Patricia Merrill passes away

Patricia Merrill, 74, died on November 21, 2000. She had been ill for almost three years following the discovery of a malignant brain tumor.

She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, raised in Angleton, Texas and grad­uated from John Sealy School of Nursing in 1947.

For the past 10 years she had participated actively in tests fo determine the qual­ity of Salado Creek water. She also, along with her many friends, worked dil­igently to find ways to restore the purity of the creek water.

She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Dr. Robert Merrill and by their four children: Susan Wal­lens of Baltimore, Mary­land; Nancy Wilson of Overland Park, Kansas; Kathleen Jackson of Fair fax, Virginia and Forrest Merrill of Tulsa, Okla­homa. Additional survivors include six grandson and three sisters: Elizabeth Sil­verthorne of Salado, Mar­jorie Berndt of Houston and Geneva Fulgham of Houston.

In lieu of flowers, her friends may wish to con­tribute in her name to one of the following:
Salado Historical Soci­ety for the Creek Pres­ervation Committee, St. Joseph’s Chapel building Fund or Vista Care Hospice Foundation in Temple.

Louis D. “Mac” McKeon dies at age 77 on Nov. 29

Funeral services for Louis D. “Mac” McKeon age 77 of Salado will be held 10 a.m. Nov. 29 at the Dossman Funeral Home in Belton with Father Larry Heimsoth officiating.

Burial with full military honors wiII be at Fort Sam Houston National Ceme­tery in San Antonio on Nov. 30.

He died November 25, 2000 at a Temple hospital.

Mr. McKeon was born November 8, 1923 in Orange, New Jersey. He served in the United States Army for 27 years and received the following medals; EAME Service medal with three battle stars, Good Conduct Medal with three silver Loops, WW II Victory Medal, Five overseas bars, meritorious unit citation, bronze star medal with oak leaf cluster, air medal. Army commendation medal with oak leaf clus­ter, Vietnam service medal with three bronze service stars, republic of Vietnam campaign medal, Vietnam cross of gallantry with palm, sharpshooter rifle, national defense service medal with oak leaf clus­ter. Mr. McKeon was a life member of Henry T. Waskow VFW 4008 of Belton and held the office of Quartermaster for five years. After retiring from the army he was in law enforcement for 19 years. Mr. McKeon married Janet Frazier June 23, 1989 in Missouri.

McKeon is survived by his wife, Janet McKeon of Salado; 5 children, Linda McKeon of Waco, Can-dance Hawks of Belton, Stephanie Howell of Temple, Michelle Winin­gar of Columbia, MO and Kevm McKeon of Holland; four step-children, Michael Claypool, U.S. avy. Troy Claypool Smithville, 10, Dennis Claypool and Darrin Claypool, both of Temple; 17 grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren and 10 great-grandchil­dren.

Dossman Funeral Home of Belton is in charge of the arrangements.

Funeral held for Ester Mae Avery

Ester Mae Avery Ward, 85, a longtime resident of Rendon, passed away Nov. 9, 2000. The funeral was held Nov. 13, at Emerald Hill Memorial Chapel in Kennedale, TX. Burial fol­lowed at the Emerald Hill. Memorial Park.

Ester was born June 23, 1915 in Thornton. A a young lady, she was raised a Southern Baptist and grew up in Hill County. She was a full-time mother who loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren who called her “Grannie”. She enjoyed many hobbies,
such a fishing and cook­ing and she had a passion for gardening.

She was preceded in death by her parents Char­lie Avery and Ida Strict­land Avery of Itasca; brothers G.C., Avery of Itasca and Albert Avery of Granbury; Sisters Viola Jame of Blum, Florence Payne of Kennedale and Sybil Avery of North Car­olina; infant on Lionell Ward of Itasca and son Arnold Ward of Rendon and grandson Allan Lloyd of Fort Worth.

Survivors include her son D.K. Ward of Rendon, daughters Sandra Sue Gates and her husband Bill of Mountain Grove, MO,, and Dianna Rae Hilscher and her husband David of Paradise; daughter-n-law Linda Sue Ward of Rendon: sister Tennie Cheney of Belton; brother­in-law, Marvin “Toad” Jame of Blum: 13 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and numerous nephews and nieces.

Memorial should be made to the American Cancer Society 3301 We t Frwy. Fort Worth, 76107 or the Emerery J. Lilge Hospice House, Commu­nity Hospice of Texas at Huguley, 301 Medpark Circle, Fort Worth 76208.

