Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 25 Feb 2001 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. February 25, 2001 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ Julia P. Gonzales Julia P. Gonzales, age 81, of Odessa, died Feb. 22, 2001 at Medical Center Hospital. She was born Jan. 20, 1920, in Roseville to Alex and Michelle Perez. Mrs. Gonzales will be in state at the home of her daughter, Juanita Madrid, at 924 Edgeport. A rosary will be held at the same address at 7 p.m. today. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 26, 2001, at Our Lady of San Juan Catholic Church with Rev. Mark Woodruff officiating. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Mrs. Gonzales grew up in Roseville. She married Luis Gonzales in Devine, Texas in 1949. They settled in Odessa in 1961. She was a homemaker and a member of Our Lady of San Juan Parish in Odessa, and was a member of Guadalupana. She was preceded in death by her husband, Luis, in 1977, and a son, Alfredo Perez. She is survived by her sons, Manuel Alvarez of Fort Worth, Luis Gonzales Jr. of Lyons, Kan., and Joe Gonzales of Odessa; daughters Maria G. Perez and Juanita Madrid of Odessa, Stefana Vasquez of Corpus Christi, and Sundie Sliter of Baytown; stepdaughters Patsy Vasquez of Corpus Christi, Gracie Zamora of Greeley, Colo., Eugenia Perez and Victoria Perez of Fort Worth, Dominga Perez of San Angelo, and Flora Morales of Illinois; sisters Dolores Rizo and Mary Lou Perez of Greeley, Colo. Arrangements are by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. www.wilsonfuneral.com _________________________________________________________________ Nannie Lee Chester Nannie Lee Chester, 87, of Odessa died Saturday, Feb. 24, 2001 at Seabury Nursing Home. She was born in Rotan, Texas, on June 16, 1913, to William Hayden Walker and Minnie Lee McGee Walker. She was one of five girls. She and Ollie Graham Chester were married in Rotan on June 20, 1933. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, O.G. Chester in 1995; daughter Ruby Charles Chester; and sisters Florence Wilson and Ruth Walker. She worked for many years as a beautician and owned Jimmies Beauty Shop. Survivors include her three daughters, Dixie Voss and her husband, Jack; Frances Howard and her husband, Clyde; and Carol Medlock, all of Odessa; and son Wayne Chester of Odessa. "Himama" is also survived by five grandchildren, Sherri Voss, Jenny Clay and husband Eddie, and was "Nana" to Nicole Medlock and Jeffrey Medlock, all of Odessa, and Stefanie Medlock of Canyon Lake, Texas. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren, Jack Motes and wife Angel of San Angelo, Jason Motes of Dallas, Christopher Clay, Jessica Clay and Christopher Gentry of Odessa. Other survivors are great-great grandchildren Dallas Motes and Breanna Motes of San Angelo; twin sister Sophia Hicks of San Antonio; sister Mattie Brewer of Ponca City, Okla.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2001, in the chapel of Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors with Rev. Dr. Jimmy Braswell officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. www.wilsonfuneral.com _________________________________________________________________ Josephine Couser Fulton Josephine "Couser" Fulton, age 82, of Odessa, died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock. She was born June 4, 1918, in San Antonio to Ernest Arthur and Mary Sophia Benfer. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, 2001, in the chapel of Frank Wilson Funeral Directors with the Rev. Mike Bartlett officiating. Inter-ment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Her family will be receiving friends from 2 to 4 p.m. today at the funeral home. She came to Odessa from San Antonio in 1952 with her husband, Carl J. Couser, who preceded her in death. She worked in retail for many years. While a loving mother to her own children, she was like a surrogate mother to many others as well. After retirement, she stayed active volunteering with the hospital auxiliary, having served as president, newsletter editor, and as an advisory board member. Mrs. Fulton was also a member of the Alpha Tau Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Sorority. Mrs. Fulton is survived by three sons, Charles Craig Couser of Mineola, Carl Arthur Couser of Plano, and Roger William Couser of Odessa; four daughters, Judith Louise Wargo of Wyalusing, Penn., Mary Adele Cotton of Haslet, Pamela Jo Frazier of Pueblo, Colo., and Elizabeth Ann Chovan of Odessa; a twin brother, Joseph Benfer of Lavernia; two sisters, Ernestine McCoy of San Antonio, and Marylouise Seaver of Bracketville; nine grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. If desired, memorial contributions can be made to the Hospital Auxiliary or the Ector County Public Library. www.wilsonfuneral.com _________________________________________________________________ Nora Jane Nix Hapenney WAIKIKI, Hawaii Nora Jane "Nix" Hapenney died quietly at St. Francis Hospice in Ewa, Hawaii, at the age of 80 after a long and courageous battle with emphysema. Mrs. Hapenney was well known in Odessa, where she spent 33 years of her working career with the Odessa American. She married Jim Hapenney July 3, 1940, in Burlington, Iowa. They moved to Odessa in September 1947 where both were employed by the