Henry Migl

Henry John Migl was born December 23, 1931, and he was called from this life by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Good Friday, April 6, 2012. Anton and Ludmila (Jasek) Migl lovingly and joyfully accepted a gift from God upon the birth of their son, Henry John Migl, born on December 23, 1931, in Praha, Texas. Henry was received into the Body of Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism on this very same date of his birth when he was baptized by Father John Andres. Henry received the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation at St. Mary's Catholic Church and also attended St. Mary's Catholic School in Praha as a young boy. Henry learned to serve at a very early age by helping his parents and by serving our Lord Jesus as an Altar Boy at St. Mary's Catholic Church. On Feb. 9, 1953, Henry received the call to serve his great country, which he loved so much, and was drafted into the 165th Operations Attachments Division of the Army at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX which happened to be during the 1953 Korean War. On Sept. 7, 1953, Henry took Edna Mae's hand in marriage in St. Cyril & Methodious Catholic Church in Cistern. In Feb. 1955, Henry received Honorable discharge from the Army as a Sergeant and settled in Cistern with his wife to farm and ranch 200 plus acres. Henry also worked at the Cistern General Store to earn extra income. They became very active parishioners of the St. Cyril & Methodious Catholic Church, and Henry served on the Board of Trustees throughout the 50's and 60's. He has been chairing and working parish picnics for many years, singing in church choirs for over 30 years even playing his 100-year old accordion for many Polka Masses; something passed down by his own Dad. Henry has served as a Lecturer at Holy Mass for well over 50 years and as a Eucharistic Minister for some 40 years or more. Henry was elected as Secretary and President of the Cistern Recreation Club in 1955 serving in this capacity until it dissolved some years ago. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of the K.J.T. Lodge #2 from 1955 to the present time. Henry was originally enrolled by his Dad into the K.J.T. at age five and just recently received a 75-year pin for his longstanding and active membership. Henry also joined the American Legion Post 94 in 1955 and served as a very active member and as Post Adjutant for three years. In addition to farming and ranching, Henry enjoyed working for the Billy Davis Service Station in Smithville, Texas from approximately mid 1966 to the end of 1968. Henry enjoyed this new job serving people and, of course, the people LOVED him. During this time, Henry became involved in the Smithville community and even in the Smithville Chamber of Commerce. Henry joined the Flatonia Knights of Columbus Council #3295 in 1964 and served in most all offices and capacities including Grand Knight for 2.5 years, District Deputy of Dist. 29, Faithful Navigator and as Warden. He received Honorary Member of the 3rd Degree K of C of Flatonia and Honorary Member of the 4th Degree K of C of Weimar, Tx. Henry was appointed as Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus in 1971. On June 10, 1973, he was honored to receive the "Worthy Sir Knight" Award from the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus District 2, and on this same day he also officially joined the 4th Degree of the Knights of Columbus Dist. 2 of Weimar, Tx. About one year later on July 1, 1974, Henry was appointed by the Flatonia K of C Council 3295 as District Deputy of Dist. 29 covering Flatonia, Weimar and Schulenburg serving in this capacity for four years until 1978. In June of 1979, Henrywas deeply honored to receive the Pope Paul VI Memorial Youth Award from the Texas State Council Knights of Columbus for his dedicated service in working with our youth in the community as a leader of the Columbia Squires. As a devoted father of five children, Henry knew how important it was to educate and work with the youthв?¦the future of our community, our country and the world. Henry was chosen to receive the distinguished Knights of Columbus "Knight of the Year Award for 1995". He was recognized and awarded the 4th Degree Honorary Life Membership in grateful recognition of long and faithful service to the 4th Degree of the Knights of Columbus Dist. 2 on March 21, 2002. And in May of 2004, while still very active in the Flatonia Knights of Columbus Council #3295, Henry was serving his fellow Knights as Warden. To this very day in 2012, Henry was active attending meetings when he could and selling barbeque briskets to help raise money for the Knights' good works and charitable contributions. Henry cooked and served many a hamburger at the KC booth at every Czhilispiel, and he always told his fellow Knightsв?