Today's Obituaries (May 8, 1998)

Hellyn May Allan

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Hellyn May Allan, 84, formerly of Abilene, died Sunday.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Elmwood Memorial Park in Abilene, directed by Desert Hills Chapel.

Mrs. Allan was born in Thurber and was a homemaker.

Survivors include one son, Bill Allan; two brothers, Ross Collins of Kerrville and Buddy Collins of Mineral Wells; and one grandchild.

Jo Olive Hancock

WINTERS -- Jo Olive Hancock, 79, died Wednesday in a Ballinger hospital.

Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Bluff Creek Cemetery with the Rev. Glenn Shoemake officiating, directed by Winters Funeral Home.

Mrs. Hancock was born in Bradshaw and lived in Runnels County most of her life. She graduated from Bradshaw High School, and McMurry and Hardin-Simmons universities. She taught school in Winters until retiring in 1984. She was a member of Chapter 80, Order of the Eastern Star; and First Baptist Church and was the widow of Carl Hancock, whom she married in 1958 in Seguin.

Survivors include one son, Skip O'Dell Sheppard of Winters; two brothers, Homer Oran Saunders of Abilene and Richard Earl Saunders of San Antonio; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Memorials may be sent to North Runnels Hospital, c/o Winters Funeral Home, P.O. Box 395, Winters 79567.

Gracie Durham

COLEMAN -- Gracie Durham, 85, of Lavernia and formerly of Coleman, died Thursday in a Stockdale nursing home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Walker Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Coleman City Cemetery.

Mrs. Durham was born in Wichita Falls and lived in Coleman as a child. She was a homemaker and was the widow of Lewis Durham, whom she married in 1931 in Coleman.

Survivors include two daughters, Wilma Hurt of Cibola and Nancy Rosenthal of Morgan City; one son, Eddy Ray Durham of Buda; one sister, Annie Marie Elkins of Coleman; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 7-8 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Evelyn Cobb Gillespie

HASKELL -- Evelyn Cobb Gillespie, 80, of Wichita Falls and formerly of Haskell County, died Thursday in a Wichita Falls care facility.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Haskell First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Turner officiating. Burial will be in Willow Cemetery, directed by Holden-McCauley Funeral Directors.

Mrs. Gillespie was born in Haskell County and lived in Stamford most of her life. She moved to Wichita Falls two years ago. She was a former member of Stamford First Baptist Church. She was a member of Wichita Falls First Baptist Church and was the widow of J.D. Gillespie, whom she married in 1936.

Survivors include one daughter, Pam Cotton of Wichita Falls; one brother, S.G. Cobb Jr. of Hobbs, N.M.; one grandchild; and one great-grandchild.

Memorials may be sent to Hospice of Wichita Falls, P.O. Box 4804, Wichita Falls 76308.

Glenda Files

EASTLAND -- Glenda Files, 54, died Wednesday in an Abilene hospital.

Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. today in Eastland City Cemetery, directed by Edwards Funeral Home.

Mrs. Files was born in Gorman and graduated from Clifton High School and Business College of Lubbock. She returned to Eastland in 1971 and attended First Baptist Church.

Survivors include her parents, Ira and Juanita Files of Eastland; one brother, Gerald Files of Lubbock; and one nephew and one niece.

Clara Elizabeth Auvenshine

COMANCHE -- Clara Elizabeth Auvenshine, 87, lifelong area resident, died Thursday in a local nursing home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Comanche First Baptist Church with Dr. Donnie Auvenshine officiating. Burial will be in Taylors Chapel Cemetery near Beattie, directed by Hall & Sons Funeral Home.

Mrs. Auvenshine was born in Beattie and married Grady Auvenshine in 1927 in Duster. She was a homemaker and was a member of East Side Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, of Comanche; four sons, Glenn Auvenshine and Jimmy Auvenshine, both of Comanche, Benny Auvenshine of Arlington and Jackie Auvenshine of De Leon; one daughter, Mary Nell Strong of Rockwall; 14 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to East Side Baptist Church.

Visitation will be from 6:30-8 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Jim Allen Miller

STRAWN -- Jim Allen Miller, 64, pipeline construction worker for Lone Star Gas for 34 years, died Thursday in Fort Worth.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Mount Marion Cemetery with the Rev. Michael Orsini officiating, directed by Edwards Funeral Home.

Mr. Miller was born in Ranger and graduated from Strawn High School. He attended Ranger Junior College and served with the U.S. Marine Corps. He married Wanda Mackey in 1967 in Del Rio.

Survivors include his wife, of Strawn; one son, Daniel Miller of Strawn; two grandchildren; and two nieces.

Essie Mae McNurlen

EARLY -- Essie Mae McNurlen, 73, died Wednesday in a Brownwood hospital.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Davis-Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Brownwood with the Rev. Bill Dodd officiating. Burial will be in Eastlawn Memorial Park.

Mrs. McNurlen was born in Whiteland and moved to Early 30 years ago. She was a homemaker. She was a Baptist and was the widow of Wesley Fay McNurlen, whom she married in 1969 in Brownwood.

Survivors include two sons, Monty Johnson of Early and Randy Johnson of Hot Spring, S.D.; one daughter, Leona M. Whisenhunt of Early; one stepson, Bruce White; one brother, Ward Harkey of Coleman; 13 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6-7 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Steve Fowler

Steve Fowler, 61, died Thursday at his home. Services are pending with Elmwood Funeral Home, 5750 U.S. Hwy 277 South.

Anna Staats

COLORADO CITY -- Anna Staats died Thursday in a Lubbock hospital. Services are pending with Kiker-Seale Funeral Home.

Effie Mae Brown

GORMAN -- Effie Mae Brown, 91, died Thursday in an Eastland hospital. Services are pending with Higginbotham Funeral Home.

Myrtle Pipkin

CISCO -- Myrtle Pipkin died Thursday in an Abilene hospital. Services are pending with Chambers-Wilcox Funeral Directors.

Dorman Scott

SWEETWATER -- Dorman Scott, 81, died Thursday in Sweetwater. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in McCoy Funeral Home Chapel of Memories.

Cirilo Melendez

BIG SPRING -- Cirilo A. Melendez, 70, died Tuesday in a local hospital after a long illness. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in Mount Olive Cemetery, directed by Myers & Smith Funeral Home.