Today's Obituaries (June 26, 1998)

Norman Bruce Howe

Norman Bruce Howe, 72, died Wednesday at home.

Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in Cedar Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Steve Burns officiating, directed by North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange.

A pipefitter in Kansas for 35 years, Mr. Howe was born in Springfield, Ohio, and grew up in Ohio and Kansas. He was a veteran of World War II, serving with General Patton. He was a member of the World Wide Church of God, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Pipefitter's Union.

Survivors include two daughters, Patricia JoAnn Howe of Springhill, Kansas; Janice Kay Walker of De Soto, Kansas; one son, David Howe of Springhill, Kansas; two sisters, Florence McNally of Abilene and Audry Howe of El Chaon, Calif., two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Ada Lois Millican

Ada Lois Millican, 80, died Thursday in a local nursing home.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Faith, 5701 Hwy 277 South, with Dr. Elbert Peak officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park.

Mrs. Millican was born in Stephens County and attended school in Moran. A homemaker and a caregiver to elderly and disabled people, she lived most of her life in the Abilene area. She married James Dewey in 1935 and, after his death in 1974, married P.W. Millican in 1976. She was a Baptist.

Survivors include one son, James Leland Millican of Sealy; one daughter, Glenda Coleman of Abilene; 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Alzheimer's Association of West Central Texas, P.O. Box 3344, Abilene.

Visitation will be from 7-9 p.m. today in the funeral home.

John Smith Freeman

CLYDE -- John Smith Freeman, 107, a lifelong farmer who published a book of poetry at age 92, died Wednesday in an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Bailey Funeral Home Chapel with grandsons John Freeman, Bill Freeman and Doug Barron officiating. Burial will be in Clyde Cemetery.

Born in Troy, Ala., Mr. Freeman began farming at age 11 and purchased his first farm, in Erath County, at an early age. He married Iris Irene Watson in 1921 in Smith Spring and in 1940 they moved to Callahan County, near Baird. A move to Clyde one year later was the occasion for Mr. Freeman to buy his first tractor, although the family kept their horses for pleasure riding. The family moved to Wylie in 1951, and in the 1960s bought Black Angus cattle, which, after Iris died in 1978, Mr. Freeman helped his son Bill raise.

Mr. Freeman graduated from McIlhaney Academy in 1911, where an extra year spent studying grammar prepared him to write <I>Echoes: Poems, Essays and The Story of My Life<I> 70 years later, he told the <I>Abilene Reporter-News<I> in 1982. The 90-year-old began writing the book after a fall in 1980 forced him to give up plowing 8-10 hours a day. Inspired by a dream he said was "like walking through a picture," Mr. Freeman sent copies of the red volume of 115 poems and the story of his life throughout the country and the world.

Survivors include his son, of Clyde; two daughters, Johnnie Irene Hammett of San Saba and Mary Loy Hudnall of Odessa; 19 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

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

Benjamin Read Barbee Sr.

DUBLIN -- Benjamin Read Barbee Sr., 86, a former member of Abilene Chamber of Commerce and other civic organizations, died Thursday at a Glen Rose hospital.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Trinity Episcopal Church, directed by Harrell Funeral Home.

A graduate of McCallie Military School in Chattanooga and Dartmouth College, Mr. Barbee was born in Jackson, Tenn., and joined Anderson Clayton and Company in Lake Charles, La., in 1933 after graduating from Dartmouth.

He worked for many of the company's divisions throughout his career. He was named general manager of Western Cotton Oil Co. in 1949 and became division president in charge of Western Cotton Oil, Southern Cotton Oil Co. and Paymaster Feed Mills throughout New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi. He was made a director in 1957 and elevated to president of the company's agricultural products division in 1965.

Mr. Barbee served on the board of Citizens National Bank of Abilene from 1965-75 and on the board of visitors of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

He moved to Abilene in 1945, where he was recognized as one of Abilene's youngest executives. He helped raise funds for Heavenly Rest Episcopal Church and was a member of Abilene Chamber of Commerce and the board of directors of West Texas Chamber of Commerce from 1960-65. Active in the West Central Texas Municipal Water District, he participated in studying and solving the water problems of the region. He was president of Texas Cottonseed Crushers Association and served on several state and national committees of that organization.

