Ector Co. TX - Obituaries from the Odessa American Online Submitted by Sonny Hall shall@balista.com 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 =========================================================================== Sunday September 29, 2002 Warren Burnett CLEAR LAKE - Texas lawyer Warren Burnett, 75, designated by the Texas Bar Association as a "living legend" two years ago, died of a heart attack Monday, Sept. 23, while he and his wife, Kay, were visiting in Fort Davis, Texas. The Burnetts have a home in League City and a beach house in Galveston. He was stricken while drinking an afternoon beer with his wife and a friend in the garden patio at a Fort Davis bed-and-breakfast establishment. Jeff Davis County EMTs gave immediate emergency treatment to Burnett. Burnett was known for his eloquent use of the English language in the courtroom, "pure poetry" according to a colleague, and superb courtroom strategy. Beginning in 1951, Burnett distinguished himself as a 23-year-old district attorney for Odessa and Midland in the 70th Judicial District. After two terms he opened his own practice as a trial lawyer. He tried jury cases all over Texas, New Mexico, California, Boston, etc. He flew his own airplane from trial to trial. His law practice out of Odessa spanned 40 years. He became a controversial figure in the 1960s and 1970s doing a lot of pro bono work: getting Hispanics integrated into the system in the Texas Valley; participating in demonstrations and boycotts against grape growers’ alleged mistreatment of Caesar Chavez and his stoop-labor farms workers; nuclear waste dumps in Texas; as well as organizing memorial marches honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Odessa. West Texas conservatives abhorred his liberal politics. What was not in the news and the limelight, was Burnett’s generosity. He gave millions to nonprofit organizations. He did not talk about it, but he paid for numerous young people’s education, often hiring them to clerk for him if in law school, and then helping them get established in the practice of law, as writers, teachers or whatever they wanted to be. Burnett did not charge a client if he didn’t win their case, shared all his legal fees with his entire staff, established a Chair at Texas Tech and established scholarship funds for minorities at University of Texas of the Permian Basin. He provided the seed money to establish a multi-media arts center founded by his wife, Kay. Together, they created a charitable foundation and named it after his mother, Gladys B. Burnett was born to a lead and zinc miner, Jim and wife, Gladys Burnett, in Austinville, Va, on May 4, 1927. He was the star pitcher of the high school baseball team and was voted by classmates "most likely to succeed." He laughed and agreed with the exclamation by an Austinville contemporary who became a barber in the House barbershop in Congress: "I never was so surprised to see somebody do as good as Warren had did. He never was nothin’ special in Austinville. About all he done was lay around and read books." LIFE magazine named Warren Burnett in 1962 as one of the "Red-Hot Hundred," a foldout gallery of the young leaders in the United States who met the criteria of "1) tough, self-imposed standards of individual excellence; 2) a zest for hard work; 3) a dedication to something larger than themselves; 4) the courage to act against old problems; 5) the boldness to try out new ideas; 6) a hard-bitten, undaunted hopefulness about man." Burnett was ranked along with playwright Edward Albee; Boeing’s Harry Goldie; NASA’s Chris Kraft, Jr.; writer John Updike; opera singer Leontyne Price; and physicist Murray Gell-Mann. In 1969, he was featured in Harper’s magazine. Numerous articles have been written about him in Texas newspapers and magazines. Burnett attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI), now known as Virginia Tech, after graduating from high school, but dropped out to join the U.S. Marines. He served in the China-Burma Theater near the end of World War II. Former Galveston Superintendent of Schools, Frank Vollart, served with Burnett. After the war Vollart called Warren Burnett through the "company store" in Austinville and suggested he come to Texas and attend Lamar College in Beaumont with him. Burnett hitchhiked to Texas, attended Lamar on the G.I. Bill, and roomed with Vollart. Burnett was an English major with dreams of being a writer. "I was tired of being poor, and I realized a chimpanzee could be a lawyer and make money at it," Burnett has said through the years. He applied to Baylor Law School, "because it was the only place I could get in at mid-term." He thumbed rides to San Antonio for his first job in the district attorney’s office upon graduation from law school and passing the Texas State Bar exams, and soon applied and was hired as a trial lawyer in the Odessa office of John Watts. Moving to Galveston in his late 50s, Burnett opened a small branch office. "I keep this small office and the Odessa office open only to help young lawyers, and the investigators and secretaries who work there," he told friends. He rarely practiced law after that, and would share a percentage with young lawyers who worked on his cases, taking over those files. He occasionally returned to West Texas for a trial, but spent more time with old buddies