ARTHUR W. FENNER
(Posted 8/19/2009 05:00 am)
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Arthur W. Fenner was born to Fritz and Alma Reue Fenner on October 6, 1910 on a farm in Reedville, Texas in Caldwell County. He was baptized on Nov. 20, 1910, in the Lutheran Church in Maxwell, Texas by Pastor M. G. Selmary. The same year (1910) on Thanksgiving Day, he moved with his family to Lenz, Texas. He received his education through the 9th grade at Lenz School. Getting an education at that time wasn’t easy- no school buses and living on the farm required that chores be done before and after school. He was confirmed on March 28, 1926 in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Karnes City, Texas under the pastorate of Rev. J. Schroeder, the verse on his certificate is from Romans 8-14 (for all who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God). He was an active member of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Karnes City. He was united in Holy Matrimony to Leona Buegeler in the home of her parents on Nov. 19, 1931 by Pastor K. Windecker of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Karnes City. To this union were born four children- Franklin Fritz Fenner-born March 4, 1933 (deceased February 23, 1974); Howard Phillip Fenner born Sept. 27, 1935 (deceased November 15, 1936): Vernon Arthur Fenner-born April 6, 1938: and a daughter, Patricia Kay Fenner Lowak born December 13, 1942. Arthur Fenner was raised on a farm and has continued to farm all of his adult life. He became a cooperator with the Karnes County Soil and Water Conservation District in 1947. Conservation has been a part of his farming operations for longer than some of us have been here! He felt that his land was a major investment and that it should be cared for just like any other investment, with the best of care. In 1951, he did evaluation studies for SCS in the watershed on a weekly basis as well as following all rains and storms. (Escondido Creek Watershed was a pilot project and all phases of the operation were documented for future watershed projects.) In 1967, he became maintenance foreman in the watershed for San Antonio River Authority who assumed operation and maintenance of the structures. At that time, SARA did not have a maintenance facility in Kenedy. He received an Outstanding Performance Award from SARA for his excellent maintenance efforts. All this time he continued to farm, making crops when he got enough rain, making none when it didn’t! When it started raining again in Karnes County in about 1956-1957, he found himself with two jobs, farming and SARA. In 1974, he gave up one of the jobs, SARA. It was back to the farm full time. As the saying goes, “You can take the boy out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the boy”- and he went back to farming. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Karnes-Goliad Soil and Water Conservation District in August 1976. Then when Karnes and Goliad Counties split the District in 1986, he became Chairman of the newly re-formed Karnes County SWCD. He was a loyal representative of the District never missing any meetings and missed only one State District Directors meeting in the 18 years he served on the Board. He also served on the Board of Directors of the De-Go-La Resource Conservation and Development Project, attended meetings of the Alamo Area Council of Government and the Gulf Coast Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Most school children in the district in the past years will remember him as the man that gave them ribbons and/or checks for their award winning essays. Making children aware of the need for soil and water conservation was a high priority with him. He was awarded the Conservation Award at the 1994 Chamber of Commerce Meeting in Karnes City for his outstanding service and dedication to the County and District. He was a member of the Karnes County Farm Bureau, served on the Board of Garfield Farm Mutual Insurance Association and is an active member of the Sons of Hermann, Lenz Lodge 215.
Serving as pallbearers were Vernon Fenner Jr., Dale Fenner, Herbert Fenner, Braeden Terry, Leroy Kolodziej, Tim Lowak, Greg Franki, and William Barnes. Honorary pallbearers were chosen because they were children of whom he was a sponsor in their Baptism which include Florence Fenner Winkler, Betty June Lieke Polasek, Elton Lieke, James Voigt, Gaynell Fenner Franki, Lynnette Lowak Barnes, and Jamie Fenner.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Leona Buegeler Fenner; parents; sons, Franklin and Howard Fenner; brothers, Walter Fenner, Otto Fenner, Carl Fenner, and Edwin Fenner; sisters, Ida Fenner Windmeyer, Elsie Fenner Voigt, Tekla Fenner Busselman and Bertha Fenner Lieke; and grandchildren, Clayton L. Fenner and James W. Fenner.
