Sharon Murrah services held March 10

Services for Sharon Fay (Schrimsher) Murrah, age 59, of Belton will be held 3 p.m. March 10 at the Belton Church of Christ with Minister Joe Baisden officiating. Burial will follow in the North Belton Cemetery.

Sharon Murrah died March 6, 2005, at her home.

She was born August 16, 1945 in Gatesville to Hiram Joshua and Mar­guente (Burton) Schrimsher. She moved to Belton at age 11 and attended Tyler elementary, Belton Junior High and was a 1963 graduate of Belton High School. She attended Temple Beauty Col­lege and was a licensed beautician. She married Charles D. Murrah on June 13, 1964 in Belton. Her love for music began at the age of eight when her father bought her an old upright piano. An accomplished pianist and vocalist she entertained throughout Central Texas and was well known for playing at the Tyler House in Salado, Temple’s An­nual Pioneer Celebration, Belton Lions Club Bell County Jamboree as well as many weddings. She was a member of the Belton Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her father in 1986, sis­ter Lorna Schrimsher in 1954 and brother Michael Schrimsher in 1998.

Survivors include her husband Charles “Dan” Murrah of Belton, two sons, David Murrah of Abilene and Rex Murrah of Belton, two daughters, Becki Murrah Adams of Belton, Kerri Murrah Sch­urtz of Markham, mother Marguerite Schrimsher of Temple, brother Richard Schrimsher of Belton, sis­ter, Lana Keeler of Belton, five grandchildren, Derek Mooney, Deanna Mooney, Hannah Murrah, J.D. Sch­urz and Ashlyn Murrah.

Memorials may be made to the Sharon Schrimsher Murrah Memorial Fund in care of First Texas Bank in Belton.

Dossman Funeral Home in Belton was in charge of arrangements.

Pechal services held Feb. 24

Bobby Pechal ,Sr., 69, of Salado, formerly of Temple, died Feb. 20, 2005 at Scott & White Hospital after a short illness.

Serices will be held 3 p.m. Feb. 24 at the First United Methodist Church in Temple with Rev. Hubert Austin, Dr. Bill Boyd and Rev. Doug Blackford officiating.

Pechal was born to Will Walter and Dollie Cantrell Pechal April 1, 1935 at King’s Daughters Hospital in Temple. He graduated from Temple High School in 1953.

He played minor league baseball for the New York Giants farm system and was a pitcher in the Amateur Softball Association Fast Pitch which went to the national meet in 1976 and 1977.

He started work for the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad Sep. 22, 1953, and retired as assistant trainmaster in 1991 from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad after 38 years of service.

He married Mary Ann Younts on April 8. 1953 in Temple. He was a life­long member of the First United Methodist Church in Temple.

Survivors are his wife of 51 years, Mary Ann Pechal, of Salado; one son, Bobby H. Pechal, Jr. and bis wife Pamela, and two grandsons, Bobby Pechal, III and Bryan Pechal, all of Lawrence, KS; one nephew, Larry Pechal, of Lexington, SC; two nieces, Peggy Sanderford, of San Antonio, and Melissa Tillery, of Dallas.

He was preceded in death by one brother, William Pechal, on Feb. 4, 2005.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 102 N. Second St, Temple TX 76501.

Scanio-Harper Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Services held for Van Dyke

Funeral services for Anderson Mart Van Dyke, 86, were held Feb. 10 in the Dossman Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Bob Van Dyke, Pastor Stephen Baker, Pastor Billy Borho and Youth Pastor Andrew Baker officiating. Burial followed in Cedar Valley Cemetery.

Van Dyke passed away Feb. 7 in a Temple hospi­tal.

He was born July 4, 1918 in Prairie Dell, to Minnie Lee (Brinegar) and Mart Anderson Van Dyke. He served in the U.S. Navy in World War IL. He married Frances Safley on Jan. 3. 1941 in Cedar Valley.

