Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 7 Sep 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. September 7, 1999 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA -- Connell Ashley, 71, of Odessa, died Sunday, Sept. 5, 1999 at his residence. Connell was born October 28, 1927, in San Saba to Reuben and Jamye Ashley. On May 30, 1959, he married Janet Reaves in San Saba. She preceded him in death on March 14, 1989. He was a member and elder of First Presbyterian Church of Odessa. He is survived by his children, Greg and Marla Ashley of Odessa, Steve and Staci Ashley of Odessa, Mark and Juliana Ashley of Houston; his grandchildren, Alexandra Ashley and Jamye Ashley of Odessa, Price Ashley and Reaves Ashley of Amarillo, Janet Rose Ashley and Anthony Ashley of Houston; and his brother, Max Ashley, of San Saba. He began his law practice in Fort Stockton as a city attorney. He then served three terms as district attorney of the 112th Judicial District in Fort Stockton before moving to Odessa in 1962 to join the law firm now known as Shafer, Davis, Ashley, O'Leary and Stoker. He served as director of the State Bar of Texas, was a member of the Ector County Bar Association, Trans-Pecos Bar Association, Pecos County Bar Association, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, International Association of Insurance Counsel, Association of Insurance Attorneys, American Bar Association, American College of Trial Lawyers, and Texas Bar Foundation. He also received the Community Statesman Award from the Heritage of Odessa Foundation. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite and Shrine. Connell was a loving father and a true friend to many. He never failed to let others know, by example, that he loved them and cared for them. He leaves a great void in the lives of those who knew and loved him. Services are scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999, at First Presbyterian Church, 1401 N. Sam Houston, Odessa, Texas, and 4 p.m. at Howell-Doran Funeral Home, 1901 W. Wallace in San Saba, with Dr. Philip W. McLarty and Rev. Sherry Holloman officiating. Interment will be at the Gray Cemetery in Cherokee, Texas. Active pallbearers will be Perry Davis Jr., Paul McCollum, Ray Stoker Jr., Jim O'Leary, Lucius Bunton, Warren Heagy, John Hundley and Louis Crump. The family suggests memorials to American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and First Presbyterian Church of Odessa. Arrangements entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ SAN ANGELO -- Kermit M. Wilson, Jr., 69, of San Angelo, passed away Sunday, Sept. 5, 1999, in Meadow Creek Nursing Center in San Angelo. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8 in Sunset Memorial Park in Odessa, Texas. Arrangements are by Johnson's Funeral Home. Kermit was born March 28, 1930, in Delta County, Texas to Loyce L. and Kermit M. Wilson, Sr. His family moved to Sweetwater in 1941 where he lived until 1971 when he moved to Odessa, Texas. He was an integral part of the automobile industry in the Southwest for over 30 years, having worked as general manager for Jack Arledge Olds-Cadillac. In 1987, one of his dreams was achieved in San Angelo as the dealer for Wilson Buick, GMC, and Mercedes. Kermit was a member of the Confederate Air Force, a non-profit patriotic organization dedicated to the preservation of military aircraft flown during the W.W.II years. He was squadron leader for the Desert Squadron and the Fort Concho Squadron of the Confederate Air Force. He owned a W.W.II BT15 airplane, and flew with the "Flight of Four" in the Confederate Air Shows. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, having served in the Korean Conflict. Kermit was married to Peggy J. Webster on Oct. 20, 1984, in Midland, Texas. Survivors include his wife, Peggy Wilson, of San Angelo; his children, Jan Longoria of Odessa, Jeff Wilson of Austin, Jennifer Brake and husband John of Odessa, Melanie Huff of Midland and Douglas Webster of Odessa; his mother, Loyce Wilson of Sweetwater; three brothers, Don Wilson and wife Vesta of Sweetwater, Glenn Wilson and wife Lavada of Sweetwater, and Charles A. Wilson and wife Bessie of Kingsbury, Texas; and four grandchildren. Kermit was preceded in death by his father, one brother and one sister. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Confederate Air Force. The family wishes to express their appreciation to Meadow Creek Nursing Center for their loving care of Kermit. Memorials may be made to the Concho Valley Alzheimer's Family Support Group, c/o Dot Partin, 4717 South Jackson, No. 151 Bldg. 18, San Angelo, Texas 76903. _________________________________________________________________ Arthur W. Beck GRANBURY -- Arthur W. ("Bill") Beck, Jr., born Jan. 6, 1926, in Chicago, Ill., passed away Sept. 3, 1999, at the age of 73. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Mary Beck, of Granbury, Texas; his sister, Jane Baptist, of Glenview, Ill.; daughter, Penny, and her husband, Chris Minnick, of Houston, Texas; son, Greg, and his wife, Jerilyn, of Las Vegas, Nev.; daughter, Jana Himmel, of Las Vegas, Nev.; son, Alan Beck, of Redondo Beach, Calif; daughter, Leslie, and her husband, Michael Patton, of Littleton, Colo.; daughter, Vonda Rogers, of Houston, Texas; son, Leonard, and his wife, Debra Davis, of Park Cities, Utah; son, Rodney, and his wife, Becky Davis, of Iowa Park, Texas; son, Kevin Davis, of Los Angeles, Calif.; son, Victor Maldonado, of Los Angeles, Calif.; and an extended family which includes many grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Bill will be deeply missed by his family and countless friends. Services will be held at Acton United Methodist Church, Granbury, Texas (3433 Fall Creek Highway, 76049, 817-326-4242) on Sept. 8, 1999 at 10:30 a.m. Graveside services will follow at Acton Historical Cemetery. A family viewing will be held at Wiley Funeral Home (400 East Highway 377, 76048, 817-573-3000) in Granbury, Texas on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1999 from 7 p.m. until 8:45 p.m. Pallbearers are James "Hoot" McPeters; Pete Petrie; Steve McClintock; Ed Whittington; John Pass; and Richard Husmann. Honorary pallbearers are Charlie Simmons; Rex Powell; and Mid Perry. Bill Beck leaves behind a legacy of real estate developments across the United States. He got his start in Midland-Odessa (Texas) when he was discharged from the Air Force at the end of World War II. From that time forward, Bill built thousands of apartments, founded a hotel chain and built numerous office buildings in cities such as Atlanta (Georgia), Abilene, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Port Arthur, Wichita Falls (Texas), Jackson (Mississippi), Chicago (Illinois) and various other cities. Bill was also one of the original founders of "The Young Turks", a network of real estate developers across the nation which still exists today. In lieu of floral tributes, the family requests that donations be made to Acton Methodist Church and/or The American Cancer Society. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 1999 Odessa American. All rights reserved.