Gusman, Alzira Elizabeth J. (Insall)

WEIMAR LOCAL MATTERS

Another good woman has passed from her usefulness here to her reward beyond. Mrs. J. D. Gusman died in the full triumphs of the living faith in this city on the evening of the 6th inst. Mrs. Gusman was a devout and consistent member of the Methodist Church, South, and has been for a number of years she bade her family and friends farewell, assuring all, that she was ready and willing to die. She asked those present to sing for her the song that she loved so well--beginning “O sing to me of Heaven,” which was done, she herself joining them, and in a few moments the Spirit of this Christian wife and mother had joined the hosts around the great white throne. Her remains were followed to the Odd Fellows Rest at 4 o’clock, the evening of the 7th by a large course of friends, Rev. J. A. Duncan performing the funeral obsequies. Mrs. Gusman leaves a husband and a large family of children to mourn her loss, who have the sympathy of this entire community. We presume a suitable obituary will be written by some friend. [Interment in Weimar Odd Fellows Cemetery]

Colorado Citizen, August 14, 1884

Gusman, Bethel "Bettie" Amanda (Harrington)

Funeral Rites Held This Afternoon For Mrs.Bettie Amanda Gusman

Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock for Mrs. Bettie Amanda Gusman, relict of J. R. Gusman who died in 1944, who passed away here at the Matagorda County hospital, early Sunday morning. She had been ill about two weeks. The services were held from the First Methodist Church with Reverend Mouzon Bass officiating. Members of the Wesley Class were pall bearers. The services were in charge of Taylor Bros. and the body was carried overland to Weimar for interment. Rev. McDonald will officiate at the services at the grave.

Mrs. Gusman had been a resident of Bay City for 37 years. She and Mr. Gusman and her family moved here in 1911 from Weimar and Mr. Gusman was engaged in the mercantile business.

Born in Texas near La Grange in 1864, Mrs. Gusman moved to Tuscumbia, Alabama when very young. She was the daughter of Mr. Samuel Johnston Harrington, a native of South Carolina and a graduate of the University of Virginia. Her mother was Adeila H. Jarmon, a native Texan. She was a graduate of Baylor University at Old Independence.
When a young woman, Betty Harrington returned to Texas from Alabama for a visit and met James R. Gusman. They were married in Tuscumbia, Alabama in 1887. They lived in Weimar from 1887 to 1911. They had been married 57 years when Mr. Gusman died. For years they were awarded the flowers at the Wesley Bible Mother's Day program as the oldest couple present.

Mrs. Gusman is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Charles Ammann of Weimar, Miss Mamie Gusman and Miss Ethel Gusman of Bay City. Also surviving are three sons, Cooper, Herbert and Richard. One sister, Miss Adelia Harrington of Tuscumbia, Alabama, also survives. [Interred in Weimar Odd Fellows Cemetery]

The Daily Tribune, Bay City, July 19, 1948
Contributed by Carol Sue Gibbs

Gusman, Cooper H.

Cooper H. Gusman

Funeral services for Cooper H. Gusman, 97, of Bay City will be held 10 a. m. Saturday at the Taylor Brothers Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Jim Welch officiating. Burial will follow 2 p. m. Saturday at the Masonic Cemetery in Weimar.

Mr. Gusman was born Oct. 6, 1894, to James Robert and Betty Amanda Harrington Gusman in Weimar and died Nov. 27, 1991, at Matagorda General Hospital.

He graduated from Weimar High School in 1911 and in 1912 did post-graduate work at Bay City High School. After taking a business course, he began working for the county engineer, E. N. Gustafson. The first concrete streets in Bay City were built around the courthouse square in 1926, and Mr. Gusman was the surveyor for that job.

Later, he became a civil engineer for V. L. LeTulle Irrigation Co. and remained with the irrigation system for 34 years. After retiring, he spent a year as a consultant. He supervised the construction of several pumping plants, of which the Lane City Pumping Plant is named in his honor.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church. On May 14, 1991, he received the 70-year Masonic Service Award as a member of the Bay City Lodge 865. He was also a 32nd-Degree Mason. In addition, he was a member of the local Arabia Temple of the Arabia Shrine Temple of Houston.

