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Walter Garland Anglin, Sr. died on Oct. 27, 2006. Services celebrating his life were held Sunday, October 29, 2006, in the First United Methodist Church of Hamilton. Mr. Anglin’s nephew, Rev. Glenneth Harrington, officiated with Rev. James Ballard assisting. Burial followed in the I. O. O. F. Cemetery in Hamilton
Mr. Anglin was born Nov. 26, 1913 in Duvall County, the son of Walter Lee Anglin and Florence McCaughan Anglin. The Anglins returned to Hamilton County when Mr. Anglin was a toddler.
The youngest of six children, Mr. Anglin had two sisters, Martha Elizabeth “Mattie” Anglin Blansit and Clara Barton Anglin West and three brothers, Irvin Lee, John Thomas “J. T.” and Henry Clayton. Their mother died when Mr. Anglin was 14 years old.
He graduated from Hamilton High School and attended John Tarleton State College where he was a member of the R. O. T. C. He was honored to be part of a delegation sent to Washington, D. C., in 1935 to represent Hamilton County farmers.
On October 6, 1935, in the Methodist parsonage at Evant, he married Lena Merle Rucker, daughter of William Cloyed Rucker and Eunice Ruth Redden Rucker. To this union were born one son, Walter Garland Anglin, Jr., and one daughter, Merle Ann Anglin Schooler.
Mr. Anglin farmed south of Hamilton and in the Fairy community before settling in the forties on a farm a few miles west of Hamilton. To supplement the farm income he worked for John Latham at the Farmall/International tractor shop. Later he was hired by Clyde Weatherby to run vending machine routes, assist at the Gold Stamp redemption center, and produce Odor Away foot powder.
He served his community through assisting in elections and participation on the local military draft board. In the early sixties Garland began a career as a real estate broker.
He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Hamilton where he taught Sunday school for many years and served on the administrative board.
His beloved wife, Merle, preceded him in death on February 26, 2004 after sixty-eight years of marriage. Others who preceded him include his parents and five siblings.
Survivors include his son, Garland Anglin, Jr., and wife, Donna, and his daughter, Ann, and husband, Bill Schooler. Surviving grandchildren and spouses include Gary and Kathleen Anglin of Pearland, Nancy and Randy Yates, Larry and Robin Anglin, Laura Anglin Hudson, Cayce Cowan of San Angelo, and Mary Jo Schooler. Surviving great-grandchildren include Timothy Anglin, of Bedford , Amanda Anglin of Pearland , Zachary Anglin, Ann Marie Hudson, Audrey Anglin, Adrienne Hudson, Sophia Yates and Luke Yates. Also surviving him are two sisters-in-law, Louvetta Sumerford Anglin of Sweetwater and Eunice Rucker Mater of San Antonio as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
For forty-eight years Garland’s life was especially blessed by his dear friend and honorary pallbearer, V. B. Munday.
Pallbearers were Charles Anglin, Ray Anglin, Richard McClellen, Ken Shaffer, Cole Wells, and Randy Yates.
Riley Funeral Home
Mr. Gray
Billy Ray Gray, 61, of Hico died at his residence on Oct. 29, 2006 Funeral services will be held on Nov. 2 at Rutledge-Jones Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Turnbow Cemetery with Joel Menchaca officiating.
Mr. Gray was born March 10, 1945 in Dublin. He was married to Faye Marie McNew on June 16, 1971 in Hamilton. They lived in Hico for 35 years. He was a farm laborer and a Baptist.
Mr. Gray was preceded in death by his parents, William E. and Annie Townley Gray; two brothers, Harold Gray and James Gray and a sister, Violet Burney.
Survivors include his wife, Faye Gray of Hico; sisters, Betty Palmer and Louise Burney both of Dublin, Dean Wilson and Linda Gray, both of DeLeon, Shirley Romero of Stephenville and Bonnie Pagitt of Eastland and two brothers, Donald Gray of Comanche and Robert Gray of Fort Worth.
Rutledge-Jones Funeral Home
Mrs. Harris
Dorothy Nell Lee Harris, 78, died Oct. 25, 2006 at Scott and White Hospital in Temple due to complications from an Oct. 13 automobile accident. Funeral services were held in the Riley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Keith Felton officiating. Burial was at the Oaklawn Cemetery.
She was born Sept. 29, 1928 in Pottsville, the daughter of James Aubrey (Shorty) and Morine Bryan Lee. She lived most of her life in Hamilton County where she worked as an LVN and raised five daughters. In 1975, she returned to school and received her Registered Nursing degree from McLennan Community College. She retired in 1995 from Jackson Home Health Systems where she had served as an RN for fourteen years. She enjoyed time with her family, traveling and playing Bingo at Choctaw, Okla.
Survivors include her mother, Morine Lee of Hamilton; two brothers, Larry Lee and Bobby Joe Lee of Evant; five daughters, Jean Cowden of Lamkin; Sue Cannimore of Madison, MS; Carolyn Ratliff of Coleman; Donna Byrd of Dublin and Pat Sowell of Hico; 20 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and numerous “bingo buddies”.
