Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 22 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 22, 1999 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Graveside services for Dorothy Butler, 80, of Odessa were held Wednesday at Sunset Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Dr. Craig Martindale officiating. Mrs. Butler died Monday, April 19, 1999, at Sterling County Nursing Home. She was born Oct. 12, 1918, in Dallas. She married G. Cecil Butler Dec. 15, 1945, in Dallas. Mrs. Butler came to Odessa in 1950. She was a member of Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She had retired from accounting where she was self-employed. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Butler; and a son, Robert W. Butler. Survivors include her daughters, Donna Kay and her husband, Glenn Bryan of Garden City, Cecile Cooper of Lubbock and Gloria Ann Wilson of San Marcos; a son, Donny Lynn Butler of Odessa; 14 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Services for Johnny H. Clark, 48, will be at 3 p.m. Friday, April 23, 1999, at Hubbard-Kelly Chapel with the Rev. Robert E. Lamb Sr. officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Johnny fought a hard battle for 16 months with brain cancer. He was born Jan. 6, 1951, in Odessa and lived here his full life. Johnny married Lavon Burleson July 7, 1978. In 1996, he went to work for Weatherford as a truck driver. He is survived by his wife, Lavon, whom he loved very much; daughter, Kristy Lavon, 16; son, Kevin John, 12; parents, H.V. and Joyce Clark; sisters, Nancy and Jim Thompson of Henderson, Ginny Cervantez and Cathy Clark, both of Odessa; father- and mother-in-law, J.C. and Romia Burleson; in-laws, Carol and Gary of Florida, Bill and Sue, Richard and Julia, all of Odessa, Lisa and Larry of Hobbs, N.M., Gayland and Cindy of Odessa; and many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Services for Fitzhugh Lee (Fritz) Robinson, 76, of Odessa will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Hubbard-Kelly Chapel with the Rev. John Thomason officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Mr. Robinson died Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Medical Center Hospital after a lengthy illness. He was born Aug. 9, 1922, in Burlingame, Kan. He married Fannie Loretta Dutton Oct. 21, 1941, in Emporia, Kan. Mr. Robinson came to Odessa in 1959 from Emporia, Kan. He had been in the U.S. Army where he received a Bronze Star and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and a Shriner. He owned and operated a furniture store. He was a member of Temple Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fitzhugh L. and Lucille Robinson; a brother, Bob Robinson; daughter, Deborah Faith Robinson; and a son, Michael Dean Robinson. Survivors include his wife, Fannie Robinson of Odessa; daughters, Loretta Lee King of Hobbs, N.M., and Sandra Kay Burt of Odessa; son, Morris Robinson of Odessa; brother, Eugene Robinson of Pamona Lake, Kan.; sister, Gay Ann Zieglar of Emporia, Kan.; six grandchildren, Keith W. King, Stephen K. King, Michelle Musick Brown, Melissa Musick Dunlap, Amos F. Humphreys IV and Michael Robinson; and four great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ EL PASO -- Alfonso P. Rico, 75, died Sunday, April 18, 1999, in Phoenix, Ariz., after a brief illness. Mr. Rico was born April 30, 1923, in Alpine to Isabel Rico and Refugio Pereira. Mr. Rico enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 23, 1943, in Marfa. He served his country proudly for more than 22 years until retiring on February 1, 1966. While serving in the U.S. Army, Mr. Rico attained the highest enlisted grade, command sergeant major. Upon his retirement he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. During his career in the U.S. Army, he worked in military intelligence. As an Army investigator for counterintelligence, he received extensive training and became fluent in Italian and German languages as well as five other foreign languages. While serving in this position, Sgt. Maj. Rico was in charge of an Army Intelligence Unit, serving directly under the Department of the Army. Sgt. Maj. Rico's personal awards and decorations include: Good Conduct Medal (4th Award); National Defense Service Medal; Army Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp; American Theater of Operation Medal; World War II Victory Medal; and Army Commendation Medal. After retiring from the U.S. Army, Mr. Rico attended appraiser training courses under the direction of the Federal Housing Administration in Louisiana, Oklahoma and El Paso. Upon receiving his certification, he worked as an appraiser under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (FHA). Mr. Rico attended Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas; College of the City of New York, New York City, New York; University of Texas-Fort Bliss Extension Center, Fort Bliss, Texas; El Paso Community College, El Paso, Texas. Mr. Rico was affiliated with the National Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors and the El Paso Board of Realtors. Mr. Rico was preceded in death by his parents, sister Hortencia Rico, beloved grandson Phillip, beloved nephew Michael D. Acosta, his first wife Virginia and his second wife Mary. Mr. Rico is survived by three sons, Roy Rico of Wisconsin, Alfonso Rico Jr. of Austin and Robby Rico of El Paso; five sisters, Elfida Torres, Ofelia Hinojos, Romelia Acosta, Socorro Cordova, all of Odessa, and Aurora Calderon of Dallas; three brothers, Mariano Rico, Arturo Rico and Thomas Juarez, all of Odessa; several grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 22, at Hillcrest Funeral Home in El Paso. Mass will be celebrated in El Paso at 1 p.m. Friday, April 23, at St. Pius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Fort Bliss cemetery. _________________________________________________________________ Evelyn Prather MONAHANS -- Services for Evelyn Prather, 73, of Monahans, will be at 2 p.m. Friday, April 23, 1999, at Immanuel Baptist Church with the Rev. David Lively officiating. Burial will be at Monahans Memorial Cemetery. Mrs. Prather died Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Medical Center Hospital. She was born Sept. 19, 1925, in Lebanon, Mo. She married E.T. (Buck) Prather May 5, 1947, in Lebanon, Mo. She was a homemaker and member of Immanuel Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, E.T. Buck Prather of Monahans; son, Chuck Prather and his wife, Geretha, of San Angelo; daughter, Patty Drake of Odessa; sister, Betty Legan of Lebanon, Mo.; three grandchildren, Michelle Widdess of San Angelo, Brady Prather of Dallas and Chasity Pritz of Baird; and two great-grandchildren, Kelcee and Jeantry. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to American Cancer Society. Funeral arrangements are by Harkey Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1999 Odessa American. All rights reserved.