¦"The only way you can get out of cooking hamburgers is if you die!" г?? Change came in Jan. 1969 when Henry moved his family to Flatonia after purchasing the Gulf Service Station. It did not take long before he was serving on the Parish Advisory Board and as Chairman of the Flatonia Sacred Heart Parish picnic. Henry also served on many other church committees, including the building of the new church in Flatonia. As a member of Sacred Heart Parish, Henry was deeply touched and blessed when Archbishop Patrick F. Flores of the San Antonio Diocese appointed him to serve as a Eucharistic Minister for the September 13, 1987, Papal Visit of our beloved Pope John Paul II in San Antonio, Texas. Soon Henry was involved with the Capitol Area Boy Scouts of America when their son, Kenneth became a Boy Scout. Henry served for six years as General Chairman for the annual Boy Scouts Sustaining Membership Enrollment (S.M.E.) and in November 1969, he received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Capitol Area Boy Scouts for outstanding leadership in the 1969 campaign and for generous financial support. Henry joined Rotary Club International in 1971 serving in various capacities and as President of this fine organization from 1972 to 1974. On April 23, 1977, Henry was honored to receive the Rotary Club International (Dist. 587) Certificate of Acknowledgement for outstanding exemplification of the Spirit of Rotary in his community, in his club and in Rotary International. During this time, Henry also served on the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club and graciously accepted a most prestigious award when he was named in the "Rotary Roll of Fame for 1977". During the early 1970's, Henry also served on the FISD School Board for a short period of time and as manager of the Flatonia Little League Baseball organization. As an active member of the Flatonia Chamber of Commerce, Henry served as President from 1976 to 1977. During this time, the town enjoyed one of the most successful Czhilispiels in history в?¦Czhilispiel Vв?¦the largest of them all and the second largest chili cook-off in the world. Henry even traveled to Austin and Houston for live TV interviews to promote this great event in his community. Henry knew how desperately his community needed a doctor to care for its people, and so much of this money was used to finance the medical education of a doctor and to equip a new Community Clinic for Dr. Maurice Wilkinson. On Feb. 26, 1980, Henry humbly received the "Citizen of the Year Award" in recognition of years of dedicated service to his community from the Flatonia Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. It was a very special day when Henry along with his wife, Edna, enjoyed leading the Czhilispiel XXIX (#29) Parade as the Parade Marshal through downtown Flatonia in October 2001. On or about April 7, 1984, Henry embarked on yet another form of community service and decided to make a run for the city council and was elected to serve as a City Councilman for a number of years. In that same year, Henry graciously accepted an invitation to serve on the Advisory Board of South Central Home Health Care on July 24, 1984. Shiner Hospital had a special place in Henry's heart since their five children were born in this hospital. Shiner Hospital, Inc. presented Henry with an award in 1988 in appreciation for his dedicated service on the Board of Trustees for serving from November 1980 to December 1988. 1995 brought a pleasant change when Henry and Edna decided to retire to the place they began their life togetherв?¦they left the school block in Flatonia after the children were grown and moved back to the farm now known as the 7-M Ranch. They enjoyed their years of retirement on the farm running cattle, growing gardens and even raising some chickens again. Henry quickly became the handy-man for everyone in the area using his gifts and talents in woodworks to do remodel jobs. Upon the celebration of their 50th Wedding Anniversary in September 2003, The Holy Father Pope John Paul II cordially imparted to Henry and Edna Migl an Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of heavenly favors on Nov. 6, 2003. Henry and Edna were recognized for their service to the community and received the Fayette County's Outstanding Senior Citizen award in LaGrange, Texas on May 12, 2004. Despite his thousands of hours of community service, Henry has always been there for his wife and family. They truly enjoyed each other's company and the two of them danced a million miles together across Texas and in other states to polkas, waltzes and country music. They even boarded a bus headed to Las Vegas one time for a Polka Fest. They led grand marches for weddings and anniversaries in the east, west, north and south of Flatonia!! Henry also had special time with all of his children and grandchildren whether it be taking them fishing to the tank, riding horses, teaching them to ride a bike, making something from wood, or attending their school and/or sporting activitiesв?