Today's Obituaries (Sept. 20, 1998)

Ruth Murphy

Ruth Murphy, 71, of Oceanside, Calif., died Tuesday in Oceanside.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Rose Hill Cemetery in Merkel with the Rev. H.B. Terry Jr. officiating, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Mrs. Murphy was born in Winnsboro in Wood County and attended school in Roby. She moved to Fallbrook, Calif., in 1958 and Oceanside, Calif., in 1971. She attended Oceanside First Baptist Church and was the widow of Alvin Ratliff Murphy, whom she married in 1968 in Fallbrook, Calif.

Survivors include two sons, Jimmy Doyle Sluder of Escondido, Calif., and William Larry Sluder of Murrieta, Calif.; two daughters, Shirley Ann Edwards of Escondido, Calif., and Betty Jean Star of Fallbrook, Calif.; one brother, John D. Collie of Clyde; one sister, Elsie Willet of Abilene; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

The body may be viewed from 8 a.m.-noon Monday in the funeral home.

Lenore Alkire

Lenore Alkire, 78, died Friday in a local hospital.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Elmwood Memorial Park with Bill Luttrell, James Fulbright and Cecil Alexander officiating, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Mrs. Alkire was born in Greene County, Ind., where she attended school, and was a homemaker. She lived in Idaho from 1948-75. She moved to Abilene in 1985 from Wichita Falls and was a historian and chaplain of the Major Francis Grice Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution in Wichita Falls. She was a member of Hillcrest Church of Christ and was the widow of Orval Lyman Alkire, whom she married in 1935 in Greene County, Ind.

Survivors include two daughters, Erma Jean Loveland of Abilene and Norma Harrell of Wichita Falls; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Abilene Christian University Library, ACU Station, Box 29208, Abilene 79699.

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

James Terry 'Grizzley' Adams

James Terry "Grizzley" Adams, 62, died Friday in a local hospital.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Cedar Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Clayton Pennington officiating, directed by North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange.

Mr. Adams was born in Athens, Ala., and grew up in Alabama and Kentucky. He married Shirley Van Dyke in 1958 in Covington, Ky., and was in the U.S. Air Force for 21 years. He moved to Abilene in 1971 and, after retiring from the military, he worked for General Dynamics for 10 years. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2012 and American Association of Retired Persons. He was a Baptist.

Survivors include his wife of Abilene; three sons, James David Adams of Casa Grande, Ariz., Ernest "Butch" Adams and Joseph Wilson Adams, both of Abilene; one daughter, Dawn E. Adams of Abilene; one brother, Curtis Adams of Nashville, Ala.; two sisters, Deborah Adams and Loraine Alk, both of Nashville, Ala.; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

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

Charles Edward Minor Sr.

Charles Edward Minor Sr., 54, died Tuesday in a local hospital.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in City Cemetery, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Mr. Minor was born in Hearne and lived in Levelland most of his life. He attended school in Levelland and worked as a mechanic. He returned to Abilene in 1998 and was a member of Morning Star Baptist Church in Levelland.

Survivors include four sons, Charles E. Minor Jr., Chester Minor and Ricky Minor, all of Abilene, and Nathan Andre Minor of Bryan; two stepsons, Vince Robinson and Sean Robinson, both of Houston; three daughters, Angela Minor of Bryan, Mattie McGee of Indiana and Pearl Minor of Abilene; his mother, Adline Minor of Levelland; two brothers, Irving Douglas Minor and Chester James Minor, both of Levelland; and 13 grandchildren.

Vertie Brooks

Vertie C. Brooks, 81, died Thursday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Macedonia Baptist Church with the Rev. Charles Lockridge officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park, directed by Allen-Korzenewski Funeral Home, 1443 N. 2nd.

Mrs. Brooks was born in Brenham and moved to Abilene in 1950. She was a member of St. John Baptist Church and was the widow of Luther Brooks, whom she married in 1938 in Cameron.

Survivors include three sons, Luther Brooks Jr. of Arlington, and Edgar Lee Brooks and Michael Paul Brooks, both of Abilene; one daughter, Betty McDaniel of Virginia; one sister, Kattie Griffen of Abilene; 11 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

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

Debbie McKinney

SNYDER -- Debbie McKinney, 45, died Friday at her home after a sudden illness.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tommy Culwell officiating. Burial will be in Hillside Memorial Gardens.

Ms. McKinney was born in Colorado City and lived for many years in Stephenville, where she worked at Wal-Mart. She moved to Snyder in 1994 from Fort Worth and was a Baptist.

