Today's Obituaries (Nov. 11, 1998)

Harriett Gremillion

Harriett O. Gremillion, 74, died Monday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in Kramer Funeral Home Chapel in Alexandria, La. Local arrangements were made by North's Funeral Home, 242 Orange.

Mrs. Gremillion moved to Alexandria, La. at an early age. She worked for Hawthorn Transfer Co. in Alexandria, La. for 28 years and was vice president before retiring in 1996. She was a Catholic and was the widow of Dalton Gremillion, whom she married in 1942 in Alexandria, La..

Survivors include one daughter, Pat Lee of Abilene; two sons, Dick Gremillion of Lake Charles, La., and Donald Gremillion of Alexandria, La.; three sisters, Rowena Deloach of River Ridge, La., Beverly O'Quin of Alexandria, La., and Frances Anderson of Pineville, La.; one brother, Chester W. O'Quin of Alexandria, La.; and five grandchildren.

Reta Evelyn Glover

Reta Evelyn Glover, 75, died Monday in Bryan.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today in North's Funeral Home Memorial Chapel, 242 Orange, with the Rev. Dennis Spire officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Memorial Park.

Mrs. Glover was born in Palo Pinto County and attended school in Mineral Wells. She moved to Abilene in 1956 and worked at Abilene Auto for several years, Bingo Motors, and M.A. Staggs and Reese Motors. She was the widow of A.W. "Slim" Glover, whom she married in 1939 in Mineral Wells.

Survivors include three sons, Ben Glover of Absarokee, Mont., David Glover of San Marcos and Jim Glover of Bryan; two sisters, Ruth Glover and Fadelle Moore, both of Weatherford; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Virginia Russell Wood

Virginia Russell Wood, 77, died Saturday in a local hospital.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Sulphur Springs City Cemetery with the Rev. Boyd Sawyer officiating, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Mrs. Wood was born in Cuero, where she graduated from high school, and attended business college in San Antonio. She was a retired self-employed secretary and bookkeeper. She also was owner and manager of Wood's Dress Shop in Abilene. She was a volunteer at the Abilene State School. She was a Methodist and was the widow of Alvin "Al" E. Wood, whom she married in 1942 in San Antonio.

Survivors include one brother, Robert C. Russell of Studio City, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.

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

Edith Rhea Odell

Edith Rhea Odell, 95, died Tuesday in a local nursing home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Abilene Bible Church with Drs. Tim Temple and Don Greenway and the Rev. Rickie Moore officiating. Burial will be in Willow Cemetery in Haskell, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory.

Mrs. Odell was born in Houston and moved to Abilene in 1971. She was a homemaker. She was a member of Abilene Bible Church and was the widow of Thomas Gordon Odell.

Survivors include one daughter, Bea Moore of Hawley; and two grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Meals on Wheels Plus Inc., P.O. Box 903, Abilene 79604.

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

Faye Rose Russell

Faye Rose Russell, 95, died Monday in a local care center.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Midway Cemetery near Goldsboro in Coleman County with Wayne Waldrum officiating, directed by Fry-Bartlett Funeral Home of Tuscola.

Mrs. Russell was born in Centerville and grew up in Goldsboro. She was a homemaker and moved to Abilene in 1926. She worked for Universal Manufacturing Co. for several years before retiring in 1965. She was the widow of Tip Russell, whom she married in 1921 in Coleman County.

Survivors include one daughter, Wanda Giles of Abilene; one sister, Ruby Winn of Alpine; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Myrtle Gilliam

Myrtle E. Gilliam, 95, died Monday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 3:30 p.m. today in Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 542 Hickory, with the Revs. H.S. Calahan and David Bartley officiating. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Gilliam was born in Ennis in Ellis County and graduated from Lamesa High School. She formerly lived in Tyler. She moved to Abilene in 1926 from Lamesa and was a homemaker. She was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and was the widow of George W. Gilliam, whom she married in 1926 in Abilene.

Survivors include one son, Merv Gilliam of Abilene; four daughters, Joyce Louise Cain and Bonnie Faye Sanders, both of Tyler, Lucille Franklin of Clyde and Nancy Viola Murdock of Abilene; 13 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Immanuel Baptist Church, 1241 Cypress, Abilene 79601.

W.L. 'Bill' Glasgow Jr.

W.L. "Bill" Glasgow Jr., 78, died Monday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Buffalo Gap Church of Christ with Glen Dodds officiating. Burial will be in Buffalo Gap Cemetery, directed by Fry-Bartlett Funeral Home of Tuscola.

Mr. Glasgow was born in Hico and moved to Albuquerque, N.M. in 1948. He worked as a mechanic and in the construction industry. He moved to Lake Proctor in 1980 and Abilene in 1996.

