales for 60-plus years and taught Sunday School up until the age of 91. The only thing greater than the love she had for Archie and her family was her love for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She never missed an opportunity to share her testimony and she lived her life as a true Proverbs 31 woman. “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” Proverbs 31:25-26 (NRSV)

Catherine was a simple country woman who had a true zest for life. Her beautiful smile and quick wit made her a joy to be around and always the life of the party. She enjoyed the simple things in life and had little use for material items. Her most cherished possessions were her family and her faith.

She could often be seen zooming around her property or across the highway on her 4-wheeler. In her later years she enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune, The Price is Right, Jeopardy, and anything with John Wayne or Tom Selleck, as well as her beloved Astros. Oh, how she loved baseball and those Astros, win or lose.

She was preceded in death by her parents: Hugo and Cornelia Burell; her husband of 60 years: Archie Perry Winegeart Sr.; and sons: Tommy Lynn Raburn and Michael Ray Winegeart.

Left to cherish her memory are daughters: Billie Jo Bundrant (James) of Killeen, Claudia Ann Morris (Perry) of Cuero, Sarah Jane Rush (Tracy) of Victoria and the granddaughter she and Archie raised as their own, Felicia Kay Cantu (Steve) of Gonzales; sons: Ronny Glenn Raburn (June) of Albuquerque, NM, and Archie Perry Winegeart Jr. (Kathy) of Gonzales. To carry on her legacy are 17 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and nine great-great grandchildren – with another one on the way.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 7, 2021 in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 8 at First Baptist Church of Gonzales with Pastors Hollas Hoffman, and Steve Faulkner officiating. Interment will follow in I.O.O.F Cemetery. Pallbearers: Kasey Morris, Kyle Wundt, Dustin Ogg, Dylan Cantu, Alex Ortiz, Ty Brooks, Hunter Kaspar, and Daniel Bundrant.

Honorary pallbearers: Jeremy Galindo, Dr. David Meredith, Sonny Weathers, Buddy Lester, Frank Oliver, Frank Wallace, Tim Markham, and The Biscuit Boys & Gravy Guys of First Baptist Church. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Gonzales or the Gonzales County Senior Citizens Association Meal Program. Friends may leave their condolences by visiting www.seydlerhillfuneralhome.com.

Seydler-Hill Funeral Home will continue to require all attendants to take protective measures regarding social distancing, usage of hand sanitizers and wearing personal protective masks for the visitation, church service and the graveside burial rite. Those remotely symptomatic of COVID-19 are politely asked not to attend. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.

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