2001 Obituaries

Myra Weatherford Mills passes away Nov. 28 in Temple

Myra Weatherfors Mills born December 19, 1909, to Rubye Ashford and John Weatherfors in Hempstead, Texas, died November 28, 2001, in Temple, Texas.

Myra was preceded in death by her parents and husband of 66 years, Robert Lockhart Mills. She is survived by her daughters, Camilla Mills Patton and husband Robert of Lockhart, TX; and Rita Mills Rice and husband Allen of Salado, TX. Also surviving are Lisa Patton McMahon and husband David of Midland, TX. Dianna Patton Decker, and husband Harvey; and daughter Kelsey Lockhart Decker of Los Alomos, NM; and sexily Ashford Rice of San Francisco, CA.

As a young secretary for Humble oil and refining company (Exxon) at the Raccoon Ben Oil Camp in Austin County, she met and married a young petroleum engineer Robert Lockhart Mills.

Myra and Robert the early days of the oil industry in Texas, from Humble oil camps in Raccoon Bend, Hastings, Tomball, Sugarland, Clifton by the sea and then in 1949, to Houston where they lived for 25 years. Fifteen years after retirements, they returned to Austin county (Bellville) where they enjoy a rich and full life for 18 years. Twelve years ago, they moved to the Meridian in Temple, where they spent their last years together.

She was a volunteer at the Methodist Hospital in Houston for 25 years, and an active member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Houston, First United Methodist Church, Bellville and First United Methodist Church, Temple.

She was a devoted Christian, a seamstress, an accomplished artist, a cook, homemaker, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Jan 26 at the Temple Meridian, 4312 S 31st Street, Temple.

Memorials can be made to: First United Methodist Church, 102 North 2nd Street, Temple, TX. 76501; Salado United Methodist Church, P.o> Box 771, Salado, TX. 76571; and the Texas A&M University College of Medicine, 2401 South 31st Street, Temple TX. 76508

Benson passes away Nov. 19

Carl G. Benson passed away on November 19, 2001 following a short ill­ness. Services were held Nov. 23 at the Salado United Methodist Church with Rev. Bob Shotwell and Rev. Joe Bentley offi­ciating. Interment at a later date in Ft. Sam Hous­ton National Cemetery.

Carl was born on May 26, 1925 and raised on a farm in Boulder, Colo­rado. He served the U.S. in World War II, the Korean conflict and the Vietnam war. He was wounded in action at the Battle of the Bulge in Hatton, France. He retired from the Army with the rank of Colonel in 1972 after 31 years of service and purchased a small ranch and bred Black Angus cattle until a few months before he died. He was an intelligent man of many interests and a voracious thirst for knowl­edge.

He is survived by his wife, Greta D. Benson of Salado. He is also survived by the following: daugh­ter and son-in law, Susan and Don Mitas of Sagi­naw, Michigan; daughter and son-in-law, Ann and Terrill Birkner of Austin; daughter, Kristina Benson currently residing in Eng­land; and son and daugh­ter-in-law, Carl and Faith Benson currently residing in Saudia Arabia; Step­children: George M. Dys­inger of Humble; Margaret Campbell of Waco and Glen Dysinger of Axtell.

He is also survived by grandchildren: Lecia Bell, Brad Mitas, Marcia Mitas, Brian Phillips, Morgan Benson, Casey Haltom, Scott Benson, Andrew Benson, Deborah Benson, and Jeremy Benson. Step­grandchildren: Wayne, Shaun, Nathan, Hannah and Mary Dysinger; and three great grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Berti! Benson of Denver, Colorado.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Peggy; three sisters, Evelyn, Helen and Linnea; and by his parents Fred and Annie Benson.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or Salado United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund.

Harper-Talasek was in charge of arrangements.

Owen passes away at age 83 in Lubbock

Edwina Owen, age 83, of Farwell passed away Oct. 12 in Lubbock.

Graveside services were held at the First Baptist Church in Farwell on Oct. 15. Rev. Richard Laverty officiated. Burial took place at Sunset Terrace in Farwell.

Edwina Owen was born July 6, 1918 in Fort Worth to Hugh Austin and Ina Mae Burke.

She married Dee Owen in Arch, New Mexico in 1935. They started their married life on a VVN Ranch line camp. Edwina was a Christian and a member of the First Baptist Church and Friendship Sunday School Class. She was a retired postal clerk. Edwina enjoyed her retirement by painting, doing various artwork projects, and volunteer work at the Farwell Kindergar­ten.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Hugh Burke; a sister, Ina Mae Kennedy, a grandchild Crystal Owen and one son, Jackie Williams.

Survivors are: sons Jerry Dee and wife Pat of Far­well; Bill and Carolyn Owen of Salado; daughter Angela Lias and her husband Jim of Ocala, Florida.

She is also survived by one sister, Bobbie all of Floyd, New Mexico; 4 grandchildren Mark, Kevin and Lindsey Owen and Andrea Peterson; five great grandchildren Cade, Quay, Brynn, Garrett and Ryan.