Riley Funeral Home
Mrs. Murphy
Ruth Carline Murphy, 71, died Oct. 30, 2006 at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth. Graveside services were held Nov. 1, 2006 at Murphy Cemetery with Rev. Sharon Robertson officiating.
Mrs. Murphy was born Dec. 27, 1934 in Chester, Ark. She was married to Harold D. Murphy Sr. on Nov. 18, 1950 in Artesia, NM. She had lived in Hico since 1964. She was a member of Carlton Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Murphy, Sr.; a daughter, Mary Martha Murphy and a grandson, Mike Murphy.
Survivors include her mother, Mildred Bates of Prairie Grove, Ark.; four daughters, Carolyn Lowe of Hico, Janell Murphy of Carlton, Mae Murphy of Carlton, Nita Hannon of Hico; three sons, Harold (Possum) Murphy of Carlton, Jack Murphy of Stephenville, Billy Murphy of Gainesville; two sisters, Zelda Murphy of Carlton and Florence Dobbs of Prairie Grove, Ark; four brothers, Holman Pergeson of Scurry, Fred Pergeson of Portales, N.M., Melvin Pergeson of Prairie Grove, Ark., Charles Ray Pergeson of Sun Ray, and Charles Ray Pergeson of Sun Ray; 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Rutledge-Jones Funeral Home
Mr. Ott
Louis Albert Ott, 97, died Oct. 29 in Hamilton. A graveside service is set for Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Clifton Memorial Cemetery in Clifton.
He was born April 3, 1909 in Bosque County, the son of Adolf Gustav Ott and Emma Ott. He was married to Desdemonna Woods in 1938. She preceded him in death in 2006.
Mr. Ott, or “Uncle Cheese” as his many nieces and nephews called him, served his country in military service and worked as a tinsmith for many years.
He was devoted to the Shriner’s Crippled Children’s Hospital and Burn Center. He and his wife provided thousands of stuffed toys to this organization and believed strongly in helping children.
Mr. Ott was a 32° Mason and a member of the Karem Shrine A.A.O.N.M.S. of Waco and rode in many a parade on his customized go-cart for them.
He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge Clifton No. 360 and enjoyed his time there. He loved to dance the “boogie woogie” and did so well into his nineties.
He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and 11 brothers and sisters.
Survivors include four sisters, Lena Wenzel of Hamilton, Erma Williams of Laguna Park, Emma Alexander of Clifton and Louise Orahood of Dallas as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Mr. Ott’s name to the Shriner’s Crippled Children’s Hospital and Burn Center.
Mrs. Rudolph
Norma Faye McNew died Oct. 26, 2006 at Hamilton. Funeral services were held Oct. 28 at St. John Lutheran Church in Hamilton with Russell Nebhut officiating. Burial was in Oakwood Cemetery.
She was born June 30, 1927, the daughter of Alfred and Melissa McNew of Comanche County. Her family lived in the Gustine community where Mrs. Rudolph attended school and where in church she learned of God’s love for her in Christ.
She was married to John Rudolph on June 3, 1962, in Hamilton, by Elder Len Dalton. Mr. Rudolph worked as a cotton ginner for years and the couple traveled with the cotton harvest all over west Texas.
Mrs. Rudolph traveled with her husband for a time and then began to seek employment in the Hamilton community.
Having made their home in Hamilton, the couple became members of St. John Lutheran where Mrs. Rudolph was received into membership by Pastor Albert Wuensche in 1978. They loved their church and were active until illness prevented them from attending on a regular basis.
Mrs. Rudolph worked as the activity director for Hillcrest Nursing Home in Hamilton, a position she enjoyed for 23 years.
Her years of experience in the nursing home provided the necessary knowledge and skills to care for her husband as he faced many health issues near the end of his life.
Mrs. Rudolph was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; three brothers, Oliver, Dutch, and LeeRoy; and two sisters, Freddie Ballard and an infant sister who passed away shortly after birth.
Survivors include her brother Oliver’s wife, Leona McNew, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were Dwight Bullington, Don Rudolph, Charles McNew, Larry Max Rudolph, James Sohm, Joe Tipton and John Tipton.
Riley Funeral Home
Mrs. Smith
Virginia LaVerna (Schrank) Smith, age 77, died on Oct. 26, 2006.
She was born in
the Aleman community of Hamilton on Feb. 5, 1929, the daughter of Elder and Ada Schrank.
She was baptized at St.
Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church at Aleman in March of 1929 by E. F. Moerbe, pastor.
She attended St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran School grades 1-7 and was confirmed on March 29, 1942 by A.C. Liefer, pastor.
From grades 8-11 she attended Blue Ridge School. During her senior year she
attended Concordia Teacher's College at Seward, Neb. and graduated in 1948.
During the school year of 1948-1949 she taught Kindergarten at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, San Antonio. While there she met and
married John L. Smith, who was in the Air Force.