Van Dyke was or­dained as a Baptist deacon in 1965. He was active in the Civilian Conservation Corps #854, which was in­volved in the initial work of the Longhorn Caverns. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Longhorn Cavern Museum and the CCC reunions. He rode in the Belton 4th of July Parade for the last 37 years, usually on horse­back.

He retired from the City of Dallas as a heavy equipment operator. He was a member of the Vic­tory Baptist Church of Salado.

He was preceded i9 death by his parents; his wife, on Feb. 2, 2000; one brother, Billy Joe Van Dyke; two sisters, Helen Burks, and Lola Bell Burks; and one grandson, Mart.

He is survived by two sons, Bobby Don Van Dyke, of Brenham, and Richard Mart Van Dyke, of Conroe; three daugh­ters, Sue Hall, of Grand Prairie. Debra Bingham, of Gatesville, and Joyce Bake, of Zephyr; one brother, Herman Van Dyke, of Bay City; four sisters, Mary Ruth Dudley, of Henderson, NV, Dorothy Dell Crews, of Portland, OR, Juanita Sparrows, of Belton, and Eula Bea Reagan, of El Paso; 26 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchil­dren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Gladys Kelley services held Feb. 9

Funeral services for Gladys F. Kelley, 63, of Salado, were held Feb. 9 at the Dossman Funeral Home Chapel with Rev Joe Bentley officiating. Burial followed at the Salado Cemetery.

Kelley died Feb. 7, in a Temple hospital.

She was born Jun 1, 1941 in Grant. LA, the daughter of Marshall Wright and Daisy Cooper Wright. She married Horace Kelley on March 28, 1967 in Strawn, TX. She retired from Haggar Manufacturing after 20 years making men’s clothing. For the last 19 years she had worked at Stagecoach Inn as the housekeeping Supervisor.

Kelley was preceded in death by one son, Horace Lawayne “Joey” Kelley, on March 15, 1988 and great granddaughter Teylee Jade Kelley.

Survivors include her husband, Horace Kelley, of Salado; two sons, Melton Kelley, of Salado, and David Kelley, of Salado; two daughters, Debra Hall, of Salado, and Carol Mahagan, of Beaumont. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Carse Williams passes away Jan. 31

Carse Williams, 66, of Georgetown, and formerly of Salado, died Jan. 31, 2005 in a Temple hospi­tal. A memorial service was held Feb. 4 at Salado United Methodist Cburcb with R. Grady Brittain officiating.

Mack Birtchet, age 80, passes away Jan. 23

Funeral services for Malcolm “Mack” Birt­chet. 80, were held Jan. 27, in the Dossman Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Bobby Baggett and Wil­liam Wilbanks officiating. The body was cremated following services.

Birtchet passed away Jan. 23 evening at his home in Belton.

He was born Jan. 10, 1925, near Albany, OR, the youngest son of Jackson George Birtchet and Al­ice Graham Birtchet. He resided in Harris County, TX, from 1927-1942 and attended Addicks High School.

He attended Sam Houston State College in Huntsville on a basketball scholarship, but enlisted in the U.S. Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served in the Navy from 1942-1946.

During WWII. he served in both the North Atlantic and the Pacific combat areas as a signalman, attaining the rank of First Class Signal­man. He also participated in Special Services as a boxer.

Upon discharge in 1946, he attended South­western University, where he met Frances Stone, of Dallas, who he married in 1947. He returned to Sam Houston State College in 1947 and was a member of three championship basketball teams, as well as earning a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in educa­tion.

Beginning in 1950, he taught and coached at Tarkington Prairie High School. and moved his family to Belton in 1954. During his career in Belton, he coached a state basketball championship team in 1958, and ap­peared at the state tourna­ment twice. He was head footbalI coach in 1964 and 65.

In 1966 he retired from coaching and became an administrator in the Belton system before his retirement in 1969.

