Today's Obituaries (Oct. 5, 1998)

Former Taylor County justice of the peace dies

Clarence R. Collins, 75, Taylor County Precinct 1 justice of the peace from 1981-89 and longtime Realtor, died Sunday in a local hospital.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Elmwood Memorial Park with the Rev. Mike Woodard officiating, directed by North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange.

Mr. Collins was born in Hawley, where he graduated from high school in 1942, and moved to Abilene in 1943. He attended Draughon's Business College and then worked for the U.S. Postal Service. He married Sue Morgan in 1949 in Abilene.

He became self-employed in 1945 and operated Collins Realty and Insurance, Collins Abstract & Title Co. and Collins Investments. He built the Collins Boat Dock at Lake Fort Phantom and operated it until 1976. He also operated Collins and Associates Auctioneers for many years. He was a past president of the Abilene Real Estate Board and was named by the group as Outstanding Realtor of the Year in 1956.

He was a former lieutenant governor of Optimist International and past president of the Abilene Optimist Club. He was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge and was a member of Southwest Park Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Sue Collins of Abilene; two daughters, Nelda Collins Nelson of Fort Worth and Carolyn Collins of Plano; two brothers, Royce Collins of Olton and Bill Collins of Abilene; one sister, Margaret Stephenson Jones of Idalou; and one grandchild.

Memorials may be sent to American Heart Association, 149 N. Willis, Suite 10, Abilene 79603; or Meals On Wheels Plus Inc., 949 Mesquite, Abilene 79601.

Visitation will be from 6-7:30 p.m. today in the funeral home.

LaMoyne Boyd Miller

LaMoyne Boyd Miller, 72, died Sunday in a local hospital.

Graveside services will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Potosi Cemetery with the Rev. Donnie Harbers officiating, directed by North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange.

Ms. Miller grew up in Abilene and graduated from Wylie High School in 1943. She worked for physicians in Guthrie, Okla., and Wellington, Kan. She also was a credit manager for McMahan Furniture in Reseda, Calif., and a clerk for United Grocers Warehouse in San Francisco. She moved to Abilene in 1981 and was employed by the Dyess Air Force Base Hospital as a medical clerk for 16 years.

Survivors include two brothers, Archie Boyd of Abilene and Aubrey Boyd of Arlington; and one sister, Norma McKee of Potosi.

Memorials may be sent to Hendrick Hospice Care, P.O. Box 1922, Abilene 79604; or a favorite charity.

Eugenia Maud St. Clair McWilliams

Eugenia Maud St. Clair McWilliams, 92, died Sunday in a local care center.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Bethel Cemetery in Mason County near Katency with the Rev. Nancy York officiating, directed by Fry-Bartlett Funeral Home of Tuscola.

Mrs. McWilliams was born in Richland Springs and moved to Lovington, N.M., in 1946 from Katy. She lived in Central Texas and California before returning to Lovington, N.M., in 1970. She then worked as a clerk at the Lea County Clerk's Office until retiring in 1990. She moved to San Angelo in 1993 and Abilene in 1998. She was a Baptist and the widow of Henry Gay McWilliams, whom she married in 1926 in San Saba County.

Survivors include two grandchildren, Karen Clardy Aldridge of Novice and Mark Clardy of Austin; and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to American Cancer Society, 209 S. Danville, Abilene 79605.

Lorene Cutbirth

KARNES CITY - Lorene K. Cutbirth, 89, formerly of the Big Country, died Saturday in San Antonio.

Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Baird City Cemetery, directed by Rhodes Funeral Home.

Mrs. Cutbirth was born in Seymour and moved to Abilene in 1942. She retired from Grissom's Department Store in Abilene and moved to Karnes City in 1992. She was a member of Elmwood West United Methodist Church in Abilene and was the widow of Roy Glenn Cutbirth, whom she married in 1927 in Baird.

Survivors include one daughter, Patsy J. Whitehead of Karnes City.

Vesta Liber Kraft

DALLAS - Vesta Liber Kraft, 89, mother of an Abilene resident, died Friday in a Tyler hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Lamar & Smith Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Laurel Land Memorial Park.

