Today's Obituaries (Oct 12, 1998)

Nicholas 'Nick' Acosta

Nicholas "Nick" Acosta, 90, died Saturday at a local hospital.

A prayer service will be at 7 p.m. today at North's Funeral Home Chapel, 242 Orange. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis Catholic Church with the Rev. David Matz officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park.

Mr. Acosta grew up in Mexico and moved to Haskell in 1921 and to Abilene in 1955. He worked for Abilene Concrete Co., retiring in 1978 after more than 15 years. He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church. He married Anita Villa in 1936 in Haskell.

Survivors include his wife, of Abilene; eight daughters, Mary Stokes, Carmen Flores, Anita Moreno, Margarita Canales and Margaret Gomez, all of Abilene, Linda Garza of Austin, Frances Torres of Brenham and Irene Bernal of Sommerville; six sons, Pete Acosta, Margarito Acosta, Jesse Acosta, Joe Acosta and Chris Acosta, all of Abilene, and Nick Acosta of Brenham; 42 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Armando Palacios

ANSON - Armando Palacios, 46, died Friday at an Abilene hospital.

Mass will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Michael's Catholic Church with the Rev. Oscar Del Rio officiating. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, directed by Lawrence-Adams Funeral Home.

Mr. Palacios was born in Mexico and moved to Anson in 1980. He was a farmer and a Catholic. He married Inocencia Sanchez in 1976.

Survivors include his wife, of Anson; one son, Johnny Palacios of Anson; one daughter, Marie Lopez of Abilene; his parents, Jose and Maria Palacios; four brothers, Isidro Palacios of Mexico, Gilberto Palacios of Ogden, Utah, and Valentine Palacios and Luiz Palacios, both of Wichita, Kan.; two sisters, Juana Munoz and Refugia Avila, both of Mexico; and one grandchild.

Hattie Lorene Rinehart

RULE - Hattie Lorene Rinehart, 90, died Saturday in Abilene.

Services will be at 4 p.m. today at Haskell Church of God with the Revs. Eric Clark and Scott Hensley officiating. Burial will be in Rule Cemetery, directed by McCauley-Robison Funeral Home.

Mrs. Rinehart was born in Longworth and had lived in Rule for 60 years. She was a homemaker and involved in farming. She was a member of Church of God in Haskell. She married Walter Rinehart in 1926; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include two daughters, Geraldene Josselet of Haskell and Wandalene Louise Moore of Sweetwater; two sons, Dewey Clifton Rinehart of Rule and Walter Rinehart of Lubbock; five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Haskell Church of God, 714 N. I Street, Haskell 79521; or to Hendrick League House, Abilene.

Mrs. Tom (Ina) Jeffreys

ANDREWS - Mrs. Tom (Ina) Jeffreys, 89, died Sunday at her home.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church with Dr. H.A. Hanks Jr. officiating. Graveside services will be at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in Glen Cove Cemetery near Coleman with the Rev. Roger Hammonds officiating, directed by McNett Funeral Home.

Mrs. Jeffreys was born in Goldsboro and moved to Andrews from Odessa in 1944 She and her husband owned Jeffreys Cafe, City Cafe, Steak House, T.J.'s Ranch House, Jeffrey's Mens Wear and City Beauty Shop. They ranched in the Coleman County area for 50 years and she was a real estate broker. She married Tom Jeffreys in 1925 in Ballinger; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include one daughter, Earlene Fisher of Andrews; three sisters, Mary Bettis of Mertzon, Tillie Cook of Fort Stockton and Estellene Sowders of Dublin; two grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Lloyd 'Bunk' Rinker

SNYDER - Lloyd "Bunk" Rinker, 78, died Sunday at a local hospital after a brief illness.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church chapel with Dr. Marty Akins officiating. Burial will be in Hillside Memorial Gardens, directed by Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home.

Mr. Rinker was born in Sweetwater and had lived in Snyder since 1957. He worked as a mechanic for the Snyder Independent School District for 26 years, retiring in 1985. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and First Baptist Church. He married Fae Etheredge in 1946 in Rotan.

Survivors include his wife, of Snyder; one daughter, Susan Anderson of Clyde; two sons, Barry Rinker of Snyder and Randy Rinker of Odessa; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Memorials may be made to the Youth Fund at First Baptist Church or to the donor's favorite charity.

James 'Jack' Thomas Sr.

EASTLAND - James H. "Jack" Thomas Sr., 74, of Eastland and formerly of Odessa, died Saturday at an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 2:30 p.m. today at Bethel Baptist Church with the Rev. Jonathan Gay officiating. Burial will be in Sabana Cemetery in Eastland County, directed by Edwards Funeral Home.

Mr. Thomas was born in Dennis (Parker County) and moved to Odessa as a teen-ager. He finished school in Odessa and was an Army veteran of World War II. He was a welder for Miether Machine Works in Odessa until retiring in 1968. He operated J&F Grocery and Feed until 1972, when he moved to Sabana. He opened J&F Saddlery in Eastland. He was a member of Green Acres Baptist Church and a deacon at Bethel Baptist Church. He married Frances Henry in 1949 in Odessa.

