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Margaret Elizabeth (Newton) Dennis was born to Clyde and (Lara) Lydia Newton on January 28, 1941 in Drexel, North Carolina and went to be with the Lord on November 15, 2025.
Married to the late Keith Dennis, her loving husband of 62 years, Margaret was the beloved matriarch of a large family including her 4 children (Randall, Angela, Laura, and Lisa) along with 13 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. She loved her family fiercely.
Margaret was a woman of profound faith. She shared the gospel and her love of God with the world through her beautiful singing. She was the Music Minister at Redemption Baptist Church for nearly 50 years as well as a Sunday School teacher. She shared Jesus with everyone she came in contact with and is now walking down those streets of gold in His presence alongside her darling husband Keith, two of her children (Randall Dennis and Angela Carter), and countless loved ones who have gone on before.
Margaret is survived by daughters Laura West (husband John West) and Lisa West (husband Louis West), sister Coleen Brackett, brother Ray Newton (his wife Wanda Newton), sisters-in-law Christine Newton and Greta Newton, all her many grandchildren, great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and nieces and nephews.
Services will be held December 2, 2025 at Redemption Baptist Church in Devine, Texas with Visitation beginning at 8:00am and the Funeral Service following at 11:00am. Interment will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 2:30pm.
Anyone wishing to leave condolences, share memories, or sign the online guestbook may do so by visiting www.primrosefuneralservices.com Arrangements are under the direction of Primrose Funeral Services, 14822 Main Street, Lytle, Texas, 78052, (830) 709-0698.

Mary Kathleen “Kathy” Lynch, 74, of Pearson, TX peacefully slipped the bonds of Earth surrounded by loved ones on November 6, 2025. She will be remembered for her grace, compassion, and patience; qualities which shone in both her personal life, and her careers.
Born on October 21, 1951 in East Orange, New Jersey, Kathy came to Texas to escape northeastern winters and attend the University of Houston. She first met Arthur E. Lynch Jr. in the Fall of 1971 and he asked her if she would type up some school papers for him because he was a terrible typist. One thing lead to another and a Valentine’s Day 1972 first date led to their wedding on December 22, 1973. They remained happily married for the following 52-plus years during which they raised two daughters, and many cats.
During her career, Kathy started as a Food Stamp Eligibility Case Worker in Houston eventually transferring to the Pearsall office as a Medicaid Case Worker. She later became a Supervisor in the Hondo office. Kathy then transferred to San Antonio, first writing Texas Medicaid policy for the Department of Human Services, then enforcing state Medicaid policy by advocating for Medicaid applicants. After retiring from DHS she obtained certification as a Special Ed teacher and worked at Lytle ISD for a year. Then she got an offer from Texas Certified Elder Law Attorney, Patty Flora Stichler to be Case Manager to her practice. She took the offer and worked with Patty for years, along the way co-authoring the first instructional manual on Kid’s Medicaid Benefits in Texas.
Art and Kathy bought a small house in Pearson, Texas in January of 1977 and built their lives and family there. The family grew and so did the house. It is a house and family that love built.
Those fortunate enough to call her friend or family knew Kathy could be relied upon for thoughtful guidance, a good book recommendation, and an observant quip about the state of the world.
Kathy is survived by her husband, Art; her sister, Sharon; her daughters, Jess and Liz; and two beloved grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Doris C. and Thomas J. Riley Jr.
Arrangements were made by the Neptune Society. There will be a celebration of life at a later date.