Survivors include a sister, Ethel Gusman of Bay City, and several cousins.

Pallbearers will be George Yeager, Albert Younts, Randell Webb, Earl Eidlebach, Norman Truede and Felix Quintanilla.

Honorary pallbearers will be A. S. Dierlam and Hugh Strickland.

Arrangements are with Taylor Brothers Funeral Home, Bay City.

The Daily Tribune, Bay City, November 28 or 29, 1991
Contributed by Carol Sue Gibbs

Gusman, Eliza A.

Mrs. Eliza Gusman, beloved wife of Mr. J. D. Gusman, died at the family residence in this city Thursday night at 10 o’clock, of some heart trouble, aggravated by dengue fever, after a brief illness. Her remains were laid to rest in the Odd Fellows’ cemetery this (Friday) afternoon, Rev. J. W. Holt, her late pastor, performing the impressive burial service, a large crowd of sympathizing friends being present to witness the last sad rites. Mrs. Gusman, with her husband, moved here from Galveston several months ago. She was a consistent christian lady, for many years a member of the Methodist church, a dutiful, loving wife, and in her death the people of this section have lost a true and faithful friend. God be merciful to the bereft ones, is the sincere wish of the Mercury.

Weimar Mercury, October 9, 1897,page 5

Gusman, Ethel M.

Fond Farewell
City Mourns Passing of an Honored Citizen

By Sheri Denton

A true representative of the good will found in Bay City and Matagorda County passed away Sunday surrounded by family and friends.

Miss Ethel Gusman died at the age of 93, but lived a life few others can imagine.
Widely known as the service center lady, Gusman served for decades at the Bay City Service Center, seeing to it that there were no scheduling conflicts and that the former U. S. O. building remained a landmark this city can be proud of.

In fact, one of her last achievements was successfully lobbying for a new wooden floor for the center's auditorium.

"Miss Gusman was the service center," said Bay City Mayor Charles Martinez, Jr. "Without her, the center would not be what it is today. She was a very dedicated volunteer and we will miss her.

It didn't take long for the news of her death to spread since Gusman played a part in so many community activities.

If she wasn't at the service center, she could probably be found at the Matagorda County Museum. She was a charter member of the museum and served on the board of trustees since 1978.

"One of my fondest memories of Miss Ethel was when she came into the museum while we were setting up the railroad exhibit and she showed her bicep muscles and said, "OK, I'm ready to start moving display cases," recalls museum director Cynthia Tobola.

"She was in her 90s--of course we wouldn't let her actually move the heavy cases, but she did take out the Windex and cleaned every one of them. She was such an asset to the museum."

Gusman taught third grade students for 47 years at Newgulf Elementary.
She met one of her best friends, Victoria Elder, riding a train from Bay City to Boling, where she began teaching.

The pair lived together for 32 years and were lucky to have jobs that paid them $105 per month during the Depression, according to Elder's niece, Mary Sheeran.

"Newgulf was a booming town back then. It had an innovative school compared to others close by," Sheeran said.

But when Gusman started teaching in Boling, she taught in muddy boots in a church classroom, said Sheeran.
"Miss Ethel and Vic (Elder) would always come home on the weekends by train, but sometimes they hitched a ride with a friend who had a Model T," she added.

Sheeran said Gusman and Elder spent years reminiscing about their days living in the teacher's dormitory in Newgulf and how all of them seemed to have birthdays in August or September.

"That made them Virgos," said Sheeran, "and so the group became known as The Virgins."

Women who were married weren't allowed to teach before the war, Sheeran added.

"Miss Ethel was like family. My grandchildren thought of her as a grandmother too," she said. "Every Christmas, she always remembered to give the grandchildren money with the amount determined by which school grade they were in.

Gusman also was a Sunday School teacher for 57 years.

Though she never married or had children of her own, Gusman showed motherly love to all who knew her.

"Ms. Ethel taught me and many others what it meant to be a good person," said Sharyl McDonald.

"She loved her family, friends, church and community. She gave unselfishly of her time to many organizations. I will miss her."

