Today's Obituaries (Aug. 18, 1998)

Ernest Rutherford

Ernest R. Rutherford, 82, of Abilene died Sunday at a local hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Faith, 5701 U.S. Hwy. 277 South, with Dr. Chris Diebel officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park.

Mr. Rutherford was born in Brownwood and graduated from high school in Melvin. He moved to Abilene from San Angelo in 1956. He retired after 30 years in retail management and was a member and deacon at First Christian Church. He was a former Boy Scout leader. He married Ardelia Draper in 1940 in Melvin.

Survivors include his wife of Abilene; three sons, Robert Ernest "Bobby" Rutherford of Herndon, Va., Glen A. Rutherford of Abilene and Walter Lee Rutherford; two sisters, June McCoy of Pampa and Willine Cohen of Fort Worth; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to First Christian Church Building Fund, 1420 N. 3rd, Abilene 79601.

The family will be at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. today.

Lt. Col. Thomas Levens

Lt. Col. Thomas O. Levens, 76, died Monday at a local hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at North's Funeral Home Memorial Chapel, 242 Orange, with Capt. Sammy C. Tucker officiating. Burial with military honors will be in Rotan Cemetery.

Mr. Levens was born in the Dowell community near Rotan and graduated from Texas Tech University. He retired from the Air Force in 1972 after serving more than 29 years as a navigator and pilot, including time in three wars. He moved to Abilene after retiring and was active in volunteer work for the military community, American Red Cross, Meals on Wheels and Dyess Pharmacy. He was a member of Good Sam Travel Early Bird Club and active in the Retired Officers Association. He married Leona Campbell in 1941.

Survivors include his wife of Abilene; three sisters, Emma Lou Smith of Lubbock, Pauline O'Neal of Fresno, Calif., and Nina Blevins of Elmore City, Okla.; and several nieces and nephews.

Vada Vernene Pat Winter

ASPERMONT -- Vada Vernene Pat Winter, 68, died Monday at an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim Reinbolt officiating, assisted by the Rev. Barry Taylor. Burial will be in Aspermont Cemetery, directed by McCoy Funeral Home.

Mrs. Winter was born in Stonewall County and was a beautician and a Baptist.

Survivors include her mother, Irene Rash of Brownwood; two daughters, Jan Coplen of Baird and Linda Price of Levelland; one son, Roy Winter of Paducah; three sisters, Nita Workman of Mineral Wells, Gay Gibson of Brownwood and Marilyn Richer of Abilene; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Frances Lavette Centner

MERKEL -- Frances Lavette Centner, 75, died Sunday at an Abilene hospital.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Cedar Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Jimmy Griffith officiating, directed by Starbuck Funeral Home.

Mrs. Centner was born in East Amboy, N.Y., and was a homemaker and a Baptist. She married Everett William Centner in 1944 in Chittenango, N.Y.; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include five sons, Bob Centner of North Pole, Alaska, Charles Centner of DeSoto, David Centner of Morrisville, N.Y., Edwin Centner of Merkel and Everett Centner of Sweetwater; four daughters, Beverly Brady of Crawfordsville, Ind., Helena Centner of Merkel, Nora Centner of Zephyrhills, Fla., and Patricia Schuster of Hamlin; two sisters, Irene Davis of Syracuse, N.Y., and Bernice Wandersee of Fayetteville, N.Y.; 26 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

William David 'Bill' Kennedy

BROWNWOOD -- William David "Bill" Kennedy, 90, died Sunday at a local nursing home.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Davis-Morris Funeral Home with the Rev. Forrest McGregor officiating. Burial will be in Richland Springs Cemetery.

Mr. Kennedy was born in Waldrip and moved to Brownwood in 1989. He was a retired stock farmer and carpenter. He was active in First Christian Church of Richland Springs, where he was an elder and chairman of the board for many years. He married Dorothy Lee Brown in 1933 in Richland Springs.

Survivors include his wife of Brownwood; one son, Harold Kennedy of Brownwood; two half-brothers, Jesse Kennedy and Frank Kennedy, both of Crane; two granddaughters, two stepgranddaughters, four great-grandchildren, one stepgreat-grandson and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, Richland Springs, TX 76871.

The family will be at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. today.

Billy Ray Smith

SWEETWATER -- Billy Ray Smith, 70, died Sunday at his home.

Graveside services were Monday in Hamlin Memorial Cemetery with the Rev. Randy Larpenteur officiating, directed by Foster-Adams Funeral Home of Hamlin.

Mr. Smith was born in Fisher County and lived most of his life in Fisher and Nolan counties. He was a Marine Corps veteran and worked as an oil field roustabout.

Survivors include one son, Donnie Smith of Hamlin; two brothers, Leon Smith of Coahoma and John Smith of Rotan; and one grandson.

Terry Pickett

COLEMAN -- Terry Pickett, 42, died Sunday at a local hospital.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Paul Smith officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.

Mr. Pickett was born, grew up and attended school in Coleman. He was a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army and moved to Coleman after retiring in 1993. He was a general contractor and a Methodist. He married Cathy Smith in 1980 in Coleman.