Mrs. Kraft was born in Canton, Ohio, and was a member of the Yates Sunday School Class at Tyler Street United Methodist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Arthur Vernon Kraft of Dallas; two daughters, Dr. Dorothy Barnes of Abilene and Patty Tunnell of Canton, Texas; one brother, Clayton Liber of Malvern, Ohio; one sister, Marion Rainsberger of Louisville, Ohio; 10 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

Mary Perez

BROWNWOOD - Mary M. Perez, 82, who, with her second husband, owned the city's first Mexican restaurant, El Jalisco Cafe, in the early 1940s, died Friday in a local nursing home.

Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. today in Davis-Morris Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Mary's Catholic Church with the Rev. Larry Cyr officiating. Burial will be in Greenleaf Cemetery.

Mrs. Perez was born in Eagle Pass and attended school in Big Wells and Del Rio. She moved to Brownwood in 1935 and worked as a certified nurse's aide at Brownwood Regional Hospital, Medical Arts Hospital and Plantation Nursing Home. She was a teacher's aide for the Head Start program at the Little School House in Brownwood in 1938. She and her second husband also owned Perez Grocery Store and, later, El Chico Cafe. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and was the widow of Juan Solis and Martin Perez.

Survivors include six children, Mary Louise Rodriguez of Brownwood, Jesse Solis of San Pedro, Calif., Martin Perez Jr. of Abilene, Delorez Ramirez of San Angelo, Marcus Perez of Galveston and John Perez of Duncanville; three sisters, Frances Bastardo and Ina Balderrama, both of Brownwood, and Vera Bendele of Hondo; one brother, Victor Gutierrez of Homestead, Fla.; 25 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and 12 great-great-grandchildren.

Betty Reeves Meinzer

KNOX CITY - Betty Reeves Meinzer, 70, of St. Louis and formerly of Knox City, died Saturday in a St. Louis hospital after a long illness.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Knox City First Baptist Church with the Revs. Johnny Johnson and Leon Ward officiating. Burial will be in Benjamin Cemetery, directed by Smith Funeral Home.

Mrs. Meinzer was born in Knox County and graduated from Knox City High School in 1945. She worked as a bookkeeper at a grain elevator in Hale Center for many years and moved to St. Louis in 1996 from Hale Center. She was a member of Hale Center First Baptist Church and was the widow of Walter Buck Meinzer, whom she married in 1957.

Survivors include three daughters, Carra Celeste Rooney of High Ridge, Mo., Pamela Lee Gladson of Arlington and Rhonda Jo Ripka of Abilene; three sons, Joe David Meinzer of Idalou, Walter Buck Meinzer II of Subico, Ark., and Walter Gregory Meinzer of Nauvo, Calif.; three sisters, Ruthie Routon of Farwell, Birdie Helton of Knox City and Faye Corley of Mineola; and 10 grandchildren.

Lee Roy Thompson

BROWNWOOD - Lee Roy Thompson, 91, owner and operator of Thompson's Wicking and Spring Shop for more than 50 years until retiring, died Sunday in a local hospital.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Greenleaf Cemetery with the Rev. Robert J. Elkins officiating, directed by Heartland Funeral Home of Early.

Mr. Thompson was born in Goldthwaite and moved to Brownwood at an early age. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and then returned to Brownwood to become self-employed. He also was a mechanic. He was a Baptist and was the widower of Winnie Preece Thompson, whom he married in 1927 in Brownwood.

Survivors include one son, Lee Thompson of Temple; one daughter, Wanda Clark of Georgia; and eight grandchildren; and many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Eura Clifton

ROSCOE - Eura Clifton, 102, of Fredericksburg and formerly of the Roscoe area, died Sunday in Fredericksburg.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Roscoe Cemetery with Wayne Horton officiating, directed by McCoy Funeral Home of Sweetwater.

Mrs. Clifton was born in Lipan and moved to the Roscoe-Hermleigh area in 1908, Kingsland in 1982 and Fredericksburg in 1993. She was a homemaker and worked as an artist. She was a member of Hermleigh Church of Christ and was the widow of Calvin A. Clifton, whom she married in 1916 in Roscoe.

Survivors include one daughter-in-law, Evelyn Clifton of Fredericksburg; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Charles Edwards

Charles Edwards, 61, died Sunday at his home. Services are pending with Starbuck Funeral Home of Merkel.

Virginia Wiggins

Virginia C. Wiggins, 86, died Sunday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Dean Froman

BIG SPRING - Dean Froman, 71, died Saturday. Services are pending with Myers & Smith Funeral Home.