Gusman, the sister of long-time Bay City Mayor Richard Gusman, earned the title of Woman of the Year in 1940, but there would be many more years of active service to her community to come.

August 27, 1998 was proclaimed Ethel Gusman Day in honor of her 90th birthday.

That day she said she was happy to receive a video of the birthday party so she'd have something to remember it by when she was old and in a rocking chair.

But Gusman never made it to the rocking chair. She continued her service up until the end.

"She is perhaps the most selfless person I know," said friend Henrietta Krumholz. "She's probably the most dearly loved of anyone in Bay City and most definitely dearly loved by me."

Miss Ethel Gusman

Miss Ethel Gusman, 93, of Bay City died April 14, 2002 at Matagorda General Hospital. She was born August 27, 1908 in Weimar, Texas to the late James Robert and Bettie Amanda Harrington Gusman. The youngest of six children, three girls and three boys, she was the last surviving member of the Gusman family.

"Miss Ethel" as she was lovingly called, endeared herself to an entire community through her involvement in service to her family, church and community. Her love, compassion and joy with friends, and all who knew her were caught up with the magic of her soul, which gave grace to her daily living. Her desire for excellence was contagious, and all who worked with her witnessed this overflowing life of joy she lived each and every day of her ninety-three years, six months and 17 days.

Miss Ethel came to Bay City with her family when only three years of age. She graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in Bay City in 1924, and Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas in 1929. She taught third grade in the New Gulf ISD for 39 years retiring in 1958. While teaching during those early years, she would return home by train on the weekends to attend church with her family and teach Sunday School to three year olds; a position she held until her death, a total of 72 years. She has been an active member of the First United Methodist Church for over eighty years and served on various committees, namely: Heritage Committee, Education Department and Administrative Board and wherever she has been asked.

In 1969 after retirement she became assistant director of the Bay City Service Center, and then director, a position held to the year 2002. The Service Center, formerly built as a U. S. O. building erected in 1941, has been taken care of by Miss Ethel and today it looks as neat inside as when opened 62 years ago. Each year she coordinated at least 1500 meetings and worked with more than 300 groups of citizens.

She was a member of Mary Rolph Marsh Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and worked on many projects involving the youth of our nation. A member of the Matagorda County Historical Commission, and Historical Society, she assisted in gathering research material and kept the scrapbooks for these organizations. A member of the County Museum Association, she has not only given many volunteer hours, but assisted financially.

Her love and devoted attention to handicapped children and to the elderly at the nursing homes was done quietly and without fanfare but the lives she touched in those families will go on forever.

An entire community of friends now expresses love and thanks for what you have done to make where we live a better place. God has blessed us with your life among us. Now, we ask God's richest blessing on you.

Survivors include; one cousin, Michael Shannon of Houston; and her housekeeper of 59 years, Rose Lee Taylor. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Richard Clifton, Oliver Herbert and Cooper H. Gusman; and by sisters, Mamie Gusman and Lula Adelia Ammans.

Funeral service will be 10 a. m. Wednesday, April 17, 2002, at the First United Methodist Church with the Revs. Pauline Harvey and Paula Behrens officiating. Interment will be at 3 p. m. at the Weimar Masonic [Odd Fellows] Cemetery in Weimar, Texas. Pallbearers will be Joe DeLoach, Loy Sneary, Nate McDonald, Michael J. McGehearty, George Yeager, Lamar Evans and Louis Wagner.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Mike Wade, Taylor Steves, Joel Morrow, Fred Walker, Glen White, Abe Cornelsen and Pete Arnold. Memorials may be made to the Matagorda County Museum Endowment Fund, 2100 Ave. F, Bay City, Texas, 77414.

Arrangements are with Taylor Bros. Funeral Home.

