Charles E. ‘Pete’ Landolt, Jr. was born in Silsbee, Texas on November 28, 1924 and passed away on August 15, 2005. He was always known as ‘Pete” to his many friends and family. As a youngster he enjoyed the pleasures of a small town in the Big Thicket and knew all the best fishing and hunting spots. He often talked about walking to Village Creek. He adopted a young black bear cub after its mother was shot and this cub, named Tex by Pete, grew to be a well-known celebrity in the family service station business.
Pete graduated from Silsbee High School in 1942 and attended his sixty-third class reunion recently. He attended Lamar College and Austin College in Sherman, Texas. While attending college in Sherman he met Myrtle Frances Livingston, who he married in 1948. They have two daughters, Emily Landolt Baize and Nancy Landolt, both of Beaumont. He was a World War II veteran serving in the U. S. Army in the Pacific theatre. The date of his death was the 60th anniversary of V-J Day; on that date 60 years ago Pete was in New Guinea thankful he would not be part of the invasion of Japan.
After many years in the oil and gas business, he began his “second” career as Hardin County Veterans Service Officer and was serving as such at the time of his death. He believed strongly in the importance of benefits for our veterans. In recent years, he was named Outstanding Veterans’ Service Officer for the Southeast Texas area.
Pete served his community as Silsbee City Councilman for over 25 years and was also mayor pro-tem. He was a charter member of the Silsbee Lions Club and a deacon in the First Presbyterian Church. Pete was also the parade marshal for the 2004 Christmas parade in Silsbee.
In addition to his wife and daughters, he is survived by his sister Helen Lancaster and brother-in-law John William Lancaster of Bellaire, Texas and Montreat, North Carolina, sister-in-law Mary Gordon Livingston of Dallas, Texas and seven nieces and nephews. His parents, Charles Landolt and Helen Roensch Landolt preceded him in death.
A Memorial service will be held Friday, August 19, 2005 at 3 p.m. in the First Methodist Church of Silsbee with Reverend Ken Calhoun officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Silsbee Lions Club, the Silsbee Public Library or the First Presbyterian Church