Survivors include his wife of Coleman; one son, Tye Pickett of Coleman; one daughter, Christy Pickett of Coleman; his father, Gaylen Pickett of Coleman; his mother and stepfather, Rita and Clint Day of Santa Anna; two sisters, Tammy Franke of Santa Anna and Tina Johnson of Placado; a grandmother, Willie Mae Wilson of Santa Anna; and numerous other relatives.

The family will be at the funeral home from 6-9 p.m. today.

Pearl Thomason

COLEMAN -- Pearl Thomason, 91, died Sunday at a local nursing home.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. today in Talpa Cemetery with the Rev. Jeff Robinett officiating, directed by Stevens Funeral Home.

Mrs. Thomason was born in Comanche County, where she grew up and attended school. She moved to Coleman County in 1925. She lived in Coleman and, for many years, the Talpa community. She was a homemaker, a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and the ladies' Sunday school class in Talpa and a former member of the Quilting Club in Valera. She married Aaron Thomason in 1925 in Talpa; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include one daughter, Loweta Pope of Talpa; three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church, c/o Mike Priddy, Talpa TX 76882; or the West Texas Rehabilitation Center, 4601 Hartford, Abilene 79605.

Bessie Lee Kilcrease

BOWIE -- Bessie Lee Kilcrease, 98, mother of a Roscoe woman, died Saturday in Bowie.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Burgess-Fry-Owens-Brumley Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Larry Cox officiating. Burial will be in Lindale Cemetery near Bowie.

Mrs. Kilcrease was born in Bowie and was a homemaker and a member of First United Methodist Church. She married William Edward "Edd" Kilcrease in 1924 in Bowie; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include two daughters, Glenna Mae Piotzsch of Roscoe and Mary Louise Rosendahl of Wichita Falls; one son, Frank Kilcrease of Lubbock; two granddaughters, four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the donor's favorite charity.

The family will be at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. today.

Mrs. Weldon (Lorine) Uzzell

CLYDE -- Mrs. Weldon (Lorine) Uzzell, 81, of Hartville, Mo., and formerly of Oplin, died Saturday at a Springfield, Mo., hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Bailey Funeral Home Chapel with Bill Eason officiating. Burial will be in Oplin Cemetery.

Mrs. Uzzell was born in Oplin and moved to California in 1935. She returned to Oplin in 1971 and moved to Hartville in 1993. She was a homemaker and a member of Oplin Church of Christ. She married Weldon Uzzell in 1935 in Baird.

Survivors include her husband of Hartville; one son, Dennis Uzzell of Hartville; two daughters, Elaine Silva of Roland, Okla., and Wanda Flickinger of Houston; 10 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

The family will be at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday.

Benson 'PaPaw' Payne

HAMLIN -- Benson "PaPaw" Payne, 81, died Monday at an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with the Revs. Marshall Stewart and Randy Larpenteur officiating. Burial will be in Hamlin Memorial Cemetery, directed by Foster-Adams Funeral Home.

Mr. Payne was born in Carroll County, Ga., and moved to the Dovie community near Hamlin in 1919. He attended school in Dovie. He was a Methodist, a member of Hamlin Masonic Lodge 958 and Woodmen of the World and had served as director for Hamlin Farmers Co-Op Gin. He retired from farming in 1987. He married Ila Gilbert in 1935 in Hamlin.

Survivors include his wife of Hamlin; two daughters, Shasta Young and Emma Reynolds, both of Hamlin; one son, Curtis Payne of Hamlin; two sisters, Eva Newsome and Nell Stafford, both of Stockton, Calif.; one brother, Joe Payne of Breman, Ga.; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Todd Reynolds Memorial Fellowship Hall Fund, P.O. Box 356, Hamlin 79520.

Ruth Lamb

CISCO -- Ruth Lamb, 74, died Sunday at an Abilene hospital. Services are pending with Kimbrough Funeral Home.

George Thomas 'Tom' Myers

George Thomas "Tom" Myers, 71, of Abilene died Monday at a Dallas hospital. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

James Ruby Hammons

GOREE -- James Ruby Hammons, 95, died Sunday at a Sparks, Nev., nursing home. Services are pending with McCauley-Smith Funeral Home of Munday.

Ross Perry

ALBANY -- Ross O. Perry, 85, died Monday at a Lubbock hospital. Services are pending with Godfrey-Neese Funeral Home.

Charmaine Lynn

BIG SPRING -- Charmaine Lynn, 42, died Monday at a local hospital after a brief illness. Services are pending with Myers & Smith Funeral Home.

Deon Mathews

BIG SPRING -- Deon Mathews, infant, died Sunday at a Lubbock hospital. Services are pending with Myers & Smith Funeral Home.

Evangelina 'Eva' Alcantar

BIG SPRING -- Evangelina "Eva" Alcantar, 62, died Sunday at a Lubbock hospital after a brief illness. Rosary will be said at 8 p.m. today at Myers & Smith Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Lillie Bench Martin

BIG SPRING -- Lillie Bench Martin, 92, died Monday at a local hospital after a brief illness. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. today in Trinity Memorial Park, directed by Myers & Smith Funeral Home.