and various ladies. He eventually gave his law practice to his oldest son, Abner, in the mid 1990s. Warren Burnett is survived by Kay Taylor Burnett, his wife and constant companion of the last 15 years; daughters, Melissa Burnett and husband Wayne Warren of Midland and Emily Burnett of San Antonio; stepdaughter, Stacie Pauls and husband Allan Leggé of League City; sons, Abner Burnett and wife Susan of Mexico, and Paul Burnett of Houston; stepsons Britt Pauls and wife Lou Wunch of Galveston and Taylor Pauls and wife Priscilla Rios of League City; grandchildren, Hunter and Blake Leggé and Kayte Pauls; and also Burnett’s cat, Nasdaq, and the family dog, Dow Jones. A memorial celebration of Warren Burnett’s life is set for 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, at The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake. It is for friend and foe alike. Memorials may be sent to the Warren Burnett Fund at The Arts Alliance Center, 2000 NASA Road 1, Nassau Bay, TX 77058. Kenneth Horne KERMIT - Kenneth Horne, 63, of Kermit, a drilling superintendent for Schlumberger Sedco Forex, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002, at the Methodist Hospital in Houston. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002, at the Eastside Church of Christ with Brian McGonagill officiating. Burial will follow at Kermit Cemetery. He was born Jan. 16, 1939, in DeQueen, Ark., and was a 58-year resident of Kermit. He married Emma Jean Stodghill on Sept. 28, 1961, in Kermit. He was a member of the Eastside Church of Christ in Kermit. He was a past Cub Scout Leader and an assistant Boy Scout Leader. He was preceded in death by one son, Dwain Horne in 1998; two brothers, Billy Horne and Robert Horne; one sister, Carolyn Horne; and his parents. He is survived by his wife, Emma Jean Horne of Kermit; son, David Horne of Corpus Christi; daughter, Donna Horne of Kermit; two brothers, Perry Horne of Clute and Charles Horne Moore, Okla.; two grandchildren, Jonathan Horne of Lubbock and Quentin Horne of Kermit; and numerous nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Skipper Martin, Charles Adams, Don Kapka, Howard McKay, Don Smith and Gary Ferguson. Arrangements by Cooper Funeral Home. Eula McCary ODESSA - Eula McCary was born June 13, 1910, and went to be with the Lord on Friday, Sept. 27, 2002, at the age of 92. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Frank McCary, on July 29, 1998. She was also preceded in death by her parents, one sister and three brothers. Eula is survived by three daughters, Geneva Hooton and husband Tom, Jo Ann Bridges and husband Benny and Betty Wooton and husband Monte, all of Odessa; she is also survived by six grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2002, at Chapel Hill Baptist Church with her pastor, Jimmy Law, officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Family visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, 2002, at the funeral home. Services entrusted to Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Tommy L. Hooton, Larry Hooton, Mike Bridges, Jimmy Bridges, Greg McDonald and Justin Hooton. Honorary pallbearers will be great-grandsons, Nolan Packwood, Tanner Hargrove, Casey Bridges, Blake Bridges, Brady Bridges, Logan Hargrove, Kelby Bridges and Gabe McDonald. A Tribute To Our Mother And Grandmother, Eula McCary: In Proverbs 31 we see the virtues of a Godly wife and mother. We honor our mother with the following scriptures: "She opens her mouth with wisdom and her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children ride up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of fruit of your hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates." Proverbs 31:26-31. These scriptures truly describe our precious mother and our grandmother, known as "Nana" to all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a precious child of God and was such a woman of faith. How thankful we are that God has taken her from here sick body to her Heavenly home to suffer no more and live in perfect health and happiness. We thank God for the many years God allowed us to have our "Nana." We will miss you, Nana, but you know your rewards are great in Heaven. Thank you for loving all of us in our individual ways and showing us how much you cared. We love you, Nana! Shirley Sirott ODESSA - Shirley Sirott, a resident of Odessa, Texas, passed away on Sept. 26, 2002, at the age of 80. Born on July 25, 1922, in Richmond, Va., Mrs. Sirott was a 1938 graduate of Richmond Professional Institute, now a part of Virginia Commonwealth University. She married Norley Sirott on April 24, 1954, in Silver Spring, Md., and moved to Odessa in 1972 from Los Angeles, Calif. She was a member of Temple Beth El and her interests include Yiddish Culture, Mahjong, reading, current events, and being a homemaker. Her father, David Kocen; her mother, Rachel Kocen; and all her brothers and sisters preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband Norley Sirott; her daughter Rae Sirott and husband David Cohen of Sicklerville, N.J.; and many nieces and nephews. