Donald Lee Holub

Donald Lee Holub, 69, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013. He was born Nov. 3, 1944 in Shiner to Joe Holub, Jr. and Elexca Berckenhoff Holub. After graduating from Barber College, Donald opened Don’s Barber Shop in Moulton where his father was his first customer. He married Ethelyn Rose Fatylsek on Nov. 24, 1966 in Moulton. Donald was a member of St. James Catholic Church.

Donald was a strong willed and firm man. When he spoke, he didn’t mince or sugar coat words, he spoke his mind clearly and definitively. His thoughts on life were similar to the words spoken of a John Wayne character, “I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people and I expect the same from them.”  

Yet Donald was a gentle man, a thoughtful and considerate husband and father. His wife has never had to put gas in her car, he prepared most of the family dinners and his children never left for school without a warm breakfast.  

Donald was an excellent cook; however he has been known to cook anything from armadillo to soft shell turtle. He was the love of his wife’s life, his daughter Tammy’s hero, his son Ronald’s model of a man and his son Chris’s biggest fan. In actuality he was all these things to each of his children and so much more.  

He was a good man that led by example as in Ephesians 6:4 — “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  

Donald studied law enforcement and worked as a deputy sheriff in Gonzales County from 1975 to 1989. He went to work for Gonzales County Pct. 1 hauling gravel for a period of time, but his love of horses led him to T Paul Sides Rockin S Ranch where he helped work with and ready horses for the race track.  

Donald enjoyed fishing and was a very successful hog trapper. There really wasn’t much Donald couldn’t do, but his legacy will be that of the abundance of love he held for his wife and family and his love will live on in their hearts forever.

Donald Lee Holub is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Ethelyn Rose Holub; daughter and son-law, Tammy Lynn and Tom Lester, Jr.; sons and daughters-in-law, Ronald Lee and Mary Lou Holub, Chris and Maggie Holub;  grandchildren, Weldon Lee Holub, Landon Drew Holub, Trey Lester, Tori Lester, Tara Lester, Christopher Holub, Ainsley Holub, and Braylon Holub all of Gonzales; brothers and sisters in-law, Johnny and Ellen Holub of Schulenburg, Jimmy and Gladys Holub of Moulton, George and Georgie Holub of Moulton, Archie and Jeanette Holub of Houston; and a brother-in-law, Harlan Knesek of Bryan. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Milada Knesek.  

A vigil service was held Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home, with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6 in St. James Catholic Church with Fr. Paul Raaz as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. James Cemetery.  Pallbearers are Wayne Holub, Glenn Holub, Scooter Pietsch, Craig Faltysek, Alton Faltisek, Jr. and Trey Lester. Honorary Pallbearers are Snake Gordon and Allen Vana.  

The family received friends from 5 - 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society P.O. Box 22718

Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 or the St. James Catholic Church Bereavement Fund, 417 N. College, Gonzales, TX, 78629. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.