Today's Obituaries (Sept. 19, 1998)

Louise Weems

Louise Weems, 98, died Thursday in a local nursing home.

Graveside services will be at 11:30 a.m. today in Elmwood Memorial Park with Dr. Phil Christopher officiating, directed by North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange.

Mrs. Weems was born in Lindale, where she grew up, and moved to Abilene in 1920. She was the widow of Archie Gafford. She married J.W. Weems in the late 1940s and worked as a buyer for Grissom's Department Store. She operated Jeanette's Dress Store in the 1960s until retiring in 1969. She was a member of First Baptist Church.

Survivors include one son, George Gafford of Kerrville; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Douglas Whittenberg

CENTER POINT -- Douglas Whittenberg, 56, formerly of Abilene, died Sept. 9 in a local hospital.

Services were Sept. 11 in Center Point United Methodist Church. Burial was in Center Point Cemetery, directed by Overby Funeral Home of Kerrville.

Mr. Whittenberg was born in Waco and moved to Abilene in the 1960s. He worked as a real estate broker and sales manager for Abilene Mobile Homes and then was a partner of Star Real Estate. He later owned Martel Answering Service. He also was an Abilene-area broker for Federal Home Administration. He moved to Center Point in 1984 and was secretary-treasurer of the Center Point Lions Club. He taught Sunday school at Center Point United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his mother, Rena W. Whittenberg of Center Point.

Memorials may be sent to Center Point United Methodist Church, 118 Church, Center Point 78010.

Max Donald Young

WEST COLUMBIA -- Max Donald Young, 71, formerly of Westbrook, died Tuesday in Bennett, Colo.

Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday in Moore Funeral Home Chapel in Arlington. Burial will be in Moore Memorial Gardens in Arlington.

Mr. Young was born in Westbrook and worked as an aircraft mechanic for Bell Helicopter.

Survivors include two sons, Bobby Young of West Columbia and William D. Young of Shrew, La.; two daughters, Donna Jo Bergman of Bennett, Colo., and Evelyn E. Torres of Fort Worth; two brothers, Mark A. Young of Pensacola, Fla., and Bobby J. Young of Pine Top, Ariz.; one sister, Evelyn Lamb of New Braunfels; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Park Row Senior Citizen Center, 1815 New York Ave., Arlington 76010.

Leon Rodgers

RANGER -- Leon Rodgers, 59, died Friday in Eastland.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel with Shawn Johnson and Kenneth Evans officiating. Burial will be in Alameda Cemetery.

Mr. Rodgers was born in Gorman and graduated from Desdemona High School. He attended Ranger College and North Texas State University. He worked at Seldon Brown Pharmacy and later owned and operated a tire store in Fort Worth for several years. He served in the Army National Guard.

Survivors include one daughter, Amy Hoven of Monroeville, Ala.; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dee W. Rodgers of Ranger; one brother, Don Rodgers of Eastland; one sister, Janet Graves of Marble Falls; one grandchild; and two nieces and one nephew.

Myrnie Sanders

WEINERT -- Myrnie E. Sanders, 77, died Thursday in an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Weinert First Baptist Church with the Revs. Joel Rister and Jack Dial officiating. Burial will be in Weinert Cemetery, directed by Holden-McCauley Funeral Directors of Haskell.

Mrs. Sanders was born in Rule and married Edward Jackson "Eddie" Sanders in 1936 in Haskell. She was a homemaker and was a member of First Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, of Weinert; one son, Kenneth Sanders of Weinert; one daughter, Shirley Offutt of Wichita Falls; one sister, Leitha Holloway of Dallas; three brothers, Johnny Johnson of California, Sollie B. Johnson of Dallas and Warren E. Johnson of Hurst; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Irene Johnson

BRONTE -- Irene Johnson, 75, died Friday in a San Angelo hospital.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Bronte Church of Christ with John Driggers, Stover Taylor and Russell Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Roscoe Cemetery, directed by McCoy Funeral Home of Sweetwater.