Survivors include her parents, Wendell and Corene Thomas of Snyder; and one sister, Karen Ward of Lewisville; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Memorials may be sent to American Heart Association, Scurry County division, c/o Billisue Stuard, 875 County Road 1101, Hermleigh 79526.

Grady Wooten

CROSS PLAINS -- Grady G. Wooten, 38, died Thursday at his home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Higginbotham Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Cross Plains Cemetery.

Mr. Wooten was born in Brownwood and was a laborer. He was a Baptist.

Survivors include his mother, Juanita Wooten of Cross Plains; one brother, Johnny Wooten of Cross Plains; one sister, Anita Mays of Baird; several cousins, nieces, nephews and aunts; and one uncle.

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 with the Rev. Jay Abernathy officiating. Burial will be in Highland Memorial Cemetery, directed by Kinney Funeral Home.

Mrs. Webb was born in Walters, Okla., and moved to Midland in 1956 from Stamford. She worked for Texas Electric until retiring in 1982 and then returned to Stamford. She was a member of First Baptist Church and was the widow of Gaines Webb, whom she married in 1947 in Haskell.

Survivors include one daughter, Sabre Cornelius of Portland, Texas; one sister, Elizabeth Teinert of Odessa; one brother, S.J. Roberts of Denver; one grandchild; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be sent to Texas Children's Lions Camp in Kerrville or Stamford First Baptist Church Memorial Fund.

Dorothy Thomas

CROSS PLAINS -- Dorothy J. Thomas, 94, died Saturday in a Brownwood hospital.

Graveside services will be at 5 p.m. today in Cross Plains Cemetery with Dr. Richard Chaffin officiating, directed by Higginbotham Funeral Home.

Mrs. Thomas was born in Fond Du Lac, Wis., and was a homemaker. She was a Lutheran and was the widow of Archie Thomas, whom she married in 1929 in Fond Du Lac, Wis.

Survivors include one daughter, Joan McCowan of Cross Plains; and several nieces and nephews.

Alba Hall Tefteller

ROBY -- Alba Hall Tefteller, 92, died Friday in a Gunter nursing home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in McCoy Funeral Home Chapel of Memories in Sweetwater. Burial will be in Sweetwater Cemetery.

Mrs. Tefteller was born in Fisher County and was the postmaster in Roby for 17 years, taking over the position for her first husband after his death. She was a member of National League of Postmasters; Roby Chapter 25, Order of the Eastern Star; National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution; and the Church of Christ. She was the widow of S. Lee Hall, whom she married in 1922; and Forrest Tefteller, whom she married in 1956.

Survivors include two daughters, Patsy Hall Sargent of Dallas and Frances Hall Bruce of St. Jo, Texas; two stepsons, Forrest P. Tefteller of Odessa and Neil Tefteller of Farmington, N.M.; one brother, Jay G. "Jack" Dunlap of Odessa; 17 grandchildren; and many great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Monday in the funeral home.

Evelyn Smith Fry

CISCO -- Evelyn Smith Fry, 87, died Saturday at her home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Chambers-Wilcox Funeral Directors Chapel with the Rev. Buddy Sipes and Cris Craig officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery.

Mrs. Fry was born in Grosvenor and, with her husband, worked in the Polled Hereford business since 1929. She moved to Putnam in 1942 from Brownwood and was a member of Industrial Arts Club of Cisco for more than 50 years. She was a Baptist and was the widow of Henry J. Fry, whom she married in 1928 in Brownwood.

Survivors include one son, Ellis Winford "Wimp" Fry of Putnam; one daughter, Alma Joyce McClaine of Midland; one sister, Della Mackey of Brownwood; three grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and other relatives.

W.J. 'Bill' Beaver

COLEMAN -- W.J. "Bill" Beaver, 85, died Saturday in an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Stevens Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Glen Cove Cemetery.

Mr. Beaver was born in Covington and attended school in Santa Anna. He married May Coursey in 1940 in Coleman County and returned to Coleman County in 1942 from San Antonio. He worked at the Coca-Cola bottling plants in Coleman and Ballinger and was a farmer. He was a member of Farm Bureau, National Rifle Association, International Rifle Association and Elm Street Church of Christ.

Survivors include his wife of Coleman; two daughters, Anna May Kennedy and Billie Marie Wardlow, both of Coleman; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Kenneth Paul Williams

Kenneth Paul Williams, infant, died Saturday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

R.B. 'Bruce' Tongate

BRECKENRIDGE -- R.B. "Bruce" Tongate, 72, died Friday in an Abilene hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Melton Funeral Home Chapel of Memories.