Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 9 April 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. April 09, 1999 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ Evelyn Emily Drgac SAN ANGELO -- Evelyn Emily Drgac was born Nov. 1, 1916, in Caldwell. She was the eldest daughter of Walter and Annie Drgac. She died April 7, 1999, in San Angelo. She attended schools in Caldwell, moving to San Angelo in 1936 along with her family. After the death of her mother and brother, and serious illness of her father, Evelyn, along with her older brothers and sisters, assumed the responsibility of helping raise the younger members of the family. Evelyn's contribution was to stay home and do the cooking and household chores. To help with financial needs, Evelyn also raised poultry. She had an early interest in music and her church activities, serving for many years as organist and pianist for the Wall Brethren Church. She was a faithful member and worker in her church until declining health prevented her from participating. She attended Hus School in the winter of 1939. She was also a member of R.V.O.S., S.P.J.S.T., and Mutual Aid. She had a love for flowers and gardening. She loved children and provided childcare in her home for many years. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 10, 1999, at Johnson's Funeral Home with the Rev. Tommy Tallas, pastor of the Wall Brethren Church officiating. Interment will be at Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Marvin, W.C. and Albert, one sister, Viola Krupala, and one nephew; and one great-nephew. Survivors include two sisters, Dorothy Kokes and husband, Louis, and Clarice Drgac, all of San Angelo; and two brothers, Hubert and wife, Noemi Drgac, of San Angelo and J.D. and wife, Loretta Drgac, of Odessa; one brother-in-law, Edwin Krupala of San Angelo; seven nephews and three nieces; one aunt, Lottie Drgac of Caldwell; and a host of cousins, great-nephews, great-nieces and a great-great-niece. Pallbearers will be Benny Holik, Stanley Holik Jr., Larry Drgac, Gary Drgac, Scott Drgac and Alvin Bormann. The family would like to thank the staff at Baker Brame Nursing Center and Family Hospice for their care. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements are by Johnson Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ MIDLAND -- Services for Donald Eugene Seed, 54, of Midland will be at 1 p.m. Friday, April 9, 1999, at Pipkin Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Bob Porterfield will officiate. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Garden in Odessa. Pipkin Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Don was born on Jan. 9, 1945, in Andrews and was raised in Odessa. He moved to Alabama in 1977. On Feb. 1, 1980, he married Lynda Brown and moved to Midland later that same year. Don owned and operated Automation Technologies for 13 years. He was a 25-year Mason, currently a member of Midland Masonic Lodge No. 623. He was also a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of Norman Reed Chapter 1010, Order of the Eastern Star. He worked tirelessly for the Lodge. Don passed away Tuesday, April 6, 1999, at a local hospital. He is survived by his wife, Lynda Seed of Midland; three sons, David Brown and his wife, Dinah, of Decatur, Ala., Michael Brown and Brent Brown and his wife, Christina, all of Midland; two granddaughters, Ashley Brown and Delleana Brown; one sister, Lenora Broughton and her husband, Lynn, of Odessa; three cousins, Michael McQueen of Burleson, Suzanne Butler of Andrews and Charlie Seed of Hobbs, N.M. Pallbearers will be Ron Fincher and members of the Midland Masonic Lodge No. 623. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Mass for Eusebio Gomez Vejil, 85, of Crane will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church with the Rev. Gilbert Rodriguez officiating. Rosary will be said at 7:00 p.m. today at Odessa Funeral Home Angeles Memorial Chapel. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery. Mr. Vejil died Wednesday, April 7, 1999, at Medical Center Hospital. He was born Dec. 15, 1913, in Fort Stockton. He married Elidia Tovar Jan. 4, 1948, in Imperial. Survivors include his wife, Elidia T. Vejil of Crane; sons, Emilio Vejil and his wife, Maria Magdalena, of Corvallis, Ore., Adan Vejil and his wife, Ana, of Odessa, Eusebio Vejil Jr. and his wife, Rosa, of San Antonio and Freddy Gavia-Vejil and his wife, Inez, of Midland; daughters, Narcie Herrera and her husband, Miguel, of Fruitland, Idaho, and Eva Garcia and her husband, Marc, of Odessa; brothers, Felipe J. Vejil of Kermit, Gabriel Vejil of Long Beach, Calif., and Jose Manuel Vejil of Anthony, N.M.; 