Waco Memorial Funeral Home, Cemetery & Cremations

05/31/2026

"Can children attend the burial?"

This choice is yours, and families approach it differently. Including children can help them understand what’s happening, say goodbye, and feel part of the family, while others decide it’s best to wait until children are older. If children do attend, it helps to prepare them for what they’ll see, keep explanations honest and age-appropriate, and have a trusted adult ready to step away with the child if needed. We’ll talk it through with you and support whatever feels right for your family.

05/28/2026

Barbara Hodges

Barbara Hodges, born January 3, 1961, passed away on Sunday, May 24, 2026. a complete obituary will be posted soon

View Barbara Hodges's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

05/28/2026

Have you considered how you'll want to be remembered on anniversaries and birthdays?

Maybe you'd love for your family to make your famous chocolate cake every year on your birthday, even if it never turns out quite like yours did. Or perhaps you'd want them to visit that little diner where you always ordered the same breakfast, sharing stories about all the funny things you used to say.

These special days will come every year, and your family will want to honor you in ways that feel meaningful. When you share what brings you joy on these occasions, you help them create celebrations that keep your spirit alive.

What traditions do you hope they'll continue? And what new ones would you want them to start?

05/28/2026

Florene Joyce (Goins) Brown

Florene was born November 23, 1935, to Rev. A.L. Goins and Ruby Goins of Somerville, Texas. She went to be with her Lord on May 24, 2026, at the age of ninety. She graduated from Somerville High School and attended Prairie View A&M University where she met her husband. Florene was employed and retired from Waco Independent School, and she was a beautician. She dedicated her life to Christ at an early age and was a faithful member of Toliver Chapel Missionary Baptist Church for over 50 years, until her health failed. At Toliver Chapel she and her late husband served faithfully as leaders of the Youth Department. During her temporary break in service, she was under watch care at Agape Christian Church, with Pastor Stewart Perryman and Grace Baptist Church, with Pastor Christopher Goins.

Florene was preceded in death by both her parents, Rev. A. L. Goins and Ruby Goins, her devoted husband Lewis Charles Brown and one Goddaughter, Kaneisha Black-Hill.

She leaves to cherish her memory her children, Charles Brown of Peoria, Il, Rev. Anthony Brown (Sharon) of Flint, TX, Charlar Brown Green of San Antonio, TX, Alex Brown (Veda) of Dallas, TX and a bonus son, Jesse Snead of Washington, D.C.; a brother Rev. Christopher Goins and sister, Agnes Gray, both of Bryan, TX.; twelve grandchildren; sixteen great grandchildren; six great-great grandchildren; one devoted Goddaughter; one God granddaughter; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

View Florene Joyce (Goins) Brown's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

05/26/2026

Boyd Andrew Pewitt III

Boyd Andrew Pewitt III, 73, of Arlington, Texas, passed away peacefully on May 12, 2026, in Arlington. He was born on June 29, 1952, in Waco, Texas, to Boyd Andrew Pewitt Jr. and Doris Louise Veselka Pewitt.

Though Boyd faced lifelong struggles with mental health, he remained, above all, a beloved child of God whose faith and spirit endured through every hardship. Boyd was a quiet and thoughtful man who found joy in life’s simple blessings. He loved gardening, taking long walks, and spending time talking with others about his faith and God’s love. He was a member of Harris Creek Baptist Church in McGregor, Texas, where he found comfort, fellowship, and spiritual guidance throughout his life.

Over the years, Boyd worked a variety of jobs and was known by those who knew him as kind-hearted, humble, and sincere. He valued conversations, treasured family connections, and appreciated the beauty of nature and everyday moments.

Boyd was preceded in death by his parents, Boyd Andrew Pewitt Jr. and Doris Vel Pewitt of Waco, Texas; his cousin, Tommie Pewitt of Metairie, Louisiana; his aunts, Mildred Pewitt Grissom of Waco, Texas, and Edith Pewitt Nelson of McGregor, Texas; and his uncles, Alfred Pewitt of Metairie, Louisiana, and Wilbur Pewitt of Waco, Texas.

He is survived by his cousins: Betty Pewitt Baker of Lake Hills, Texas; Kim Pewitt Jones of Mansfield, Texas; Jason Jones of Arlington, Texas; Brian Jones of Arlington, Texas; Jan Pewitt Scheller of Lake Hills, Texas; Amy Harmeyer Hyde of Loranger, Louisiana; Scott Harmeyer of Austin, Texas; and Alan Pewitt of Metairie, Louisiana, along with many extended family members and friends who will miss him dearly.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, June 13, at 12:30 p.m. at Waco Memorial Park in Waco, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Harris Creek Baptist Church in McGregor, Texas, in Boyd’s memory.

