Memorials › Emma Frances Labay Hawkins
Emma Frances Labay Hawkins
16 Feb 1920 – 17 Mar 2006
| Birth | 16 Feb 1920 |
| Death | 17 Mar 2006 |
| Cemetery | Saint Marys Cemetery Nada , Colorado County , Texas , USA |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126894461 |
Bio
Emma Frances Hawkins daughter of Michael John and Veronika (Becak) Labay. __________________________ Emma Frances Labay Hawkins,86,passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday,March 17,at Palestine Regional Medical Center in Palestine. Born February 16,1920 in Garwood,to Michael John Labay and Veronika Becak Labay,Emma was only second generation American and spoke Czech fluently until the day she died. She worked at the Brown Shipyard in Galveston during World War II,entertained many members of the Louisiana Hayride and the Grand Ole Opry in her Houston home and would regale any listener with hours of stories about Elvis,Hank Thompson,Sammy Davis Jr.,Mickey Gilley,and Bob Wills. Emma was a single working mother long before the days of women's lib,computers and cellphones.She paid for her home in Houston in two years with war bonds and raised her daughter and two generations of kids with her own mixture of love,laughter,chicken,and beer.And,of course,music.She was truly a "Redneck Mother" who would kiss away your tears after she tore you up for doing wrong. Emma was a life-long member of the KJZT and the Catholic Daughters both based in Nada. Known by everyone who knew her as "Memo" Hawkins,she was preceded in death by two sisters,Martha Labay Cernoch,and Mary Labay Rose,both of Nada. Memo leaves behind one daughter Barbara Litzner Watlington and husband Kelly of Palestine,one grandson Scott Litzner and his wife Jennifer of Nada,two granddaughters Monica Litzner and Timothy Odom of Phoenix,Arizona,and Kristina Litzner and Michael Koib of Goodyear,Arizona,and her greatest joy two brand new great?granddaughters,Shaelin Rae Odoin,and her namesake,Emma Marie Koib. She was influential in the upbringing of her step-son Larry Lee Hawkins of Lisbon Fails,Maine,step-grandsons Lonnie and Brian Litzner both Chandler,Arizona and countless."Reagan Rats" and the "26th Street Gang" in Houston. Love of God with a true sense of right and wrong.Love of Family always remembering that the friends you choose are the family you pick.Good food.Cold beer.Doninos.Music and dancing.Memo always said "My life has been a pleasure." Believe me when we all say "Memo,the pleasure was ours." Services were to be held Wednesday,March 22 at 2 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Nada,with interment following at the Nada Cemetery. Pallbearers were Ken Drlik,Bobby Meyer,Justin Jobe,Sammy Duncan,Bart Henry and Alton DeGeorge. Honorary pallbearers were Kelly Watlington,James K. "Cowboy" Jobe,Roy Boyd,Hilmer David Fritsch,Larry Lee Hawkins and Jimmy Davis. Sympathy is extended to the family in their loss. Eagle Lake Headlight,23rd,2006
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