Zerl Wayne Bielecki

Zerl Wayne Bielecki, 73, of Bridge City, Texas, passed away on September 18, 2017, in Houston, Texas.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, September 21, 2017, at St. Henry Catholic Church in Bridge City. Officiating will be Reverend Steven Leger. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Orange.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a Rosary at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City.

Born in Groves, Texas, on September 9, 1944, Zerl was the son of John Joseph Bielecki and Flora Mae (Ensign) Bielecki. He was a machinist and fabricator all of his life, owning Zerl’s Welding and Fabrication for 39 years. Prior to owning his own business, he was an employee for Ramsey Kent, Elliot Machine Shop in Groves, Crumpler’s Machine Welding in Bridge City, Big 3 Plant in Nederland, and Sneed’s Ship Building. Zerl was a dedicated member of St. Henry’s Catholic Church as well as the Knights of Columbus. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, especially alligators, as well as canning and cooking. He enjoyed making venison sausage and jerky for his friends and family. He will be greatly missed by those who had the pleasure of knowing and loving him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Joseph and Flora Mae Bielecki; sister, Bessy Terrell; brother, Roger Bielecki; brothers-in-law, Henry Terrell and Larry Paul Chauvin.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 49 years, Linda (Hogan) Bielecki; sons, Christopher Bielecki and wife Betty and Michael W. Bielecki, all of Bridge City; grandchildren, Sonny Wayne Bielecki and Elaine Lynn Bielecki; and his siblings, Sonny Bielecki, of Port Neches, Dorothy Chauvin, of Groves, and Carolyn Crenshaw, of Groves.

Serving as pallbearers will be Christopher W. Bielecki, Darrel Bielecki, Tommy Coon, Charles Terrell, Clyde Richardson, and Scooter Coon.