Wade Caves

Wade Hampton Caves, 87, of Brenham, passed into eternal rest February 28, 2004, at home, surrounded by his loving family. Wade was born Sept. 7, 1916, in Sanger, TX, to the late Walter and Alice Sullivan Caves. He, his parents, brothers and sisters moved from Sanger to Byers, TX, where they lived for two years before the family moved to Minco, OK in 1923. Wade spent the next 14 years in Oklahoma attending school and working on their farm. In 1936, at the age of 20, he moved to Houston, where he began a lifelong career in the meat industry. He met his wife of 56 years, Josephine Billye Morris of Henderson, TX, in 1946 and was married in 1947. They made their permanent home in Houston until 1979 when they moved to Brenham. His early years were spent with Swift Packing Company as a purveyor, plant foreman and board member of Swift Packing Co. s Credit Union. In 1946 he became co-owner of M&M Packing Co. After 13 years of successful co-owner business, he opened his own independent meat business, Wade Caves Packing Company in 1959. Wade and Billye retired and moved to Brenham where the Caves family had owned a farm since the late 1940s. He was an active leader in the greater Houston community. His past responsibilities included: president of the Houston Meat Purveyors Assoc., officer of the Farm and Ranch Club, officer/director/vice president of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, board member of the Houston Oilers, charter member of the Touchdown Club , director of the Houston Restaurant Assoc., director on the Veterans Land Board of Harris County, appointment by Buster Kern to the Emergency Corps of the Red Cross, board member of the Industrial State Bank and committee member for the Texas Crippled Children s Hospital. He had a great love for the state of Texas and was a tireless supporter of the Houston Livestock Shown and Rodeo, where he was deeply involved for over 40 years. He was appointed to numerous rodeo and livestock committees benefiting college scholarships for children involved in 4-H and FFA. He was also an avid supporter of the Washington County Fair. As an avid farmer, rancher and horseman, during his lifetime he owned a dairy farm, bred and ranched full-blood Brangus and Charolais cattle. He was heavily involved in breeding and showing Appaloosa horses for which he won numerous awards and received the prestigious award of World Champion for reigning horse. He was a devoted family man and friend to all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Billye of Brenham; son, Jerry Caves and wife Kathy of Humble; daughters, Donna Burwell of Katy and special friend Mike Eliff, and Jane Davenport and husband Jim of Plano; grandchildren, Chad, Shelby, Justin, Tyler and Amber; brother, Robert Caves and wife Norma; sisters, Josie Vawter, Pearl McReynolds, Ruth Stewart and husband Robert, Barbara Brinkman and husband George, and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, Mar.2 at Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., Brenham with Pastor Viregil Pecht officiating. Graveside services will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2 at Forest Park Cemetery on Westheimer in Houston. Pallbearers will be Paul Kenjura, Pete Demuth, Jim Robards, Les Jordan, Mike Eliff and Hugh Pitts. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his name to Hospice Brenham, 705 S. Austin, Brenham, TX 77833. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., in Brenham.