B.F. ”Frank” Breeden services held October 31 in Belton

B.F. “Frank” Breeden 64, of Salado died October 28, 2000 at a Temple hos­pital.

Services were held 2 p.m. October 31, at the Heartfield Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Joe Bent­ley and Rev. D.W. Lindsey officiating.

Burial followed at Live Oak Cemetery in Young­sport, Texas. He was born on August 24, 1936, to George Wash­ington Breeden and Annie Pearl Rumfield Breeden in Killeen, Texas. He married Neoma Willis on March 11, 1957 in Belton, Texas. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp. He was a lifelong resident of Bell County. He was a heavy equipment operator for Odell Geer Construction Company for 23 years. He wa a member of the 440 Calvary Baptist Church in Killeen.

Survivors include his wife Neoma Breeden of Salado; two daughters Wanda Reid of Florence, TX and LaNora Breeden of Salado; three brothers George D. Breeden of Killeen, James Harold Breeden of Oregon and Sam Breeden of Jones­boro, TX; one sister Lorene Lindsey of Flor­ence, TX.

Other survivors include 7 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers William H. Breeden and Herman Larry Breeden and one sister Edna Taylor.

Velma Hodge Hunter dies at age 94

Services for Mrs. Velma Hodge Hunter, age 94, of Belton were held 10 a.m. Oct. 7, at the Heartfield Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Skip Blancett officiated. Burial followed at the Salado Cemetery.

Velma Hunter died October 6, 2000 in a Belton nursing home.

She was born March 4, 1906 in Prairie Dell to John Robert and Martha Ann Killingsworth Hodge. She graduated from Belton High School and then married Aubrey Hunter. They were rangers in the Bryan and Johnson City area for many years. Velma was an avid baseball fan. She was a member of the Salado United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her hubsnd, parents, and seven brothers and sisters.

Survivors include two sisters Prudie Capps and Doris Ward, bother of Salado. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Arthur Wade Capps, Billy Rosser, Jerry Ballard, C. B. Hodge, John Robert Hodge, Mark Barnes, Steve Ballard, Clayton Capps, and Wynn Rosser.

Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.

Heartfield Funeral Home of Belton was in charge of arrangements.

Mollie Marie Lostak Garner passes away at home Oct. 7

Services for Mollie Marie Lostak Garner, age 53, of Salado were held 10 a.m. Oct 9, 2000 in the Heartfield Funderal Home Chapel with Rev. Skip Blancett officiating. Burial followed in the Salado Cemetery.

Mollie Marie Lostak Garner died Oct. 7, 2000 at her residence.

She was born June 25 1847 in Goose Creek, Texas to Tommie H. And Gladys M. Kosina Lostak. She graduated from Danbury High School in 1965 and from Southwestern Business University in 1966. She married Wayne Ray Garner on March 16, 1968 in Angleton, Texas. She worked as a secretary for the vice president of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. She was also a member of the Salado United Methodist Church and the Ladies Auxiliary V.F.W. Post 4008 in Belton. She was preceded in death by her mother Gladys Losak.

Survivors include her husband Wayne Ray Garner of Salado, four daughters Charity Barker, Tera Jackson, April Danbury and Mollie K. Garner all of Salado. Her father Tommie H. Lost of Danbury, two brothers Lonnie L. Lost of Danbury, Harold R. Lost of Sugarland, one sister Lorenda L. Baldwin of Danbury. Also two grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Monte Baldwin, Troy Baldwin, Tommie McLane Lostak, Jeremy Dickerson, Brian Remkes, Dean Honchul.

Francis Luther passes away at age 57

Funeral services for Frances L. Luther, 57, of Belton were held Sept. 15 in the Heartfield Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Billy Johnson officiating. Burial followed in the Salado Cemetery.

Mrs. Luther died Sept. 13 in a Temple hospital.

She was born on April 9, 1943 in Belton to Harry A. and Katie Walker Hess. She married Bobby Luther on Oct. 20, 1961 in Salado. She worked for Bell County as the Assistant County Treasurer. She retired from Bell County in August 1999. She was a member of the First Bap­tist Church, Salado.

Survivors include her husband, Bobby Luther of Belton; two sons, C.W. Luther of Temple, Donny Luther of Belton; mother, Katie Hess-Raabe of Salado; two sisters, Harri­ett Juergens of Belton, and Katy Newsome of Waco and two grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Asso­ciation, 6801 Sanger Suite 199-A, Waco, TX 76710.

Heartfield Funeral Home in Belton was in charge of arrangements.

