Today's Obituaries (Aug. 23, 1998)

Frances Daw

Frances L. Daw, 62, died Friday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Wylie Baptist Church with the Rev. Mike Patterson officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Mrs. Daw was born in Mitchell County and attended school in Big Spring. She married Leslie Daw in 1952 in Colorado City and was a homemaker. She moved to Abilene in 1988 from Weatherford and was a member of Wylie Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband of Abilene; one son, Rick Daw of Plano; one daughter, Vicki Kerr of Abilene; her mother, Bertha Montgomery of Abilene; one brother, Raymond Bedford of Odessa; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Memorials may be sent to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 41, Abilene 79604.

Visitation will be from 3-5 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Carl Estes Kitzmiller

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- Carl Estes Kitzmiller, 74, formerly of Abilene, died Saturday at his home after a long illness.

Services will be at 8 p.m. Monday in Morris-Baker Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Monte Vista Burial Park.

Mr. Kitzmiller was born in Washington County and graduated from Jonesborough High School and Harding College in Searcy, Ark. He was a Church of Christ minister for more than 50 years and served churches in Abilene, Mobile, Ala., Hapeville, Ga., Dallas and Oakdale, La. He returned in 1986 to Johnson City, where he retired from Locust Street Church of Christ. He was a longtime writer for the Word and Work Sunday School Quarterly published in Louisville, Ky. He recently was a speaker for the Words of Life International Radio Program that originated in Louisville, Ky.

Survivors include his wife, Phyllis Simerly Kitzmiller of Johnson City; one son, Paul E. Kitzmiller of Sellersburg, Ind.; one daughter, Susan Valdetero of Monroe, N.C.; one sister, Evelyn Corpening of Johnson City; four grandchildren; and several nephews and nieces.

Winnie 'Mim' Carson Smith

BROWNWOOD -- Winnie "Mim" Carson Smith, 100, formerly of Pearsall, died Saturday in a local care center.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Pearsall First Baptist Church with the Rev. Burlie Smith officiating. Burial will be in Pearsall Cemetery, directed by Kimbrough Funeral Home of Cisco.

Mrs. Smith was born in Carrizo Springs in Dimmit County and graduated from O'Hanis High School in 1915. She married Thomas Washington Smith in 1924 in Pearsall. She was a contract seamstress during World War I and World War II. She worked for Utopia Telephone Co. as one of the first hand-crank telephone operators in Uvalde County. She was a member of First Baptist Church.

Survivors include two daughters, Gertrude Smith Watson of Austin and Margaret Ann Smith Neal of Early; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to American Cancer Society.

Lou Nelle Miller

GORDON -- Lou Nelle Miller, 82, died Friday in a Mineral Wells care center.

Services will be at 5 p.m. Monday in Gordon First Baptist Church with Rick Roberson and Randy Smith officiating. Burial will be in Exray Cemetery, directed by Edwards Funeral Home of Strawn.

Mrs. Miller was born in Cooke County and was a retired aircraft electrical assembler. She was the widow of Samuel Lee Duffey and Charles W. Miller Jr.

Survivors include one daughter, Barbara Venable of Gordon; one son, Larry Duffey of Corsicana; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and several stepgrandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Tri-City Ambulance, P.O. Box 271, Gordon 76453; First Baptist Church Van Fund, P.O. Box 16, Gordon 76453; or a favorite charity.

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

Dickie Thompson

BLANKET -- Dickie (Mrs. Clyde I.) Thompson, 80, of McGregor and formerly of the Blanket area, died Friday in a Waco care center.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Rock Church Cemetery near Blanket in Brown County with the Rev. Pat Cummings officiating, directed by Davis-Morris Funeral Home of Brownwood.

Mrs. Thompson was born in Comanche and lived in McGregor most of her life. She married Clyde I. Thompson in 1935 in Comanche and was a homemaker. She was a member of North Waco Baptist Church in Waco.

Survivors include her husband of McGregor; four sons, Clyde E. Thompson and Claude "Sonny" Thompson, both of McGregor, Jack Thompson of Moody and Joe B. Thompson of Waco; three daughters, Betty Bunte of Moody, and Helen "Sissy" Limmer and Mickey Smith, both of McGregor; two sisters, Eufala McCullough of Moody and Helen Elliot of Albuquerque, N.M.; 15 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and many nephews and nieces.

Ivera Byrd

SANTA ANNA -- Ivera Byrd, 83, died Thursday in a Coleman hospital.

