Rockne News: From graduation to retirement parties, Bastrop County celebrates triumphs

Kolton Catchings and Chad Jenkins both graduated from college in December, so their families marked their accomplishments with a well-deserved party at Watterson Hall on Jan. 7. The two met in intermediate school when they first played football together and have been close friends ever since.

Catchings is a 2017 graduate of Bastrop High School and he earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural industries and agencies from Tarleton State University. He did his internship with the Lockhart Auction and he hopes to find a job close to home to stay near his family. He is the son of Lloyd and Susan Catchings.

Jenkins, a 2017 graduate of Cedar Creek High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Texas A&M University. Inspired by a green chemistry course he took as part of his degree, Jenkins would like to focus on environmental work, such as being a coordinator and working on policies that proactively protect the environment. He is the son of David and Sherrie Jenkins.

Happy retirement

On the other end of the spectrum, Melissa Voigt and George Wayne Meuth celebrated their retirement at Watterson Hall on Jan. 8, with a party and dance. Friends and family danced the night away to live music by Nathan Colt Young.

Voigt worked as a court reporter for Judge Guy Herman at Travis County Probate Court No. 1 for over 25 years. Now that she is retiring, she will stay plenty busy catering events with R & D Catering, the business she runs with Robert Henderson, plus auctioneering for local events (she became a licensed auctioneer in 2019). Most importantly, she plans to spend as much time as possible enjoying her 17-month-old grandson, Wes, who lives in Huntsville with her and her husband Mike’s daughter, Ashlyn, and son-in-law, Bill Tutor.

George Wayne Meuth is retiring from a 42-year career as a conductor on freight trains. He worked for Katy Railroad from 1979 to 1989 and then with Union Pacific Railroad from 1989 to present. Meuth is happy he will be able to “get some of the family time back that I missed when I was on the railroad working all those years.” He and his wife, Cydnie, have six children and 25 grandchildren. He and Cydnie plan on spending lots of time traveling and seeing the country, too.

Keep Agriculture Alive

The Smithville Noon Lion’s Club is sponsoring a Keep Agriculture Alive event this Saturday, Jan. 22, at Riverbend Park. The event begins at 5 p.m. and includes an auction, raffle, dinner and dance with music by the Nathan Colt Young Band from 7 to 11 p.m. Presale tickets for the dinner and dance are $25 and admittance to the dance only is $15 at the gate.

All proceeds will benefit the Keep Agriculture Alive Committee, which works in conjunction with the Smithville Lion’s Club to help provide the necessary funds to any student interested in agricultural opportunities. Donations are welcome and sponsors are needed. For more information, call 512-921-0751.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Graduations and retirements, Bastrop County celebrates triumphs