Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 27 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 27, 2000 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ Ladera Beth Blankenship ODESSA Ladera Beth Blankenship, 65, of San Angelo died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2000, at an area nursing home. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. today, Dec. 27, 2000, at Rose Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Rex Clayton, pastor of Belmont Baptist Church of Odessa, officiating. Arrangements are by Robert Massie Funeral Home of San Angelo. Beth was born March 22, 1935, in Eastland. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. In loving memory of Beth Blankenship: She was a wonderful mother and wife. She was always there to listen to our wants and worries, our accomplishments and failures. First thing every morning, she was up before dawn reading her Bible. Most afternoons were filled with another favorite activity: working in the garden. She also loved to roller skate. After some time away from the Odessa area, Bob and Beth returned to own and operate the very roller rink at which they met 52 years earlier. They had their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 22, 2000. We love you, Betsy. Live in peace with Gods love and care. From your entire family. Survivors include her husband, Bob Blankenship of Big Spring; her mother, Sarah Blankenship of Odessa; two sons, Derek Blankenship of Arlington and Vince Blankenship of Fairbanks, Alaska; a daughter, Karla Fletcher of Andrews; a brother, Virgil Roundtree of Colorado; a sister, Betty Smith of Odessa; and grandchildren, Jason Fletcher, Miles Fletcher, Neely Fletcher and Seth Blankenship. _________________________________________________________________ Les Fambrough ODESSA Les Fambrough, 70, of Odessa passed away Saturday, Dec. 23, 2000, in Midland. Mr. Fambrough was born Jan. 1, 1930, in Sonora. He was a graduate of Howard-Payne University and moved to Odessa in 1969. He married Joan Platt Nov. 24, 1969, in Midland. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War. Mr. Fambrough had been an educator for 32 years for Ector County Independent School District and taught at Crockett Junior High School and Odessa High School. He was a member of the Moose Lodge, VFW, American Legion, TSTA, NEA and STCA. He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Joan Fambrough of Odessa; four sons, Leslie E. Fambrough of Bonne Terre, Mo., David L. Fambrough of San Angelo, Mark L. Bassham of Midland and Derrek W. Bassham of Odessa; a brother, Tommy Fambrough of Fort Worth; a sister, Loraine Leach of McCamey; eight grandchildren; and two stepgrandchildren. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today, Dec. 27, 2000, at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Ernest Easley officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to First Baptist Church, 709 N. Lee Ave., Odessa, Texas, 79761 or Allison Cancer Center, 301 North N St., Midland, Texas, 79701. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Jerry Frederick ODESSA Jerry Wayne Frederick, 38, of Odessa passed away Friday, Dec. 22, 2000, at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. He was born Feb. 9, 1962, to Arthur and Lennie Frederick in Odessa. His father preceded him in death. Jerry was a lifetime resident of Odessa, graduating from Permian High School in 1980 and later attending Odessa College. He married Tammy Janette Anderson April 7, 1984, in Odessa and was a member of the Tree of Life Foursquare Gospel Church. He was a shop foreman and service technician for 20 years, employed by Jack Arledge, now called Kelly Grimsley Auto Group. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000, at Odessa Gospel Lighthouse with the Revs. Bobby Bell and Jonathan Jarratt officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Survivors include his wife, Tammy; sons, Kyle and Kasey Frederick; mother, Lennie Blair and her husband, Daniel, all of Odessa; brothers, Bobby Frederick of Crestview, Fla., and Donnie Frederick of Odessa; sister, Carolyn Wies of Cleveland, Ohio; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. Memorials may be sent to Baylor University Cancer Research Center in Dallas. Services are entrusted to Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ C.W. Speedy Pruett Jr. ODESSA Clarence Wallace Pruett Jr., 48, known to his friends and family as "Speedy," was pronounced deceased Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000, after search and rescue crews found his downed plane near Rolla, Mo. Speedy was born Aug. 31, 1952, in Wichita Falls to C.W. "Red" and Catherine Pruett. After graduating from Odessa High School, he married Wanda Joyce Young in 1971 and after serving four years in the U.S. Navy, the couple settled back in Odessa. Speedy was the former owner of Pruetts Jewelry and the owner and operator of the Ector County Fixed Base Operator known as Pruett Aviation Inc. A multi-talented man, Speedy spent many years as a small business owner crafting custom jewelry for his customers and over that time became an amateur pilot. His love for flight later brought him to a full-time career in aviation. He will be remembered for his passion for flying and for his ability to help develop the same passion in others. Survivors include his parents "Red" and Catherine of Gardendale; his wife, of 29 years, Wanda; his daughters, Robin Pruett, currently serving in the U.S. Navy, Heather Pruett and her husband, Paul Almquist, of Odessa and Brandy Mitchell and her husband, Dwight, of Fayetteville, Ark.; his grandson, Dustin Pruett-Keese; his sisters, Cheyrice Brumfield and her husband, Larry, of Kingsland and Charlotte Pruett of Midland; and numerous other family members. A celebration in memory of his life is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, 2000, in the main hanger at Schlemeyer Field in Odessa. _________________________________________________________________ Leonor Pridgen SANDERSON Leonor M. Pridgen, 72, of Odessa passed away Saturday, Dec. 24, 2000, at her residence. Mrs. Pridgen was born Jan. 10, 1928, in Sanderson and lived there until moving to Odessa in 1987. She married Elisandro Pridgen on May 6, 1955, in Del Rio. She had been a member of St. James Catholic Church in Sanderson and a member of Guadalupanas Catholic Club from 1955 to 1987. She is survived by her husband, Elisandro D. Pridgen of Odessa; two sons, Sergio M. Pridgen and Elisandro M. Pridgen Jr. and his wife, Rosalinda, all of Odessa; two grandchildren, Elisandro Pridgen III and Sebastian Pridgen; and numerous nieces and nephews. Mrs. Pridgen will lie in state today at St. James Catholic Church in Sanderson. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000, at St. James Catholic Church in Sanderson with interment to follow at Santa Rita Cemetery under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Bill Walker ODESSA Bill L. Walker, 75, of Odessa passed away Sunday, Dec. 24, 2000, at a Midland hospital. Mr. Walker was born Nov. 21, 1925, in Brady. He grew up in Eden and graduated from Eden High School. He married Mary Hope Earnshaw Aug. 14, 1949, in Odessa. She preceded him in death in 1993. Mr. Walker was the owner of Inspection Services, Inc., for over 30 years and was a member of St. Andrew Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was a charter member of the Sandhills Ramblers RV Club and loved to travel. He has gone to his final rally. He is survived by a son, Mike Walker and his wife, Christi, of Camden, Tenn.; a daughter, Jana Walker of Odessa; a brother, James R. Walker of Oklahoma City; and two granddaughters, Annie Hope Walker and Whitney Love Walker. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. today, Dec. 27, 2000, at St. Andrew Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the Revs. Mike Walker and Craig Martindale officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Copyright © 2000 Odessa American. All rights reserved.