Lillie Louise Bottlinger

Services for Lillian Louise Bottlinger were held at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Sunday, April 13, 2014. Serving as her pallbearers were: Robert Reich, Howard Limmer, Don Rudolph, Sonny De La Garza, Charlie Bottlinger, Nick Cantara, and John Wayne Reich. Lillie passed away on April 11, 2014, at age 98, after an extended loss of mobility and health. Lillie was born in Nimrod, TX, Eastland County, to Charles John and Hulda (Nerritig) Reich on November 27, 1915. She was the 4th of 10 children.

At an early age, about 1919, her parents moved from Nimrod to Hamilton Co. They grew up and lived in the Carlton area. During these times, conditions were difficult. As a Christian family, they traveled by horseback, buggy or wagon from Carlton to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Aleman, for church services. Devotions following the order of church liturgy were held in the home when they could not travel to St. Paul’s Lutheran in Aleman.

Lillie was married to Ernest Frank Bottlinger on January 24, 1935. They lived in the Ireland area until her husband’s death in August of 1965; after which she moved back to Hamilton. Lillie and her family learned to be frugal and became very hard workers in all their activities. Lillie enjoyed working and staying busy. She was a homemaker; worked at Patty’s of Texas, and kept totally busy raising goats, livestock, birds and having a nice garden. She was concerned and thoughtful of her family by helping in any way she could.

Lillie was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Bottlinger, who passed away August 1, 1965; her son, Melvin Bottlinger, who was killed in a pickup accident in February of 1986; her parents; brothers, Gottlieb Reich, Henry Reich, Avil Reich, Charles Reich, Floyd Reich, and Johnny Reich and her sister, Irene Rudolph.

Lillie is survived by 2 sisters, Leona Miller of Dublin and Helen Limmer of Priddy. Also surviving are a son, Milton Bottlinger and wife, Jean and daughter Janet MacKay and husband Arthur. Other family members surviving are Melissa & husband Sonny De La Garza and children Colton and Caroline; Michelle Cantara, Nick Cantara and Joshua Cantara, Rusty Bottlinger and family.

The family requests memorials in Mrs. Bottlinger’s memory may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church.