Coryell Co. Tx - Obits from the Gatesville Messenger - 15 June 2002 Submitted by Bobbie Ross with permission of the Gatesville Messenger & Star-Forum Copyright, http://www.gatesvillemessenger.com/ ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Amanda Clare Bennett A service of Thanksgiving and Praise for the life of Amanda Clare Bennett was held Thursday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Bob Hopkins officiating. Interment was in Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements were under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home. Amanda was born February 18, 1976, in Midland, Texas, to Mary Emma and Rob Bennett. She was a 1994 graduate of Midland High School and attended Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority and First Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Allen R. Bennett; and maternal grandparents, Elna T. and Newton J. Moorhead. Amanda passed away Tuesday, June 11, 2002 in Dallas Texas. Amanda is survived by her parents, Mary Emma and Rob Bennett of Midland, TX; a brother, Allen Bennett and his wife Melony of Midland, TX; nieces, Kaitlyn and Madison Bennett; grandmother, Vivian Bennett of Gatesville, TX; aunts, Donna Neal and Elizabeth Beard of Bedford, TX, and Barbara Hinton and her husband Marks of Houston, TX; uncle, Kerry N. Moorhead and his wife Jane of Lubbock, TX; cousins, Kim Harlow and her husband Bryan of Santa Rosa, CA, Brent Neal of Dallas, Texas; Jennifer Beard of Starkville, MS, and Kinsey McClure of Lubbock, TX. Memorials may be directed to Young Life of Midland, 214 W. Texas Ave., Midland, TX 79701 and Bynum School, 8404 WCR 60, P.O. Box 5788, Midland, TX 79704. Jeffrey L. Frye Jeffrey L. Frye of Rosebud died June 9 at her residence. She was 84. Graveside services were held Tuesday at North Belton Cemetery with the Rev. Billy Johnson officiating. Mrs. Frye was born Sept. 18, 1917, in Mound to the late Joseph Birch and Oma Lee (Melton) Honeycutt. She was reared on a farm and educated in the Spring Hill community of Coryell County. On Nov. 6, 1937, she married William O. Frye in Gatesville. She moved to Bell County in 1963 and to Falls County in 1997. She was employed in the production of bombs at the Bluebonnet Ordnance Plant in McGregor during World War II. She was a civil service employee at Fort Hood for a number of years. She was preceded in death by her husband, one son, two sisters and two brothers. Survivors include a sister, Oma Lee Kirk, of Dingle, Idaho. The family requests memorials be made to the North Belton Cemetery. Gordon (Bill) Graham Mr. Gordon (Bill) Graham, 93, of Gatesville, passed away Sunday, June 9, 2002 in Fort Worth. Graveside services were held Monday at the Graham Ranch family cemetery in the Hay Valley community with the Rev. Doug Bates officiating. The son of William A. and Idella Pearl Graham, Mr. Graham was born in Gatesville on April 21, 1909. His great-grandparents, Captain Gideon and Elizabeth Graham settled in Coryell County around 1850. His grandparents, Jesse Abner and Nancy Graham, were also Coryell County pioneers in the Osage Community. Mr. Graham, a longtime cattle rancher, lived on the family ranch north of Gatesville for 90 of his 93 years. He married the former Miss Stella Lavern Etchison on August 27, 1932. He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years in 1983; his youngest daughter, Laurie, in 1972; and a son-in-law, Ray Don Williams, in 1981. Also preceding him in death were his brother, Allen Graham; and sister, Ollie Graham Gilmer. Mr. Graham was a deacon and faithful member of Hay Valley Baptist Church and served as their song leader for 33 years. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Louise Holcomb Graham; his sister, Claudine Boyd; his daughters and sons-in-law, Billie and Curt Apel of Burleson, Linda and Ron Lauder of Fort Worth, and Jodie and Fred Trainor of Fort Worth; as well as his stepson and daughter-in-law, Charles and Millie Holcomb of Lawton, OK. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Julie Pedersen, Tony Apel, Shelly Ollar, Kelly Williams, Tracey Britton, and Graham and Raine Trainor, and great-grandchildren, Erica and Trey Pederson, Jeremy, Whitney and Zachary Apel, Mason and Matthew Ollar, Kelsey and Casey Williams, Dylan and Lauren Britton; and twin great-great-grandsons, Jonah and Hudson Apel. Wilson Price Green Wilson Price Green, 82, of Oglesby died June 10 at his residence. Funeral services were held Friday at Scotts Funeral Home Chapel with Minister Loyd Hall officiating. Interment was in Post Oak Cemetery. Mr. Green was born Feb. 10, 1920, in Oglesby to the late Isaac Newton Green and Daisy McMullen Green. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He owned and operated Greens Body Shop in Gatesville for many years and taught auto mechanics at the Gatesville State School for Boys before his retirement. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Grover Green; and one sister, Alma Boyd. Survivors include his wife, Janice Green; daughters, Carolyn Warren, Anita Jo Fieseler and Patti Mason; sons, Donald Green and Gary Green; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Scott & White Hospice. Garland Warren Hendrix Garland Warren Hendrix, 91, of Sweetwater died June 10 at a Sweetwater retirement center. Funeral services were held Thursday at McCoy Chapel of Memories with the Rev. William Mayo officiating. Interment was in Palava Cemetery. Mr. Hendrix was born Sept. 13, 1910 in Kaufman County. He married Letha McBride on Nov. 21, 1034 in Hermleigh. He was a member of The Evangelical Methodist Church. Mr. Hendrix lived in Fisher County from 1921 until 1955, when he moved to Sweetwater where he was a farmer and also worked for Sweetwater Cotton Oil Mill, retiring after 30 years of service. He was preceded in death by his wife in Sept. of 1992. Survivors include one daughter, Lavonne Terry of Amarillo; two sons, Rondald Hendrix of Gatesville and Kenneth Mac Hendrix of Tannersville, PA; one sister, Jay Nell Carpenter of Abilene; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Pallbearers were David Turner, Carol Kearney, Bill Thomps, Danny Hoover, Jerry Wilson and Otis Rhyne. Letha Weaver Letha Weaver, 99, of Gatesville died June 10 in a Gatesville hospital. Funeral services were held Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church with the Revs. Johnny Miller, Tim Boeglin and Lianne Turner officiating. Interment was in Restland Cemetery. Mrs. Weaver was born on Aug. 9, 1902 in Mt. Zion to the late Milton A. Atkinson Sr. and Georgia Wilson Atkinson. She grew up in Mt. Zion and later finished school in Gatesville. She married Jesse Frederick Weaver in 1920 and they resided in Jonesboro. They moved to Gatesville in 1947 and managed the junior high cafeteria for many years. She was an active member the of the First United Methodist Church, teaching the Foster Sunday School class, singing in the choir, and was a member of the United Methodist Women (Life Member). Her husband preceded her in death in 1963. Survivors include a daughter, Bettye Wilkinson of Harman Community; sons, Dr. R. Bruce Weaver of Dallas and Jimmy (Pat) Weaver of Arlington; a brother, Anson Atkinson of Atlanta, GA; and six grandchildren. Pallbearers were Bob Weaver, Keith Weaver, Gary Wilkinson, Randy Bartlett, Homer Perryman and Joe Esparza. Memorials may be sent to the First Methodist Church of Gatesville. posted June 11, 2002 William Bill Milton Beechly William Bill Milton Beechly, 92, of Bellmead died June 4. Funeral Services were held Friday at Bellmead Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Rex Bland officiating. Burial was in Waco Memorial Park. Mr. Beechly was born July 2, 1909 in Levita. He married Wilda Russell in December. 1937. He retired in 1974 after 45 years as a section foreman for the Cottonbelt Railroad. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Martha Browning of Midlothian and Judy Pinkston of Allen; three sons, Billy Beechly of Bellmead, Paul Beechly of Riesel, and Russell Beechly of Florida; three sisters, Jimmie Adams of Gatesville, Leneta Smith of Purmela and Maggie Edward of Lubbock; two brothers, R.B. Beechly of Purmela and Willis Beechly of Gatesville; 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.