Memorials may be made to Fir t Baptist Church of Farwell or your favorite charity in lieu flowers.

Memorial today for Don Mackie, Mill Creek owner

Donald J. Mackie, Jr., of Salado, passed away Saturday morning Sept 22, at a Houston hospital, after a heroic fight against cancer. A memorial servece will be half on the 7th Fairway of Mill Creek Country Club at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26.

Don was born in Ashland, Wisconsin July 29, 1944, to Mary Berglund. Mackie and Donald J. Machie, Sr. He spent his early years in northern Wisconsin before moving to Madison in 1956, where he graduated from West High School Following high school he enlisted in the Wisconsin National Guard, then graduated from Army Officer’s Candidate School. He was commissioned in 1964, and served until 1969, during which time he was called to active service several times, including during the Cuban Missile Crisis, during this time he also earned a BBA in the Urban Land Economics from the University of Wisconsin.

After graduation for several large development companies. He was a project manager with Bliss and Laughflin Industries in Oakbrook, Illinois where he developed industrial parks and marketed a golf course community in South Florida. He moved to Houston in 1971 to take a position as project manager with Gerald H Hines Interests. He subsequently became president of the residential subsidiary of Hines Interests, a position he held until he left the company in 1979 to pursue independent development projects.

Don was an entrepreneur at heart, and in 1979, he, along with three other partners, bought Mill Creek Gold and Country Club. It originally was a 9-hole development, which he quickly changed by hiring his friend, Robert Trent Jones Jr., to redesign and expand the golf course. As the managing partner, he was in charge of its growth and development. Under his tenure the original 9-hole course was expanded into a Robert Trent Jones Jr. 27-hole golf course, along with the accompanying growth and development of the Mill Creek residential community and goes accommodations.

During this period he also managed several other properties in Round Rock, and developed some properties in Waco, Austin, and Gatesville.

In addition to his business activities he was also very involved in the community. At the time of his death, Don was President and Director of the Salado Water Supply Corporation, a Founding Director of the TexasChapter of the National Golf Course Owners Association, President of the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District of Bell County; as well as a member of the King’s Daughter’s Advisory Board, the central Texas Museum Board of Directions, the Salado Lions Club, and the Salado Chamber of Commerce. In Gatesville, he served as President of the Gatesville Chamber of Commerce, was a member of the Coryell County Tax Appraisal Board and.a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

He was also very active in his professional organization, The Urban Land Institue, where he was a member of the executeve group of the Industrial and Office Park Council, the Residential and Recreation Councils.

Don married Sara Nelle Lowrey of Gatesville in 1974. They lived in Houston, and Gatesville before moving to Salado in 1983.

Survivors include his wife, Sara Nelle Lowrey; daughter Anna Kate; and son Douglas, all of Salado. Also, his sister, Kate Mackie, of Austin and his mother in law, Mrs. O.W. Lowrey, of Gatesville, as well as by many wonderful autns, uncles, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald J. Mackie, Sr., his grandparents, and by his father-in-law and best friend, Dr. O.W. Lowrey.
Memorials may be made to the Coryell Memorial Hospital, the Edna Gladney Center in Ft. Worth, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, or to a charity of your choice.

Visitation was at the Gatesville Funeral Home in Sept. 25, in Gatesville and will be at the Prebysterian Church of Salado 9:30-11 a.m. Sept. 26, precedeng the service in Salado at Mill Creek Country Club.

Reynolds passes away at age 99

Services were held Sept. 21 for Bertha Mary Elizabeth Reynolds of Ohio, age 99. She died September 19 at Ultra Care Inc. in Ohio.

She was born Aug. 28, 1902 in St. Louis Missouri to John Henry and Mary Frances Pedigo.

She lied in Glasgow, Kentucky until she married April 3, 1923. In 1956, Bertha and husband Finas “Fred” Reynolds moved to Warren, Ohio.

Reynolds was a home maker. She was preceded in death by her husband Finas Fred Reynolds and six brothers and four sisters.

Survivors include son Jack Reynolds of Canton, OH; daughters Paula Cote of Adelphi, MD and Mildred G. Grimm of Salado; eight grandchildren and ten great grandchildren; one sister Marie Crawford of Indiana.

Memorials may be made to the charity of choice.

Arrangements were made by Robert H. Roberts-Clark Memorial Home Inc., Ohio.

Jackson passes away at age 85

Services for Stella Ann Brooks Jackson, 85, were held August 28 at Victory Baptist Church in Salado with David Phillips Jr., Richard Beckham, and D.W. “Doc” Lindsey offi­ciating.

Burial followed in Cedar Valley Cemetery.

She died August 27 at her residence.

Jackson was born in Bell County to William Henry Brooks and Amanda Victoria Collin Brooks.

She married Claude Henry Jackson in Florence on December 15, 1933. He preceded her in death. She was a home-maker for 68 years.