In 1959, Virginia and John divorced.
She and her four children,
Stephen, Michael, David and Brenda moved to Sand Springs, Okla. to the Widow's Colony. They lived there from January 1960 through October 1968.
She cared for children at the Children's Nursery, kept children, sewed and ironed for the public.
Mrs. Smith worked with mentally disabled children at Hissom Memorial Center in Sand Springs from March 1970 to March 1977. Then she moved to Arlington, and worked as a cashier at M.E. Moses and babysat at a nearby bowling alley several evenings a week.
In May 1980, she
moved back to Sand Springs and was matron of the new Widow's Colony Children's Nursery for two years. Then she worked as a live-in
caregiver for the elderly and disabled for five years. In 1985, she worked at Jobs for Older Tulsans as a receptionist and later did paperwork for the clients with the Job Training Partnership Act to help the clients find work or training in the Vo-Tech schools.
Before retirement because of severe asthma, she worked at Koala Care Nursery with toddlers and infants. She devoted her life to caring for children and the elderly.
Her three sons are deceased.
Three siblings are deceased: Joyce Horn, Wyvonne Kohler and Ronald Schrank. Her parents are also deceased.
Survivors include Brenda (Smith) Mercer and husband, Wayne of Tulsa, Okla., Betsy Smith (daughter-in-law) of Onaga, Kan.; Jack and
Nelda Schrank of Plano, Kenneth and Ann Schrank of Meridian, five grandchildren, Michele, Candy, Julii, Alison, and Charles; eight great grand-children and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great nephews.
Memorial donations can be given to The Lutheran Church of Our Savior (Tape Ministry or Altar Guild), 146 S. Sheridan, Tulsa, OK 74112.
Mrs. Stephens
Lou Ella Gromatzky Stephens, 77 passed away at her home at Pottsville surrounded by her family on Oct. 26, 2006. Funeral services were held Oct. 30 at St. John Lutheran Church in Hamilton with Pastor Russell Nebhut and Vicar Jace Detrie officiating. Burial followed in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery at Pottsville.
Mrs. Stephens was born on Nov. 26, 1928, the daughter of Oscar and Julia (Zschiesche) Gromatzky of Pottsville.
The Gromatzky family was active members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pottsville and on Dec. 2, 1928, when Mrs. Stephens was only four days old she was baptized by Pastor E. M. Zabel.
On May 31, 1942, she stood before the altar of Immanuel and Pastor H. J. Stroebel listened as she made her confession of Christ and she was confirmed as a communicant member of the Lutheran church. For a confirmation verse Pastor Stroebel gave Lou Ella the words of Jesus recorded in John’s Revelation, “Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.”
Throughout her life Mrs. Stephens remained faithful to her God and to her church serving in many traditional roles and breaking new ground for ministry in areas which were unknown to many.
She was married to Huland Stephens of Pottsville and the couple later moved to Ft. Worth where they became active in serving the Lord at St. Paul Lutheran Church.
She began a ministry program providing food as well as meeting many other basic needs for poor families in the area. It was through this ministry outreach that Mrs. Stephens shared her faith and many of the families came to understand God’s love for them and were brought into the church.
Over the years Lou Ella served in the ladies aid, the parochial school’s PTA and in various mission outreach organizations.
When her husband retired from Bell Helicopter, the couple moved back to Hamilton county. They made their home just a short distance away from the home place where Lou Ella was born. The two of them became members of St. John and served as a great support for the congregation’s ministry, especially supporting evangelism and outreach in our community and around the world.
As much as Lou Ella loved meeting new people and sharing her life with them, it was her family which brought great joy to her life.
Mrs. Stephens was preceded in death by her parents; her two brothers, Wilburne (Friday) Gromatzky and Cecil Gromatzky.
Survivors include her husband of 59 years Huland Stephens, of Pottsville; four children, Huland (Sonny) Stephens Jr. and B. J. of Pottsville, Melanie Gilley and husband, Donald, of North Richland Hills, Stephanie Culberson and husband, Jeff, of Argyle and Kimberly Miller and husband, Thomas, of South Lake; her sister, Dortha (Dottie) Wentz and husband, Lew, of Ft. Worth; her grandchildren, Angela Bradley and husband, Jim, Slade Stephens and wife Brittany, Timothy Culberson and wife, Karen, Matthew Gilley, Stephen Gilley, Taylor Culberson, Tara Culberson, Devaney Devoe, and Brooke Devoe; two great-grandchildren, McCoy Culberson and Daniel Bradley; her sisters-in-law, Francis Donahoo, Florene Gromatzky, and Denzil Densman along with many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Pall Bearers were Slade Stephens, Matthew Gilley, Stephen Gilley, Timothy Culberson, David Gromatzky and Verner Gromatzky.
The family has requested that memorials given in honor of Lou Ella be made to Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery Fund or to the Lutheran World Mission Outreach.
Riley Funeral Home