Ector Co. TX - Obits from the Odessa American Online December 06, 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. Permian Basin Obituaries ============================================================================================ December 06, 2001 Permian Basin Obituaries Obituaries Index Dorothy Pryor Moore ARLINGTON - Dorothy Pryor Moore went home to be with the Lord Dec. 1, 2001. She was born Nov. 16, 1935, in Seminole, Okla. Dorothy resided in Odessa for many years where she graduated from Odessa High School and Odessa College prior to attending the University of Texas at El Paso. In her youth, she was well known for her vocal talent and frequently sang at Temple Baptist Church where she attended. Later in life, she developed her artistic abilities and thoroughly enjoyed painting. Dorothy was loved and admired for her strength and perseverance in life. She moved to Arlington to be near her children. She was preceded in death by her son, Jeffery Woodward Moore. She is survived by her daughter, Lisa Suzanne Blackmon of Fort Worth, and son, J. Michael Moore of Arlington. She cherished her relationships with her grandchildren, Courtney Blackmon of Fort Worth and Jake and Erin Moore of Arlington. Dorothy had three sisters, Arada Jones and husband Charles of Odessa, Mary Ann Pike and Glynda Pryor, both of Dallas; and a brother, A. Joe Pryor and wife Nelda of Bakersfield, Calif. She was Aunt Dot to eight nieces and nephews and 13 great-nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, 2001, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 2210 S. Collins, in Arlington. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to OC Foundation Memorial Fund, Odessa College, 201 W. University Blvd., Odessa, Texas, 79764, or the charity of your choice. Maurice Gordon Smith ODESSA - This is our father, Maurice Gordon Smith. Faced with pain and paralysis for over 20 years from Parkinson's disease, his soul was finally freed from the body that imprisoned it Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001. "Flash," as he was known to family and friends, was born Dec. 30, 1930, in Olton. He graduated from Plainview High School and married his high school sweetheart, Jo Ann, in 1949. He worked for General Tire Co. for 18 years and received medical retirement from there in 1984. Preceding him in death were his parents, Jo Ella Smith and Jerome Gritzman. In celebrating his life, we remember how he loved golf, camping with his daughters and high school football, especially the Odessa High Bronchos. Although he was bedridden the last years of his life, he would listen to the games Friday night and watch taped playoff games over and over. He served as president of the Odessa High Band Boosters in 1973-1974. Both he and Jo Ann are lifetime members of the Odessa High Band Boosters. Flash was a simple and good man. He would not want to be remembered as a saint, but as a human being having both good and bad traits. He showed tremendous courage and dignity in the way he handled his declining health. He knew that bad times could be endured and good times should be savored. Flash is survived by his wife, our mother, Jo Ann. She loved him and cared for him through good times and bad for over 52 years. He left a legacy of memories with his daughters and their families. They are Marsha Tice and her husband, Bob, of Aurora, Colo., Dr. Margaret Stratton and her husband, Steve, of Germantown, Md., Mari Leal and her husband, Armando, of Odessa and Marice Collier. Flash was blessed with nine grandchildren. They are Jennifer Tice Opila, Amber Tice, Emily Stratton, Brian Stratton, Riley Hagelstein, Andrew Hagelstein, Andy Leal, Cipriano Leal and Nikki Johnson. He also had five great-grandchildren, Hayden and Opal Opila, Ariana Leal, Alexis and Trevor Johnson. Flash is also survived by cousins, Bluford Turner of Fritch and Betty Lou Vaughn of Amarillo. A special thanks to the doctors, nurses and especially the caregivers who treated him and attended him at home. The family would specifically like to thank Sonia Ramirez, Diana Williams, Dick Brown, John Caraway and Gary Vaughn. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Home Hospice and Hospice House of Odessa. On Friday, the seventh of December at 11 a.m., we will lay Daddy to rest at Rose Hill Cemetery. The pallbearers are Bill Stanford, John Caraway, Bob Drugan, Andrew Hagelstein, Andy Leal, Cipriano Leal and Brian Stratton. Dick Brown will preside over the graveside service. Viewing will be today, with the family receiving from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Odessa Funeral Home Angeles Memorial Chapel. Who, through long days of labor, And nights devoid of ease, Still heard in his soul the music Of wonderful melodies. We love you, Daddy. Marsha, Margaret and Mari. Dr. Edwin Theron Blair ODESSA - Dr. Edwin Theron Blair, 83, of Odessa passed away Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001, at Medical Center Hospital. He was born Jan. 5, 1918, in Paris, Ark. In 1941, he graduated from Baylor University College of Dentistry and then was licensed to practice in Texas and Arkansas. In 1941, he entered the U.S. Army Medical Corps and ended his tour as major in 1946. He then moved to Odessa and started his general dental practice where he also met and married his wife Phyllis Adams Nov. 21, 1950. Dr. Blair served the