She was also preceded in death by two daugh­ters, Mary Jackson and Melba Sue Taylor; a son, Joe Henry Jackson; and three grandsons.

Survivors are three sons, Norman Jackson Sr., Jimmy Jackson and Larry Jackson; three daughters, Kathy Phillips, Lavon Miller and Jacquelyn Jack­son Beckham, all of Salado; 23 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great- grandchildren.

Harper Talasek Funeral Home in Salado was in. charge of arrangements.

Stockton passes away at age 68

John Robert Stockton, Jr. are 68 of Salado died September 2 at his resi­dence. Graveside services will be held noon Sep­tember 6 at the Salado Cemetery with Dr. Ste­phen VanCura officiating. He was born August 20, 1933 in Des Moines, Iowa the son of John R. and Beaulah Vaughn Stock­ton.

Stockton served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He gradu­ated from the University of Texas with a degree in physics and then had a 20 year career in the Aero Space industry. Fourteen years ago he moved to Salado where he owned and operated Wiggles­worth Place.
Survivors include wife Susan Stockton of Salado; son John Robert Stockton Ill of Fort Worth; daugh­ters Diane Stockton of Frisco, Colorado; and Kathy Campion of Southlake Tahoe, Califor­nia; three grandchildren; and sister Eileen Hearn of Atlanta, Georgia.

Harper-Talasek Funeral Home of Salado is in charge of arrangements.

Smith passes away at age 88

Services for James T. (Jack) Smith, Ill age 88 of Salado were held July 21 at the Crawford Cemetery in Crawford with Revs’ J. W. Sellers and Skip Blan­cett officiating.

Mr. Smith died Wednes­day (July 18) in a Belton Nursing Home of compli­cations from Parkinson’s Disease.

He was born in Win­field, Texas to Jym T. Smith and Rosa (Nutt) Smith. He graduated from Winfield High School and attended the College of Marshall and graduated from East Texas State Uni­versity. He served in the U. S. Marine Corps during World War II with service in the South Pacific as Security Officer aboard the Gen. H.F. Hodges and served in the Marine Corps Reserves for 20 years, retiring as a Major. He married Jimmie Kay Brown in San Antonio in 1939.

He was employed by Phillips Petroleum Co. and retired from Continental Oil Co. as a Petroleum landman. He was then in Amarillo as an indepen­dent Oil Operator for 15 years after which he retired and moved to Salado in 1983 He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Salado.

He is survived by his wife, one son, Dr. Mike Smith and his wife Joan of Mason County, two grand daughters, Jennifer Connon and husband Pat-rick and Katy Escobar and husband Tony, one great grand daughter Alexan­dria Escobar and one sister Edith Whitley of Temple.

In lieu of flowers memo­rials may be made to the Northeast Texas Chapter of The National Parkin on’s Disease Founda­tion Presbyterian Hospital, 8200 Walnut Hill, Jackson Building, Dallas, Texas 75231.

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

Hallaron passes away at age 72

Memorial services for Dorothy May Halloran, age 72, of Temple were held July 22 at the First Methodist Church of Salado with Reverend Skip Blancett officiating.

Halloran died July 19, 2001 at a local Temple Hospital.

Halloran was born in Waco, Texas to William H. and Mayme Lee Dunnam McKinney. She graduated from Waco High School.

She is survived by three sons, Carlton F. Beckstead of Phoenix, Az; Richard Halloran, Ill of Livings­ton, Montana; James Hal­loran of Atlanta, Georgia; one daughter, Linda C. Daily of Kansas City, Missouri; two brothers, Douglas McKinney of Georgetown; Jeff McKinney of Salado; three sis­ters, Mayme Lee Parker of Temple; Myrtle Grace McEver of Lewisville; Juanita Raborn of Synder; two granddaughters, one great-grandson and four step grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the Arthritis Foun­dation, 3710 Cidar Street, Austin TX. 78701.

Bricker passes away at age 88

Morris E. Bricker, 88, died July 2, 2001 in Ft. Worth. The funeral for Mr. Bricker was held July 5 at Thompson’s Harrison and Cole Funeral Home with Dr. Billie Hanks officeiating. Burial followed in Wilder Cemetery in Naples, Texas.

Morris E. Bricker was born April 14, 1913 in Sonora. The Brcker family ranched in Sonora and the El Dorado area for many years.

He was ranch foremman of the Upton Ranch in San Angelo when he marryed Sibyl Harvey, The Brickers were members of the Ridglea Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife Sibyl and his great grand-daughter.

Mr. Bricker is survived by daughter Ann Gardner and her husband, David, of Salado; granddaughters Terri Willingham, of Dallas, Merri Corbett and her husband Lee, of Sewickley, Pa., grandson Loren Gardner and his wife Tanya, of Houston; and sister Nell Bricker, of Dublin. He is also survived by two great grandsons.

Memorials may be made to VITAS Hospice, 2501 Parkview Dr., Ft Worth, TX 76102