(Courtesy photo)
By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
What happened in San Benito didn’t always stay in San Benito, and for much of William B. Hartwell’s life, those around him were better for it.
That appears to be the obvious conclusion based on the way the late Hartwell lived his life. If he didn’t help make lives better as a family man at home or missionary in Mexico, he saved them when the opportunity arose at sea or on the other side of the world as a U.S. serviceman.
It’s the opinion of two of his living sons, who miss their dear father greatly, that San Benito molded their father to become the “great” man he lived to be until his death last month at age 91.
“He led a path of positive living; he made mistakes like everyone does, sure, but he learned from them,” said William B. Hartwell, Jr., 68. “His service in the military and the community service left an imprint on us.”
The son is referencing Mr. Hartwell’s large family of daughters and sons, 29 grandchildren, 59 great grandchildren, and 14 great, great-grandchildren.
“If we don’t see each other in person and talk about (him), nowadays we make contact through Facebook, texting, or group chats. We have a large family and some of us live far away from others,” said William, Jr., of Frisco, north of Dallas. “My father’s passing has left a big void and one that would be hard to fill.”
His brother, Frank Garza, 75, is a retired San Benito policeman and detective, and shared similar beliefs with his brother about dad, who lived much of his adult life in the Resaca City before moving to Houston where he died on March 10, 2025.
“He never went into detail about his accomplishments other than he felt it was his duty to be there for others when they were in need,” Garza said. “He’s part of the reason I served my country, and eventually became a police officer. I wanted to serve like my father before me.”
The elder Hartwell’s list of accomplishments is impressive, and when his life seemed bleak, he rose from despair.
According to his obituary, Hartwell served in the U.S. Navy from 1950-1954 where he was stationed as a minesweeper. It was during a time the U.S. was involved in the Korean Conflict, which came after World War II. He continued his service in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-1970. He once again served during wartime, now in Vietnam, which is located in Southeast Asia. He served two tours there.
During peacetime on April 23, 1962, Sgt. Hartwell distinguished himself by earning the Airman Medal of Honor for heroism. While stationed at Texas Tower 3, which was a general surveillance radar 50 miles off the coast of Nantucket, Mass., he and three other airmen joined together to help save two civilian fishermen whose boat had floundered in a storm.
According to a newspaper article, the airmen saved two fishermen in cold, 16-18 foot seas, fighting waves and winds gusting to 30 miles an hour.
Hartwell was quoted in the article: “We saw them go into the water, and you can’t last 30 minutes in water that cold. We could see their boat sinking. I was pretty scared,” he said. “We picked two of them out of the water and bought them back in the tower, but the other (fisherman) went down with the boat.”
The station, which was located in 80 feet of water, was closed a year later and dismantled.
At that time, Hartwell had served eight years in the USAF and four in the Navy. He already was a family man with five children and a wife of 10 years, Lucille, living in Houston where he was stationed at Ellington Air Force Base, which exists today.
In fact, Hartwell became aware of the introductory “Airman’s Medal” from a news reporter who interviewed him by telephone.
After retiring from military service, Hartwell worked for the City of Houston’s Water Sanitation Department from 1974-1977. He was involved in a life-altering accident while on duty. He was exposed to dangerous liquid, causing him to seek medical attention.
“He was basically on his deathbed because he had inhaled chemicals that affected his lungs and was burned badly,” Garza said. “It was a turning point in his life because ministers from a new Apostolic Church prayed for him at the hospital and was so taken back. He was saved and decided to turn his life around and serve the Lord.”
In 1972, the couple, now two decades into their marriage, became members of the New Apostolic Church where they devoted their missionary work building churches in South Texas and Mexico.
He retired from this work in 2002, leaving behind a legacy of faith and service, his sons said.
“He became a minister in San Benito and earned his way to district evangelist,” Garza said.
Mrs. Hartwell served alongside her husband in the Valley and specifically Central Mexico. They married Oct. 20, 1952. At the time of her death, five years before her husband’s, the couple had been married 67 years.
In the last years of Mr. Hartwell’s life, by this time under hospice care in League City, he was under the supervision of his caretaker, daughter Mary Sanchez.
Garza said it wasn’t out of the ordinary for dad to have recurring dreams of his life with Lucille, who also passed away at age 91.
Mr. Hartwell was born June 26, 1933, in San Antonio, the son of William Burnell Hartwell and Vera Mello.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters and three brothers.
Hartwell did receive medication to comfort him while battling his cancer. Sometimes there were side effects, and it would become obvious to those who would visit him. He would have episodes where he would laugh in his sleep, Garza was told.
He would say, “Why are you waking me up. I was in paradise. I was talking to your mother.”
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