Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 19 March 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. March 19, 2000 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA — Cruz G. Alvarado, 69 years of age, passed away on March 17, 2000, at Medical Center Hospital. He was born on May 3, 1930, in Austin. Mr. Alvarado was a radio announcer for 16 years for KTUE Radio in Tulia. After moving to Odessa in 1980 from Tulia, he became a self-employed salesman. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday at Odessa Funeral Home. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Monday, March 20, 2000, at Odessa Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2000, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church with the Rev. Frank Chavez officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Mr. Alvarado was preceded in death by his parents, Lazaro and Leonor Alvarado; a son, Fernando Alvarado; sister, Raquel Rodriguez; and brother, Rodolfo Alvarado. He is survived by his wife, Tomasa Alvarado of Odessa; sons, Cruz Alvarado Jr. of Odessa, Joe Alvarado, George Alvarado and Robert Alvarado, all of Austin, Jerry Alvarado of Pecos and Joaquin Alvarado of Odessa; daughters, Mary Alice Alvarado of Austin, Josie Cuellar of Kyle, Pauline Saucedo of Kyle, Isabel Nunez and Delia Leal, both of Odessa, and Adelina Acosta of Andrews. Also surviving are five brothers and five sisters; 31 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be his five sons and one grandson. Services by Odessa Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA — Graveside services for Luther Bell, 59, of Odessa will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Rose Hill Cemetery with the Rev. David Henry officiating. Mr. Bell died Friday, March 17, 2000, at Medical Center Hospital. He was born Jan. 4, 1941, in Big Spring. He married Rebecca Russell April 18, 1981, in Eunice, N.M. Mr. Bell was a longtime resident of Odessa and was a retired truck driver for Citco. He was an Army veteran. Survivors include his wife, Becky Bell of Odessa; sons, Emmitt Bell of Gardendale, Pete Bell of Odessa and Bob Bell of Houston; daughters, Joyce Ruiz of Midland and Bonnie Lynn Burchell of Odessa; stepsons, James Neal and Robert Neal, both of Odessa; stepdaughter, Sandra Ann Webb of Springtown; mother, Mildred Bell of Odessa; brothers, Thomas Lee Bell of Mira Loma, Calif., and Marvin Eugene Bell of San Antonio; sisters, Terrie Lynn Hooper of Big Spring; and 16 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Gerald Lawrence Bell; and grandchildren, Jessica Ann Ruiz and Clayton John Ruiz. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ MIDLAND — Services for EIzy Joseph Griffis, 91, of Odessa will be at 2 p.m. Monday, March 20, 2000, at Pipkin Funeral Home and Chapel in Midland. Burial will be at Resthaven Memorial Park under the arrangements of Pipkin Funeral Home and Chapel with Tommy Hursh, Elder of The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, officiating. Mr. Griffis died Friday, March 17, 2000, at Avalon Place in Odessa. He was born April 3, 1908, in Red River County near Avery to Henry and Fannie Loven Griffis. He was a retired truck driver for Fidelity Oil Company. He married Georgia Anderson on May 23, 1925, in Bowie County and they were married almost 69 years, living in the Midland-Odessa area since 1948. They had many wonderful times camping and fishing in Rockport. He had resided at Avalon Place for the past six years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Georgia, on April 20, 1994; one son, Wayne, in September 1964; three brothers, Virgil and Aylon Griffis and Otis Fisher; three sisters, Clara O’Neal, Vera Martin, Lillie McMillian; and one great-grandson, Solomon Gray. He is survived by two sons, A. Neal Griffis and wife, Janet, of Alvin, and Eldon Griffis and wife, Aline, of Odessa; one daughter, Jean Williams and husband, John, of Odessa; two sisters, Marie McMillian of Lamesa and Opal Greenslande of Mesquite; eight grandchildren, Pamela Edwards of San Antonio, Al Griffis Jr. of Alvin, Mark Griffis of Houston, Mike Griffis, Pat Hestand, Joe Currier and DeDe Gray, all of Odessa, and Kim Putman of Mesquite; 19 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Pallbearers are to be Mark Griffis, Joe Currier, Justin Gray, JR Carey and David DeWitt. Honorary pallbearers are Al Griffis Jr., Mike Griffis, Matt DeWitt, Wayne Church and Carl Leonard. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA — Ben Glast, 88, of Odessa passed away Saturday, March 18, 2000, at his residence. Mr. Glast was born Feb. 25, 1912 in Chicago. He married Mollye Letwin on June 23, 1935, in Chicago. She preceded him in death in 1991. They came to Odessa in 1939, and he founded City Pipe & Supply in 1942 and served as the Chairman of the Board. As an oilfield supply company, it now has branches in Abilene and Hobbs, N.M. Ben’s determination to survive lasted through all the years of ups and downs of the oil business. In 1946, he founded Temple Beth El, the only Jewish Synagogue in the Permian Basin. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and a 32nd Degree Mason as well as a lifelong member of Odessa Country Club. He will be remembered for contributing to many of the arts-related projects in Odessa and being involved with numerous charities and civic activities through the years. The United Way, Boy Scouts of America, Permian Basin Petroleum Association and the Gas Processors Association were just a few he had worked with. He received the Community Statesman Award in Religion in 1985 from the Odessa Heritage Foundation and the Odessa American’s R. C. Hoiles Award in 1997. He was preceded in death by his parents, Aaron and Ethel Glast; his wife; and his two sisters. He is survived by two sons, Sam Glast and his wife, Lilianne, of Dallas and Robert Glast and his wife, Picce, of Odessa; three grandchildren, Jason Glast and his wife, Kathryn, of Atlanta, Ga., Rachel Glast of Washington, D.C., and Deborah Glast of Coral Gables, Fla.; a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Rosabelle and Eddy Tann of Fort Worth; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, March 19, 2000, in the Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home Chapel with Rabbis Sidney Zimelman and Lawrence Jackofsky, both of Temple Beth El, officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday, March 20, 2000, in Greenwood Cemetery with Rabbi Ralph Mecklenberger officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home of Odessa. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000 Odessa American. All rights reserved.