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Obituaries |
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Alma Chambers
Alma “Pud” Chambers, 84, died Monday, January 15, 2001, at her residence in Marathon, TX. Services were held at 10 a.m. Friday, January 19, 2001, at the Methodist church in Marathon with burial in Marathon Cemetery. The Reverend Danny Sanders of First United Methodist Church, Sanderson, TX, delivered a heartwarming eulogy and sermon. Personal remembrances of members of the congregation added to the occasion, as family and friends spoke of colorful moments in their relationships with Pud. One story worthy of inclusion here, and indicative of just the kind of jovial person Pud was, a former pastor related how, as custodian of the church, Pud would take care of the communion table and make sure that everything was ready for the service. On cold winter mornings she might go to the church at 5:00 AM to light the heaters and prepare the table. One such morning the pastor came to the communion table to administer the sacrements and discovered that by mistake, Pud had put Teddy Grahams on the plate, instead of communion wafers! In the darkness, at 5:00 AM, Pud had grabbed the wrong box and did not notice what she had done. The pastor said it was the hardest thing to keep a straight face and announce to the congregation, "This is the Body of Christ!" Pud was born February 7, 1916, in Barnhart, and was a longtime resident of Marathon. She arrived in the Marathon area in 1920, coming to her father's Santiago Peak ranch to help with sheep and goat raising. In later years she was a switchboard operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone, was a custodian, and worked for Combs’ Cattle Co., the weather service and local newspapers for numerous years. In addition, she kept many ranch kids during the week so that they could attend school and sports practice. Survivors include her daughter, Melba C. Watson of Marathon; eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.—–Alpine Avalanche
We'll miss you, Pud!
Joyce Hurd
Joyce Hurd, 72, of East Sweden in McCulloch County, died Wednesday, Jan. 12,2000 in San Angelo. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday (today) in the East Sweden Church, the Rev. Kenneth Barr conducting. Burial will be in East Sweden Cemetery. Born Feb. 21, 1927, in Santa Anna, she was the daughter of Alton and Lucille Hill Caylor. She married Bobbye Hurd on Dec. 4, 1954, in the old Methodist Church in Brady. A longtime resident of McCulloch County, Mrs. Hurd was an active member of the East Sweden Home Demonstration Club, the Community Improvement Association and she was secretary of the East Sweden Cemetery Association. A past president of the Rochelle PTA, she was active in the Vacation Bible School programs at her church. She was a homemaker and a member of the Rochelle Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, Bobbye, of the home; two daughters, Elaine Hurd of Brady and Dixie Pitcox and her husband, Dorman, of East Sweden; three brothers, Wayne Caylor of Fort Worth, John Caylor of Tyler and Lee Hardy Caylor of Taylor; her mother-in-law, Vivian Hurd of Brady; two grandchildren, Rachel Pitcox of Austin and Josh Pitcox of East Sweden; and a special family friend, Gayle Freasier of Brady.—–Brady Standard-Herald
Vivian Hurd
Vivian Anita Hurd, 95, of Brady, died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2001 in Brady. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. in the East Sweden Church, Rusty Kwast, Bob Kruse and Bill Huffman officiating. Burial followed in East Sweden Cemetery under the direction of Heritage Funeral Home. Born Jan. 8, 1906, in McCulloch County, she was the daughter of Ben and Blanche Smith. She married Walter Willie Hurd on February 13, 1927 in Brady. She was a homemaker and a member of the Sunset Ridge Church of Christ. She was a 75-year member of the Texas Home Demonstration, worked in 4-H and was active in the Sunset Center and in the restoration and preservation of the East Sweden Community Center. Survivors include a son, Bobbye Hurd of East Sweden, two granddaughters, Elaine Hurd of Brady and Dixie Pitcox and husband, Dorman, of East Sweden; two great-grandchildren, Rachel Pitcox of San Angelo and Josh Pitcox of Stephenville; and one great-great grandchild, Zoe Ortiz, of San Angelo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Hurd, a daughter-in-law, Joyce Hurd; a sister and two brothers. Pallbearers were Larry Smith, Frank Dan King, Benny Hill, Robert Medrano, Tom Bishop and Dorman Pitcox.—–Brady Standard-Herald
James Lamothe
MONAHANS — James F. Lamothe, 78, of Pyote, a retired pipe fitting and welding supervisor, died Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001, at Veterans Administration Hospital in Big Spring. Services were held at 10 a.m. Monday at Harkey Funeral Home Chapel with Michael Fickenscher officiating. Burial was at the Pyote Cemetery. Arrangements by Harkey Funeral Home. He was born in Goldthwaite and was a resident of Pyote for 20 years. He was an Army veteran of World War II. He was Lutheran. SURVIVORS: Wife, Louise Smith Lamothe of Pyote; sons, James Richard Lamothe of Seabrook and James Francis Meeks of Topeka, Kan.; daughters, Carolyn Lee Martin of Delaware and Lorna Knott of Supulpa, Okla.; brother, Raymond Forrest Lamothe of Monahans; and seven grandchildren.
