More Information:

About Harold Frank Staffelbach:

Rockdale - Harold F Staffelbach, 86, of Rockdale died Tuesday in a Rockdale hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale with the Rev. Joe Shelton officiating. Burial will be in I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Rockdale.

He was born in Taneyville, Mo He attended school in Louisiana, Kansas and Ohio. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama. He had lived in Rockdale since 1952 after moving from Alcoa, Tenn. He worked as a foreman in the rodding room in Alcoa beginning in Alcoa, Tenn., and retired in Rockdale in October 1974 after 37 1/2 years. He married Lola Batt on Dec. 6, 1941, in Alcoa Tenn. He later married Thelmer Eiland on Sept. 29, 1963, in Rockdale. He was a lay reader in St. Thomas Espicopal Church in Rockdale and served as warden, treasurer and Sunday school teacher. He was a scoutmaster and a member of Rockdale Masonic Lodge 414 AF & AM, the Scottish Rite, York Rite and the Shriners.

Survivors are his wife, Thelmer Staffelbach of Rockdale; a daughter, Ann Marie Cajawa of Houston; one grandchild and two great-grandchildren.

Notes from niece Diane Eiland
Thelmer was my father's older sister. My father sat at the hospital with Harold when he was dying. Harold was a Mason and my father and several other Masons kept a 24 hour watch at the hospital for several days. My family lived in Dallas and when we visited Rockdale we would stay with Thelmer and Harold in the big house in downtown Rockdale where she had her beauty shop. Harold was always very quiet. In later years when his hearing was gone he pretty much stayed to himself. I know he enjoyed working in his garage, gardening and doing things out at the old Eiland home place. I am the executor my Thelmer's will and last week when I went to probate court the lawyer said that he remembered Harold as being a very quiet man but one time he attended a funeral where Harold led the Masonic service that he was quite lively.

Harold was orphaned when he was 8 years old and was attending a private school on the 1920 census. I was not able to find his father Albert in any census (1870, 1880, 1900 or 1910).

About Thelmer Mae Eiland:

ROCKDALE ? Services for Thelmer E. Mae Staffelbach, 89, of Rockdale are set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale.
Thelmer E. Mae Staffelbach
March 20, 1915 ? Aug. 18, 2004
Burial will be in I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Rockdale. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Mrs. Staffelbach died Wednesday at Manor Oaks Nursing Home in Rockdale. She was a lifelong resident of Rockdale and was a beauty operator. She had a beauty shop in Thorndale and starting in 1962 worked out of her home in Rockdale.
She attended Gay Hill School near Rockdale and Houston Beauty College in 1941. Mrs. Staffelbach worked at the Fort Worth Defense Plant during World War II from 1943-45. She was a member of Full Gospel Church in Rockdale, where she served as a Sunday school teacher. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Roland Hugh Fisher, and second husband, Harold Staffelbach.
Survivors include two brothers, Elmer Eiland of Ennis and Elbert Eiland of Taylor; three sisters, Lona Marie Whitely of Killeen, Lois Wilkins of Gause and Eutena Talley of Rockdale; and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to a charity of choice.

NOTES FROM NIECE DIANE
Thelmer had to move into a nursing home in 1998 due to a stroke. After that time she was not always been able to recognize family and friends. In the last years before she died she was not been able to walk or talk. It was always very sad to visit her. She was a very generous with her church and at her funeral I learned that she led the youth group and taught Sunday School. She built a new house in Rockdale in 1980 and donated her old house to the city. It was used as a women's homeless shelter and is now the food panty for Rockdale. She also donated a small house in Rockdale to her church.

*************************
This narrative was written in 1983 for the Milam Co. book "Matchless Milam"
Thelmer was born in the Gay hill Community March 20, 1915. She attended Gay Hill School. Here first grade teacher was Addie Galbreath, then other grades by Stella Murphy, Grace Eiland, and Ivy Tidwell. She went to school 8 terms but they were not 9 month terms.

In 1937 she went to work on a house keeping job making $3.00 per week with room and board. In 1941 she went to Houston Beauty College. Finishing this course, she went to work setting hair for thirty-five cents a head. Shampoo and set was fifty cents. In 1943 she went to Fort Worth to work in a defense plant. World War II was on them. The wage there was $42.00 for a six day week. In 1945 this job ended. Thelmer came back home.

In 1946 she met Roland Fisher. He persuaded her to marry him. They were married February 11, 1947. They farmed the years of his life. With GOD's help, HE gave them their home and land. GOD called him home Jun 2, 1961. Thelmer moved to Rockdale alone in 1962. In December of 1962 she met Harold Staffelbach on a blind date. September 29, 1963 they were married.

Harold came to Rockdale in 1952. He was born September 14, 1909 near Tanyville, Missouri. After attending schools in Louisiana, Kansas, and Ohio he enrolled in the University of AL. He was graduated in 1935. He was employed by the Aluminum Company of America at the Tennessee Works. On December 6, 1941 he was married to Lola Batt in Alcoa, Tennessee. They were sent to Spokane, Washington by Alcoa. To this union a daughter, Ann Marie was born. She now lives in Houston. Lola died shortly after coming to Rockdale.

After Harold and Thelmer were married, they continued to live on W. Cameron Ave. for years. In 1972 Harold and Thelmer looked after the farm until her father's death. Then Thelmer bought the farm from the other heirs. The farm has been in Thelmer's family since 1894.

After working 37 ? years for Alcoa in various departments and capacities, Harold retired in October 1974. He is a Lay Reader in the Episcopal Church and has served as warden, treasurer, Sunday School Teacher, and Scout master. In addition he is active in the Masonic Lodge. His hobbies include gardening, ranching, farming and fishing. Thelmer attend Rockdale Full Gospel Chapel. They attend church regularly.