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2002, at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home with Rabbi Sidney Zimelman officiating. Memorials may be made to Temple Beth El. Arrangements by Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. Dora Me Lusk Woodfin SAN ANGELO - Dora Me Lusk Woodfin, born Nov. 26, 1915, in Roby, Texas, went to be with her Lord and Savior at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002, in Grapevine, Texas. She is preceded in death by her husband, Neal Smith Woodfin; a granddaughter, Natalie Jaree Woodfin ; two sisters, Beth Talent and Kathleen George; and one brother, Lloyd Lusk. She is survived by two sons, Lloyd Woodfin and wife Mivan of San Angelo and Doug Woodfin and wife Nell of Crane; one daughter, Sherry Hasty of North Richland Hills, Texas; nine grandchildren, Pamela Bethune, Diane John, Lloyd Woodfin Jr., Jesse "Skip" Woodfin, Mark Woodfin, Sonja Puga, Levi Hasty, Jarrod Woodfin and Bucky Hasty; 13 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; five brothers, Gerald Lusk, Troy Lusk, Robert Lusk, Jerry Lusk and Earl Lusk; and two sisters, Floy Baxter and Frances Thompson, all of Arkansas. Dora and Neal were married Feb. 24, 1934, in Fabens, Texas. She was a member of Baptist Temple Church of San Angelo, and also a long-time member of the Rebecca Lodge. Her abiding faith in her Lord will serve as a lasting influence on all those who knew and loved her. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2002, at Baptist Temple Church with ther Rev. Skip Woodfin officiating. Burial will follow in Fairmount Cemetery. Arrangements by Johnson’s Funeral Home. Gearl D. Meredith ODESSA - Gearl D. Meredith, 76, of Odessa, passed away Sept. 28, 2002, at the Hospice House in Odessa. He was born Jan. 19, 1926, in Jewett, Texas. He married Lottie Mae Meredith on Sept. 1, 1945, in Lubbock, Texas. They moved to Odessa in 1950 and he worked in the oilfield as a consultant, tool pusher, and driller. Curly was a wonderful husband and beloved dedicated father, Papa, and Great Grandfather. Curly was known affectionately as "Papa." Curly was a person who never met a stranger and never backed away from a problem. Left behind to cherish his memories, wife Lottie Meredith of 57 years; son, Rick Meredith of Noble, Okla.; daughter, Vickie Jarrell and husband Dewayne of Odessa; granddaughters, Keisha J. Largent of Odessa, Kiffani Hope and Michel and huband Jon of Fort Hood, Texas; grandson, Eric Shane Meredith and wife April. His pride, great-grandson Kobe Ryan Largent and great-granddaughter Kristina Elizabeth Meredith; sisters, Doris Reeves and husband Jessie of Odessa, Virgie Deatherage and husband Ralph of Lubbock, Texas., and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by father, Ely Milton Meredith; mother, Mary Elnora Meredith; brother, Donald Lee Meredith; and nephew, Gary Don Meredith. A special thanks to Dr. Dar and the caring staff of Nurse’s Unlimited and the Hospice House. Services are scheduled at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2002, at Sunset Memorial Gardens Chapel. Vistation will be from 2 p.m. through 4 p.m. today. Ruby Norene Hage HOLLIS, Okla. - Ruby Norene Hage, "Lady Clodhopper" age 81, of Gardendale, passed away Friday, Sept. 27, 2002, at Seabury Nursing Center in Odessa. Norene was born June 22, 1921, in Kirkland to Newt and Rita Lightfoot. She married Ralph E. Hage on May 3, 1943, in Oklahoma City, Okla. He preceded her in death on Dec. 17, 1979. She came to Odessa in 1953; she was a homemaker and an avid CB radio operator. She was a Baptist. Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Hubbard-Kelly Chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Braswell officiating. A graveside will follow at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, 2002, at the Fairmont Cemetery in Hollis, Okla. Survivors include her sons, Eddie R. Hage and wife Patricia of Odessa and Daniel W. Hage of Gardendale; one sister, Earnesteen Masters of Hollis, Okla.; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Services are entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Dora Me Lusk Woodfin SAN ANGELO - Dora Me Lusk Woodfin, born Nov. 26, 1915, in Roby, Texas, went to be with her Lord and Savior at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002, in Grapevine, Texas. She is preceded in death by her husband, Neal Smith Woodfin; a granddaughter, Natalie Jaree Woodfin ; two sisters, Beth Talent and Kathleen George; and one brother, Lloyd Lusk. She is survived by two sons, Lloyd Woodfin and wife Mivan of San Angelo and Doug Woodfin and wife Nell of Crane; one daughter, Sherry Hasty of North Richland Hills, Texas; nine grandchildren, Pamela Bethune, Diane John, Lloyd Woodfin Jr., Jesse "Skip" Woodfin, Mark Woodfin, Sonja Puga, Levi Hasty, Jarrod Woodfin and Bucky Hasty; 13 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; five brothers, Gerald Lusk, Troy Lusk, Robert Lusk, Jerry Lusk and Earl Lusk; and two sisters, Floy Baxter and Frances Thompson, all of Arkansas. Dora and Neal were married Feb. 24, 1934, in Fabens, Texas. She was a member of Baptist Temple Church of San Angelo, and also a long-time member of the Rebecca Lodge. Her abiding faith in her Lord will serve as a lasting influence on all those who knew and loved her. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2002, at Baptist Temple Church with ther Rev. Skip Woodfin officiating. Burial will follow in Fairmount Cemetery. Arrangements by Johnson’s Funeral Home. Copyright © 1999-2002 Odessa American. All rights reserved.