Odessa American with a shared goal to increase the circulation. He was hired as the circulation manager and she as the circulation office manager. Working with a dedicated staff at the newspaper, they grew the circulation from 7,500 in 1947 to over 38,000 in 1980 when they retired. They expanded the reach of the newspaper from Odessa to the entire Permian Basin down to Ozona and Alpine and up to areas in New Mexico. In the early 60s, Mrs. Hapenney worked with the staff to begin automating the newspaper as they installed their first computer. In 1965, Mrs. Hapenney worked with others to create the Odessa American Federal Credit Union where she served as its secretary and treasurer for 14 years. The credit union later merged with others to become the Permian Basin Credit Union. Nix and Jim Hapenney retired to Waikiki Beach in 1980. Mrs. Hapenney worked part-time until 1998 as a bookkeeper for the Walina Condominium Owners Association. She also did volunteer work at the local crisis center in Honolulu. She loved the Hawaiian culture and enthusiastically supported all the local events. Nix Hapenney is survived by her husband, Jim Hapenney of Honolulu; a son, James D. "Dan" Hapenney II and his wife Sandra who reside in Waco, and three grandchildren, Penney Simpson, Bette Hapenney and James D. Hapenney III. Four great-grandchildren, Alex Simpson and Ashley, Jason and Samantha Millerd, also survive Nix Hapenney. A private memorial service is being held Sunday night at the Hale Koa Hotel in Waikiki. On Monday, there will be a scattering in the ocean offshore from Waikiki. If desired, donations may be made to American Lung Association. _________________________________________________________________ Ora Dell Lucas Ora Dell Christian Lucas passed away Feb. 23, 2001, at Medical Center Hospital. She was born July 20, 1913, in Crockett County. She married Earl Lucas on July 31, 1930, in Big Spring, Texas. Earl Lucas passed away Jan. 8, 1989. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Odessa. She is survived by one sister, Vera Slapp of Dallas, Texas. She is preceded in death by Sonny Lucas on Jan. 9, 1989. Survivors are Sue Wilson of Midland, Frances Parks of Fort Worth; grandchildren Kent Lucas, Darlese Atchison, Rance Parks, Tyler Parks, Teresa "Cookie" Lucas, Djuana Windholtz, Greg Parks, Dena Klover, Johnny Slovensky and Louis Slovensky. Great-grandchildren are John Parks, Deatri Parks, Natalie Parks, Lauren Windholtz, Jon Windholtz, Abbi Windholtz, Shannon Atchison, Joshua Lucas, Brittany Lucas, and Carly and Amber Slovensky. Pall bearers will be Kent Lucas, Rance Parks, Greg Parks, Al Chitwood, Johnny Slovensky and Bob Colin. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Service entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Joseph P. Johnston Joseph P. Johnston, 79, of Odessa passed away Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001, at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston. He was born Dec. 23, 1921, in Alvarado, Texas. He married Vera E. Thomas on March 23, 1947, in Austin. They moved to Odessa in 1948, where he worked as an industrial mechanic for General Machine & Supply Inc. for 46 years. He was a veteran of the Army during World War II. Mr. Johnston will be remembered as an avid Mojo fan and someone who loved helping others. He loved his family and his Lord and was a member of First Baptist Church. Survivors are his wife, Vera, of Odessa; sons James J. Johnston of Odessa and Delbert R. Johnston of Dale, Texas; a daughter, Sheila Prather of Odessa; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at First Baptist Church with the Rev Dr. Ernest Easley and the Rev. Bill D. Cook officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Shirley Ann Huffaker Shirley Ann Huffaker, 65, of Odessa passed away Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 at her home. She was born March 18, 1935, in Waco. She graduated from Waco High School in 1953 and went on to receive her bachelors degree in elementary education and speech therapy at Texas Tech University. While attending the university, she was voted Miss Texas Tech. She taught school for 13 years and is the author of a published short story. She later served as the director of the Adult Learning Center at Odessa College. She was the owner of the Homestead Tea Room and the Teachers Market. Her civic activities include being the first woman to be elected to the Ector County Independent School District school board, serving for 12 years and as president for two consecutive terms. She was chairman of Ector County President Ford Committee and a delegate for President Ford at the Republican Convention. She sponsored the Young Republicans Club and was president of Rexene Wives Club. She was a member of the Texas PTA advisory board for special education, advisory board for homemaking education, TSTA, Odessa Classroom Teachers Assoc-iation, Mayors Drug Council, Texas Association for Contin-uing Education, Medical Center Hospital Auxiliary, and Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Society. She served on the board of directors for the Childrens House Day Nursery, Odessa Industrial Bank, Youth Encourage-ment Services, Odessa Day Nursery, March of Dimes, and Meals on Wheels. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000, 2001 Odessa American. All rights reserved.