Robert Rivas, 79, passed away in El Paso, on Oct. 14, 2025, after a short illness.
Rivas was a 1964 graduate of Devine High School and earned an associate’s degree from Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, a bachelor’s degree in political science and history, with a minor in education from what is now Sul Ross State University in Alpine. Later, he earned a masters in counseling from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.
Robert was certified to teach grades 1-12 and Bilingual/ESL. His final assignment worked as counselor at at Laura Steele Elementary in San Antonio ISD. Prior to his teaching career, Robert worked at what is now the Texas Workforce Commission as a vocational counselor.
Robert took up several hobbies after an early retirement, practicing and studying until his work was at a professional level. He took classes in woodworking, photography, welding, construction and aluminum casting at his alma mater Sul Ross, in Alpine. After moving to El Paso to be with his wife, he filled their home with Mission Style oak furniture he made. He also made small pieces for family members. In El Paso, Robert took classes in ceramics and made glazed crucifixes, crosses, candle holders, figurines, and more. He taught himself landscaping and concrete work by studying books. Once he mastered those skills, he designed and built a retaining wall and xeriscaped the yard at his home, with concrete pathways.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Sylvia Rodriguez Rivas, of El Paso; a son, Michael Rivas, of Tacoma, WA; sisters Carmen Danna (Frank), of Castroville; Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez (Gil), of Austin; Guadalupe L. Rivas, of Austin; a brother-in-law, James L. Smith of PA; four grandchildren; nine nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Ramón M. and Henrietta Lopez Rivas; three sisters, Irma Rivas Estrella; Henrietta Rivas Smith and Connie Rivas Brown; and nephews Baby Boy Brown and Paul Danna and great nephew Bobby Kahmer.
A rosary in his memory will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Devine at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 21, 2025. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. following the rosary.

After a long and courageous struggle with dementia, Billy Ricord, 83, passed peacefully at Heritage Hall in Big Stone Gap, VA. He lived in Duffield, VA and owned and operated Bill’s Appliance both in Scott County, VA and in his home state of Texas for over 40 years.
His parents, in order to escape the devastation of the Dust Bowl in Dewey County, Oklahoma, moved to Devine TX, with five young children, after seeing an advertisement in the local paper that boasted “good farm land in Devine TX”. Billy was born in Devine, TX and the family eventually grew to 12 children.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Coy Clell Ricord and Lilli Dell (Louthan) Ricord, as well as 11 siblings. Six brothers, Eddie, Manny, Nolan, Loren, Bobby and Lonnie and five sisters, Rose, Viola, Dena, (infant) Virginia and (infant) Clarise.
Left to cherish his memory and continue his legacy of a successful life are his wife of 35 years, Dorothy (Plant) Ricord of New York City, his three children: Rhonda Levy (Wayne), Coy Ricord (Billie Jo), and Shane, his 11 grandchildren: Britny Stricker (Charlie), Weston Levy (Chelsie), Seth Levy (Michaela), Cody Brown (Kaylin), Bailey Ricord, Dillon Ricord ( Korin), Luke Ricord, Faith Ricord, Will Ricord and Gracie Ricord, 10 great-grandchildren: Charlie, Cooper and Chloe Stricker, Wade and Timber Levy, Bentley Levy, Cannon and Chad Brown, Logan Ricord, and Harper Ricord.
Billy overcame some adversity in his younger years, but through his own self-determination and strength of character he spent the remaining journey of his life a success story. He was proud of this accomplishments.
Many thanks to the nursing staff at Heritage Hall, who loving cared for him in his final days.
His wishes were to be cremated, and the family will be having a celebration of life at a later date. These arrangements are being handled by the Fischer Funeral Home in Hiltons, VA. In his memory, you can remember a moment in time, or some adventure you shared with him fishing or on the motorcycle. That is how he would like to be remembered by his many friends and family.
His mind and body are finally at peace.

Juan Antonio Velazquez of Devine, Texas, born September 9, 1949, passed away on November 11, 2025, at the age of 76 in San Antonio, Texas, surrounded by his loved ones.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Antonio and Esperanza Velazquez, his brother Raul Velazquez, and his sister Yolanda Gonzalez.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Dora Velazquez, his children, Antonio Velazquez (Teresita Del Carmen Velazquez), Lorraine Velazquez-Roman (Javier E. Roman), Esmeralda Serna (Jorge A. Serna), Jesus Velazquez, and Aaron Travieso (Kiara Travieso). Juan leaves behind brothers, Ruben Velazquez, Melquiadez Velazquez; sisters, Virginia Campos, Consuelo Rocha, will also be missed by his grandkids, Leonardo Velazquez, Diana Velazquez, Nicole Velazquez, Alejandro Serna, Cristian Serna, and Aurelia Trevieso. A very special thanks to his healthcare providers, Josefina Trejo, Hortencia (Tencha) De La Garza, and Sarah Clay, for all of their sweet care and attention to Juan and the family.
A funeral service will be held in his honor on Friday, November 21, 2025, in the Primrose Funeral Chapel in Devine from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Interment of his ashes will be celebrated with Honors at Fort Sam Houston at a later date.
If you would like to share a memory or express your condolences, please do so at www.primrosefuneralservices.com