Emory Upton "Rock" Wilpitz

EMORY UPTON WILPITZ was born on Sept. 28, 1923 in Waller Co., just north of Brookshire.  He was the youngest son of Walter Adolph and Hattie Sophie (Trettin) Wilpitz.  He was baptized into the Christian Faith as a child.  His  church attendance was limited to weddings and funerals, but, he knew his Lord and Savior, and lived his life by the Golden Rule.

Emory loved nature and wildlife, and at the age of 7 was given his first gun along with one shell and told by his dad, “You better come back with something.”  That began his love of hunting in the woods of Bell Bottom behind his childhood home.  Squirrel hunting throughout the Brookshire-Pattison area was a favorite past-time all his life.  He lived to hunt and loved eating wild game of all kinds.

A descendant of one of South Waller Co.’s prominent pioneer families, Emory was very proud of his “Weilputz” German heritage.  He loved as a child to spend countless hours in the company of his grandfather F.A. Trettin assisting him as he repaired clocks and watches.  He spent many of his teenage years working at the Wilpitz Meat Market in Brookshire, alongside his father and uncles.  He was also the grandson and nephew of the owners of the Trettin Cotton Gin in Brookshire.

Emory was one of the first 18 year-olds to be drafted into the service from Waller Co., after graduating from Pattison High School in 1941.  He served in the US Army during WW II from 1943 - 1945 in Europe.  Quite a character in the Army, the stories he told in later years about time in the service were very entertaining and informative.  Although he was known as “the best shot in Waller Co.,” he had no desire to be a sharpshooter in the Army, so he would intentionally miss the targets.

A life-long, avid hunter and fisherman, Emory spent all of his free time hunting, frog-gigging and fishing all over South Waller Co. He also took family members and friends hunting at his deer camp near Normangee.  “Rock,” as he was known by all, was a dependable, trusted and hard-working employee.  Shortly after his discharge from the Army, Emory went to work for Katy Drilling Co. working all over Texas for many years before going to work for Delta Engineering in the late 1960’s.  He retired in the early 1980’s but worked during hunting season as a cook and guide at a deer lease in Bandera Co.

Emory was known throughout the area as an expert marksman, reloading ammo for himself and others, as well as sighting-in rifles for numerous hunters.  He was a devoted member of the NRA.

Emory was a wonderful story-teller and could still remember every word of a joke until the end.  He was known as a prankster and good-hearted “trouble-maker” throughout his life. Quite the “ladies man” and a confirmed bachelor for 34 yrs., Emory reconnected with the love of his life in the late 1950’s.  They had been childhood playmates while visiting their relatives in Simonton.  On Dec. 30, 1957, Emory and Maggie were married at the home of a Fort Bend Co. J.P. in Richmond.  He became “Daddy” to her 6-year old daughter, Ernestine Mae “Tina” Cameron and a role model to her 14-year old son, Paul Reece Tanner.  Emory was a people person, and he and Maggie always enjoyed entertaining family and friends.  Her good cooking complimented his famous BBQ and homemade BBQ sauce.  Most gatherings included eating his delicious ribs, brisket, chicken and Midway processed deer sausage.

After the death of Maggie, his constant companion of almost 50 years, Emory moved to Sealy in 2008.  He built a little “shack” attached to his daughter’s home, where he enjoyed his independent lifestyle. Upon being diagnosed with cancer in June of 2017, his diagnosis required him to move in with Tina and Bubba where he lived comfortably and was doted on by his amazing caregiver, Elaine LaCombe.  In June of 2018, Emory was moved to Colonial Belle Nursing Home under the supervision of Compassionate Care Hospice until his death.  Emory was pleased and very grateful for the attention he received from all of his wonderful caregivers.

Emory passed away at Colonial Belle Nursing Home in Sealy, Texas on Thursday, July 12, 2018 at the age of 94.  He is survived by his daughter: Tina Brunkenhoefer and husband, Bubba, of Sealy; son:  Paul Tanner and  wife, Genver, of Rancho Viejo; granddaughters:  Britt Smith and husband, Dustin, of Richmond, Brandi Kuecker and husband, Russell, of Bellville, Jennifer Moore of Boston, MA and Deena Tanner of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; great granddaughters:  Brooke, Alexis and Cassidy Smith of Richmond, and Jessica Moore of Boston; and great grandsons:  Braeden “Cowboy” Kuecker of Bellville and Colt (Robertson) Smith of Richmond; niece:  Marilyn W. Waldrop and husband, Don, of Waianae, HI, and “other daughter:”  Elizabeth Anna Roberie and husband, Allen of Georgetown; and many other relatives and friends.  He was preceded in death by his wife of almost 50 years:  Maggie Mae (Hudgens) Wilpitz; his parents:  Walter and Hattie Wilpitz; father and mother-in-law: Herschel and Mabel Hudgens; brothers:  Reynold “Pete” Wilpitz and wife, Eleanor, and Anton Wilpitz; brothers-in-law:  Reece Hudgens and Don Hudgens and wife, Eva; sister-in-law:  Dorothy Hudgens Jacobson; nephew:  Reginald “Reggie” Wilpitz; and beloved aunt:  Annie Wilpitz Lange.