¦he may not be able to get to all of them at one time, but they all had fun learning something from him on any given dayв?¦especially how SERVE other people and community. Henry always enjoyed his horses, cows and anything to do with farming and ranching. He was a regular trail-rider and rode in many of them with his family and friends for church picnics and stock shows. The best fisherman in the Bastrop/Fayette County areaв?¦Henry loved to fish and catch the big ones in fresh or saltwaterв?¦it was a rare day that he did not catch a fish while fishing. He taught his entire family how to fishв?¦his children, his in-laws and grandchildren if they did not know how to fish! And, he LOVED to watch them catch many fish, big or small! A man who can fix anything and everythingв?¦Edna has always saidв?¦"If Migl can't fix it, it cannot be fixedв?¦just throw it in the trash!" A man who was talented and gifted in wood-working as wellв?¦he made so many beautiful things for family and friends. A man who used his many gifts from God to serve and help his fellow man. In a thank-you letter to the extended community of Flatonia for their strong support and prayers when Kenneth was seriously injured in an accident many years ago, Henry wrote these words that seem to describe him perfectlyв?¦"This tells us one thing. Be a part of someone; be a part of something; be a part of your church and community. Whether it be good or bad or whether it be in sorrow or joy; you always have someone to share with." A little poem written to describe Henry J. Migl in the Flatonia Argus some 30 years agoв?¦ A fisherman, a horseman, A proprietor is he, As civic-minded as a man can be; Often seen in his orange and blue, A trip to the bay will give you a clue! Henry was a man who loved our Lord Jesus Christ and served Him in every way and prayed to his very last hour telling Jesus how much he loved HIM, and Henry accepted God's will in all things . He was always a very happy man with a big smile on his face no matter what was happening! He told many a joke and always had a crowd around him to hear the next joke. Throughout his deepest suffering, he was joking with his family and caregivers bringing a smile to their faceв?¦he made us smile to the day he died and always will. Henry will be dearly missed by his family and many friends in this world, but we trust that our Husband, Dad, Dousi, Brother and Friend is rejoicing in Heaven for eternity!!! Henry is survived by his wife of 58 years, Edna Mae (Vinklarek) Migl; children Paulette and Mark Hamilton, Teresa and Jeff Knavel, Kenneth and Fay Migl, Lynda and Mike Hecker, and Lori Michalec. Dousi is survived by 12 loving grandchildren, Andrea Hamilton and husband, John Mertz, Garrett Hamilton, Grayson and Clayton Knavel, Kagan and Kenna Migl, Shelby and Rebecca Hecker, Dillon, Kayla, Kimberlyn, and Karmyn Michalec. Surviving sisters are Patsy Masek and Bea Krejci Henry is preceded in death by his parents, Anton and Ludmila (Jasek) Migl; sister, Dorthy, and brother, Arnold, who both died in infancy; Olga Janak and Helen Stanzel, and five children and three grandchildren whom God called to Himself before they were born here on earth. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The KC Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 395, Flatonia, Texas 78749; The St. Mary's Building Fund at 821 FM 1295, Flatonia, Texas 78941; or Raphael's Refuge, Inc. at 2715 Highway 90 West, Flatonia, Texas 78941. Visitation will start at 11:00 am Monday, April 9, 2012 at Smith Funeral Home. Rosary will be recited at 7:00 pm Monday, April 9, 2012 at St. Mary's Catholic Church-Praha. Funeral services will be held at 10 am Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at St. Mary's Catholic Church-Praha with The Most Rev. David Feldhauer and concelebranted with Rev. Gabriel Maison, Rev. Joe Hybner, Rev. John Bily, Rev. Pius Thekkevayalil Mathew, Rev. Tim Kosler, and Rev. Eddie Winkler officiatinig. Burial will follow in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Words of comfort maybe shared with the family at www.smithfuneralhomeflatonia.com. Smith Funeral Home-128 East 5th St.-Flatonia, Texas 78941-Phone# 361-865-3311
Visitation Monday, April 09, 2012

Rosary Service Monday, April 09, 2012

Funeral Service Tuesday, April 10, 2012