His survivors include one sister-in-law, Mary Lou Fenner of Karnes City; son, Vernon Fenner and wife Henrietta of Karnes City; and daughter, Patricia Lowak and husband Wilfred of Three Oaks Community; grandchildren, Rhonda Fenner Davis and husband Bryan of Corpus Christi, Gaynell Fenner Franki and husband Greg of Alice, Texas, Vernon A. Fenner Jr. and wife Gloria of Hobson, Texas, Dale E. Fenner of Karnes City, Herbert A Fenner of Fashing, Lynnette Lowak Barnes and husband Bill Pflugerville, Texas, Nancy Lowak Kolodziej and husband Leroy of Falls City, Texas, and Tim Lowak and wife Marguerite of LaVernia, Texas; great-grandchildren include Ashley Landers and husband Cory, Braeden Terry, Cassandra Fenner Herschbach, Kristen Franki, Francesca Franki, Ricci Humphrey and husband Josh, Ryan Barnes, Kellie Kolodziej, Jason Kolodziej, Abigail Fenner, Garrett Fenner, Theresa Fenner, Nicole Fenner, Dale Fenner Jr., Anzlie Lowak, and Kaylie Lowak; great-great-grandchildren, Aubrey Landers and Maiah Herschbach.
A prayer service was held Sunday August 16, 2009 at Rhodes Funeral Home Chapel in Karnes City with the funeral services being held at 10 a.m., Monday August 17, 2009 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Karnes City. Pastor David Collins III officiated. Interment followed in the Kenedy City Cemetery. Funeral services were entrusted to Rhodes Funeral Home of Karnes City.
(Posted 8/19/2009 05:00 am)
Serving as pallbearers were Vernon Fenner Jr., Dale Fenner, Herbert Fenner, Braeden Terry, Leroy Kolodziej, Tim Lowak, Greg Franki, and William Barnes. Honorary pallbearers were chosen because they were children of whom he was a sponsor in their Baptism which include Florence Fenner Winkler, Betty June Lieke Polasek, Elton Lieke, James Voigt, Gaynell Fenner Franki, Lynnette Lowak Barnes, and Jamie Fenner.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Leona Buegeler Fenner; parents; sons, Franklin and Howard Fenner; brothers, Walter Fenner, Otto Fenner, Carl Fenner, and Edwin Fenner; sisters, Ida Fenner Windmeyer, Elsie Fenner Voigt, Tekla Fenner Busselman and Bertha Fenner Lieke; and grandchildren, Clayton L. Fenner and James W. Fenner.
His survivors include one sister-in-law, Mary Lou Fenner of Karnes City; son, Vernon Fenner and wife Henrietta of Karnes City; and daughter, Patricia Lowak and husband Wilfred of Three Oaks Community; grandchildren, Rhonda Fenner Davis and husband Bryan of Corpus Christi, Gaynell Fenner Franki and husband Greg of Alice, Texas, Vernon A. Fenner Jr. and wife Gloria of Hobson, Texas, Dale E. Fenner of Karnes City, Herbert A Fenner of Fashing, Lynnette Lowak Barnes and husband Bill Pflugerville, Texas, Nancy Lowak Kolodziej and husband Leroy of Falls City, Texas, and Tim Lowak and wife Marguerite of LaVernia, Texas; great-grandchildren include Ashley Landers and husband Cory, Braeden Terry, Cassandra Fenner Herschbach, Kristen Franki, Francesca Franki, Ricci Humphrey and husband Josh, Ryan Barnes, Kellie Kolodziej, Jason Kolodziej, Abigail Fenner, Garrett Fenner, Theresa Fenner, Nicole Fenner, Dale Fenner Jr., Anzlie Lowak, and Kaylie Lowak; great-great-grandchildren, Aubrey Landers and Maiah Herschbach.
A prayer service was held Sunday August 16, 2009 at Rhodes Funeral Home Chapel in Karnes City with the funeral services being held at 10 a.m., Monday August 17, 2009 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Karnes City. Pastor David Collins III officiated. Interment followed in the Kenedy City Cemetery. Funeral services were entrusted to Rhodes Funeral Home of Karnes City.