18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. _________________________________________________________________ Wayne Weekes MIDLAND -- Wayne was born March 26, 1938, in Ranger and left this part of life April 7, 1999. He was preceded in passing by his mother, Matilda Weekes, and father, Willis H. Weekes. He is survived by family members, Stanley and Glenda Weekes of Ranger, Billie and Jim Cunningham of Round Rock, Max Howard-Lloyd of Midland; and his many nephews and nieces who are spread over the state of Texas and in the Kosovo War area at this time. One of Wayne's last wishes was that his body be cremated so that the devastation of cancer be burned and possibly contained and not spread. He also asked that memorials be flowers or remembrances to the "McLaren Comedy Playwrighting Competition" at Midland Community Theater. If there were to be a regular funeral rather than a memorial, pallbearers would be Michael Fitz-Gerald, Jim Gaylean, Richard Patterson, Joe Hathaway, Lynne Anderson, Nancy White, Arron Cranford, Herb Cooper, Dr. Mark Cox and Carl Williams. Honorary pallbearers would be Ann Hathaway, Derby Patterson, Loree Fitz-Gerald, Arlen and Betty Edgar, Alice Moxey, Dan Hallar, Richard David, Ben Weekes, Alice Williams and Sally Mogford. Wayne was employed by the Scott Theaters and Hodge Theaters in Odessa. Before he became a broadcaster and co-owner of KNFM/KNAM (now KMND) Radio in Midland, he also was a travel agent in Odessa, a package store owner, a sales clerk at Folger's Superstore and retailer at McLoyd's Spirits in Midland. He was always a good friend to many of those close to him and everyday acquaintances. Memorial services are scheduled at 4 p.m. Friday at Ellis Funeral Home Chapel with a "Celebration of Life" (a wake) at the Yucca Theatre following the memorial. Friends attending and friends that cannot attend the memorial are invited. The memorial will be officiated by Stanley Weekes. Funeral arrangements are by Ellis Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- William T. "Bill" Williams was born in Rockville, Ind., on Aug. 14, 1919. He was the son of Luther Dennis Williams and Grace Clara Kessler. He was the ninth and last child in the family that relocated to Coffeyville, Kan., in the early 1920s. Bill joined the U.S. Navy as an aviator in 1940. While stationed in Corpus Christi, he met and married Frances Lorene Eddins April 3, 1943. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II as a torpedo bomber pilot aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bataan (CVL 29), home of Air Group 47, known as the "Liquidators." He flew over 3,000 hours with 87 carrier landings. He was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air Medals. In addition, he was awarded the Navy Cross by Admiral Jocko Clark for his direct hit on the Japanese superbattleship Yamato in the South China Sea. He retired from the Navy in 1945. His permanent retired rank was Commander. He was a life member of the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. In 1945, Bill with his four brothers purchased Odessa Valve & Machine Shop, which later became Western Tank, Skyline Steel Company, and Shamrock Steel Sales, all in Odessa. He was responsible for the steel fabrication of the present day facility of Western Tank Co. He retired from these endeavors in April 1983. He will always be remembered for the excellence he upheld in whatever he pursued. Bill loved the Lord and enjoyed serving Him. It was in this service that he and his now deceased brother, Jim, became the instrumental forces in helping to establish Odessa Bible Church and Grace Bible Church, which were later merged into one congregation. Bill also enjoyed gardening and especially the cultivation of lilies. He served as a lifetime member of the North American Lily Society. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lorene of Odessa; sister, Ethel Lorene Morris of Tyler; brothers, Harold Williams of Laurel, Mont., and Don Williams of Odessa; daughter, Sandra Stein of Carrollton; son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Monica Williams of Odessa; daughter and son-in-law, Billie and Kevin Haughey of Flower Mound; three grandchildren, Chris Stein of Tulsa, Okla., Staci Stein of Irving and Warren Williams of Odessa. After a lengthy illness, Bill went to be with the Lord Wednesday, April 7, 1999. A memorial service will be held for Mr. Williams at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 10, 1999, at the Odessa Bible Church, 2110 E. 10th St. The family suggests that memorials be sent to the Odessa Bible Church or the American Cancer Society. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1999 Odessa American. All rights reserved.