Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 18 March 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. March 18, 2001 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] Jerry William Erwin ODESSA Jerry William Erwin, age 62, of Odessa, passed away Thursday, March 15, 2001, at Medical Center Hospital. Services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 20, 2001, at the Sunset Chapel with Rev. Robert L. Bratcher officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the care of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. Jerry was born May 5, 1938, in Sentinel, Okla. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He had been a resident of Odessa for three years. Jerry was working for South-Tex Treaters and was a member of Mission Dorado Baptist Church. Survivors include his sister, Carolyn Skidmore of Odessa; a brother, Ronald Lee Erwin of Orlando, Fla., and several nieces and nephews. The family requests that donations be made to the building fund of Mission Dorado Baptist Church in lieu of flowers. _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] Stella Massey ODESSA Stella Massey, 75, passed away Friday, March 16, 2001, at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. She was born March 31, 1925, in Chicago, Ill. Troy Wilbert Massey preceded her in death in 2000. Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today, March 18, 2001, at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Jim Ray Brown officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Stella came here to Odessa in 1961 from Pauls Valley, Okla. She enjoyed making crocheted dolls. Survivors include her sons, Robert Troy Massey and wife Kippy, of Magnolia; William Jack Massey and wife Mary; and Roger Lee Massey and wife Melody, all of Odessa; daughters, Helen Louise Wheeler and husband Paul of Alvarado, Texas; Donna Gail McClung and husband Bill of Lewisville, Texas; and Nita Marie Massey and husband Dennis of Odessa; three sisters, Josie Radzik, Shophie Janik and Irean Kersten; 14 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. Services are entrusted to Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] William Pettit ODESSA William L. "Bill" Pettit, 86, of Odessa passed away Friday, March 16, 2001, at Parks Retirement Village in Odessa. Mr. Pettit was born April 20, 1914, in Throckmorton, Texas. He married Helen Grace Grover on May 9, 1937 in Seymour, Texas. He had attended John Tarleton University and Ohio State University. He worked as the Executive Vice-President of the Del-Tex Corporation of Odessa, Lubbock and San Angelo from 1936 to 1985 and served as the Director of the Ector County Senior Citizens Center from the early 1980s to the mid 1990s. Mr. Pettit had been a long-time resident of Odessa and served the community in many ways. He was a long-time member and Elder Emeritus of the First Christian Church. He received the West Texas Chamber of Commerce "Leadership Award" in 1967, the "Zeus Award" for Humanitarian Services in 1974, the Outstanding Citizen of Odessa Award in 1980 and the Roger Ozmun Award that recognized his service to his community and his trade organizations. He had been Past Chairman, Odessa College Board of Regents; Past President, Permian Basin Genealogical Society; Past President and Founding Board Member, Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center; 1977 Chairman of the Board and Past Director, Odessa Chamber of Commerce; Past President, Candy Wholesalers Association; Past President, Texas Merchandise Vendors Association; 1990 Director and long-time Board Member, Permian Basin fair and Exposition; Past President, Texas Council of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Community Centers; Member of the Board of Directors, Texas Tobacco Association; and was featured in the 1973 volume of the "Men of Achievement in Texas," a Whos Who in business over the state. Mr. Pettit was a member of the Downtown Lions Club, Odessa Chuckwagon Gang, Board of Governors of the Globe Theater, Permian Playhouse, Board of Presidential Museum, Midland-Odessa Symphony, Permian Panther Booster Club and the Democratic Party. Mr. Pettit will lie in state from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, March 18, 2001, in the Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home with the family to receive friends from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Memorial services are scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday, March 19, 2001, in the First Christian Church with The Rev. Dr. David C. Mindel officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Bryant, Don Blair, David Austin, Larry Carroll, Bill Elms, Louis Rochester, Dan Hemphill and Scott Taylor. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center, 620 N. Alleghaney Ave., Odessa, Texas 79761. Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] James A. Rouse ODESSA James A. Rouse, age 91, of Odessa passed away March 17, 2001, at Odessa Regional Hospital. Military Graveside Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, March 19, 2001, at Sunset Memorial Gardens. James served in the U.S. Army before WWII and was recalled after the start of the war. He served as a sergeant in the Military Police. He married Effie L. Rouse on December 9, 1950, in Lovington, N.M. His wife, Effie; stepdaughters, Floy Mae Goode and Betty Jo Badgwell; brothers, Marvin and Ramond Rouse and sister Marie all preceded him in death. James worked as a carpenter for many years, and was employed with Murphy and Rochester and other contractors in Odessa. He was a member of the V.F.W. Post 4372. Survivors include his stepson, Claude Strickland of Arlington; stepdaughters, Glendora Parker of Carlsbad, N.M., Wanda Jones of North Richland Hills, Jean Peterson of Odessa, Rachel Gard of Odessa and Donna Honnoll of Foreman, Ark.; a sister-in-law, Inez Rouse of Center Point, and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Services are in the care of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] Varner B Stevens ODESSA Varner "B" Stevens was born July 15, 1914 in Elk City, Oklahoma to Sylvester and Mary Stevens. He married Frances Anne Preston on August 13, 1940, in Childress and she preceded him in death January 1, 1978. Varner worked for the Postal Service in Childress and was Postmaster there before moving to Odessa in 1973 where he was Postmaster until 1983, when he retired with 42 years at the postal service. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of McFarland Masonic Lodge No. 1338, Childress Masonic Lodge No. 1085, the Scottish Rite and El Maida Temple in El Paso. He was also a member of the Downtown Lions Club and the Chuckwagon Gang. Survivors include a daughter, Leonora Cawthon and husband Fred Cawthon of Brownfield; son Preston Stevens and wife Valerie Stevens of Odessa; five grandchildren, Steven Cawthon, Kristi Moore, Shay Cawthon, James Stevens and Jennifer Spaulding; and four great-grandchildren, Madison, Laiken and Logan Cawthon and Connor Stevens. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, March 19, 2001, in the Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 20, 2001, in the Childress Cemetery, Childress, Texas, under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Honorary pallbearers will be the Odessa Chuckwagon Gang. Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Charles M. Hayes NEW BRAUNFELS Charles M. Hayes, 73, of New Braunfels, Texas, died Thursday, March 15, 2001, in Kirkwood Manor. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with Max Lucado officiating. Arrangements are by Doeppenschmidt Funeral Home of New Braunfels, Texas. Hayes was born Aug. 23, 1927, in Donna, Texas, to William Houston Hayes and Grace (Crawford) Hayes. He graduated from Donna High School, attended Texas A&M, served in the United States Army Signal Corp at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey and in the Phillipines. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He retired from the Shell Oil Company after 35 years in 1983. He was Scout Master of Troop 258 in Andrews, Texas. He married Joann Brown on Oct. 18, 1952 in Seminole, Texas. He is survived by his wife, Joann Hayes of New Braunfels; children Frances Hayes Raburn and her husband O.B. III of Katy, Texas, Dale Ross Hayes and wife Kimberly of Sugarland, Texas, and Dana Hayes Marks and husband Kevin of New Braunfels; grandchildren Neil Charles and Marisa Dale Raburn, Ross Anders and London Terry Hayes, Kate Hannah and Tye Graham Marks; sister Elizabeth Carlson of Rosenburg, Texas; brothers Lloyd Hayes and wife Gwen of Donna, Texas, Joe Hayes and wife Carolyn of Hemet, Calif., and Roy Hayes and wife Marsha of Richmond, Texas. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association Alamo Area Chapter, 8918 Tesoro Dr., No. 405, San Antonio, Texas 78217. Or to the United Parkinson Foundation, 220 South State St., Chicago, Ill. 60604. _________________________________________________________________ Joseph Poucher ODESSA Joseph Poucher, 73, of Odessa passed away Wednesday, March 14, 2001, at his residence. He was born October 30, 1927, in Frankclay, Missouri. Mr. Poucher married Eavlyn Christine Zeigenbein on September 6, 1952, in St. Louis, Missouri. He moved to Odessa in 1975 from Cabot, Arkansas. He was a retired Service Technician. He was an Air Force Veteran of the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War. He was a Baptist. Survivors are his wife, Eavlyn Christine Poucher of Odessa; sons Donald Eugene Poucher, Joseph Edward Poucher and Thomas Allen Poucher, all of Odessa; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Services will be held 2 p.m. Monday, March 19, 2001, at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home with the Rev. Jimmy Braswell officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] Lorea Mae Brown ODESSA Lorea Mae Brown was born February 1, 1908, in Rosebud, Texas, to E.B. and Effie Hair. She died Friday, March 16, 2001, after a lengthy illness. She married Robert J. Brown on December 20, 1924, in Sweetwater, Texas, and he preceded her in death in 1974. She and her husband moved to Odessa in 1937 from Rosco, Texas, and was a member of the Northside Baptist Church here in Odessa. Survivors include two sons, Robert and wife LaWanda of Odessa, Bennie and wife Helen of Altus, Okla.; two daughters, Cora Bell Shows and husband A.B., Dorothy Grizzard of Big Spring, Texas; one brother, Russell Hair of Sweetwater, Texas; one sister, Pauline LeCroy of Big Springs, Texas; 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and three great-great granchildren. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Lucille Wolz. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Monday March 19, 2001, at the Northside Baptist Church with Reverend Clydel Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Cemetery. Pallbearers will be her grandsons. Services are under the auspices of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ [INLINE] Bernardo Ybarra ODESSA Bernardo "Nardo" Bustillos Ybarra, 77, of Odessa died March 16, 2001, at Medical Center Hospital. Services are at 2 p.m. Monday, March 19, 2001, at St. Josephs Catholic Church with Father Frank Chavez officiating. Burial is at Rose Hill Cemetery. Rosary service is at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 18, 2001, at Odessa Funeral Home Chapel. He was born on August 20, 1923, in Sanderson, Texas to Atilana and Isabel Ybarra. He fell in love with Eduvijes Jaquez and married her on January 5, 1947. Being the risk taker that he was, he moved his new bride to Odessa in search of work and a willingness to start a new life and family. He worked for the City of Odessa for a short time and then worked the remainder of his life as a cement finisher. He learned the value of hard work and dedication to work at an early age. This trait he has passed on to his children and grandchildren. Living far away from his own family, he quickly learned how to be a jack of all trades. He built his own house on Laredo where he still lived and later had a hand in helping all of his children with various home improvement projects in their own homes. Last week he was still busy with some improvements to his house when he became too sick to finish his latest project. Nardo, as his friends called him, was well loved and respected by all that knew him. He touched the lives of many people during his stay here on Earth. Family and friends poured into his hospital room to pay their last respects. He was many things to many people: "Nardito" to his wife of 54 years; "Daddy and Apa" to his son and three daughters; "Grandpa" to his 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; "Tio" to the nieces and nephews who always had to come see him whenever they were in the neighborhood or in Odessa; "Patron" to the couple he befriended when he first came to Odessa; "Shorty" to the men he worked with for so many years; "Tripitas" to his childrens childhood friends who still liked to go by there and visit; and "Sr. Ybarra" to the neighbors he loved and adopted as his newest addition to the family. Nardo has gone on before us, but is now reunited with his deceased son, Israel Ybarra. He is survived by his wife, Eduvijes, and their three daughters, Irma Molinar and sons Paul and Jeremy, Irene Granado and husband Willie along with their sons Ivan, Zeke and Ryan, and Imelda Castillo and husband Mike with their sons Mike, Alex, Eric and Cory; his beloved and cherished granddaughters, Elia Goodman, Joann Ybarra and Yvonne Ybarra. He also was blessed to live to enjoy eight great grandchildren. Bernardo lived life to the fullest each day. He had no regrets for what could have been or what he could have done. He never complained about the quality of his life or tried to live beyond his means. He was a simple man with good values, strong moral character and a winning personality. To those who knew him and loved him, the family wishes to pass on this poem: "To Those I Love and Those Who Love Me" When I am gone, release me, let me go, I have so many things to see and do. You mustnt tie yourself to me with tears, be happy that we had so many years. I gave you my love, you can only guess, how much you gave me happiness. I thank you for the love you each have shown, but now, its time I traveled on alone. So grieve awhile for me, if grieve you must, then let your grief be comforted by trust. Its only for awhile that we must part, to bless the memories within your heart. I wont be far away for life goes on, so if you need me, call and I will come. Though you cant see or touch me, Ill be near, and if you listen with your heart, you will hear. All of my love around you, soft and clear, and then you must come this way alone, Ill greet you with a smile and a "Welcome Home." _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000, 2001 Odessa American. All rights reserved. Refer comments to Webmaster.