Mrs. Johnson was born in Loraine and married Herman Johnson in 1946 in Sweetwater. She moved to Nolan in 1952 from Roscoe, and to Bronte in 1976. She worked as a licensed vocational nurse for a total of more than 50 years at Roscoe Hospital, Sweetwater Hospital, Bronte Nursing Home and Coke County Nursing Home in Robert Lee. She was a member of the Church of Christ.

Survivors include one son, Russell Johnson of Bronte; one daughter, Roma Holley of Eastland; three sisters, Mary Williams of Riverbank, Calif., Ora McCann of Irvin and Savannah Yarbrough of Nolan; two brothers, George Caswell of Odessa and Leonard Caswell of Lake Brownwood; and four grandchildren.

Fred Stoup

COLEMAN -- Fred Stoup, 74, of Humble and formerly of Coleman, died Thursday at his home.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Coleman Cemetery pavilion with the Rev. David Jenkins officiating, directed by Stevens Funeral Home.

Mr. Stoup was born in Coleman, where he attended school, and served with the U.S. Army Air Corps in Guam during World War II and then France with the Occupation Forces. He lived in Fort Worth for many years before moving to Humble and was a retired editor of the <I>Houston Chronicle<I>. He was active in the Humble Senior Citizens group and American Association of Retired Persons.

Survivors include four brothers, Earl Stoup of Victoria, Carl Stoup of Eldorado, Alvie Stoup of Temple and William E. Stoup of Coleman; five sisters, Ruby Watters and Pearl Kile, both of Coleman, Dorothy Chastain of Denton, Margaret Wilson of Clyde and Peggy Jacobi of Fort Worth; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Katherine 'Kate' Sykes

BALLINGER -- Katherine "Kate" P. Sykes, 102, died Friday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Ballinger First Baptist Church with the Rev. Ferris Akins and Dr. Henry Chisholm officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, directed by Rains-Seale Funeral Home.

Mrs. Sykes was born in Westfork, Ark., near Fayetteville, Ark., and attended Goldthwaite High School. She was a homemaker and lived in Goldthwaite, near Knickerbocker and in Maverick before moving to Ballinger in 1923. She was a member of Ballinger Garden Club, Texas A&M University Mothers Club and First Baptist Church and was the widow of Otto C. Sykes, whom she married in 1918.

Survivors include two sons, Billy C. Sykes of Ballinger and Bobby R. Sykes of Eldorado; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Carnegie Library or First Baptist Church, both in Ballinger, or a favorite charity.

Charles 'Edgar' Gravell

EARLY -- Charles E. "Edgar" Gravell, 83, died Thursday in a Bangs nursing home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Davis-Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Brownwood with the Revs. D.H. Rudd and Paul Blake officiating. The body will be cremated.

Mr. Gravell was born in Fort Stockton and moved to Brown County in 1964. He was a retired Santa Fe Railroad employee and also worked as a cowboy. He was a member of Bangs Masonic Lodge and was a Baptist.

Survivors include two daughters, Dorothy Jo Brush and Martha Sue Gabbert, both of Temple; three sons, Eddie Bill Gravell of Brownwood, and James Harley Gravell and Charles A. Gravell, both of Bangs; two stepdaughters, Mary King of Zephyr and Wanda Mindieta of Bangs; two stepsons, Harvey Rutherford of Bangs and Cecil Rutherford of Brownwood; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and six step grandchildren.

Lenore Alkire

Lenore Alkire, 78, died Friday in a local nursing home. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Chester Shaw

EASTLAND -- Chester Shaw, 96, died Friday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Edwards Funeral Home.

Robert Bruce Tongate

BRECKENRIDGE -- Robert Bruce Tongate, 72, died Friday in an Abilene hospital. Services are pending with Melton Funeral Home.

Raymond Richard Loss Sr.

ODESSA -- Raymond Richard Loss Sr., 78, father of two Big Country residents, died Tuesday at his home. Private services will be at a later date. Arrangements were made by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors.

Simona Corona

GOLDTHWAITE -- Simona Corona, 81, died Friday in a local nursing home. Rosary will be said at 8 p.m. today in Stacy-Wilkins Funeral Home Chapel. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.

Marie Webb

STAMFORD -- Marie Webb, 86, died Friday in a Corpus Christi hospital. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Stamford First Baptist Church, directed by Kinney Funeral Home.