Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 10 July 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. July 10, 1999 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Leon Sherman passed away on Wednesday, July 7, 1999. He was 71 years of age. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joan Sherman; son, Ben Sherman and wife, Saundy, of Austin; daughter, Londa Conner of Midland; grandchildren, Lee Sherman of Austin, Will Sherman of Sydney, Australia, Jeremy and Jay Conner of Midland, Geoffrey Conner of Lubbock and Jodie Conner of San Angelo; brothers, Basil Sherman of Cuero, Hugh Sherman of Victoria; sister, Vera Simpson of Abilene; and many nieces and nephews. Leon was born in Plainview on Sept. 26, 1927. He lived many years in Plainview and Port Arthur. He joined the U.S. Army in 1946, and played tuba in the Army Band. Leon attended Lamar Tech in Beaumont, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, and received his master of arts degree from Sul Ross State University in Alpine. He has lived in Odessa since 1955. He taught business administration classes at Odessa College and Hobbs Junior College before his retirement. Recently, he has taught classes at the Noel Center in Odessa. Leon always had a deep passion for working with all levels of people in the Odessa community, whether it be ordinary household and mechanical work or working as a substitute teacher, helping people with basic and advanced educational needs. He and his wife attended the First Baptist Church in Odessa for 44 years. Leon was teacher of the Senior Men's Sunday School Class and a faithful member of the choir for many years. The people of the church have been a very special part of his life. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church. Services will be at 3 p.m. today at the First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Dr. Ernest Easley officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Funeral arrangements have been made by the Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Doyle O. Cooper of Odessa, died Thursday, July 8, 1999. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. Doyle was born July 6, 1929, in Abilene, to Lonnie and Mary Ann Downs Cooper. He served in the Army during the Korean War. Mr. Cooper moved to Odessa in 1945. He married Jewell LaVena Robertson on June 11, 1950, in Portales, N.M. Doyle was an electrician and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 460 since 1947. He was "Old Scrooge" on the C.B. radio and also enjoyed flying model airplanes. Doyle is survived by his wife, LaVena Cooper; two sons, Danny O. Cooper and Mark A. Cooper, both of Odessa; one daughter, Anna J. Marney of San Antonio; one sister, Johnnie Faye Whittington of Odessa; seven grandchildren: April, Adam, Brandi, Travis, Bridgitt, Crystal and Auburn. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or American Heart Association. _________________________________________________________________ Maggie Nora Pettitt SAN ANGELO -- Maggie Nora Pettitt, 89, of San Angelo passed away Thursday. July 8, 1999, at Park Plaza Nursing Center. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Johnson's Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. James Mitchell, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church officiating. Burial will follow in Lawnhaven Memorial Gardens. Maggie was born Aug. 2, 1909, in McCulloch County to Zeff and Annie Bridges Turner. She was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and a resident of San Angelo for 20 years. She had worked in the nursery, for 20 years, at the Avenue D Baptist Church in Snyder and did ironing and quilting in her home for many years. Maggie was married to Thomas Euell Pettitt on Oct. 11, 1924, in Comanche. He preceded her in death on May 28, 1952. She was also preceded in death by her parents, two brothers and two sisters. Survivors include her children, Margetta Black and husband, Darrell, of San Angelo, Gail Pettitt and wife, Ann, of Odessa, Clovis Shipley and husband, Bobby, of Odessa and Zetta Claxton and husband, James, of San Angelo; eight grandchildren, Connie Fowler, Terry Shipley, Tommy Pettitt, Rodney Black, Cathy Davis, Cheere Behrendt, Jetahn Lichenstein and Chad Claxton; 14 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Terry Shipley, Rodney Black, Chad Claxton, Sam Lichenstein, Brad Behrendt and Steve Fowler. Funeral Arrangements by Johnson Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Averill Alger "A.A." Rhodes LEANDER -- Averill Alger "A.A." Rhodes, 81, of Cedar Park, passed away Sunday, July 4, 1999. He was "PaPa" to 15 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and numerous children in the neighborhoods in which he lived. He was also loved by his bird dog, Lucy. A.A. was born in Yale, Okla., on December 23, 1917. He worked in the oilfields of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico for Phillips Petroleum. He retired after 40 years of service and remained very loyal to Phillips. His wife, Ernestine, and one grandchild preceded him in death. He is survived by his five children, Teresa Ford of Odessa, Sandra McCullough of Corsicana, Dusty Rhodes of Georgetown, Wanda Howell of Abilene and Brenda McLendon-Loper of Austin; three brothers, C.M. Rhodes of Muskogee, L.D. Rhodes Jr. of Pauls Valley and Riley Rhodes of Yukon; and one sister, Helen Simms of Waco. Services were held at Leander Church of Christ where he had worshiped since 1991. The Rev. Bill Snow officiated. Burial was at Baghdad Cemetery in Leander. Pallbearers were grandsons Gary Rhodes and Pete Howell of Austin, Roy McCullough Jr. of Corsicana, Brent Rhodes and John Howell of Abilene, Paul Howell of Dallas and Shane Ford of Odessa. The family appreciates Trish and the staff at The Pointe at Cedar Park Assisted Living Center for their loving care of A.A. for the past six months. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to Odessa Christian School, 2000 Doran Drive, Odessa, Tx, 79761. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1999 Odessa American. All rights reserved.