Boyd will be remembered for his gentle spirit, his faithful heart, and the kindness he shared with those he met along life’s journey.

View Boyd Andrew Pewitt III's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

05/25/2026

Each Memorial Day, we remember the men and women who died while serving our country. Their sacrifice shaped the freedoms we live with today, and their legacy lives in family stories, hometown traditions, and the places they once called home. With gratitude, we honor their service and the lasting mark they left on our community and on the nation they served.

05/22/2026

Have you ever noticed how much it means when you show up for someone else's loss?

When you attend the funeral or share your condolences, you're showing them that their loved one's life touched far more hearts than just their family.

Funerals matter because they bring our community together around shared love and loss. It's our privilege to help you create meaningful moments where folks can gather to honor the beautiful impact one life can have.

05/22/2026

Donald Lee Wenzel

Donald Lee Wenzel went home to the Lord on May 21, 2026. He was born on Aug 27,1943 in Waco to Herbert and Winona Sadler Wenzel, and older brother Gene. He was a prankster as a child and teen, and often told the story of living through the 1953 tornado…an experience that made him extra protective of his friends and family when the weather turned poor. He worked his first job at the Lake Air driving range, where he fell in love with golf. He played baseball and basketball at Waco High, forging relationships with buddies that lasted through every season of life. After high school he served a stint in the Texas National Guard, and then one day passing through Genie car wash on Valley Mills Drive, a beautiful young attendant caught his eye. One phone call and 56 years later, he and Carol Canuteson have raised three wonderful daughters and brought a bit of joy into thousands of Central Texas lives. He worked as a manager at Word Incorporated and a variety of other jobs throughout his life—but what he did outside of work was his life. When his girls were young, he and his friends coached softball together, where the dads all referred to each other simply as “Coach.”

Most know him as “Paads,” which became his nickname and grandpa-name after he commonly used it on the golf course to refer to his playing “partners.” He was a prolific collector & trader of golf clubs—and would advise all to “never get rid of your putters.” When he wasn’t hitting ‘em straight, he’d rather be fishing, and spent many weekends at the Lake House in Whitney with his girls—his wife, daughters, and mother—making memories and recounting some, too.

He loved sports, all of them. And he spent decades on the court as a basketball official, rising to the level of calling Division I games in the Southwest Conference. For 50+ years, he assigned referees and umpires to games as the Secretary of the Waco Chapter. He was a master storyteller and relationship builder. He was also a faithful, yet pessimistic Baylor fan, and was given the responsibility of rating Big 12 officials at the Lady Bears games, where his mother was a bigger fan than him. In 2019, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Association of Sports Officials and in 2022, was inducted into the inaugural Texas High School Basketball Officials Association Hall of Honor.

Paads spent his later years in Salado, enjoying grandkids and serving in various roles at the Mill Creek Golf Club, where he continued to positively impact lives. Don is survived by wife Lana Carol; daughter and son-in-law Carrie and Jason Barlow and grandson Blake of Frisco; daughter and son-in-law Julie and Nathan Self and grandkids Caleb, Noah, Elliot, and Griffin of Salado; daughter and son-in-law Shellie and Trent Monk, and grandkids Oliver and Amelia of Hewitt; brother and sister-in-law Gene and Kay Wenzel of Woodway; brother-in-law Steve Canuteson; nephews Steve Wenzel and wife Melissa, and Brian Wenzel and wife Shanie.

A visitation will be held at Waco Memorial Funeral Home before his Memorial Service on Monday, June 1, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 with the Memorial starting at 11:00 am.

View Donald Lee Wenzel's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

05/20/2026

Mark your calendars now for Saturday, June 20th for our 1st ever car show to celebrate all dads! We’ll have food, music, and of course some amazing cars! Hope to see you there!!

05/19/2026

Children will have questions and big feelings during a funeral, and encouraging them to share both helps them make sense of what's happening. Let them know their thoughts and emotions matter, even when those emotions feel confusing or overwhelming.

You don't need to have all the answers. Sometimes just listening and saying "that sounds really hard" means the world to them. We're here to help your family work through the tough questions that come up.