Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 27 Jan 2000 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. January 27, 2000 Permian Basin Obituaries ODESSA — Gracie Lou Aderhold, nee Allison, 89, of Odessa died Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2000, at Medical Center Hospital. She was born Jan. 20, 1911, in San Angelo. Mrs. Aderhold was reared in the San Angelo area but had lived her adult life in Austin and Odessa. She was a cosmetician for Dunlap’s and the Model Shop. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Sue Latson. She is survived by sisters, Bea Jones of Newark, Calif., and Helen Harding of Mesquite; brothers, John Allison of Odessa and Guy Allison and wife, Betty, of Alpine; brother-in-law, Cactus Pryor of Austin; and her beloved nieces and nephews, Vickie McKiernan of Newark, Calif., Gayle Harding of Mesquite, Kerry Pryor Gutherie and Paul, Don and Dayne Pryor of Austin. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, 2000, at Resthaven Cemetery in McCamey with the Rev. Paul Evans officiating. Arrangements by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. (www. wilsonfuneral.com) _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA — Mary Oleta Reese Bassham Gipson was born May 12, 1908, in Corinth, Ark. She was the daughter of Jordan Hale and Mattie Shofner Reese. Her only sister, Myrle Reese Womack, preceded her in death in 1996. Oleta went to be with her Lord Saturday, Jan. 22, 2000, in Tyler. She moved from Arkansas to West Texas in 1924. After graduating from Colorado City High School, she married J. Carl Bassham in 1928. Mr. Bassham worked as a treating engineer with Phillips Petroleum Co. and the family moved frequently in the Permian Basin, finally retiring in Odessa. They were blessed with two children, the late B. Joe Bassham and his surviving wife Ginny, now residing in Kingwood, and their two sons, Joe C. Bassham and Mark S. Bassham, both of the Baytown area; and their daughter, Carla Sue Bassham Paul and her late husband Jim, of Tyler and their children, Peggy Paul Walker of Sulphur Springs and Janie Paul Cauthen of Tyler. Oleta is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Mr. Bassham preceded her in death in 1967. She married Felix Claude Gipson in 1971 and he passed away in 1984. Mrs. Gipson resided in Odessa from 1963 to August 1999. In Odessa she attended the 6th & Jackson Church of Christ. She counted many among her friends and she was dearly loved by her family. She has resided at Reunion Inn Assisted Living in Tyler since August 1999. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, 2000, at the Hubbard-Kelley Funeral Home. A fitting scripture for Oleta Gipson: Ecclesiastics 9:10, "Whatsoever thy hand find to do, do it with thy might." Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Willie Gene Hudnall ODESSA — Willie Gene Hudnall was born Jan. 24, 1931, in Tullos, La., to Henry and Jessie LaCroix Hudnall. He passed away at his home in Midland Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2000. Graveside services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000, at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Gale Wilson, Hospice of Midland chaplain, officiating. Services are under the direction of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. Mr. Hudnall moved to Midland in 1948. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He worked for Texas Electric for 33 years retiring in 1987. He married Kay Hakata Sept. 30, 1975, in Odessa. He was a member of VFW Post 4372 in Odessa and the American Legion. Survivors include his wife, Kay Hudnall of Odessa; his sons, William Hudnall of Odessa and Cullen Hudnall of Midland; his daughter, LaTeresa Jennette of Odessa; stepson and daughter, Dan Hakata of Las Vegas and Jill Broughton of Midland; his brother, Bob Hudnall of Odessa; sister, Ann BrantIey of Odessa; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Midland, P.O. Box 2621, Midland, Texas, 79702. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA — Floreine D. Hale Coody Palmer was born the only child of Mary Elizabeth Guest and H. Barney Hale, Jan. 7, 1915, in Thurber. She departed this life as a result of an auto accident, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2000, in Odessa. FIo attended schools in Strawn, Fort Worth and Caddo. She graduated as valedictorian in 1932 from Caddo High School and attended Ranger Junior College in Ranger for one year at the height of the Great Depression. Because of economic necessity, FIo joined the workforce, thus beginning her long career as a successful businesswoman. FIo married Garland Coody in 1936 and in November 1940 had one son, Charles