Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 1 Dec 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. December 1, 2000 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA Stroud Kelly Bearden passed away after a lengthy illness Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000, at his home in Odessa. He was born April 14, 1909, at Tenaha in Shelby County, Texas, to parents Agnes Jane and Jasper Burr Bearden. He was married to Jewell May Teurman in Wheeler, Texas, Jan. 1, 1930. Mr. and Mrs. Bearden lived and farmed in the Texas Panhandle at Kelton in Wheeler County and in East Texas at Tenaha in Shelby County for several years. In 1935, they moved to McCamey in West Texas, where Mr. Bearden went to work in the oilfields for National Supply Company. After living in McCamey, Freer and other Texas cities and working in the oilfields setting pumpjacks, building cattle guards and doing related oilfield and construction work, Mr. and Mrs. Bearden moved to Odessa in 1937, where they purchased their home. In 1944, Mr. Bearden started Lone Star Construction Company as an oilfield construction and service business until he sold it and semi-retired in 1975. He continued working in the construction field until finally retiring in 1987. In October 1980, Mr. Bearden was awarded official recognition as a Permian Basin Petroleum Pioneer for his lifelong work in the petroleum industry since 1935. For relaxation, Mr. Bearden enjoyed eating peanuts with Dr Pepper, fishing, hunting, playing shuffleboard and shooting pool. He will be long remembered as a kind and generous father to his family. Mr. Bearden is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jewell Bearden; a son, Charley Bearden of Odessa; daughters, Louise Spratlen and Mildred Clemmons of Odessa; and daughters, Alice Busby and Linda Junker of Midland. At the time of his death, Kelly had 14 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild. Funeral services for Mr. Bearden will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home with C.A. Smith of Andrews officiating. Graveside services will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens following the service. Pallbearers will be grandsons, John Spratlen, Michael Spratlen, Jerry House, Terry House, James Busby and Jason Junker. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA Edward B. Holdridge passed away Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000, at his home following a lengthy illness. He was born Oct. 18, 1913, in Hoyt, Okla., to William Adam and Lee Nora Holdridge. He married Maurine Long on April 15, 1949. During World War II, he served in the Army in Company B of the 185th Infantry, 40th Division. He received the Purple Heart and was discharged as a staff sergeant. He worked in the oil-related industry, first with his brother and later self-employed. He retired from Kobe Inc. in 1980. He was an avid golfer and held membership at Sunset Country Club until his eyesight forced him to give it up. He was a member of Sherwood Baptist Church for 30 years. The apple of his eye were his grandchildren and his dog, Lady. He is survived by his wife, Maurine, and two sons, Bill and Sherry Holdridge and David and LuAn Holdridge. His five grandchildren were Erin, Nicole, John, Joshua and Jaren. Services will be held at 3 p.m. today, Dec. 1, 2000, at Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to the Lung Association or Sherwood Baptist Church Building Fund. Arrangements by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. (www.wilsonfuneral.com) _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA Chester Conway Stephens, age 87, of Odessa passed away Nov. 29, 2000, at Medical Center Hospital. He was born Aug. 29, 1913, in Paris, Texas, to Mark and Janie Hyatt Stephens. His parents preceded him in death. Graveside services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Services are under the care of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. Mr. Stephens served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He married Annadell Partain on April 25, 1938. They moved to Odessa in 1942. He had worked for Odessa Cleaners and later owned and operated Stephens Cleaners for 10 years before retiring. He continued working in the dry cleaning business after his retirement. He was a member of Temple Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Annadell Stephens of Odessa; his daughter, Connie Long and her husband John of Aztec, N.M.; his grandchildren, Malissa Blackmon and her husband Joe, Christie Baker and her husband Sam, Frankie Garrett and his wife Misty; and five great grandchildren. _________________________________________________________________ ODESSA Mrs. Johnson died Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000, at Medical Center Hospital. She was born Dec. 9, 1923, in Como, Texas. She married Delbert Johnson Sept. 22, 1941, in Clovis, N.M. She had been a resident of Odessa since 1958. Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, at Sunset Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Bill Cook officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Our hearts will forever be touched. Her love for everyone was so genuine and pure that it will guide us all forever. There was never a lady who touched so many lives. We will never be able to express our love, but she will always be in our lives because her spirit will live on. Mother, grandmother, we will love you and miss you forever and always. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband of 41 years, three brothers and a sister. She is survived by daughters Betty Tindol and husband Carl of Odessa and Tommie Dugger and husband Larry of Batesville, Ark.; grandsons, Gordon and Sherri Tindol of Odessa, Thomas Tindol of Austin, James Tindol of Odessa, Terry Don and Heidi Dugger of Little Rock, Ark., Larry Wayne and Jan Dugger of Russelville, Ark., and Bobby Lynn and Rachel Dugger of Batesville; a granddaughter, Debbie and Damon Frizzell of Gardner City, Kans.; 11 grandchildren; brothers, Sonny Greer and Rudolph Greer; sister, Evelyn Herrell; and other relatives. Pallbearers will be grandsons and grandson-in-law. The family will receive family and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, 2000, at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. Services entrusted to Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ E.L. Topper ODESSA E.L. Topper, Jr., 77, of Odessa passed away Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000, at a local hospital. He was born April 12, 1923, in Wichita Falls, Texas. Mr. Topper was a veteran of World War II having served in the U.S. Navy as a First Class Petty Officer. He was stationed in San Diego, Calif., and saw active duty in the Subic Bay region of the Philippines. Mr. Topper moved to Odessa in 1946 and had owned and operated Topper Sheet Metal for the past 37 years. Through the past four decades he recruited and trained a multitude of young people in the sheet metal profession and many of them continue in it today. He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon for over forty years. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Wilda, his parents, Ernest and Hattie Topper, and three sisters, Louise, Anita and Melba. He is survived by his wife, Opal Topper of Odessa; a son, Ernest Topper, Ill, of Johnson City; two daughters, Treva Forrester of Midland and Janetta Kleier of Castle Rock, Colo.; two brothers, George Topper of Garland and Byron Topper of Wichita Falls; a sister, Peggy Lyle of Vernon; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Public visitation will be held Friday and Saturday with the family to receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, December 3, 2000, at Immanuel Baptist Church with Ernest Topper, III, and Don Forrester officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000 Odessa American. All rights reserved.