Ethel Beeson Presgrove Rega

ETHEL BEESON PRESGROVE REGA was received into Heaven by God and all of his angels on July 25, 2011 after a 21 year battle with cancer. She was born December 1, 1924 to Lolita Moreaux Beeson and Robert Benjamin Beeson in Shreveport, Louisiana. She and her sister Nell were reared primarily by their maternal grandparents--Beulah Couvillion Moreaux and Joseph Omira Moreaux--due to the dissolution of their parents’ marriage.

Upon moving to Houston in her pre-teen years, Ethel attended Incarnate Word Academy and Jackson Junior High School. She then graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 1942. Soon afterwards, she met and married Jimmie Monroe Presgrove. To this union three children were born: Nancy (Parks), June (Rohsner), and a baby boy who lived only a few hours. Ethel and Jimmie were very happily married until his death on October 10, 1973.

Shortly before her husband’s death, Ethel began her employment with the Houston ISD. Her career began with the Substitute Teachers Office and included employment as a lunch room cashier and then clerk at Kashmere Gardens Elementary School. Several years later, she helped to open the brand new Scroggins Elementary School and thoroughly enjoyed her years there as the school secretary. She retired from the Houston ISD in August of 1986 after twenty years of service.

On December 21, 1974 Ethel married Louis Rega. She and Louis were blessed to have been married for 36 years. They enjoyed an active lifestyle after retirement as members of a bowling league, as well as an RV group that traveled together to different places. They performed community service work with Doss Community Park and were members of the Doss Pickers (a band comprised of seniors who entertained at nursing homes and other functions).

Throughout her life, Ethel was always a firm believer in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Having been brought up as a member of the Catholic faith, she became a Presbyterian in her thirties. At the time of her death, she was a member of North Woods Presbyterian Church. The tenets of Christianity have always been a guide as to how she lived her life. She lived her faith in everyday life with everyone she met. Compassion, humility, meekness--and a great sense of humor!--are all attributes she possessed. Her family was, truly, her pride and joy. Her family was everything to her, just as she was to them.

Ethel was preceded in death by her husband Jimmie Presgrove, her parents, grandparents, step-daughter Jerrie Harvey and great-granddaughter Casey Lynn Rennie. She is survived by her husband, Louis Rega; her daughters Nancy (Melvin) Parks and June (Tom) Rohsner; grandchildren Matthew Rohsner, Julie (Jeff) McBryde and Elizabeth (Robert) Bullock; great-grandchildren Caitlyn, Allyson and soon to arrive little Molly; her sister Nell Akeroyd, and four nephews and a niece.

The family would like to thank all of Ethel’s medical team for the past 17 months: Dr. Tejash R. Patel, oncologist; Dr. Gilchrist L. Jackson, Surgical Oncology; Dr. Raj Alagugurusamy, Hospitalist, St. Luke’s Hospital; Dr. Carpenter and staff of the Cyber Knife Clinic, the staffs of The Hamptons/VistaCare Hospice and Odyssey Hospice, and a special thanks to Stacey Roach, RN for all of her gentleness, caring, and concern not only for our Mother but also for the family.

Services are scheduled for our Mother at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery on Friday, June 29th. Visitation will be from 9:30 - 10:00 and the funeral service will begin immediately thereafter. Due to the extreme heat, please feel free to dressed casually..

In lieu of floral arrangements, the family requests contributions be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital--Account #28607686--in memory of Ethel Rega. You may call 1-800-822-6344 to make your contribution or go online at http://fundraising.stjude.ag/goto/ethelrega.

Rest well, our beloved Ethel, for you are truly a child of God who has been received into His Kingdom by all of the Choirs of Angels into Everlasting Joy!