Survivors include one son, Leonard Glasgow of Anson; three sisters, Freda Bell McCarty of Dublin, Bessie Lee Petty of Abilene and Ethel Eudora Spruill of Lake Proctor; one brother, Joe Tom Glasgow of Buffalo Gap; four grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Corene 'Cody' Childress

NOLAN - Corene "Cody" Childress, 75, of Comanche, Okla., and formerly of Nolan, died Sunday at her home.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today in McCoy Funeral Home Chapel of Memories in Sweetwater with Dr. Joel McCoy officiating. Burial will be in Slaters Chapel Cemetery.

Mrs. Childress was born in Sweetwater and attended school in Nolan and Wylie in the Abilene area. She was a homemaker. She was the widow of Sterman Jenkins. She married Billy Elton Childress in 1959 in Nolan and moved to Comanche, Okla. in 1988. She was a Baptist.

Survivors include her husband, of Comanche, Okla.; three daughters, Corene "Babe" Franks and June Taylor, both of Dinuba, Calif., and Stormy Richards of Comanche, Okla.; two sons, Rocky Jenkins of Fredericksburg and Brocky Jenkins of Yuma, Ariz.; four brothers, Radford Clayton of Sweetwater, Leo Clayton of Patterson, La., Loyd Clayton of Eagle River, Alaska, and Frank Clayton of Haughton, La.; six sisters, Irene Pendergrass of Nolan, Laverne Harrison of Dallas, Linda McKinney of Princeton, La., Sherry Greve of Indianapolis, Sandra Apkarian of Harrington Park, N.J., and Gayle Long of Robstown; 14 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Preston Hoy Ward

BIG SPRING - Preston Hoy Ward, 77, of Abilene and formerly of Big Spring, died Tuesday in an Abilene hospital.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home Chapel with Rodney Tedford officiating. Burial with military honors will be in Mount Olive Memorial Park.

Mr. Ward was born in Stonewall County and graduated from Swenson High School. He attended Abilene Christian College and moved to Big Spring in 1956. He was in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years until retiring in 1963. He married Ida Mae Lane in 1978 in Mexico and moved to Abilene in 1992 from Big Spring. He was a member of the Church of Christ.

Survivors include his wife, of Abilene; two daughters, Delores Carpenter of Big Spring and Jayne Jones of Eastland; one son, Billy B. Cooke of Casper, Wyo.; six brothers, Lon Ward of Levelland, J.P. Ward of Camarillo, Calif., James Ward of Kamay, Dud Ward of Aspermont, Bob Ward of Southlake and Clifton Ward of Carrizozo, N.M.; two sisters, Nell Greene of Southlake and Priss Springer of Abilene; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Joel Davis

STAMFORD - Joel W. Davis, 84, auto parts store owner for many years, died Monday in a local hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Calvary Baptist Church with the Revs. Jessie Morton and J.C. Baker officiating. Burial will be in Spring Creek Cemetery in Avoca, directed by Tankersley Funeral Home.

Mr. Davis was born in Woodward, Okla., and moved to Jones County as a child. He married Ethel Marie Shelly in 1934 in Lueders and was a retired oilfield worker. He was a Mason and was a member of Stamford Lions Club and Calvary Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, of Stamford; two sons, Jodie R. Davis of Baker, La., and James W. Davis of Stamford; two daughters, Dorothy Tidwell of Lake Coleman and Barbara Washburn of Abilene; three brothers, John Davis, Truman Davis and Richard Davis, all of Stamford; one sister, Billie Jo Kelly of Lancaster, Calif.; 10 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Thomas Pierson

PROCTOR - Thomas F. Pierson, 67, died Monday in a Temple hospital.

Graveside services with military honors will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, directed by Stevens Funeral Home of Coleman.

Mr. Pierson was born in Junction and attended school in Kimble County. He married Audrey Lapier in 1951 in Manassas, Va. He served three tours of duty with the First Marine Division as a munitions handler-foreman during the Korean conflict. He was in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1946-61. He graduated from Tarleton State University and taught school and coached in Gordon, Carbon, Olden, Mozelle, Hobbs, Ira and Blackwell. He moved to Proctor in 1984 and was a member of Disabled American Veterans and Exclusive Fraternity of Honor of the Chosin Few (of the Korean veterans). He was a Baptist.

Survivors include his wife, of Proctor; four sons, Rodney Pierson of Santa Anna, Thomas Pierson of Weatherford, Mark Pierson of De Leon and Wade Pierson of Fort Worth; one daughter, Renee Williams of Coleman; 13 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one niece; and one great-nephew.

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

Rosemary Pierson

RISING STAR - Rosemary Pierson, 80, died Monday in a Stephenville hospital.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Higginbotham Funeral Home Chapel with Dennis Hester officiating. Burial will be in Rising Star Cemetery.

Ms. Pierson was born in Kempner and moved to Rising Star more than 50 years ago. She worked for a telephone company and was a Methodist.

Survivors include two brothers, Norman Pierson of Sapulpa, Okla., and Roger Pierson of Rising Star; two sisters, Genevieve Tomm of Joshua, Maybelle Murphree of Rising Star; and many nieces and nephews.

Charlie Elmer Mahan

HASSE - Charlie Elmer Mahan, 84, died Monday at his home.