Bay City Tribune, April 17, 2002
Contributed by Carol Sue Gibbs

Gusman, James Donaldson

Our people without exception were deeply grieved, last Monday morning to learn that on the night previous our honored townsman and friend, Mr. J. D. Gusman, had died. It was not generally known that he was seriously ill, hence the news occasioned much surprise as well as regret. Mr. Gusman had been a sufferer for many years from some kidney affection, and this ultimately caused his death. His sufferings for some time past had been Intense, but he bore up under It with christian resignation, knowing that while the end was not far off, he was prepared, had made his peace with his Savior, and was ready and waiting for the call to his long, last resting place. Mr. Gusman was a true christian gentleman, a member of the Methodist church since the early seventies, and death to him was a welcome relief from earthly sufferIngs. He was laid to rest in the Odd Fellows' cemetery Tuesday afternoon, Rev. T. 0. SaIlee performing the last sad rites, He was a native at VIrginia, born in 1834 In Monongahela county; left home when a boy and joined the U. S. army as a drummer boy, in which capacity he served for nine years; came to Colorado county in 1858, where he resided almost continuously up to the time of his death; was married in 1861 to Miss Elzira Duke of this county; served with distinction throughout the civil war as a member of Bates’ battalion, and throughout all his life career proved himself a valuable citizen, friend and neighbor. The last few years of his life were happily spent as a member of the family of his son, Mr. Joe, B. Gusman, in this city. To the grief-stricken family the sincere and heartfelt sympathy of the Mercury is extended.

Weimar Mercury, November 26, 1904, page 4

Gusman, James R.

J. R. Gusman, 82, Dies In Bay City, Burial At Weimar

J. R. Gusman, native of Weimar and a citizen here until 1911, died at his home in. Bay City on Thanksgiving Day. Nov. 30. He had been in ill health about 8 months.

Funeral services were held at the Taylor Funeral Home in Bay City at 1:30 Saturday, with the Rev. Rankin of Bay City officiating. Burial was in the Odd Fellows Cemetery here, with Rev. S. R. Horwood, Weimar Methodist pastor, officiating at the grave.

Mr. Gusman was born near Weimar on March 3, 1862, and lived here until he moved to Bay City in 1911. He was united in marriage to Miss Bethel Harrington of Tuscumbia, Ala., on January 12. 1887, and to this union seven children were born.

He was a member of the Masonic lodge and had been a faithfuI member of that lodge for over 50 years.

He lived a full christian life.

Survivors include his wife. Mrs. J. R. Gusman; three daughters, Mrs. Chas. D. Ammann of Weimar, Misses Mamie and Ethel Gusman of Bay City; three sons, Cooper, Herbert and Richard Gusman, all of Bay City: one child died in infancy: three sisters, Mrs. Belle Long of Fort Worth, Mrs. Ellen Murphy of Palestine. Mrs. E. R. Walker of Ballinger; one brother, O. S. Gusman of Houston.

The Mercury extends sincere condolence to the bereaved family.

Weimar Mercury, December 8, 1944, page 1

Gusman, Mamie

Miss Gusman, 93, Buried Here Aug 13

BAY CITY—Miss Mamie Gusman, age 93, pioneer teacher in Matagorda County and resident of Bay City since 1911 died Tuesday morning, August 11 at the family residence. “Miss Mamie” as she was known by her many friends, had taught school for 45 years, 43 in the Bay city school system.

Miss Mamie was born in Weimar on March 21, 1888. She received her formal education from Sul Ross State, Southwest State University and the college in Denton. She moved with her parents and family to Bay City in 1911. She retired from the public schools in 1954.

Survivors are her three brothers and a sister; Cooper Gusman, Herbert Gusman, Richard Gusman and Ethel Gusman.

Funeral services were held Aug. 13 form First United Methodist Church with Rev. Leroy Stanton officiating. Burial was in Masonic [Odd Fellows] Cemetery at Weimar.

The Weimar Mercury, August 20,1981
Transcribed by Jennie Muggli

Gusman, Wylie H.

Weimar Local Matters

Tuesday evening of last week just after dark sweet little Wylie, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Gusman, breathed his last. The little fellow was stricken down with fever and had been sick three or four weeks before his demise. All that could possibly be done was attempted to save the little boy unto his parents on earth, but the great parent above willed otherwise, and took him to his bosom. The remains were interred in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery Wednesday evening at 4 o'clock, Rev. H. M. Haynie officiating. The CITIZEN deeply sympathises with Mr. and Mrs. Gusman over the loss of their dear little angel.

Colorado County Citizen, October 12, 1893
Submitted by Deborah Smith