William Theodore Block, Jr., age 87, known as “W.T.” or “Bill” to his friends, passed away at Christus St. Mary Hospital on Saturday, December 15, 2007. He was born in Port Neches on July 29, 1920. He grew up on his father’s farm, which is currently the land occupied by Oak Bluff Memorial Cemetery.
He graduated from Nederland High School, Cheniers Business College, and Lamar University with an MA degree in history. He also served 3 years in the U.S. Naval Reserve, and taught at Lamar for 2 years as a teaching fellow.
During World War II, he served from 1942-1946 in the 78th Infantry Division, earning 3 battle stars for the Battles of the Bulge, Rhineland, and Central Europe. After the war, he worked 31 years for the Postal Service, including 20 years as assistant postmaster and postmaster in Nederland, or as officer-in-charge in Orange. Later he served on the Lamar University staff for 11 years, retiring in 1981.
Mr. Block was a dedicated historian, publishing 9 books of East Texas history, many academic articles in historical journals, and he was a guest columnist for Beaumont Enterprise for many years. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Nederland, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Texas Gulf Historical Society. He was also a Knight of the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau, a knighthood conferred on him by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. He had also been a ham radio operator for 32 years, and served several years as an assistant scoutmaster.
He was predeceased by his parents, and by Betty, his first wife of 45 years. He is survived by his wife Helga; 3 sons, W.T. Block III and wife Carolyn of Friendswood; Bobby G. Block of Wichita, KS., and Barry W. Block and wife Kathy of Elgin, Texas; 1 daughter, Rebecca and husband Lee Chastant of Nederland; stepson, Ricki Woods and wife Gay of Post Neches; stepdaughter, Elsie Schu and husband Frank of Oglesby; 8 grandchildren, Elisabeth Metcalf, Zeke Grimes, Kathy Bass, Megan Rodriguez, Mary Beth Block, William Ted Block IV, Jacob Block, and Evan King; 7 step grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, Chloe Cunningham, Bethany Cunningham, Nathan Metcalf, Rowan Rodriguez, Lilly Rodriguez, and number 6 soon to be born is Anna Bass; 2 sisters, Alta Fletcher of Nederland, Mary Lou Tullos of Houston, also many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at Broussard’s in Nederland with Reverend Malcolm Monroe, and Reverend David Bass officiating. Interment and military graveside services will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches. A gathering of family and friends will be from 5 to 8 PM Tuesday at the mortuary.
