Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 17 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 17, 1998 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ William Henry Taylor ODESSA -- "And I have hope toward God which hope these men entertain that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." Acts 24:14 William Henry Taylor was born Oct. 11, 1920, in Mexia to his parents, Johnnie and Lena Taylor. William passed away Dec. 14, 1998, at Medical Center Hospital after a lengthy illness. He married Freddie Truesdale in 1947. He was a bus driver and crossing guard for ECISD until he retired in 1998. He was a faith elder for many years at Central Congregation of Jehovah's Witness. Mr. Taylor was a lifelong resident of Odessa and will be missed dearly by his family and friends. His family is grateful to all friends and staff at Medical Center Hospital who contributed to his care and comfort. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Kingdom Hall, 321 Adams St., with Brother Larry Tate officiating. Public visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Friday at Martinez Funeral Home. Survivors include his wife, Freddie Taylor; one son, William Taylor Jr. of Dallas; one daughter, Carolyn Williams of Dallas; one brother, Vernell Taylor of San Antonio; one sister, Sarah Thompson of Ontario, Canada; six grandchildren, Shawn and Kedrick Williams, Stacey, Casey, Darrin and Nikia Taylor, all of Dallas; and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. Johnnie and Mrs. Lena Taylor; and a daughter, Tina B. Taylor. Funeral arrangements are by Martinez Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Russell D. Austin ANDREWS -- Services for Russell D. Austin, 82, of Andrews will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, 1998, in Means Memorial United Methodist Church with the Rev. Norman Grisgby of St. Paul's Methodist Church in Amarillo officiating. Burial will be in the Andrews West Cemetery under the direction of McNett Funeral Home. He died at Heights Hospital in Houston at 2:53 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, 1998. He was born Aug. 22, 1916, in Tipton, Okla. He married Maurene Jacobs in San Marcos on July 12, 1945. He attended the University of Texas and received a law degree in January 1951. He practiced law for a brief time in Andrews and served as County Attorney from 1957 to 1960. He served as 109th District Judge from 1962 to 1974. Russell also had taught school in Andrews from 1946 to 1948. He was a charter member of the Andrews Chamber of Commerce, member of the Lions Club, had served on the Board of First National Bank, and was a member of the Means Memorial United Methodist Church. Survivors include his wife, Maurene of Andrews; son, Bill Austin of Austin; daughters, Sherry Hendrick of Houston and Sylvia McBrayer of Brownfield; sisters, Marie Haralson of Houston, Billie Owens of Burkburnett and Lois Griffin of Leabon, Ore.; and four grandchildren. A brother, Dr. Dale Austin, preceded him in death in March 1998. The family request donations to Means Memorial United Methodist Church. _________________________________________________________________ Beverly Steppe ORANGE -- Services for Beverly Blount Steppe, 56, of Orange, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, 1998, at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dan Miller officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Visitation began Wednesday at Claybar Funeral Home Inc. Mrs. Steppe died Tuesday, Dec. 15, 1998, at her residence. Mrs. Steppe was a native of Clarksville and a former resident of Odessa before moving to Orange 17 years ago. She was a partner of Someplace Special from 1983 to 1993, a member of the American Cancer Society Board and a past president and member of the Board of Directors for The Hamlet. She also was a member of First United Methodist Church of Orange, where she served as president of the United Methodist Women and was a member of Church Women United. She was a member of the Golden Triangle Emmaus Community. Survivors include her husband, Ken Steppe of Orange; mother, Lucille Blount of Odessa; son, Andy Steppe of Portland, Ore.; daughters, Lesley Reese of Indianapolis and Erin Steppe of Houston; and one granddaughter, Alyssa Reese of Indianapolis. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Malloy Spiritual Enrichment Center of the First United Methodist Church, 502 Sixth St., Orange, 77630. Funeral arrangements are by Claybar Funeral Home Inc. _________________________________________________________________ Carroll Seaborn Thompson ODESSA -- Carroll Seaborn Thompson, 72, of Dallas passed away Monday, Dec. 14, 1998, in Dallas. Mr. Thompson was born Aug. 7, 1926, in Vernon. He moved to Odessa in 1931 and attended Odessa schools. He married Mary Elizabeth Davis, April 2, 1944, in Odessa. He was employed by Sunshine Iron Works for 27 years where he invented the first paraffin scraper in the 1950s. He also had worked for OIME-Parker Drilling for six years, French Tool & Supply as a welding shop foreman until they closed, and Metal Specialties for a short time until he became self-employed. He was a member of First United Pentecostal Church for many years and served as an usher and church trustee. He retired in 1990 after a severe illness and moved to Dallas in 1993. He was preceded in death by his parents, Darvin Ezekiel and Bernice Louise Thompson. He is survived by his wife, Mary E. Thompson of Dallas; one son, Carroll Roy Thompson of The Woodlands; twin daughters, Sharon Fay Lewis of Dallas and Charlotte Kay Purcell of Presidio; four sisters, Roxie Wilson of Cottonwood, Ruth Barber of Clearwater, Fla., Ester Gray of Odessa and Gwendolyn Vernon of Sandy, Utah; five grandchildren, Londa Martin, Carroll G. Lewis II, Danny Thompson, Scott Thompson and Mollie Rudden; six great-grandchildren, Jordan and Taylor Martin, Linsey and Joshua Thompson and Marcella and Carroll Gene Lewis III. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 18, 1998, in the First United Pentecostal Church with the Rev. J.T. Pugh and the Rev. Terry Pugh officiating. Interment will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park in Midland under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Active pallbearers will be Danny Carroll Thompson, Carroll Gene Lewis II, Scott Lynn Thompson, Paul Rudden and Jordan Martin. Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1998 Odessa American. All rights reserved.