Survivors include his wife, of Eastland, and one granddaughter.

Anna Lou Houghton

ROTAN - Anna Lou Houghton, 90, a lifetime Fisher County resident, died Sunday at her home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. James Brigham officiating. Burial will be in Roby Cemetery, directed by Weathersbee Funeral Home.

Mrs. Houghton was born in Royston and lived in the Royston-McCaulley area all her life. She was a member of McCaulley Baptist Church. She married Frank Houghton in 1928 in McCaulley; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include one daughter, Jeannine Robertson of McCaulley; three sisters, Willie Sumerlin of Snyder, Rosa Young of Littlefield and Irene Clark of Rotan; five brothers, Paul Gruben of Lovington, N.M., John Gruben of Rotan, Ernest Gruben of Kermit, Troy Gruben of Sylvester and David Gruben of Roby; two grandsons, eight great-grandchildren and many other relatives.

Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society or Alzheimer's Association of West Texas.

Ruby Kate Vandergriff

GORMAN - Ruby Kate Vandergriff, 97, died Friday at a De Leon hospital.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Resthaven Cemetery in Lubbock with the Rev. James Price officiating, directed by Higginbotham Funeral Home.

Mrs. Vandergriff was born in Georgetown and was a longtime resident of Lubbock before moving to Cisco and then to Gorman. She was a Methodist and a homemaker. She married Dailey Vandergriff in 1922 in Clarendon; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include one sister, Nannie Margaret Richardson of Wichita Falls, and several nieces and nephews.

Mary Blanton

ROTAN - Mary Blanton, 84, died Sunday at a Houston hospital.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Larry Holder officiating. Burial will be in Belvieu Cemetery, directed by Weathersbee Funeral Home.

Mrs. Blanton was born in Crew, England, and worked as a nurse in England. She was a homemaker and a member of the Methodist church. She was active in Scouting, baseball and school activities. She married Leamon Blanton in 1943; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include two sons, Leamon Blanton of Houston and Max Blanton of Angleton, and five grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Rotan Masonic Lodge 956, c/o David Hargrove, 102 S. Garfield, Rotan 79546.

Leaner May Abernethy

BRECKENRIDGE - Leaner May Abernethy, 71, formerly of Breckenridge, died Friday at a Temple hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. today at Jeanette Street Church of Christ with David Kelley officiating. Burial will be in Woodson Cemetery, directed by Morehart Mortuary.

Mrs. Abernethy was born in Throckmorton County and attended school there and in Breckenridge. She graduated from Breckenridge High School and worked for the telephone company and Boss Glove Manufacturing. She moved to Abilene in 1965 and to Belton from Brady in 1989. She was a homemaker, a member of the Church of Christ and Order of the Eastern Star, Brady chapter 167.

Survivors include two sons, Mike Abernethy of Kerrville and Craig Abernethy of Odessa; two daughters, Sharon Abernethy of Eddy and Shirley Bartley of Belton; and four grandchildren.

Amy McClanahan

CISCO - Amy McClanahan, 51, died Sunday at an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at East Cisco Baptist Church with the Rev. Cecil Deadman officiating, assisted by the Rev. Jim Poe. Burial will be in Mitchell Cemetery, directed by Kimbrough Funeral Home.

Mrs. McClanahan was born in Baird and was a seamstress for Eastlander Designs. She was a member and Sunday school teacher at East Cisco Baptist Church. She married V.W. "Bud" McClanahan in 1974 in the Mitchell community.

Survivors include her husband, of Cisco; three sons, Richard Leon Latham of Waco, William Wayne McClanahan of Cisco and Marvin McClanahan of Breckenridge; two sisters, Marie Starr and Elizabeth Cozart, both of Cisco; and four grandchildren.

Juanita Whitt Grimes

ALBANY - Juanita Whitt Grimes, 69, died Saturday in Abilene. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Moran, directed by Morehart Mortuary.

Lois Kay Nicks

STEPHENVILLE - Lois Kay Nicks, 84, died Sunday at a local nursing home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Lacy Funeral Home Chapel.

Ruby Lee Everett

THROCKMORTON - Ruby Lee Everett, 88, died Saturday at a Wichita Falls hospital. Services will be at 4 p.m. today at First Baptist Church, directed by Merriman-Archer Funeral Home.

Elisha Herbert 'Herb' McKoy Jr.

BRECKENRIDGE - Elisha Herbert "Herb" McKoy Jr., 58, died Saturday at his home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Elliott Street Church of Christ, directed by Melton Funeral Home.

Nathan Krause

EASTLAND - Nathan Krause, 18, of Eastland and formerly of Gonzales, died Saturday at Possum Kingdom Lake. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Kingdom Hall Jehovah's Witness, directed by Edwards Funeral Home. The family will be at the funeral home Thursday and Friday.

Richard Lewis

SNYDER - Richard E. Lewis, 69, died Sunday at a local care center after a lengthy illness. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home Chapel.