Graveisde services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Rocky Creek Cemetery in Brown County, directed by Hall & Sons Funeral Home of Comanche.

Mr. Mahan was born in Rowden and married Nancy Veatrice "Bea" Hines in 1967. He was a retired oilfield driller and moved to Hasse in 1989 from Brownwood. He was a Baptist.

Survivors include his wife, of Comanche; six children, Wilda Pretchinsky and Bill Palmer, both of Odessa, R.E. Mahan of Midland, Bill Lisenbee and Loretta Lisenbee, both of Magnolia, and Jean Bradd of Battle Creek, Mich.; 18 grandchildren; and many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

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

Nannie Laura 'Babe' Davis

STEPHENVILLE - Nannie Laura "Babe" Davis, 88, died Monday in Stephenville.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Lacy Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Buddy Wells and Rex Gordon officiating. Burial will be in West End Cemetery.

Mrs. Davis was born in Polk County and moved to Bowman Ridge in Erath County in 1918. She was a homemaker and moved to Stephenville in 1969 from Huckabay. She was a member of Evergreen Home Demonstration Club and was recognized, in 1989, for 50 years of service in Erath County Home Demonstration work. She was a member of Huckabay Baptist Church but attended Stephenville First Baptist Church, where she was a member of T.E.L. Sunday School Class. She was the widow of W.S. "Bill" Davis, whom she married in 1926 in Stephenville.

Survivors include one son, Billie Eugene Davis of Arlington; one daughter, Lillie Mae Gordon of Stephenville; five grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be sent to a favorite charity; or Huckabay Baptist Church, Route 4, Box 122, Stephenville 76401.

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

Ewell Preston

COMANCHE - Ewell Alford Preston, 89, lifelong local resident, died Monday in a Fort Worth hospital.

Services will be at 3 p.m. today in Hall & Sons Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery.

Mr. Preston was born in Sidney and married Emilee Roberts in 1940 in Comanche. He was a maintenance worker for the city of Comanche for 25 years until retiring. He also was a produce stand operator. He was a member of Gartman View Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, of Comanche; two daughters, Eulene Williams of Comanche and Debbie McQuary of Granbury; his twin sister, Jewell Woodcox of Brownwood; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Comanche High School Library.

Johnny Escobar

BROWNWOOD - Johnny Escobar, 53, died Sunday in a Dallas hospital.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Grace Lutheran Church with the Rev. Philip Graf officiating. Burial will be in Eastlawn Memorial Park, directed by Davis-Morris Funeral Home.

Mr. Escobar was born in Christine, Texas, and served in both the U.S. Navy and Marines. He was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He moved to Brownwood in 1978 and worked as a security officer. He was the widower of Emily Braunschweig Escobar, whom he married in 1969 in Hartford, Wis.

Survivors include two sons, Johnny Escobar of Camp Lejeune, N.C., and Aaron Escobar of Fort Worth; one daughter, Joy Miller of Brownwood; three brothers, Gus Escobar, Fred Escobar and Willie Escobar, all of Coleman; three sisters, Olivia Escobar and Mary Costillo, both of Coleman, and Fi Fi Odle Escobar of Stockton, Calif.; and two grandchildren.

Callie Fay Newcomb

LUEDERS - Callie Fay (Mrs. Jack) Newcomb, 79, died Tuesday in a Stamford hospital. Services are pending with Godfrey-Neese Funeral Home of Albany.

Julia Lederer

COLEMAN - Julia Lederer, 96, died Tuesday in a local hospital. Services are pending with Stevens Funeral Home.

James Wesley Smith

LAWN - James Wesley Smith, 63, died Tuesday at his home. Services are pending with Fry-Bartlett Funeral Home of Tuscola.

Clarice Shafer

BIG SPRING - Clarice Shafer, 84, died Tuesday at her home. Services are pending with Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home.

Harold Best

Harold Best, 67, died Tuesday in a local hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Ovalo Baptist Church, directed by Fry-Bartlett Funeral Home of Tuscola.

Estella Gonzales

BIG SPRING - Estella F. Gonzales, 77, died Tuesday in a Midland hospital after a sudden illness. Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. today in Myers & Smith Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Wayland Charles Eastman

SNYDER - Wayland Charles Eastman, 53, died Monday in a local care center after a lengthy illness. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Snyder Cemetery, directed by Wright Colonial Funeral Home.

Sarah Ethel Mundell

BIG SPRING - Sarah Ethel Mundell, 96, of Fort Worth and formerly of Howard County, died Monday in Fort Worth. Graveside services will be at 4:30 p.m. today in Mount Olive Memorial Park, directed by Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home.

Gail Bryson Hinds

STEPHENVILLE - Gail Bryson Hinds, 57, died Monday in a local hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel.

Roberta High

HASKELL - Roberta High, 54, died Tuesday in an Austin hospital. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Haskell First Baptist Church, directed by Holden-McCauley Funeral Directors.

Lydia Margaret Hurt

COMANCHE - Lydia Margaret Hurt, 93, died Monday in a local nursing home. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Comanche Funeral Home Chapel.