After retiring from Anderson Clayton, Mr. Barbee, moved to his ranch in Erath County.

Survivors include his wife, Louise Vaughn Barbee; two sons, John W. Barbee of Abilene and William C. Barbee of Austin; one daughter, Suzanne Barbee Crawford of Beaumont; one sister, Leland Barbee Mandelbaum of Hanover, N.H.; 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to a favorite charity, M.D. Anderson in Houston or Glen Rose Medical Center.

Hazel Thelma Gregory

MERKEL -- Hazel Thelma Gregory, 84, died Wednesday in an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Abundant Life Assembly of God with the Rev. Timothy Wiebe officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, directed by Starbuck Funeral Home.

A resident of Merkel for 61 years, Mrs. Gregory was born in Cleburne. She married Arthur Burk Gregory there in 1933. She was an in-home healthcare provider and a homemaker. A charter member of Abundant Life, she taught Sunday School for 20 years and was a member of the Women's Missionary Group for more than 25 years.

Survivors include five sons, Albert Gregory and Owen Gregory, both of Merkel, Ira D. Gregory and J.H. Gregory, both of Abilene, and Leon Gregory of Gilmer; three daughters, Attleine Denman of Alvord, Magleine Kearns of Merkel and Audrey Moore of Lewisville; 22 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Merkel Cemetery Association, 201 Edwards, Merkel 79536.

D.G. Smith Jr.

THROCKMORTON -- D.G. Smith Jr., 75, died Wednesday in a Throckmorton nursing home.

Graveside services will be at 9:30 a.m. today in Throckmorton Cemetery with the Rev. Luther Hollowell officiating, directed by Merriman-Archer Funeral Home.

A farmer, rancher and member of the Presbyterian Church, Mr. Smith worked served on an Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service committee for 28 years. He was born in Throckmorton County and played football at Hardin-Simmons University for a year before entering the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He married Mozelle Little in Woodson in 1962.

Survivors include his wife, of Throckmorton; two daughters, Macalee Karabagli of Izmir, Turkey, and Connie Jane Pevey of Abilene; one son, Leland "Bub" Bachman of Throckmorton; and one granddaughter.

Barbara Hanson Till

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Barbara Hanson Till, 33, who spent six years as a child at Dyess Air Force Base, died June 12.

Services were held June 22 in French Mortuary's Lomas Boulevard Chapel.

Born at Holoman AFB in Alamogordo, N.M., Mrs. Till lived at Dyess from 1971-77 with her parents, Master Sgt. Wayne and Joy Hanson. She graduated from Sandia High School and worked for the family business, H&N Services for 13 years. She married Joseph Till in 1991.

Survivors include her husband, of Albuquerque; her parents, of Albuquerque; three brothers, Wayne Hanson II of New Orleans, Martin Hanson of Albuquerque and Michael Hanson of Albuquerque; one sister, Marla Luong of Albuquerque; her grandmother, Alta Hanson of Zanesville, Ohio; and six nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be sent to New Mexico Emergency Services Council, c/o N.M. Department of Public Safety -- Search and Rescue Office, P.O. Box 1628, Santa Fe, NM 87504.

Gene Herbert Bennett

DENVER CITY -- Gene Herbert Bennett, 77, 1997 Denver City citizen of the year, died Thursday in a Lubbock hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Denver City Church of Christ with Skip Rodgers officiating and Tommy Allison assisting. Burial will be in Denver City Memorial Park, directed by Ratliff Funeral Homes.

Mr. Bennett was born on the family's ranch in Yoakum County and married Vera Richardson in Wichita Falls in 1941. He flew B-24s and B-29s as a lieutenant in the Army Air Corps during World War II. A rancher and farmer, he was past president of Denver City Lions Club and served on the board of directors of Plains State Bank. He served two four-year terms as Yoakum County Judge and was on the board of trustees of Abilene Christian University and the board of Yoakum County Hospital. He was a founding board member of Yoakum County State Bank and a charter member of Plains Roping Club and the Yoakum County Livestock Association.

Survivors include his wife, of Denver City; two sons, Chip Bennett and Bruce Bennett, both of Denver City; two daughters, Diane Bennett Naylor of Denton and Becki Schwarz of Munich, Germany; 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to New Mexico Children's Home of Pontales or the American Heart Association.

