James Edward Veteto

October 13, 1931 was a cold fall day when James Edward Veteto was born at the family home in the small farming community of Rocky Hill near Huntington. He was welcomed into the world by his parents Charlie and Abbie Veteto and sister Charline. James passed away February 20, 2022 after a brief illness, surrounded by his beloved family.

Growing up in the Depression and through the war years, James learned very young about hard work. He developed his strong work ethic and carried it with him throughout his life. He was taught by his mother’s example to respect the land that fed him and was a good steward of it always.

Life wasn’t all work though. As a boy he grew up fishing and hunting in the dense, hardwood laden areas along the Angelina River between Rocky Hill and Marion with other boys in the community. Those days of youth forged friendships that would last a lifetime.

James attended school at the Rocky Hill School until it closed in 1947. It was then that he decided to find a job in addition to the farm and went to work part time for S.W. Brown’s gas station and feed store in Huntington. He became friends with the butcher working next door to Brown’s at Huntington’s first Brookshire Brothers store who asked James if he’d like to pick up some extra money working for him in the market. James jumped at the chance because he was a young man wanting to buy himself a car and needed the money.

Having some farm butchering skills certainly helped James with his new trade but it was his friend the butcher, G.B. Loving, who initially taught James about cutting meat for sale to the public. He also taught him how to serve them as well. Little did he know at 16 years old that he would take those skills and turn them into a career that would span almost half a century.

Mr. Loving also introduced James to what would become one of his most impressive meat cutting talents, how to steel a knife. Few butchers ever reach James’ ability with a steel.

James left Brookshire Brothers for a full time job at Bud Wood Meat Market in Lufkin. He and the love of his life, Geraldine (Summers) had recently married and were carving their own niche into farm life raising cotton, hogs and high-hormed Brahman cows. Life was good and James was bringing home $25 per week.

Wood sold his market in 1954 to B.G. “Red” Massingill and James continued to work for the Massingill’s until late 1955 when he went to work for S. Aubrey Jones, owner of Lufkin Frozen Foods and Locker Plant. He had a good reason for seeking a better paying job. He was about to be a new daddy. A baby girl was born to James and Geraldine they named Cynthia.

James’ work continued at Lufkin Frozen Foods, later working for Aubrey Jones’ daughter, Linnette Scagliola. His meat career there lasted almost 40 years. He was the last of the legendary butchers of his time. He now joins his friends, Aubrey Jones and his daughter Linnette Scagliola, Sonny and Louis Renfro, the Massingills, Red, Miss Mollie and Glenn, the Sullivan family, Big Murph…all legends in the annals of local meat history.

Of course, James found other interests after retirement and turned his skills into another profession. He and his friend Linnette began making bird houses and other wood crafts at J & L Crafts in the old locker plant building.

James Veteto enjoyed life. He worked hard but he played hard also. He learned to waterski after Sam Rayburn Lake came in and loved to teach everyone how to as well. He was a sharp ’42 player and enjoyed music, yodeling, old westerns and working his gardens. The days of raising cotton were replaced with raising tomatoes for which he became well known.

James was a loyal and faithful man who loved his family and friends. If you were lucky enough to have James Veteto for a friend, you had a real friend. James believed in the Primitive Baptist faith and always loved his Rocky Hill Community that he called home for his 90 years.

He led a simple but full life. Today he is survived by his wife of 72 years, Geraldine; their daughter Cindy and her husband Belton Wayne Havard; grandson, Jason Havard and his wife Stephanie; his great-grandchildren whom he absolutely adored, Madeline, Hannah, Kinlee, Jaxson and Ava Havard; and his great-great-grandson, Kash. He was also blessed to add Stephanie’s children as his bonus great-grandkids, Jessica Grimes, Arin Hardin, and Brandon Hardin. His sister Charline and her husband Sammy; his friend like a brother Ben Norwood and his wife Pat, also survive him.

Services for James will be Saturday, February 26, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel in Lufkin with burial to follow at the Rocky Hill Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be Friday night, February 25 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home in Lufkin.

Pallbearers will be Roy Anderson, James Thomas, Billy Oliver, Raymond Hadley, Jeff Smith and his boys, Jaxson Havard and Arin Hardin.

Honorary pallbearers will be his girls, Madeline, Kinlee, Ava, Hannah and Jessica.

The family requests that anyone that would like to share their memories of James to feel free to do so at the service.

A special thank you is extended by the family to Hospice in the Pines for their special care of James.

Memories and condolences may be added, and live webcasting of the services may be viewed, at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.