Louis Capt

Louis Earle Capt of Uvalde, Texas, passed away peacefully on October 2, 2018, at the age of 85, surrounded by his family. He was born on October 14, 1932, in Uvalde, Texas to Donie Oakley Sisk and Emmett Eugene Capt Sr.

Having been co-captain of his state semi-final football team, he graduated from high school in 1950 and went on to Texas A&M University on a football scholarship where he was a 3-year letterman. He was a member of the Corps of Cadets and served as the Corps Squadron Commander of the Athletic Military Unit. After dating Sue Carper his senior year in high school and all through college, they were married at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in 1954. Louis graduated from A&M in 1954 with a degree in Animal Husbandry and Agronomy, and then spent two years as a Commissioned Officer in the Air Force at Gary and Laughlin Air Force Bases.

Following his discharge, Louis joined Del Monte Foods as a research specialist, and two years later moved on to Asgrow Seed Company, where he was instrumental in developing South Texas into a hybrid corn and sorghum seed producing area. It was there that he supervised the construction of a modern seed processing plant in his hometown of Uvalde before building similar plants in Mexico and Argentina. He later returned to Uvalde where he joined his father-in-law, Joe W Carper, in the real estate business, and partnered with his best friend, mentor, and fellow Aggie Charles Griffin Jr. Their ventures together included farming, ranching, a car wash business and the development of a food corn market with companies like Frito Lay for the special quality of corn grown in the area. Louis went on to build Corn Processors and facilitated the expansion of the total acreage of corn grown in Uvalde, Zavala and Frio Counties from 3,000 to more than 30,000 acres. Known at that time for producing the finest quality food corn in the United States, Louis and local farmers teamed up to provide over 100 million pounds of corn annually to the food industry across the nation and abroad.

While he and Sue were busy raising a family of two daughters and one son in Uvalde, Louis found time to be very active as a leader in his home community of Uvalde that he loved dearly. He served as president of the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, PTA, Athletic Boosters Club, was a member of City Council, the Edwards Underground Water District, and many other organizations. He was a dedicated philanthropist playing major roles in the Memorial park renovation project, building of the new El Progresso Memorial Library and the Herby Ham Center. Receiving the Texas State Library Association Benefactor of the Year and DAR Conservation Award were among the many honors he received during his lifetime. He loved his church and family at St. Philip's, and served on the vestry, as senior warden, and on the school board. He also played a major role in the most recent renovation and addition of Grace Hall, columbarium and landscaping of the church grounds.

Louis had a passion for trees. When speaking about an ongoing project at Uvalde Memorial Park he was once quoted in the local paper as saying, "Only God can grow a tree and it took him over 500 years to make some of these, the least we should do is care for them and to enhance the beauty he gave them." The trees that he either planted, moved or saved in his life number in the thousands. He also had a great love for his alma mater Texas A&M. He was a lifelong member of the Twelfth Man Foundation and Lettermen's Association, and had the pleasure of seeing his children and many grandchildren attend there as well. He held season tickets for the football team and never missed an opportunity to see his beloved Aggies take the field.

Nothing however, brought Louie more joy than the family that blessed him so dearly. He and Sue had a wonderful marriage of 64 years, and three children Katy, Carper, and Courtenay. Affectionately known as "Grandy" by his fourteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, he was proud of the family they created and will be greatly missed by them all.

Louis is preceded in death by his parents and 6 siblings, Nona Ruth Capt Martin, Emmett Eugene Capt, Albert Basil Capt, Mary Leila Capt Penland, Frances Edna Capt Kelly, Byron Trice Capt.

He is survived by his wife Sue; his children and their spouses, Katy Capt Whisenant and husband Steve of San Antonio, Texas; Louis Carper Capt and wife Becky of Uvalde, Texas; Courtenay Capt Berry and husband Marty of Corpus Christi, Texas; fourteen grandchildren, Louis Jared Capt and his wife, Jessie; Courtenay Laura Berry Rickett and her husband, Robert; Fr. Henry Joseph Whisenant; Byron Stockley Capt and his wife, Stephanie; Thomas More Whisenant and his wife, Michelle; Lesley Louise Berry Lomax and her husband, Ben; Philip Vianney Whisenant and his wife, Brittany; Lucy Baylor Capt; Audrey Elizabeth Berry Sartoris and her husband, Dean; Louis Alexander Whisenant; Gloria Marie Hornby and her husband, Adrian; Rosemary Kathleen Whisenant, and her fiancé, Drew Kimball; Peter Andrew Whisenant; Sophia Baylor Berry; and ten great-grandchildren; Camilla Mercedez Whisenant, Cecilia Stieren Capt, Louis Archer Capt, Stockley Joseph Capt, Maximilian Laurence Hornby, Ignatius Jude Hornby, Richard Carper Capt, Genevieve Marie Sartoris, Constance Mary Hornby, Benefield Berry Lomax, as well as many nieces and nephews and extended family.

Honorary Pallbearers include Buzz Barton, Bud Buckner, Herbie Carper, Joe Bill Carper, John Harrell, Buzz Kincaid, Maximo Martinez, Archie McFadin Jr, Andy Murph, and Ed Stanfield.

A funeral service will be held on Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 2:00 PM at St. Philip's Episcopal Church. Rev Mike Marsh will be officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be sent to St. Philip's Episcopal School or Church, 343 N. Getty St, Uvalde, TX 78801 or El Progresso Memorial Library, 301 W. Main, Uvalde, TX 78801.

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