Robert Coody, the "Joy of her Life." The family ranched in the Breckenridge area with short moves to Albuquerque, N.M., El Paso and Fort Davis. In 1941, they returned to Breckenridge where they lived for 10 years. FIo and her son moved to Odessa where she met and married her second husband, Ramon Wood Palmer Nov. 28, 1952. Ray was employed by Stanolind Oil & Gas Co. which later became AMOCO. He preceded her in death March 4, 1992. After working retail for a couple of years, FIo joined U.J. Brammer & Sons in the gas testing, measurement and auditing business. In 1957, Flo was recruited to join the staff of Odessa Natural Gas Co., which was owned by E.G. Rodman and W.D. Noel. She was involved in the Rodman-Noel companies expansion which became the Permian Basin’s renowned petrochemical complex. She was an integral part of the management structure of El Paso Products, now known as Huntsman Corporation, for 32 years until her retirement in 1982. Her love of history led FIo into active participation in local and regional historical groups. She was a founding member of the Ector County HistoricaI Commission, the Permian Basin Historical Society and the Heritage of Odessa Foundation. Flo was a charter member of both The Presidential Museum and the White-Pool House Friends. A lifelong Methodist, FIo was baptized at a very early age in her maternal grandparents home in Strawn. When she was 9 years old, she gave her heart to the Lord in a revival meeting in the Strawn Methodist Church. She remained a faithful Methodist and held both elected and appointed positions in the First Methodist Church in Breckenridge and the First United Methodist Church in Odessa. Preceded in death by her son, Bobby, on June 29, 1989, FIo is survived by daughter-in-law, Bonnie Coody Graham and her husband Paul of Chandler; granddaughters, Vickie J. Coody Rist and her daughter Michelle of Athens and Cheryl R. Coody Belson and daughters Tricia and Amy of Breckenridge. She is also survived by sister-in-law Colleen Palmer of Odessa. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. today in the Hubbard-Kelly Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Steve Trout officiating. Burial will be at 4 p.m. in Davidson Cemetery in Strawn. FIo’s friends may honor her with memorials to: The First United Methodist Church, 415 N. Lee, Odessa, Texas, 79761 or The White-Pool House, P.O. Box 3908, Odessa, Texas, 79760. _________________________________________________________________ MONAHANS — Ray Allen Todd, 83, of Monahans died Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2000, at Memorial Hospital and Medical Center. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jeff Box officiating. Burial will be at Monahans Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements by Harkey Funeral Home. He was born April 27, 1916, in Palo Pinto County and moved to Necessity in Stephens County in 1919. He moved with his parents to Crane in 1932. He graduated from Crane High School. He married Lavelle Belue October 12, 1935, in McCamey. He left Crane in 1939 to work for S&S Grocery. He later moved to Jal, N.M., to work in the oilfield. In 1953 he left Jal and went to Hobbs, N.M., where he was in the grocery business until 1959. He then moved back to Jal and entered the restaurant business and ranching. He stayed in Jal until 1968 and then moved to Kermit and back to Monahans in 1969 where he owned and operated McLain’s Restaurants in Monahans and Wickett until he retired in 1974. He was active over the years in various events such as president of the Jal Riding and Roping Club, president of Tex Mex Horseman Association, served as city councilman in Jal, president of Ward County Riding and Roping Club and was a supporter of youth activities over the years, such as 4-H programs and youth sports activities. He befriended many young people over the years through his contacts with the restaurants and riding clubs. He was most proud of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Lavelle, the one he loved for 55 years. He is survived by his sons, Don Todd of Jal, N.M.; Ronnie Todd and wife Fran of Norman, Okla.; daughters, Linda Avent and husband Joe of Los Alamos, N.M., Glenda Owen and husband Sammy of Dime Box, Judy Harkey and husband Jackie of Monahans; brother, Romney Todd of Capitan, N.M.; sister, Nell Moore of San Angelo; 15 grandchildren, Jerry Todd, Terry Todd, Lynn Clark, Dewayne Todd, Mike Todd, Shawn Todd, Mitchell Avent, Lee Ann Stout, Travis Avent, Steve Avent, Chris Owen, Marty Owen, Carrie Owen, Holly Harkey and Jeffrey Harkey; and 18 great-grandchildren. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000 Odessa American. All rights reserved.