Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online 26 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 26, 2001 Permian Basin Obituaries Obituaries Index John Griffith ODESSA - John R. Griffith, 78, of Odessa passed away Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2001, in Garland. John was born Aug. 4, 1923, in Olney. Retired from Sears Roebuck & Co, he was a U.S. Army Air Force veteran of World War II. He was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Odessa. John was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years, Irene Griffith, in June 2000, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rube Griffith, a sister, Ruby Webb, and two brothers, Perry Lamonte Griffith and Hershel Griffith. He is survived by one son, the Rev. Paul Thompson and his wife, Gloria, of Odessa; two grandsons and their wives, Wayne and Stacey Thompson of Grapevine and Stuart and Lesli Thompson of Corinth; two sisters, Dorthy Gatlin of Stephenville and Janell Rector of Brownwood; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27, 2001, at First Assembly of God Church with the Revs. Gene Allen and Roger Griffith officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. If desired, memorials may be made to the Building Fund of First Assembly of God Church of Odessa, 1101 N. Lee Ave., Odessa, Texas, 79761. Services are entrusted to Hubbard Kelly Funeral Home. 'Coach' Raymond Newton ODESSA - Raymond Newton, 81, of Odessa passed away Saturday, Aug. 25, 2001, after a brief battle with lung cancer. He was born Oct. 12, 1919, in Marshall. Services will be held 2 p.m. Monday, Aug 27, 2001, at Temple Baptist Church with the Rev. Raymond Bugg of Community Care Hospice officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Ray was a football coach and teacher at Odessa High School for many years and D.E. Coordinator at Ector High School. He was a devoted husband, father, teacher and coach. He was well liked by faculty and students. Ray touched many lives and will be remembered by his "kids" as he always referred to his football team. Ray's family would like to express their thanks to Nurses Unlimited, West Texas Cancer Center and Community Care Hospice of Odessa and their devoted staff, who were with them all of the way. They offer special thanks to Manuel Rios, his nurse, who stayed with Ray until the end. He was preceded in death by his parents, Linnie Gertrude Newton and W.C. Newton. He is survived by his wife, Jerry Newton of Odessa; a daughter, Pat Winchell and husband Joe of Midland; two sons, David M. Newton, Tad Newton and wife Cheri, both of Odessa; four granddaughters, Mindy and Shelly Winchell and Chrissy and Ashley Newton; two brothers, O.E. "Red" Newton and wife Maxine of Odessa and Melvin Newton and wife Norma of Stephenville; and several nieces and nephews. Services have been entrusted to Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. Julia Bell Powell ODESSA - Julia Bell Powell, 83, of Odessa, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2001, at Medical Center Hospital. Julia was born July 8, 1918, in Smithfield, Texas, to General Peterson Sr. and Sussie Burgess. Preceding Julia in death were her husband, John Anderson Powell Sr., her father and mother, a son, Arthur Lee Powell Sr., and a grandson, Derrick Shepard. Julia was a member of Parks Memorial Church of God in Christ in Odessa. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday at Rose of Sharon Baptist Church, 1615 E. Murphy, with W.C. Kenan officiating. Burial will follow at Ector County Cemetery. Survivors include son, John Anderson Powell Jr. of Odessa; daughters, Rose Mary Shepard and Vivian Ruth Ferguson, both of Odessa; brothers John Peterson of Odessa, Leroy Peterson and General Peterson Jr., both of Smithfield, and Lawrence Earl Peterson and Robert Peterson, both of Houston; sisters, Lois P. Davis, Gladys Peterson and Jewel McMillan, all of Washington, D.C., Lillian Peterson of Smithfield, Mildred Calvert of Austin, and Earnestine Peterson of Mansfield, Texas. Surviving grandchildren include Gary Powell, Terry Powell, John G. Powell, Terri G. Powell, John Williams, Lejon Williams, Temesha Powell, Johnathan Powell, Booker Powell, Journey Powell, Woodie Shepard, Darrel Shepard, Patricia Shepard and Brenda Shepard, Arthur Powell Jr., Carl Powell, Leron Powell, Dustin Powell, Bertrum Powell, Arthur Powell III, Elton Powell, Barry Powell, Larry Powell, Edmond Powell, Melonie Carden and Carolyn Anderson. Services are under the care of Martinez Funeral Home. Alford "Al" Willard Smallwood ODESSA - Alford "Al" Willard Smallwood, 58, of Victoria passed away Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2001. Alford was born Oct. 5, 1942, in Winters to Archie Willard Smallwood and Stella "Muzzie" Hartley Smallwood. He graduated from Odessa High School in 1961. He was a paint contractor in Austin and Clear Water, Fla. He recently relocated to Victoria. He was preceded in death by his mother, Stella "Muzzie" Smallwood, and brother, Millard "Woody" Smallwood. Al leaves behind his beloved wife, Katherine Wright Smallwood; daughters, Aly Smallwood of Victoria, Monica Harding of Land O' Lakes, Fla., and Sonja Ayers of Austin; his father, A.W. Smallwood of Odessa; sister, Vada McCallum of Odessa; brother, Jimmy "Wimpy" Smallwood of Leander; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and nieces, nephews and numerous friends. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27, 2001, at Sunset Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Jerry Thorpe officiating. Services entrusted to Hubbard Kelly Funeral Home. Pallbearers are Mike Moore, Don Moore, Beau Jack Hendrick, Melvin