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Mrs. Rita Chambliss Harlien died January 26, 2008, after a valiant battle against transitional cell carcinoma, a rare and extremely aggressive type of cancer.
She devoted her life to the process of guiding others to become more as both individuals and as learners. It was this philosophy and focus that impacted so many. To honor her as the Master Teacher, daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend that she was, a Memorial Service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in El Paso on Saturday, April 19 at 11 a.m.
Daughter of Ollie and Lorena Lane Wooly of Temple, Mrs. Harlien’s mother, passed away after her birth on October 3, 1938. Her uncle, Bullard Chambliss, and her aunt, Orinda Lane Chambliss, adopted her. She spent the first 18 years of her life in Hamilton where she attended East Ward Elementary, Ann Whitney Elementary and Hamilton High School, from which she graduated in 1957.
In the fall of 1957, Mrs. Harlien entered North Texas State Collage majoring in speech and drama. Two years later, on August 25, 1959, she married her high school sweetheart, Billy Harlien. They lived in Denton until she graduated in the summer of 1960, with a BA in Speech and Drama with a minor in English.
Her first assignment was at Irving High School, in Irving, teaching Speech and Drama as well as a couple of English classes. After a short leave of absence, to have her first child Mark in 1963, she returned to teach at the new Irving High School where she remained until the end of 1965
In 1966, the family moved to Lubbock, where Mrs. Harlien taught Speech and Drama at Monterey High School, while working on her Master’s degree. She graduated from North Texas State University in June of 1970 with a Master of Arts. She continued teaching at Monterey High School until 1971, when she took a second leave of absence to have her second child, Dawn Charisse. From 1972 to 1974, Mrs. Harlien taught Drama at Miller High School in Corpus Christi.
The next family move was to El Paso, which Mrs. Harlien loved, where she lived the remainder of her life. She taught at Parkland High School and Eastwood High in the Ysleta District. While teaching at Eastwood, her students competed in many University Interscholastic League State competitions and won a state championship in debate. In 1978 she was selected as Speech Teacher of the Year. In 1981 she served as President of the Texas Speech Communication Association and in 1982, Mrs. Harlien was selected as the Texas State Teacher of the Year. In addition to these honors, in 1981, she served as secretary for the 15 member Texas State Textbook Committee. Subsequently she taught at Burges High School and Wiggs Middle School in the El Paso District. While working for the El Paso District, she completed her administration certification and co-authored two speech textbooks. After serving six years in administration, as a Facilitator of Academic Competition, in the El Paso District, Mrs. Harlien’s love for teaching beckoned her back to Eastwood High School where she taught drama until she retired from teaching in 1998, after 34 years of service. She also was a part-time instructor at the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College.
Mrs. Harlien loved her church, All Saints Episcopal, and the members who worshiped there. At various times, she served on the Vestry, served as Senior Warden and as a Lay Reader, and worked to begin and continue the Logos program for the church’s children.
Survivors include her husband, Bill Harlien of El Paso; her son Mark Harlien, her grandson Drew Harlien, and her daughter-in-law, Suzanne McAuliffe Harlien, of San Antonio; her daughter Dawn Charisse Harlien Farrell, her son-in-law David Farrell, and her grandson Joseph Harlien Farrell of Henderson, NV; and her foster daughter Cathy Medina and her partner Yvette Sams of Flagstaff, AZ.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution either to the Rita Harlien Forensics Scholarship Fund (make checks payable and send to the Ysleta Education Foundation, at 9600 Sims, El Paso, TX 79925, in care of the Rita Harlien Forensics Scholarship) or to All Saints Episcopal Church at 3500 McRae, El Paso, TX. 79925.
Betty Lou McCool
Betty Lou McCool, age 82, of Gustine departed from this life on Monday, March 10, at the Hamilton Health Care Center.
She was born July 25, 1925 near Alva, Oklahoma, the daughter of the late Perry C. and Maudie Snow Jespersen. She married Billy D. McCool on May 30, 1945 in Gulfport, Mississippi. They were the parents of one daughter, Sandra Fae. At the end of World War II, she and her husband returned to Texas and Oklahoma to spend her life as the loving wife and mother to her small family.
Betty was a devoted church member for all her adult life, serving as s Sunday School teacher, choir member, and administrative board member in either the Christian (Disciples of Christ) Church or the United Methodist Church. She had been a member of the Gustine United Methodist Church since 1972.
She is survived by her husband, Billy D. McCool of Gustine, Her daughter, Sandra Fae and husband Gayle Harris of Boerne, her granddaughter, Shannon and husband John Sivek of San Antonio, her sister, Helen Becker of Roscommon, Michigan.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Vale Jaspersen.
A private burial service was held at the Siloam Cemetery attended by family members and close friends under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home of Comanche.
A commemorative service of her life will be held at 2 PM on Sunday, April 13, at the Gustine United Methodist Church with Rev. Matt Hall officiating. All who knew Betty are invited to attend. The program will include participation by the Church and the Community Choir.
Memorials are requested to be made to the Gustine United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 102, Gustine, Texas 76455 or to the Shiloam Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 224, Gustine, Texas 76455.
Friends are invited to sign the online guest book at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net
Heartland Funeral Home
Mildred Kathleen Wisdom
Mildred Kathleen Wisdom, 99, of Hamilton died April 5, 2008 in the Hamilton General Hospital. Graveside services were held April 6, 2008 in the Pottsville Public Cemetery.
Ms. Wisdom was born February 9, 1909 in Pottsville, the daughter of Van and Fannie McPherson Wisdom. Kathleen attended school at Lund through 6th grade.
Her family moved to Stephenville Texas in 1921. She attended 7th and 8th grade at Stephenville. Her family moved to Lund Valley Hamilton County and she attended the Lund School in the 9th and 10th grades.
Ms. Wisdom graduated from Hamilton High School in 1926. From the fall of 1926 until May of 1927 she attended the John Tarleton College at Stephenville. She transferred to Southwest State College at San Marcos where she received her degree in Mathematics. After graduation she taught school at Pecan and Union in Hamilton County.
Ms. Wisdom moved to Crystal City and taught from 1934 till 1942. She moved to Del Rio Texas in 1942 and taught until 1953. She left Del Rio and moved to Odessa in 1953.
Ms. Wisdom taught high school math until her resignation in 1960 and came back to the Hamilton area to take care of her aged parents. After her parents’ death she taught math at Gustine High School from 1964 until 1970.
Ms. Wisdom retired from teaching in 1970 after a teaching career that spanned 38 years. She touched many people’s lives, was a positive person, was always so interested in world affairs and loved poetry.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Bill Wisdom, and a sister Evelyn Wisdom.
She is survived by numerous cousins.
Riley Funeral Home
Faye Childre
Faye Childre, 91, of Hamilton died April 4, 2008. Funeral services were held April 9, in the Hamilton First Baptist Church with Shane Alexander officiating. Burial followed in the Moore Memorial Cemetery in Arlington.
Mrs. Childre was born September 24, 1916 in Ranger, the daughter of David B. and Lenna Waggoner Thompson.
She was married to Donald Edmund Childre in Goldthwaite on May 26, 1933. He preceded her in death in 1992.
She was a member of the Hamilton First Baptist Church and was a homemaker. Mrs. Childre was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grand-mother, and great-great grandmother.
Survivors include her son, David Childre of Lexington Kentucky; a daughter Donette Harpole of Belton; three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Riley Funeral Home