Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 4 Dec 1998 Submitted by Charlene Beatty Beauchamp cbodessa@classicnet.net Thanks to the Odessa American Online http://www.oaoa.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/ *********************************************************************** OA Online Obituaries. December 04, 1998 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Bernice Lorraine Bailey Bledsoe (known affectionately as "Ninnie"), daughter of Bunard Bailey and Mary Stokes Bailey, great-granddaughter of Emily Stokes and Julia Bailey and granddaughter of Peter Stokes and Anderson Bailey, was born on April 23, 1921, in Lott. Bernice was the first of 10 children born to the Bailey couple. She attended high school and, later, Prairie View A&M University. Ninnie found true love in her husband of 50 years, Matthew Bledsoe. She loved to tell the story of how she and Matthew met, fell in love and then eloped on Oct. 17, 1942. The couple settled in Odessa and was blessed with a son, Gary Lynn Bledsoe of Austin. They helped to raise a niece, Tommie Joyce Landon ("Tom Tom") of Dallas. Ninnie achieved a historical milestone in 1950 by becoming the first African-American to graduate from the nursing program of Odessa Community College. After graduating, Ninnie served with distinction on 2-East of Medical Center Hospital. Precededing Ninnie in death were her parents; loving husband; and siblings, Iritha McQueen and Lidd Bailey of Odessa and Mae Harris of Tahoka. After the death of her husband, Matthew, in 1992, Ninnie started a new chapter in her life, moving to Austin to live with her son and his family where she led an active life as a member and participant in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In all, Ninnie attended four national NAACP conventions and six state NAACP conventions and was known to never wear the same hat twice at a convention. She was politically involved, attending the 1991 inauguration of Governor Ann Richards in Austin and the 1993 inauguration of President Bill Clinton in Washington, D.C. She loved to travel, visiting New York, Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Mexico, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Columbia, S.C., Chicago and Charlotte along with many other places. She leaves to cherish her memory a loving and devoted son, Gary Bledsoe of Austin and his family, Alberta, and her chosen grandsons, Billy Brooks and Mehcad Brooks of Austin. Others mourning her loss include her brothers, Bunard Bailey of Houston, Espie and Leonard Ray Bailey of Fort Worth, Bezel Bailey of Minneapolis; sisters, BennieTruesdell of Lott, Decker Washington of Tyler, Lottie Nelson of Fort Worth, Julia Denzy of Tahoka and Vernie Pleasant of Odessa; a chosen brother, Alvin Johnson of Fort Worth; another chosen grandson, Theodore Henson of Dallas and his mother; the niece she helped to raise, Tommie London; and a host of other nieces and nephews who were most loved but too numerous to mention. In addition, she has a host of cousins whom she loved very much and a number of friends. A special thanks to those who were so helpful to her in the time of need: William and Karla Broadus of San Antonio, George and Delores Hudson, Lonzo and Val Kerr and Robert and Mary Anne Notzon, all of Austin. The funeral will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday Dec. 5, 1998, a Freedom Missionary Baptist Church. There will be at wake at 7 p.m. Friday at Martinez Funeral Home. Visitation will continue after the wake until 9 p.m. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Austin. Pallbearers will be Horace Bledsoe, Garland Bledsoe, George Hudson, Billy Brooks, Theodore Henson III, William Broadus and Alvin Bailey. A Texas NAACP memorial scholarship has been set up in her name. All wishing to contribute may do so by sending them to Texas NAACP Bernice Bledsoe Memorial Scholarship, 1928 South Akard, Dallas, 73215. Funeral arrangements are by Martinez Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Memorial services for Jean Elizabeth Henry of Odessa will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Unitarian-Universalist Church. Jean died Monday, Nov. 30, 1998, at her residence. Jean has lived in Odessa since 1983. She was a planetarium director for Odessa College, Highland Park High School in Dallas and in Redding, Calif. She was a member of the Southwestern Association of Planetarium Directors, In Focus, a photography society, Sierra Club, Bat Conservation International and Nature Conservancy. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Pamona College in California and her Master's of Science with honors from the Oklahoma University, Phi Theta Kappa. She attended S.M.U. and received an Associate's Degree in Photography from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She was a National Park Ranger for Carlsbad Caverns and Kings Canyon National Park. Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth Henry of Austin; her brother, Dr. Richard Gilbert of Santa Rosa, Calif.; and many wonderful friends. The family suggests memorial to Bat Conservation International and Nature Conservancy in Austin. Funeral arrangements are by Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1998 Odessa American. All rights reserved.