Mildred Smith McCollum
Mildred Smith McCollum of Houston was called to her heavenly home on Tuesday, July 16, 2002. She was born Feb. 4, 1912 in Eldorado to Andrew Thomas and Emma McCoy Smith. Her husband of 60 years, Edwin McCollum, sister, Nina Klink, and brother, Aubrey Smith, preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Merinell McCollum of Houston; cousin, Marjorie Thornton of Alpine; and four nieces, and seven nephews. Funeral services were held Friday, July 19 at First Baptist Church in Alpine. For those desiring, contributions may be made to Sagemont Church, Great Adventure, 11323 Hughes Road, Houston, TX, 77089; First Baptist Church, Box 179, Alpine, TX 79831; Paisano Baptist Encampment, Box 973, Alpine, TX79831; or charity of choice.
Audrea Lynne Cox Oatman
SWEETWATER — Audrea Lynne Cox Oatman, 73, of Sweetwater died Monday, Feb. 20, 2006, at home. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, in McCoy Chapel of Memories. Rod Wetzel and Joe Bagby will conduct the service with private family graveside service. Audrea was born Sept. 3, 1932, in San Angelo, Texas, to Mildred and Ollie Cox. She grew up on the Double Heart Ranch south of Sweetwater. She attended Divide School and Sweetwater schools. She attended Texas Tech University and Sul Ross State College, where she majored in home economics and was on the rodeo team. Audrea met W.A. Oatman at Sul Ross, and they were married at Lackland Air Force Base in 1951 on Aug. 3. Audrea worked 18 1/2 years for the Texas Employment Commission. She also worked with the PTA, was a den mother and a member of Nolan County Juvenile Board. Audrea was the first woman director on the Chamber of Commerce, served on the TSTI Advisory Council, was a member of the Farmers Home Administration Committee and taught Sunday school classes at the First United Methodist Church for many years. Audrea and W.A. raised cattle and crossbred sheep, horses and one of the finest flocks of purebred Suffolk sheep in Texas on the Double Heart Ranch. Audrea was the loving mother of four children, Tamra Shae Oatman of Austin, Ollie Stephen Oatman of Sweetwater, Nita Lynne Oatman of Sweetwater and James Victor Oatman, who preceded her in death in 2002. She is also survived by five grandsons, Cason Barrett Fayles, Tyler Holden Fayles, Hunter Oatman Stanford, Dashiell Oatman Stanford and Channing Tyler Hanzel; and one granddaughter, Callie Elizabeth Oatman. Audrea was also preceded in death by her husband, W.A. Oatman, on March 7, 2005; her parents, Ollie Stephen and Mildred Cox; and a brother, Billy Cox, in 1952. Pallbearers will be her granddaughter, Callie Elizabeth Oatman; and grandsons Carson Barrett Fayles, Tyler Holden Fayles, Hunter Oatman Stanford and Channing Tyler Hanzel; and a son-in-law, Mark Stanford. The family requests memorials be made to James Victor Oatman Scholarship Fund, c/o Homer Taylor, First National Bank, 201 Elm St., Sweetwater, TX 79556; Hendrick Hospice of Abilene, P.O. Box 1922, Abilene, TX 79604-9935; or Pioneer Museum, 610 E. 3rd St., Sweetwater, TX 79556.
