Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 19 Aug 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. August 19, 2001 Permian Basin Obituaries _________________________________________________________________ Mary Louise Hamilton ODESSA Mary Louise Hamilton, 85, of Odessa passed away Friday, Aug. 17, 2001, at a local hospital. Mrs. Hamilton was born April 22, 1916, in Fort Worth to Charles E. and Estelle Foshall. She married Robert F. Hamilton on March 28, 1942, in Fort Worth. They moved to Odessa in 1946 from Fort Worth. Mrs. Hamilton had been a member of the AARP, Odessa Garden Club and Highland United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Capt. Ronald W. Forrester, USMC; a grandson, Ronald David Forrester; and her sister, Margaret Foshall Buchanan. She is survived by her husband, Robert F. Hamilton of Odessa; a daughter, Jana Forrester Bland of Austin; two grandchildren, Seth A. Bland of San Antonio and Karoni Forrester Gonzales and her husband Javier of Austin; her nephew, Philip Hamilton of Odessa; and three cousins, Bettye Huddle, Susan Nelson and Brian Zielinski, all of Lubbock. Funeral services are scheduled for 3 p.m. today, Aug. 19, 2001, at Highland United Methodist Church with Dr. Mark Scott and the Rev. Don Forrester officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Active pallbearers will be Javier Gonzales, Seth Bland, Bobby Bland, Randy Nunley, Brian Zielinski and Philip Hamilton. Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ Kenneth 'Ken' Ronald Kiker ODESSA Ken Kiker, an environmental specialist, age 49, passed away Saturday, Aug. 18, 2001, at his residence in Odessa. He was born Dec. 18, 1951, in Odessa to Kenneth Lloyd and Mary Juanita Kiker. Services are scheduled at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, 2001, at Northside Baptist Church with the Rev. Clydel Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Ken was a member of the Class of 1970 at Odessa High School. He married Brenda Bolinger on Dec. 24, 1976, in Odessa. For many years, he worked for Citgo, EOTT, and Enron as a welder. He loved to hunt and fish and was a member of Northside Baptist Church. His son, Jeremy, preceded him in death in 1991. Survivors include his wife, Brenda of Odessa; sons, Kenneth Ronald Kiker Jr. of Bartlett and Toby Kiker of Odessa; parents, Kenneth and Juanita Kiker of Odessa; brother, Danny Kiker of Odessa; grandchildren, Kiley and Kalen Kiker of Cristoval; and nieces and nephews, Jennifer, Dustin, Stacey and Lauren. Memorials can be made to Home Hospice and to M.D. Anderson for research. Services are under the direction of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. _________________________________________________________________ A.R. Smith ALVARADO A.R. Dick Smith, 61, a geologist, died Wednesday, July 4, 2001, at his residence. Memorial services were held July 8, 2001, at First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church in Fort Worth. Following private committal services, Dick was laid to rest at Greenwood Memorial Park. Honorary pallbearers were his sons, Geren and Preston Smith, brother-in-law, Al Schultz, Hardy Childress, Ginger Courtney, Lori Greathouse, Carl Kunath, Howard McMahan, James Riddell, Peggy Schneider, Barbara Turner and Dale York. Those desiring, please make memorial contributions to the Dick Smith Memorial Music Fund, Westside U.U. Church, 6901 McCart St., Suite 125, Fort Worth, Texas, 76133. Anyone wishing to contact his wife, Ann M. Smith, may do so at P.O. Box 1876, Alvarado, Texas, 76009. A native of Odessa, Audas Richard Smith was born Sept. 22, 1939, the son of Audas Richardson and Annie Louise Watkins Smith. He attended Rice University for two years before receiving a degree in geology from the University of Texas at Austin. He was revered by his co-workers, whom he loved to encourage and share his knowledge with them, delivered along with his wonderfully corny sense of humor. He was considered an expert in karst geology and hydrogeology. In his early years, he was a cave explorer and is responsible for mapping many of the caves in Texas. He was the recipient of the first Texas Speleological Survey Outstanding Service Award, given in appreciation of 37 years of extraordinary contributions which have been instrumental for the TSS in attaining its goals of documenting, researching and conserving the caves and karst of Texas. Dick was also a member of the National Speleological Society. His hobbies included steam trains, building models of his beloved T&P railroad and researching railroad history. He was an officer and an active member in the Missouri Pacific Historical Society. Dick was a beloved leader in his church, serving in many capacities. One of his loves included music, both classical, especially opera, and hymns. Playing hymns from his childhood served as a form of relaxation for him. Dick was honorable, fair and principled with all. The universe has lost a beautiful soul. He was a sweet man, a gentle man and a gentleman. Loved by all who knew him, he abhorred violence of any kind. He was a voracious reader and an eloquent writer. He was an animal lover, especially of their precious pets. Dick was adored by his wife and was the most loving husband. More than life, he loved his Ann. Survivors: Wife of 11 years, Ann Marie Harding Smith of Alvarado; sons, Geren David Smith of Phoenix, Ariz., and Preston Smith of Holden, Mo., and their mother, Elizabeth Kelley Smith; daughter-in-law, Sarah; grandchildren, Griffin Guynn and Rigel Smith; brothers, David Smith and Donald Smith and wife Diana; mother-in-law, Avis Wirth; brother-in-law, Alex Schultz and wife Jeneane; and several nieces and nephews. _________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2000, 2001 Odessa American. All rights reserved.