Kolls passes away at the ripe old age of 101

Graveside services for Elsie M. Kolls, age 101, of Belton were held Sept. 25, 2000 at the Salado Cemetery with Reverend Tommy Davis officiating.

Kolls died Sept. 23, 2000 in a Belton nursing home.

She was born on Sept. 2, 1899, in Milam county to Rayth and Sophronia Ann Griffin McQueen. She married Julius Max Koll on August 22, 1920 in Temple. Kolls worked as a caretaker, seamstress and a farmer. She was a charter member of the First Church of the Nazarene in Belton where he taught Sunday School. She was preceded in death by her husband Julius Max Kolls in July 1929.

Survivors include one son, Max Julius Kolls of Belton; one daughter, Vir­ginia Finney of Belton; one sister, Bernice Copeland of Salado. Also three grandchildren, six great­-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Church of the Nazarene building fund in Belton.

Casey passes away at 79

Chester M. Casey, 79, of Salado died Sept. 19, 2000 in Salado.

Services were held Sept. 23 at the Heartfield Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. O.B. Casey officiating.

A Graveside service was held Sept. 23 at Gerald Cemetery in Waco.

He was born to James F. Casey and Linda Walker Casey in Temple. He formerly served in the National Guard. He moved to Salado from Temple in 1956. He was the owner of Casey Construction, all of his adult life. In his younger years, he was a caddy at the Temple Coun­try Club. He was a historian and writer of Bell County History, and also Native American history. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Salado, and taught Sunday School for 20 years.

Survivors include his daughter, Mary Bollinger of Salado; three brothers, Albert Dewell Casey of Troy, Wayne F. Casey of Salado, and Oran Burl Casey of Oklahoma; two sisters, Alice Evelyn Fritz of Temple and Frances E. Tippitt of Houston; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to the Salado Humane Society, PO Box 493, Salado, TX 76571.

Memorial service planned Sept. 21 along creek bank for Salado’s Bob Whistler

A memorial service for Bob Whistler, age 74, of Salado, will be 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Salado Creek bank behind Inn on the Creek.

Bob lost a four-month battle with a lung infection Sept. 15. He passed away with family and friends by his bedside.

Whistler was born in Oklahoma on June 25, 1926.

Whistler joined the U.S. Navy and fought in World War II.

Whistler married Sue on February I0, 1951.

Following his wartime service, Whistler traveled to Columbia, South Amer­ica working in production with Mobil Oil.

He returned to the States to pursue his fam­ily’s farm interests. He was also looking for the best used car distributor to buy a used car, and get in touch with western motors. western motors has the best, most affordable, and reliable used cars fresno in the best brands that you want.

The Whistlers pur­chased the old DeGrum­mond place in 1980. They became full-time Salado residents in the early 1980s.

The Whistlers — along
with daughter Suzi Epps and her husband Lynn — opened Inn on the Creek Bed and Breakfast in 1985.

They moved a three­ story Victorian home from Cameron and placed it along the banks of Salado Creek on Center Circle. Gourmet dinners are served every weekend, prepared by the Epps and Whistlers.

Bob and Sue’s love of Salado and restoring his­toric properties was evi­dent by their continued involvement in the Salado Historical Society for which they often opened their historic Greek Revival home, Twelve Oaks, for public tours.

The Epps built Royal Street Commons in 1994, where Bob moved Red Barn Antiques. Whistler was an antique dealer for over a quarter of a cen­tury.

The Whistlers and Epps were instrumental in the Renaissance of Salado in the 1980s and 1990s. Bob’s love for the village is epito­mized by his license plate, which reads “SALADO.”
Whistler worked his whole life, but found time to collect antique cars, including MGs.

Bob did fulfill a life­long dream before being stricken by the lung infec­tion. He and Sue flew to England on the Concorde and returned on the Queen Elizabeth 11.

Whistler is survived by his wife Sue, daughter Suzi and husband Lynn Epp , and grandson Austin Epps, all of Salado.

He is also survived by one brother, Blair Whistler, of Pharr; Linda Luna, an “adopted” daughter from South America who lived with the Whistlers during her high school and college years and Anti Krassnig, an exchange student from Austria who spent part of her high school with the family.

A self-educated man, Bob loved books. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bob’s name to the Salado Education Foundation, PO Box 458, Salado, TX 76571. Memorials will be earmarked to purchase books at Salado Intermediate Library.

Friends are invited to join family in celebrating Bob’s live during the memorial service 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 behind Inn on the Creek.