Dedicating the Navarro Cenotaph

A NEWSLETTER

FOR THE FRIENDS

OF CASA NAVARRO

EDITED BY

MARYANN OLIVER

EL TEJANO

Inside this issue:

Cenotaph 2

2

Program 3

Images of the

Cenotaph

Dedication.

4

Volume I

Issue VI

March 2015

Remembering Education

This scene captured immediately prior to releasing of the white doves in remembrance of José Antonio

Navarro. On the right barely seen, behind the statue, grand daughter of Sylvia and John Tillotson, Kennedy Tillotson; Sylvia Tillotson, Cenotaph Chair, with arm around Lauren Tillotson, and grandson in red jacket, Baker Navarro Tillotson. On the far left are Rey and Sandy Salinas, Co-presidents of Friends Casa Navarro with grandchildren: L-R, Gavin, and Colin Salinas, and Rey Sanchez.

O n a chilly Feb-

ruary 27th, over 280 de-

scendants and friends of

José Antonio Navarro

arrived to honor him on

his 220th birthday. The

occasion was a cenotaph

dedication at the Texas

State Cemetery. Texas

holds the distinction as

the only state in the un-

ion with a State Ceme-tery. As friends and de-

scendants gathered to

honor him, they walked

past the resting place of

the honored Texan mili-

tary hero, Chris Kyle.

Navarro’s cenotaph at

first covered in green

cloth was later unveiled

to stand among other

greats, such as Albert

Sidney Johnston’s mar-

ble tomb seen in the

background of some of

the photos. The initia-

tive for a cenotaph by Sylvia

Tillotson was supported by

the leadership of the Friends

of Casa Navarro, descend-

ants, friends, historic organi-

zations, preservation groups,

and the Texas State Ceme-

tery Committee, all of whom

recognized the importance

for a Navarro memorial.

All great accomplishments

have a fun beginning. The

reality of the cenotaph is no

exception. According to

(See Hero page 4)

White Dove Release

Cenotaph

Page 2

Mayor Lila

Cockrell

Rey Salinas

Chair meeting

Dr. Felix Almaraz

and wife Dolores.

Three Alamo Couriers members were

honored to be podium participants at

the José Antonio Navarro Cenotaph

Dedication. They included, State Sena-

tor, Leticia Van de Putte, Helen Garza

our special Couriers grand dame - and

cenotaph chair, Sylvia Tillotson. Other

dignitaries included the Governor’s

wife, Cecilia Abbott, Dr. Félix D.

Almaráz, Jr., MC, Senator Don

Huffines, Rep. Jason Villalba, and Sec-

retary of State, Carlos Cascos. Many

Alamo Couriers were present to

honor and participate in the dedica-

tion to a Texas hero, and founding

father of Texas. It was a spectacular

presentation with Texas flags of past

and present, Moses Austin Sons of

the Republic Chapter, Bagpipes of

Lynn Crisp. a black powder salute

by Randy Billingsley, Texas Legacy

Reenactors, Lone Star Volunteers

and Moses Austin Ranger Volun-

teers. After the cenotaph unveiling,

the Salinas and Tillotson families

released white doves as a remem-

brance that José Antonio was

known as the “White Dove”.

Many Navarro descendants were

present as well as hundreds of

Friends of Navarro. Among

those noted from the podium

were the Presidents General of

the Sons of the Republic, Robert

Kendall and Ellen McCaffrey,

DRT. Beautiful floral offerings

were presented at the cenotaph

by dozens of admirers and by

the Couriers President, Martha

Fleitas to Sylvia Tillotson and

Ellen McCaffrey direct José

Antonio Navarro descendants.

Other notable guests: Adrian

Farrell, Irish Consul General,

Austin; Emmon Cregan, VP

Gov. Affairs, Limerick Universi-

ty, Ireland; David Martinez,

President, Texas Historical

Foundation & BOD; Corsicana

Mayor Pro-tem, Ruby Williams,

H.M. Davenport, County Judge

and Navarro County officials.

Senator Leticia Van de Putte

Rosemary Geyer

Rey Salinas and

grandson, Colin

Salinas.