James Victor Oatman
James Victor Oatman, 44, of Terrell, Texas, died July 6, 2002, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. The accident occurred on US Highway 175 near the East Texas town of Frankston. Reports indicate that Oatman was enroute to visit a friend when a pickup truck veered into his lane striking his truck head-on. A memorial service was held Wednesday July 10 at Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas. He was born January 6, 1958, in Sweetwater to W.A. and Audrea Cox Oatman. W.A. Oatman grew up in Marfa and graduated from Marfa High School. James V. Oatman moved to Terrell six years ago. He married Leigh McIntire in 1986. He was an attorney and was a member of the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Dallas Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association, and formerly served as Dallas County assistant district attorney. Oatman graduated in 1976 from Sweetwater High School, where he was an All-State linebacker and a varsity baseball player. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1980 and earned his law degree at Texas Tech law school in 1983. The Dallas County district attorney's office hired him in 1983, where he rose among the ranks and helped prosecute eight death-penalty cases. He left the prosecutor's office in 1994 to run in the Republican primary for a misdemeanor bench but was defeated. He also started his private criminal defense practice that year. State District Judge Robert Francis, who worked with Oatman as a Dallas County prosecutor for nine years, described his best friend and colleague as an "unsurpassed trial lawyer and the finest man I ever knew." "He had a way of taking his West Texas, Sweetwater upbringing and working magic in a courtroom," Judge Francis said. "His opponents---criminal lawyers and prosecutors alike---knew they were up against a shrewd attorney loaded with homespun charm." Oatman's wife, Leigh Oatman, said through Judge Francis that her husband's love of the law took a back seat to their daughter Callie Elizabeth, whose 10th birthday is this month. "He was a dedicated and devoted father, and his greatest enjoyment in life came from his daughter," Judge Francis said. "Absolutely nothing gave him greater joy than riding horses and walking the pastures with her." Oatman lived with his family on their 165-acre Terrell ranch, the Double Heart, where he raised cattle and horses. He often invited friends and members of the courthouse community to his ranch. Oatman frequently wore ties sporting horses or other animals, which he noted were chosen by Callie or his wife. He carried pictures of his family and his horses along with his legal work in a leather-bound binder. Prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and bailiffs hugged in the hallways and wiped away tears as news of Oatman's death spread through the Frank Crowley Criminal Courthouse in Dallas. Friends say that because of Oatman's dedication to his work, he quickly became a lawyer whom judges appointed to defend people facing the death penalty, especially those in high-profile cases. "He fought tooth and nail for his clients, whether he liked them or not, whether they liked him or not," said Tom Massar, another of Oatman's best friends and a defense lawyer who worked with him on several cases. "When he represented them, it was no-holds barred; he represented them to the best of his ability." Survivors include his wife, Leigh McIntire Oatman, a daughter, Callie Elizabeth Oatman, both of Terrell; his parents, W.A. and Audrea Oatman of Maryneal; a brother, Steve Oatman of Sweetwater; two sisters, Tamra Oatman of Austin and Nita Oatman Fayles of California; and other relatives and many friends. Pallbearers were Tom Massar, Bobby Francis, John Anderson, Mark Sanderson, Jim Moore, Glen Ashworth and Steve Oatman Memorials may be made to the Callie Oatman Education Fund at Terrell Christian Academy, 805 Johnson St., Terrell, TX 75160; or First United Methodist Chruch of Terrell, 503 W. College St., Terrell, TX 75160. (Holly Becka and Tim Wyatt of The Dallas Morning News contributed to this obituary.)
Billy Roy Larkey
(Though not an obituary, this is a beautiful tribute written by a friend, Jackie Edmiston, in an email notifying me of his passing.)
About 6 weeks ago I was on the internet trying to locate a particular New Mexico court case. I came across a court case that involved Billy. It only had "short" notes regarding the case so it wasn't clear as to what it was all about. I have since discovered that the internet is not always our friend! I searched Billy's name and that is when I discovered that Billy died 15 years ago and the court case was his estate proceedings. I was devastated, to say the least! During all this time, I just thought that Billy was safe and sound, tucked away in Bent, NM, living life. Billy was my "first-love" when we were just teen-agers. You never forget your first-love! I will never forget the first time I saw him coming into church that day with his brother and parents. We were both around 15 years old at the time. He went to a different school than I did so, needless to say....I made sure I went to church every time the doors were opened! As first-loves go, after a couple of years we went our separate ways but I always adored and admired him. Billy's life was not easy. Billy was just 15 when his brother Jimmy died. He was just 22 when his father died in 1972 and he was just 32 when his mother died in 1982. His mother died of cancer and he took care of her the entire time. In making "numerous" phone calls to total strangers, I found out that they discovered he had cancer about four years before he died in 1995. Billy never married so he had no family around when he became ill. I ask myself over and over, just how did Billy handle everything that he did. It would have destroyed the average person...but then...Billy wasn't average! He had a strong faith in God and had a big heart. I had no idea that Billy was ill. If I had of, I can promise you, my entire family and I would have been there for him. Sadly, he didn't give us the chance. I just wish I had of known! From what I can find out, he had so many friends! They even joke that he had so many friends that it took two different pastors from two different faiths to conduct his service. What else can anyone ask for! It makes me feel good that there were people in his life but it still doesn't ease the guilt and pain I have for not keeping in touch with him! He's buried in a beautiful place! He's facing the majestic Sacramento mountains where he loved to hunt and look for arrowheads! Strangely, one thing that I was totally unaware of when we were kids, was his music ability! How can you not know that about someone! His friends have told me that he could play any instrument, however, the guitar and fiddle was his favorite. He even played in a small country band that played for dances at the fire station in Bent, NM. His friend sent me a wonderful picture of him if you like for me to send it to you. He was even more handsome in that picture than he was at 15!
(Thanks, Jackie!) |