Ector Co. TX - Obituaries from the Odessa American Online 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 Copyright © 1999-2002 Odessa American. All rights reserved ============================================================================================ Tuesday May 28, 2002 Obituaries John E. Griffith MIDLAND - John E. Griffith was called home on May 27, 2002. He quietly and lovingly served God. John was born Aug. 18, 1929, and served in the U.S. Army in 1946. He moved to Midland in 1951 and later met and married Lou Ann Jackson in 1952. Prior to his retirement in 1986 he was employed by Pioneer Corporation. John is survived by his wife, Lou Ann Griffith of Midland; daughters, Gwen Gunter and her husband Herman of Midland; Judy Wilhite and her husband Dennis of Odessa; grandchildren, Travis, Robert, Amanda, Ashley, Kristina, James, Rachel and Brian; three brothers and four sisters. A daughter, Jill Naill, preceded him in death in 1994. John was loved by everyone who knew him and will be greatly missed by all. He was a charter member of Crestview Baptist Church. Visitation will be today, May 28, 2002, at Ellis Funeral Home between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Funeral services have been scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, 2002, at Crestview Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. John Gerlach and the Rev. Ronald Vandyke officiating. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home. Stella Louise Benefield Nutt KERMIT - Stella Louise Benefield Nutt, loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away Saturday, May 25, 2002, at the age of 77. She came into this world Sept. 14, 1924, in Chilicothe, Texas. She married L.R. "Red" Nutt on March 4, 1955, in Lovington, N.M. To that union was born a daughter, Foydell and a son, Layne. In her passing she left behind to treasure her memory her daughter and son-in-law, Mickey and Foydell Mitchell of Monahans; one son and daughter-in-law, Layne and Shannon Nutt of Kermit; five grandchildren, Whitney, Kaitlin and Logan Mitchell and Lauren and Lindsay Nutt; two brothers-in-law and five sisters-in-law, and many nephews and nieces. Stella was still active in the family business, Kermit Motor Company, at the time of her death. She had a special gift - her love for all her children. Although by profession she was not a daycare provider, you wouldn't know it since she usually had two or three children with her at all times. However, her grandchildren were her pride and joy. There was nothing more important to her than those five children. She will be remembered most for always placing her family's interests and needs above her own. She was an energetic, beautiful and giving lady that will be missed by all. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the nursery department of the First Baptist Church of Kermit. Services will be at 1 p.m. today, May 28, 2002, at the First Baptist Church with the Rev. J.R. Manning presiding. Burial will follow at the Kermit Cemetery. Services have been entrusted to Cooper Funeral Chapel. Pallbearers are Bob Highley, Duff Michel, Dan Michel, Mike Emmerson, Todd Ethridge and Kelly Creager. Honory pallbearers are Bill White, Larry Hanna, Jerry Fullen and Jack Healy. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." - John 14: 1-3 Billy Joe Taylor DEANVILLE - Billy Joe Taylor, 76, beloved husband and father, died Sunday, May 26, 2002, at his residence in Deanville after fighting a short battle with cancer. Mr. Taylor was born June 24, 1925, in Sintinel, Okla., to A.B. and Opal (Brown) Taylor. He was a World War II veteran. On Oct. 11, 1947, Billy Joe married Pat Burchfield in Oklahoma City. He followed the oil fields and in 1948 they moved to Odessa and lived there for many years. Billy Joe made many friends in his life and made even more after moving to Deanville in 1978. He was a member of the Frenstat Gun Club and the V.F.W. Being a retired business man, he owned and operated Falcon Tubing Services in Deanville. In his free time, Billy Joe loved to go fishing and hunting. He also won many trophies playing dominoes and earned the title of Domino Champion. Survivors include his loving wife of 54 years, Patty Taylor of Deanville; son, Billy C. Taylor and wife Terri of Brenham; daughters, Patsy Allen and husband Larry of Odessa and Susan Maass of Somerville; four brothers and three sisters-in-law, Udell Taylor of Odessa, Dub and Sue Taylor of Odessa, Jimmy and Geneva Taylor Sanford and Johnnie and Muriel Taylor of Duncan, Okla.; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Fern and Harvey Mason of Tuttle, Okla. and Shirley Bean of Artesia, N.M.; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Rickey; and his grandson, Josh. Funeral services will be today, May 28, 2002, at 10 a.m. in St. John's Lutheran Church in Deanville with the Rev. Don Laird officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society or to the charity of choice. Funeral services entrusted to Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell. Aurora Lola Hernandez Hinojos ODESSA - Aurora (Lola) Hernandez Hinojos, 73 years of age, of Odessa passed away on May 26, 2002, at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. She was born Feb. 21, 1929, in Big Spring to Manuel and Andrea Hernandez. On March 8, 1950, in Presidio, she united in marriage to Jesus Amancio Hinojos Sr. To this unification was born four children. Mrs. Hinojos was a housewife and a Catholic. She was preceded in death by her parents, and is survived by her husband, Jesus A. Hinojos Sr. of Odessa; son, Jesse H. Hinojos Jr. and wife Dolores of Midland; daughters, Irma Y. Hinojos of Odessa, Romelia H. Martinez and husband Ruben of Odessa and Elva H. Hernandez and husband Johnny of Odessa; brother, Ruben Hernandez and wife Francis of Presidio; sister, Virginia Hernandez of Presidio; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. A rosary will be said at 7 p.m. tonight at the Odessa Funeral Chapel. Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, May 29, 2002, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with the Rev. Gilbert Rodriguez officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Daniel Hinojos, Jeffrey Hinojos, Eric Hinojos, Benjamin Martinez, Rolando Hernandez, Steve Greenhill, Salvador Hinojos Jr. and Larry Molinar. Services by Odessa Funeral Home Angeles Memorial Chapel. Copyright © 1999-2002 Odessa American. All rights reserved.