Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 7 Feb 1999 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. Febrary 7, 1999 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- JoAnn Collins Seybert left us to be with the Lord on Monday, Feb. 1, 1999. She was 60. Mrs. Seybert was a true Christian and believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. She was born on May 17, 1938, in Brownwood. She married Alvin Albert Seybert in Odessa. JoAnn and Alvin owned and operated the Blue Top Drive-In which was opened during the 1970s. JoAnn had a true green thumb as one of her passions in life was gardening. JoAnn also showed acts of kindness throughout her life. These acts of kindness will forever remain in the memories of those she helped. Private family graveside services were held Wednesday, Feb. 3, 1999, at Sunset Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Jack Watkins officiating. Arrangements were by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin Albert Seybert; and her parents, Bill and Pauline Collins. Survivors include three loving children, Angelita Seybert of Oklahoma, Tim Seybert and Albert Seybert, both of Odessa; three sisters, Gertie Lou Hewgley of Kilgore, Sandra Roberts of San Angelo and Paula Stephens of Brownwood; one brother, Tom Collins of College Station. JoAnn will be missed greatly by her close friends and family. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Services for Joel Humphrey Smith Jr. will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Chapel with Don Turskey officiating. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Lakeview Cemetery in Longview. Joel Humphrey Smith Jr. was born in Oil City, La., on Jan. 11, 1925, to Joel H. and Ida Smith Sr. He served in the Army. He married Merry Charlene Christmas in 1952 in Shreveport, La. They transferred to Odessa from Homer, La., with Occidental OiI Company where he worked for 42 years. He was a member of Sixth & Jackson Church of Christ. Survivors include his wife, Charlene; his daughter and son-in-law, Anita and Robert Absher; and two grandsons, Clint and Blake Absher, all of Odessa. Other survivors include brothers, Glen, Jimmy, Jack, Gary and George Smith, all of Longview, as well sisters, Laura Graham and Katherine Gordon, both of Longview, Gloria Hale of Midland, Edith Jones of Lubbock, and many special nephews and nieces and wonderful friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Melba Watkins and Dorothy Brautigam. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Jocelyn Kennedy Bowden MIDLAND -- J.K. Bowden, 93, was born June 22, 1905, in Colorado Springs, Colo. He married Ruth F. Bowden Sept. 20, 1926, in Las Cruces, N.M. Following their marriage, they resided in El Paso where Mr. Bowden worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad as an electrician. After 30 years of service, he retired from the railroad and started Bowden Sand & Gravel. While living in El Paso, he was also active in the real estate business and ranching. In 1975, he moved his family to Midland where he remained active in real estate and ranching. As a member of the Masonic Lodge, Mr. Bowden received his 75-year membership pin in 1996. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he served in various church positions including the El Paso 4th Ward Bishopric, El Paso Stake High Council and the Odessa Stake High Council. Up until his recent illness, he was serving as an assistant High Priest Group Leader in the Midland 1st Ward. He is survived by his wife; two children, J.J. Bowden of Bronte and Barbara L. Robbins of Midland; a sister, Alexandra Powers of Boerne; nine grandchildren, Rebecca M. White, Jay L. Bowden, Janet A. Gordon, LaDonna P. Taylor, M. Scott Bowden, Cynthia A. Gillis, Van A. Bowden, Kent E. Bowden and Gary W. Chinn; and 27 great-grandchildren. Mr. Bowden was preceded in death by two grandsons, Daniel W. Chinn and Robert D. Chinn. The funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 4308 Gateway St. in Midland. The services will be presided over by Bishop W. Bruce Williams of the Midland 1st Ward. Interment will follow with a graveside dedicatory prayer at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Odessa. Pallbearers will include Val Ott, Kenneth Gray, Andrew Gilland, Thomas Heller, P.K. Hurlbut, Billy Greathouse, Blaine Bushman and Paul Lewis. Honorary pallbearers will include Keith Robbins, Gary