Today's Obituaries (Sept. 11, 1998)

Valerie Elaine Kershaw-Payne

Valerie Elaine Kershaw-Payne, 35, died Wednesday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 542 Hickory, with Charles E. Nowlin officiating. Burial will be in Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories.

Mrs. Kershaw was born in Abilene and graduated from Cooper High School in 1981. She attended the nursing program at McMurry University and was a self-employed healthcare provider.

Survivors include her husband, Reggie Payne of Abilene; two daughters, Jessica Cruse and Ashley Cruse, both of Abilene; her parents, Jessie and Willie Kershaw Sr. of Abilene; six brothers, Wilbert Cobb of Norfolk, Va., Marvin Wayne Cobb of Waco, Franklin Kershaw of Big Spring, and Willie T. Kershaw Jr., Donald Ray Kershaw and Benjamin Kershaw, all of Abilene; and two sisters, Jeanice Kershaw of Phoenix, Ariz., and Leica Jefferson of St. Paul, Minn.

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

Buena Christene Brock

Buena Christene Brock, 78, died Wednesday in a local nursing home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today in North's Funeral Home Memorial Chapel, 242 Orange, with the Revs. Fred Sandlin and Larry Bass officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park.

Ms. Brock was born in Clyde and moved to Abilene in 1924. She worked in food service at Abilene State School from 1967-87 and was a member of Fairmont United Methodist Church.

Survivors include two sons, Barry Brock of San Antonio and Jackie Brock of Detroit; one daughter, Jan Harding of Graham; one sister, Veriena Baldwin of Abilene; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

William Gaines Jr.

William Gaines Jr., 65, died Sunday in Abilene.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 542 Hickory, with the Rev. K.R. White officiating. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Mr. Gaines was born in Marlin and lived in Abilene most of his life. He was a Baptist.

Survivors include one son, Ricky Fields of Fort Worth; his mother, Viola Johnson of Abilene; and one sister, Lovie McGruder of Abilene.

Pearl Bowman

PLEASANT VALLEY - Pearl C. Bowman, 77, died Thursday at her home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Bailey Funeral Home Chapel in Clyde with Richard Adkisson officiating. Burial will be in Kendrick Cemetery.

Mrs. Bowman was born in Cedar Gap and was a homemaker. She moved to Denton Valley in 1974 from Abilene. She was a member of Oak Street Church of Christ and was the widow of Lee Bowman, whom she married in 1938 in Cedar Gap.

Survivors include one son, Mac Bowman of Tuscola; one daughter, Betty Hardin of Clyde; two brothers, Wayne Baker of Seattle and Charles Spurgeon Baker of Sand Springs; one sister, Seretha Faye Idol of Tuscola; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; five step grandchildren; and eight step great-grandchildren.

James Ellis 'Jim' Lindsey

COLLEYVILLE - James Ellis "Jim" Lindsey, 49, a member of the Abilene Christian University Sports Hall of Fame, died Wednesday in Colleyville.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Richland Hills Church of Christ in Fort Worth. Burial will be in Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park, directed by Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home.

Mr. Lindsey was born in Bay City and graduated in 1967 from Sweeny High School, where he was a quarterback on the school's 1966 Class 2A state championship football team. He also graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1971 and played professional football in Canada for four years. He married his wife in 1976. He worked as an insurance agent for many years and moved his business to Fort Worth in 1990 from Abilene. At the time of his death, he was president of Jim Lindsey & Associates Insurance Co. He was a deacon and Bible class teacher at Richland Hills Church of Christ in Fort Worth.

Survivors include his wife, Susan Lindsey of Colleyville; three daughters, Lauri Rogers, Melissa Lindsey and Jamie Lindsey; his father, Paul Lindsey of Sweeny; and one grandchild.

For more on his sports career, see page 6C.

David Berten

RISING STAR - David Berten, 76, lifelong area resident, died Wednesday at his home.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Rising Star Church of Christ with Gary Adams and Jim Nash officiating. Burial will be in Rising Star Cemetery, directed by Higginbotham Funeral Home.

Mr. Berten was born in Rising Star and married Joyce Janell Oden in 1953 in Rochester. He was a farmer and was a member of the Church of Christ.

Survivors include his wife, of Rising Star; two daughters, Patricia Bush of Rising Star and Caroline Yates of Cross Plains; and seven grandchildren.

Hubert Mitchell

BRECKENRIDGE - Hubert Mitchell, 98, died Wednesday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Breckenridge First Baptist Church with the Revs. Cecil W. Harper and Kevin Mitchell officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Ranger, directed by Morehart Mortuary.

Mr. Mitchell was born near Fox Mountain in Palo Pinto County and attended school near Gordon. He worked as a district superintendent for Texas Pacific Coal & Oil Co. in Eliasville from 1940-54. He then moved to Breckenridge. He was a former Eliasville school trustee. He was a member of Roughneck Bible Class at First Baptist Church and was the widower of Lila Edith O'Neal Mitchell, whom he married in 1920 in Strawn.

Survivors include one son, Glen Mitchell of Iowa Park; one daughter, Huberta Ross of Brownwood; four grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church and left at the funeral home.

Paije Maree Lemaster

Paije Maree Lemaster, infant, died Thursday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Harley Scifres

Harley E. Scifres, 80, died Thursday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Barbara June Weems

SNYDER - Barbara June Weems, 60, died Wednesday in a Lubbock hospital after a sudden illness. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Faith Baptist Church, directed by Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home.

Michael Stanley Chesser

GOLDTHWAITE - Michael Stanley Chesser, 30, of Maringouin, La., died Wednesday in Louisiana. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Oakview Cemetery in Mullin, directed by Stacy-Wilkins Funeral Home.

Betty Jo Eades

SNYDER - Betty Jo Eades, 70, died Thursday in a Lubbock hospital after a lengthy illness. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in East Side Church of Christ, directed by Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home.

Thurman Gentry

BIG SPRING - Thurman E. Gentry, 93, died Wednesday in a local nursing home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home Rosewood Chapel.