Billy Wirzberg

Billy Wirzberg, 94, of Coldspring, Texas passed away on November 11, 2022. Billy was born at St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston, Texas on November 8, 1928, to parents Max Marcus Wirzberg and Ernie Dee Ashworth Wirzberg. He attended Jeff Davis High School and began working at the Houston Chronicle after school and summers in 1945 and full time in 1946. In October of 1948 Billy enlisted in the United States Navy where he served until being honorably discharged in July 1953. While in the navy, he attended and completed the U.S. Naval School Lithographers Class A Course in Washington DC to further his printing skills where he worked printing Naval documents at the Pentagon Building. Upon completion of his Naval service, he returned to the Houston Chronicle as a pressman until 1978 where both his father and brother Harry also worked. While working at the Chronicle, Billy’s dad introduced him to a young lady from Louisiana working at a downtown lunch counter near the Chronicle building, her name was Yvonne Ann LaCour. Billy and Yvonne were married on April 3, 1954. They were married 66 years until her death in September 2020. In 1977 Billy and Yvonne moved from Houston to Coldspring, Texas and in 1978 opened Billy's Country Place BBQ and ran it for 18 years until they retired in 1995.

As a young man Billy attended the Jewish Synagogue with his father Max and worked with him on various projects to maintain the Synagogue and various Jewish cemeteries. After 36 years of marriage to his Catholic bride, Billy was baptized into the Catholic Church on November 19, 1990, and has been a member of St. Stephen Catholic Mission Church in Point Blank since its opening. Billy enjoyed cooking, dancing with his sweet Yvonne, and playing poker with his buddies. He also enjoyed saltwater fishing. Several times a year he would take his family to Indianola where his family had several houses. He would get up early in the morning and go wade fishing with his mom. He spent lots of time there repairing damage to the family homes after hurricanes along with his brother and brother-in-laws.

Billy is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Yvonne Wirzberg; sisters Rosie Hogg and Regina Klores; brother Harry Wirzberg; and great-granddaughter Aleigh Freed. He is survived by his four children, Glenn and wife Judy, Theresa Rausheck and husband Fred, Terry and wife Chris, and Anderia Freed and husband Kevin. He also leaves behind 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed and forever loved.

The family will receive friends from 5pm – 8pm, Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at Pace-Stancil Funeral Home in Coldspring where a rosary will be recited at 7:00pm. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 11am at St. Stephens Catholic Mission Church located at 101 Stagecoach Rd. Point Blank, Texas. The interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.