community as a general dentist from 1946 to 1951 and then specialized in pediatric dentistry from 1951 to 1987 when he retired. He was a life member of the Texas Dental Association, American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and charter member for the Association for Functional Orthodontics. He was also an active member of First Baptist Church since 1946. He was preceded in death by his parents, Theron Cherry and Ocie Lillian Blair, and sister, Ruth Lillian Barton. Survivors are his wife, Phyllis of Odessa; son, Phillip Theron Blair and wife Lisa of Fort Worth; daughters, Betsy Blair of Manhattan, Kan., and Sallie A. Blair of Midland; and eight grandchildren, Amy, Ashley, Jason, Jonathan, Angela, Jeremy, Josiah and Jordan Blair. Services will be held at 2 p.m. today, Dec. 6, 2001, at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Ernest Easley officiating. Interment will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, 2001, at Oakwood Cemetery in Paris, Ark. Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Dell King MIDLAND - Dell King died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001, in Odessa. A visitation has been set from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, 2001, at Ellis Funeral Home. Funeral services have been set for 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, 2001, at Cuthbert Avenue Baptist Church with the Rev. Don Knight officiating. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home. Dell King was born Nov. 14, 1924, in Oklahoma to George Edward and Lora Mae Crowder. She was reared and educated in Brownwood. On Aug. 27, 1965, in Midland, Dell married Roy F. King. Dell was a member of Cuthbert Ave. Baptist Church. Dell is survived by her husband, Roy F. King of Odessa; her sister, Gilma Morgan and her husband, Jay, of Arlington; her son, Don Louis Jones; her daughter, Linda McCollum and her husband, John, all of Odessa; stepchildren, Bill King and his wife, Sherry, of Hurst, Pat Potts and her husband, Calvin, of Arlington and Beverly Birch and her husband, Bob, of Garland; grandchildren, Traci Freeman and her husband, Gary, Misti McCollum, Kristi Eicher and her husband, Craig, Dylan Louis Jones, Derek Louis Jones, all of Odessa, Lydia Cannyn of Galveston, Tammy Mineard of Colorado City, Rocky Louis Jones of Victoria, Gene McCormick of Hurst, Vickie Clark of Arlington, Tammy Erickson of Paradise, Marty McCormick of Weatherford, Alan King of Hurst, Russell King of Dallas and Sarah King of Hurst; and 14 great-grandchildren. Serving as pallbearers will be Russell King, Gene McCormick, Danny Jones, Billy Ray, Kenny Copeland and Christopher Talbert. Clara E. McLain ODESSA - Clara E. McLain, 90, formerly of Odessa, died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001, in Wichita, Kan. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and services at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. She was born Sept. 24, 1911, in Hannibal, Mo. She married Emmett E. McLain June 8, 1931, in Dallas. Mrs. McLain had a long career in retailing women's wear, working in Dallas and Fort Worth before coming to Odessa as manager of the downtown JoAnn Shop. She retired in 1987. She was a member of St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church and was active in Altrusa. She was known by her many friends as "Mrs. Mac." She was preceded in death by her husband, Emmett E. McLain; parents, George and Nellie White; and sister, Dorothy Harvey. She is survived by her sister, Mrs. Evelyn Corliss of Wichita, Kan.; and five nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church. Esther Velasquez Gonzales ODESSA - Esther Velasquez Gonzales, 76, of Odessa passed away Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001, at Hospice House. Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, 2001, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with the Rev. Gilbert Rodriguez officiating. Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. today at Odessa Funeral Home Angeles Memorial Chapel. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery. She was born Oct. 29, 1925, in Fort Stockton to Ernesto and Margarita Velasquez and had been a resident of Fort Stockton before moving to Odessa in 1949. She married Manuel R. Gonzales in 1946 in Fort Stockton. She was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. She is survived by her children, Salvador Gonzales and wife Graciela of Odessa, Manuel Gonzales and wife Theresa of Austin, David Gonzales and wife Laura of Odessa, Sofia Carden and husband Keith of Crosby, Martha Arriaga and husband Mingo of Houston and Dolores Martinez and husband Chris Sr. of Odessa; brothers, Ernesto Velasquez Jr., Matias Velasquez and Augustin Velasquez, all of Fort Stockton; sisters, Silvia Gonzalez of Fort Stockton and Rosa Ruiz of Odessa; 20 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. The family of Esther Gonzales would like to sincerely thank all of those who offered prayers and support during our time of need. Our family was fortunate to have Esther in our lives but more importantly, we were fortunate to be able to tell her we love her and tell her our good-byes. Special thanks to Home Hospice Hospital, the Medical Center Hospital staff and Dr. Ghanta for helping to ease the pain. Copyright © 2000, 2001 Odessa American. All rights reserved.