Cecil Edwin Pinson

BROWNWOOD -- Cecil Edwin Pinson, 68, of San Angelo, formerly of Brownwood, died Wednesday in a San Angelo hospital.

Graveside services will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in Eastlawn Memorial Park with the Rev. Kevin Capps officiating, directed by Heartland Funeral Home.

An optician and an Army veteran of the Korean War, Mr. Pinson was born in San Saba County and graduated from high school in Rochelle. He married Patricia Ann Oakley in Brownwood in 1954. He retired after 35 years as an optician in San Angelo and was a member of Park Heights Baptist Church there.

Survivors include his wife, of San Angelo; one son, Doug Pinson of San Angelo; two daughters, Penni Morrison of Early and Patti Taylor of Midland; two brothers, Oran Pinson of Brownwood and Bert Pinson of Brazoria; three sisters, Dorothy Eoff, Vera Huddleston and Lennie Neal, all of Early; 10 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Beulah Lester

COLORADO CITY -- Beulah Lester, 75, died Monday in a Dallas hospital.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Kay Reed officiating. Burial will be in Colorado City Cemetery, directed by Kiker-Seale Funeral Home.

A homemaker and a member of First United, Mrs. Lester was born in Big Spring in 1922. She married William C. Lester in Fort Worth in 1942 and was a longtime resident of Colorado City after living in Iraan and Eldorado for several years. She was an active volunteer with Heart of West Texas Museum and Colorado City Opera House.

Survivors include two sons, Bill Lester of McCarney and Bob Lester of Eldorado; one daughter, Bunny Ruddick of De Soto; three grandchildren and three cousins.

Memorials may be sent to a favorite charity.

Eldon 'Bill' Jones

BROWNWOOD -- Eldon M. "Bill" Jones, 74, died Wednesday in a Brownwood hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Davis-Morris Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. R.J. Elkins officiating. Burial will be in Eastlawn Memorial Park.

A lifelong resident of Brownwood, Mr. Jones was born there and worked at JRB Grocery Store for 42 years, retiring when he was manager. He served in the Army during World War II and was a longtime member of the Brown County Sheriff's Posse. A Baptist, he married Loriece Smith in Brownwood in 1948.

Survivors include one son, Lynn Jones of Brownwood; one daughter, Jennifer Carpenter of Denton; his mother, Inez Connaway Jones of Brownwood; one brother, Dale Jones of Brownwood; two sisters, Dorothy Cooper of Brownwood and Patsy Brown of Houston; and four grandchildren.

Bernard Beeman Sr.

Bernard Beeman Sr., 61, died Thursday at home. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 5701 Hwy 277 South.

Laverne Story

Laverne D. Story, died Thursday in an Abilene hospital. Services are pending with North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange.

Cheyenne Patterson

EARLY -- Cheyenne Patterson, 5-month-old son of Rudy Patterson, died Thursday. Services are pending with Heartland Funeral Home.

Walter Steele

GORMAN -- Walter Estus Steele, 95, died Thursday in a local nursing home. Services are pending with Higginbotham Funeral Home.

Troy Henson

BROWNWOOD -- Troy S. Henson, 84, died Thursday in a Brownwood hospital. Services are pending with Heartland Funeral Home of Early.

Eula Wilkinson

ROBY -- Eula Wilkinson, 81, died Thursday in an Abilene hospital. Services are pending with Weathersbee Funeral Home in Rotan.

Beulah Morgan

CISCO -- Beulah Clyde Morgan, 88, died Wednesday in a local nursing home. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Ross Cemetery in Baird, directed by Kimbrough Funeral Home.

James Neeley

BIG SPRING -- James Milton Neeley, 51, died Monday in a local hospital. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Mt. Olive Memorial park with Dr. Claude Craven officiating, directed by Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home.

Elsie Hagood

COMANCHE -- Elsie Mae Hagood, 77, died Wednesday in a Brownwood hospital. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Comanche Funeral Home Chapel.

Bonetta Franklin-McDonald

BIG SPRING -- Bonetta Franklin-McDonald, 86, formerly of Riverside, Calif., and Big Spring, died Thursday in a Lake Havasu, Ariz., hospital. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Mt. Olive Memorial Park, directed by Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home.