Helen Garza Sylvia Tillotson

The Loving Audience

A Dream Fulfilled

David Martinez,

President,

Texas Historical

Foundation

Dr. Félix Almaráz, Jr. Rudytejano

Pena

D aughters

of the

Republic of Texas, Sylvia Tillot-

son’s chapter, arranged for a

bus from San Antonio to the

event. Referred to as the

Navarro Special, it brought 53

guests including Dr. Félix D.

Almaráz, Jr. and wife, Dolores. Two Alamo Couriers, Rose-

mary Geyer and Mary Ann

Oliver served as greeters for

the VIP reception. Cenotaph

Medallions and medals

were presented to guests

prior to the ceremony. A

luncheon buffet was enjoyed

by all at the reception follow-

ing the dedication.

Mary Ann

Oliver

The cenotaph will be instructive for generations! Navarro’s major

contributions to the State of Texas are inscribed on the monument.

Victoria Graner Sandy Salinas

Navarro Cenotaph Medallion

Scenes from the Cenotaph Dedication February 27, 2015 Page 3

Volume I, Issue 2

Ryan Warner

Rene Valero

Art

Do

Christine and Jim

Hollan

Mayor Lila

Cockrell

Son of Texas

Jim Bayless, Texas

State Cemetery

Secretary of State,

Carlos Cascos

Dr. Félix D. Almaráz, Jr.

First Lady of Texas Cecilia Abbott

Senator

Don Huffines

Rep. Jason Villalba

Presentation of the Colors

Syl

via

Till

ots

Gloria Goodman and

Sandy Westbrook

with TPWD and it was

then that I founded

the FRIENDS…that

was almost ten years

ago!” Among the Patri-

ot Stars who helped

fund this worthy ceno-

taph project include

Ashford Hospitality,

Lou Ann and Mike

Corboy, San Antonio

Conservation Society,

Texas Historical Foun-

dation, St. Jude Candle

Company, and Sylvia and John Tillotson.

Other donors listed in

the memorial program

booklet included Dara

and Jeffrey Tillotson,

Veronica Chapa

Beaudoin, Laura Tobin

Cardenas, Frost,

E. Jeanie Navarro,

Rudytejano Pena, USN

(Hero)

Sylvia Tillotson, “An in-

teresting note in regard

to Baker Navarro Tillot-

son, grandson (see photo

page one in red jacket).

He was the reason for

my involvement and the

founding of the Friends

of Casa Navarro. After

his baptism at San Fer-

nando, and a family reun-

ion and reception at

Casa, we talked to Jose

Zapata, the site manager.

He arranged a meeting

Ret. Tejano Cultural,

Historian Corpus

Christi, Texas, Sandra

and Rey Salinas, Tracy

and James Tillotson,

Helen Arciniega Garza,

Dr. and Mrs. Rudy Gar-

za, Atascosa County

Historical Commission,

Barbara and Clyde

Westbrook, Carol

Cieszinski, Daughters

of the Republic of Tex-

as, Alamo Couriers

Chapter, In Loving Memory of Susie and

Richard Chapa, Jr., J.

Smith Industries, Jeff,

Jennifer, and Warren,

Lone Star Sons of the

Republic, Houston

Chapter, Mary Ann Ol-

iver, Robert Louis Al-

varado, Celso Navarro

If you have not yet contributed to this

most worthwhile project, please be a

part of it. In years to come, you can visit

there with your descendants and tell

them you were a part of creating this.

For donations to the cenotaph or a

membership, mail checks to Friends of

Casa Navarro, P. O. Box 790187, San

Antonio, Texas, 78279. Note if donation

is for the cenotaph or a contribution.

descendant and William

Alexander (Sandy)

Westbrook. It is not too

late to donate to the

cenotaph and add your

name to the list of do-

nors. See address above

(Hero).

Robert Kendall,

President

General Sons Of the

Republic of

Texas

SueAnn Pemberton, President

of the San Antonio Conservation

Society was presented with a

Navarro Cenotaph Medallion

by Sylvia Tillotson.

A Salute to a Son of Texas

and all Texans!

Consider supporting the

Friends of Casa Navarro with

a membership. Individual

$25.00, Family $40.00.

Memberships sustain our all

volunteer Friends

organization!

Support Our Sponsors!