Ella Lorene Bergeron

Ella Lorene Bergeron, of Sealy, passed peacefully to her eternal rest on March 6, 2017, serving Our Lord, her family, and the communities in which she lived for over 99 years. Ella was born on Feb. 13, 1918, near Cameron. She attended Cameron schools and spent most of her youth helping with family chores and farming the land. 

Ella was joined in holy matrimony to Clement Wohleb II in 1936.  They started their family and farmed land in nearby Cameron. Ella was a homemaker and mother, with a contagious smile and an uplifting spirit.

In late 1946, she transplanted the household to Texas City, where Clem had already taken a new job at the refinery docks. The Texas City Disaster of April 16, 1947, changed the family’s life forever, leaving Ella a widow with four young children. She lived on Thirteenth Avenue until 1952, when Ella married Louis Drozd.

Ella and Louis established Drozd Pharmacy in Texas City. The family moved to Fourth Avenue gaining easy access to the original Levi Fry Jr. High School.  All the while, Ella drove her children to achieve the best they could in education, music, and other activities.  But in 1962, Ella lost her Louis to cancer.

She married Mr. Jack Bergeron in 1963, and lived in Texas City until 1971. The two moved to Rockdale and purchased a country store. In 1974, Ella and Jack moved to Sealy.  Jack passed away in 1976.  Ella spent her time babysitting for families in need.  She also invested in rental property to serve the growing community.  She was well-known about town, sometimes just dropping in to lend a hand.

Ella loved the excitement of bingo. Until 98 years of age, she was a frequent visitor to the area bingo halls near Sealy. She also was quite skilled with the harmonica, as she could strike up a merry tune for any occasion.  Her home is decorated as if it were a mini-museum, with many garage sale “pretties.”

Ella Bergeron is preceded in death by her parents Rudolf and Caroline Hertenberger; three husbands; and her siblings, Raymond Hertenberger, Leona Wohleb, JB Hertenberger, Clara Humplik, Dorothy Vybiral, Rita Mikulec, Lawrence Hertenberger and Clarence Hertenberger.

Ella is survived by her four loving children: Clement Wohleb III of Sealy, Ella Edinburgh of Texas City, Nolan Wohleb and wife Barbara of Santa Fe, and Reagan Wohleb of Sealy.

Her 16 grandchildren fondly remember high times with grandma, be it making pallets for sleepovers, trips to the bingo hall, jokes and storytelling until late night, competitive domino games, making comfort foods such as cookies or egg noodles with butter, polka dancing, and coaching the girls how to best fix their hair.  Her advice to young men was, “Walk about upright and not slouchy, so people don’t think you’re poor.”

She was blessed with 26 great-grandchildren and an ever-growing number of great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers for Mrs. Bergeron are Clement Wohleb IV, Lewis Edinburgh, Paul Edinburgh, Jason Wohleb, Mark Wohleb and Reagan Wohleb Jr.

Visitation will be held on March 10 from 8:30–9:30 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 600 Fourth St., Sealy, TX 77474. A Rosary will follow at 9:30 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. March 10 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Interment will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, next to Mr. Louis Drozd, in Dickinson at 1 p.m. March 10. The cemetery is located at 7801 Gulf Fwy, Dickinson, TX 77539.

Knesek Brothers Funeral Home in Sealy is in charge or arrangements. Visit http://www.knesekfuneralhome.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1931802 to leave a memorial message.