Evelyn M. Kalinec

Evelyn M. Kalinec was 91 when she left us to join Daddy. She passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 31, 2022, New Year’s Eve. Evelyn was born to Fred and Mary Boerner on 22 January 1931, in Orange Grove, Texas. She was the oldest of three children.  

Momma and her two brothers, Fred Jr. (Butch) and Dennis, grew up on a farm just outside of Orange Grove. Momma had a love for the farm. She liked outdoor spaces and the openness of the sky. Momma attended school in Orange Grove, graduating valedictorian of her high school class. After a year at Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, she came home to the farm. She decided she liked the pace of a small town. Shortly after that she met this handsome Army fella from Alice that she fell in love with, Joe Kalinec. Evelyn and Joe were married on, 12 April 1951 and started their great adventure of 60 years by moving to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Shortly after, they were transferred to Army Base Camp McCoy in Wisconsin, where, Mary, their oldest, was born. Shortly after that, Daddy was assigned to Albuquerque, New Mexico as his final assignment in the Army. They moved back to Texas, settling in Corpus Christi, where they raised their growing family. Mary was followed by Patrick, Theresa and Michael. A beautiful family of four children, two boys and two girls, just what momma wanted. At least that’s what she said. Momma was born and raised in the Catholic faith. Her belief in God was strong and she instilled that belief in her children. We all helped out on Saturdays getting Our Lady of Perpetual Help ready for Sunday Masses. To this day we still help out at our parishes in different ways because of momma. 

Momma was active in the Altar Society at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish and the Diocese of Corpus Christi Council of Women.  

Momma was an excellent seamstress. She made a number of new habits for the Sisters living in town in the ‘60's when the “new” habits came into being! Theresa and Mary were encouraged to help with sewing sequins on a gown for the Mardi Gras gowns in Corpus Christi. Mary thinks, momma secretly tried to make a seamstress out of her. Didn’t work, but Mary could cook. I think momma really hated to cook, so it was a win on both our parts. Momma loved to garden. We had a really pretty yard. She passed that skill onto her children.  

In 1974, momma and daddy moved to Orange Grove, back to farm she inherited from her parents. She was in love with that place. Daddy was raised on a farm, so this was their idea of the ideal home. They quickly made friends and found a home parish at St. John of The Cross.  

After Daddy died in 2011, momma moved to San Angelo, Tx to be near Theresa and her husband. There she found new friends and new adventures. The last few years of her life, momma was in the Meadow Creek Skilled Nursing Center.There, she again made new friends, with both the staff and her roommates. She enjoyed her Dr. Pepper and chocolate. Theresa kept her stocked up on those items.  

Momma was preceded in death by daddy, Joe Kalinec, her parents, Fred and Mary Boerner, her in laws Joe and Frances Kalinec, her brother, Dennis, her brothers-in-law, George, Henry, Jerry, Frank and Charlie Kalinec, Don Olson and Ronnie Bertagna. Momma is survived by her children, Mary (Dick), Patrick (Laurie), Theresa (Maurice) and Michael (Katherine). Her grandchildren William (Rohnda) Wittliff, Kimberley (Phillip) Cronkhite, Crystal (Scott) Kalinec-Craig, Daniel (Jennifer) Kalinec, William (Tiffany) Fortin, Adam (Jennifer) Kalinec, Keith Kalinec and Katrina (Mychael) Houck. Momma is also survived by eighteen great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Her sisters-in-law, Johanna, Margie, Linda and Jane Kalinec, Dorothy Bertagna, Frances Olson and Margaret Boerner who became the sisters she never had. Also, surving her are her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ben and Olene Kalinec, and brother Butch Boerner. 

A Visitation will be held from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM on Friday, January 6, 2023 with a Holy rosary to be recited at 7:00 PM at Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 E. Main St. Alice, Texas 78332. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, 200 S Metz St, Orange Grove, TX 78372. Christian Burial will follow at St. John of the Cross Cemetery.

Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Patrick Kalinec, William Wittliff, Phillip Cronkhite, Maurice Fortin, Will Fortin and Joseph Wittliff. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. John of the Cross Catholic Church in Orange Grove, Tx or the Sisters of Divine Providence in San Antonio, Tx. 

The family wishes to thank the Staff at Meadow Creek for the care and love showed to momma in the last years of her life, especially Bill, Cheree, Juan and Dr. Vicki Forlano MD. Also, a very special thank you to Theresa and Maury for all they did for momma. It is greatly appreciated. Momma, we love you and miss you very much.

Arrangements are entrusted to Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 East Main Street, Alice, Texas.

Condolences for the family may be offered at www.holmgreenmortuaryinc.com and shared via Holmgreen Mortuary Facebook.holmgreenmortuary.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Evelyn M. Kalinec, please visit our floral store.