Chinn, Scott Bowden, Van Bowden, Kent Bowden and Fred Cave. Funeral arrangements are under the dedication of Ellis Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ CLOUDCROFT, N.M. -- Graveside services for Maurice B. Rice, 78, of Cloudcroft, N.M., were held Thursday, Feb. 4, 1999, at James Canyon Cemetery with Hugh Rogers officiating. Mr. Rice died Friday, Jan. 29, 1999, at Gerald Champion Hospital in Alamogordo, N.M. He was born Feb. 24, 1924, in Canton, Ohio. He married Anna Louise McDowell Oct. 29, 1944, in Cleveland. Mr. Rice served in the U.S. Navy from Feb. 5, 1941, to Feb. 22, 1947, on the U.S.S. Cleveland and as a Fire Controlman, First Class, on the U.S.S. Balao submarine. He was in the insurance business for 45 years retiring from Cloudcroft Insurance in 1993. He taught an insurance class in 1974 at Odessa College and was a champion speaker in Texas for Farmers Insurance Group. He owned The Crofter from 1975 to 1980 in Cloudcroft, N.M. He was a deacon at Sherwood Baptist Church in Odessa. Mr. Rice is survived by sons, Charles A. Rice of Orland, Calif., and R. Tom Rice of Odessa; a daughter, Maureen Louise Starnes of Las Cruces, N.M.; a brother, Robert J. Rice of Shaker Heights, Ohio; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were by Sears Alamogordo Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- James Alvin (Jim) Watson, 78, of Odessa went home to be with the Lord on Feb. 4, 1999, at Medical Center Hospital. He was born Oct. 7, 1920, in Denton. He married Elizabeth Ensey March 26, 1941, in Ardmore, Okla. Mr. Watson retired in 1984 from Shell Oil Company with 36 ½ years of service. He was with Shell in Midland for 23 years before being transferred as office supervisor of the Shell Tippett plant in McCamey. He was a veteran of World War II and was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Watson of Odessa; two sons, Ken Watson and wife, Andra, of Amarillo, and Keith Watson and wife, Pat Love Watson, of Amarillo; a daughter, Debra Trexler and husband, Allen, of Midland; four grandchildren, Matthew, Aaron, Jodi and Sarah Watson, and one great-grandchild, Kaleb Watson. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors with the Rev. Dr. Mark Riley of Immanuel Baptist Church officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. If desired, memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church, 4020 E. University Blvd., Odessa, 79761. _________________________________________________________________ Gertie Lee Helton ODESSA -- Services for Gertie Lee Helton, 91, of Odessa are pending at Sullivan Funeral Home in Vernon. Burial will be in Wilbarger Memorial Cemetery in Vernon. Mrs. Helton died Friday, Feb. 5, 1999, at Deerings Nursing Home. She was born Feb. 22, 1907, in Silsbey to John Jefferson and Nora J. Harris. Mrs. Helton was married in 1923 to Wesley Smith. He died in 1933. She married William Henry "Happy" Helton in 1936. He died in 1975. She was a member of the Pentecostal faith. "Ma" raised her children and all twelve of her grandchildren, and kept an eye on her 34 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren. She was loved by them all. Her family, nieces and nephews, and friends will miss her, but find comfort in knowing that she is God's care now. Survivors include, her son, William "Bill" Helton and his wife, Julie, of Quanah; and grandchildren, Barbara Helton, Rhonda Brewer, Kevin Helton, Beverly Maynard, Gertie White, Dwayne Smith, John O. Smith, Gaye Carroll, Darlene Smith and Donna Clower. Local arrangements are by Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Services for Marion Dale Stephens, 83, of Odessa will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, 1999, at St. John's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Laura Deaderick officiating. Mr. Stephens died Friday, Feb. 5, 1999, at his residence. He was born June 13, 1915, in Lenox, Iowa. He married Wanda Grim Dec. 23, 1967, in Las Vegas. Survivors include his wife, Wanda J. Stephens of Odessa; daughter, Virginia Stephens Pescador of Denver; stepson, Steven Grim of Juliaetta, Idaho; brother, Richard Stephens of Denver; and sisters, Mina Brown and Doris Hays, both of Beaumont, Calif. Memorials may be made to St. John's Episcopal or Family Hospice. Funeral arrangements are by Odessa Funeral Home Angeles Memorial Chapel. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1999 Odessa American. All rights reserved.