Graveside services will be at 4 p.m. today in Santa Anna Cemetery, directed by Santa Anna Funeral Home.

Mrs. Byrd was born in High in Lamar County and was a homemaker. She moved to Santa Anna in 1961 and was a member of Naomi Chapter 1310, Order of the Eastern Star. She attended African Methodist Episcopal Church in Brownwood and was the widow of Jim Edward Byrd, whom she married in 1961 in Midland.

Survivors include one sister, Avis Nelson of Fulbright; and many nieces and nephews.

The body may be viewed at the funeral home starting at noon today.

Norman Morris

BROWNWOOD -- Norman F. Morris, 66, co-owner and operator of Norm's Diesel Service from 1976-96, died Wednesday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Heritage Funeral Home Chapel in Brady with the Rev. Tony King officiating. Burial will be in Resthaven Cemetery in Brady. Local arrangements were made by Davis-Morris Funeral Home.

Mr. Morris was born in Rattle Snake Point in McCulloch County and married Alice Elaine Cowen in 1958 in El Centro, Calif. He moved to Brownwood in 1970.

Survivors include his wife of Brownwood; two sons, Ronald F. Morris and Rick Morris, both of Brownwood; one daughter, Renee Fish of Ingleside; one sister, Barbara Morgan of Brownwood; and four grandchildren.

The body will be at Davis-Morris Funeral Home until 1 p.m. today, then taken to Brady.

Modessa Bell

STAMFORD -- Modessa Bell, 96, died Friday in a local hospital.

Services will be at noon Monday in Stamford First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jay Abernathy officiating. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. in De Leon Cemetery, directed by Kinney Funeral Home.

Mrs. Bell was born in Thaxter, Miss., and lived in De Leon for several years before moving to Stamford in 1923. She worked at Hassen's Department Store and was a retired seamstress.

Survivors include one son, A.J. Bell Jr.; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Visitation will be from 1-5 p.m. today in the parlor of First Baptist Church.

Clyde Fletcher

ROCHESTER -- Clyde C. Fletcher, 73, died Friday in a Haskell nursing home.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Rochester Cemetery with Dale Huff officiating, directed by Smith Funeral Home.

Mr. Fletcher was born in Haskell County and served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He returned to Rochester in the last year from Fort Worth. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and was a Methodist.

Survivors include one daughter, Nancy Bailey of Monarch Beach, Calif.; two stepdaughters, Jan Almquist of Bishop, Calif., and Sherry Seymour of San Diego; one brother, Joe Fletcher of Rochester; and one grandchild.

George Hibbits

George Hibbits, 65, died Saturday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Al Brower

SWEETWATER -- Al Brower, 75, of San Manuel, Ariz., and formerly of Sweetwater, died Friday in Tucson, Ariz. Services are pending with McCoy Funeral Home.

Dr. Duron Russell 'Doc' Kerby

BROWNWOOD -- Dr. Duron Russell "Doc" Kerby died Saturday in Gatesville. Services are pending with Stacy-Wilkins Funeral Home of Goldthwaite.

Lois 'Terrapin' Briley

COLORADO CITY -- Lois "Terrapin" Briley, 84, died Saturday at his home. Services are pending with Kiker-Seale Funeral Home.

Lucy Vines

BROWNWOOD -- Lucy B. Vines, 86, formerly of Sweetwater, died Saturday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home of Sweetwater.

Ruth Hunt

HASKELL -- Ruth Hunt, 86, died Saturday in an Abilene hospital. Services are pending with Holden-McCauley Funeral Directors.

Victor Martinez

SWEETWATER -- Victor Martinez, 43, of Houston died Friday in a Houston hospital. Rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. today in Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Connie Lee King

THROCKMORTON -- Connie Lee King, 89, died Friday in a local hospital. Services will be at 3 p.m. today in Throckmorton First Baptist Church, directed by Merriman-Archer Funeral Home.

Ronnie Turley

STEPHENVILLE -- Ronnie Turley, 41, died Friday at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel.

Fay Owen

ANSON -- Fay M. Owen, 88, of Lubbock died Saturday in an Abilene hospital. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Resthaven Cemetery in Lubbock, directed by Lawrence-Adams Funeral Home.

Joyce 'Gerry' Duncan

RANGER -- Joyce "Gerry" Duncan, 68, died Saturday in an Eastland hospital. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Monday in Merriman Cemetery, directed by Edwards Funeral Home.