Survivors include his wife, Frances Birtchet, of Belton; five daughters, Cindy Watson. of Salado, Katie Alexander. of Sm. Antonio, Mary Rush­ing, of Lampasas, Molly Brown, of Georgetown, and Amy Birtchet, of Belton; brother, Jack Birtchet, of El Campo; eight granddaughters, three grandsons and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials may be made to the Belton Educational Enrichment Foundation, 616 East 6th, Belton, TX 76513.

Dossman Funeral Home in Belton handled arrangements.

Dwayne Jackson services held Jan. 29

Services for Clayton Dewayne Jackson, 57, of Salado, were held Jan. 29, 2005 in the First Baptist Church of Salado, with Reverend Billy Johnson officiating. Burial followed in Salado Cemetery.

Jackson passed away Jan. 26, 2005, at his residence in Salado.

He was born Dec. 18, 1947 in Florence, to Floyd A. And Margaret Marley Jackson. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1968-1970, serving in Viet Nam.

He married Sherry Tabor on July 18, 1970 in Salado. He was Facility Manager for Director of Public Works/Department of Defense for 35 years. He was awarded the Bronze Order of the DeFleury Medal for inspirational leadership for the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Jackson retired in Jan. 2004. He was the Vice President of the Cedar Valley Cemetery Association and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Salado.

Survivors include his wife, Sherry Jackson, of Salado; one son, James Jackson, of Wylie; one daughter, Ay Jackson Nieto, of Round Rock; one grandson, Bradley Jackson; parents, Floyd and Margaret Jackson, of Salado; and one brother, Donnie Jackson, of Salado. He was preceded in death by one brother, Jesse Jackson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in Salado, or to the Cedar Valley Baptist Church.

Heartfield Funeral Home in Belton handled arrangements.

Warren Smith passes away Jan. 8

Edgar W. “Warren” Smith, age 72, of Salado, passed away January 18, 2005.

Warren was born Janu­ary 26, 1932. His parents were the late Embre and Matilda Smith. After graduating from Pfluger­ville High School in 1949, he attended Texas A&M University. While at A&M, he was Com­pany Commander of his unit, “A” Transportation, and a member of the Ross Volunteers. He studied ag­riculture and graduated as a distinguished student in 1953.

In June 1953, he mar­ried his wife of 51 years, Mildred Fuchs. After serving in the Anny in Germany for two years, he returned to the Pfluger­ville community and went into the ranching and dairy business with his fa­ther. After retiring, War­ren and Mildred moved to Salado.

Warren was active in school, community and church work. He served as President of the Pfluger­ville School Board and President of the Pfluger­ville Lions Club. He also served on the Travis County Appraisal Board, Mid-Tex Dairy Co-Op Board and the First State Bank Board. He was a longtime member of Im­manuel Lutheran Church in Pflugerville and was currently a member of the Salado United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Mildre daughter and son-in-law, Connie and Les Sladek of George­town; and two grandsons, Kelby and Riley Sladek, who are both currently attending Texas AM University.

The family received guests for visitation Jan. 19, at Cook-Walden/ Davis Funeral Home in Georgetown. Funeral ser­vices were held Jan. 20, in the chapel of the Cook­Walden Davis Funeral Home in Georgetown. Interment followed at Im­manuel Lutheran Church Cemetery in Pflugerville with Pastor Grady Brit­tain officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pflugerville and the Salado United Methodist Church in Salado.

Words of comfort may be shared with the fam­ily at www.mem.com. Arrangements by Cook­Walden/Davis. Funeral Home.

Bill Shaw passes away Dec. 30

William John (Bill) Shaw IV, of Salado, passed away Dec. 30, 2004 at Park lace Nurs­ing Home. He was 86.

Graveside services were held Jan. 3 in Salado Cemetery with Rev. Grady Brittain officiating.

Shaw was born in Akron, OH, on Dec. 1, 1918. He graduated from Cincinnati Art Institute where he received a degree in commercial art. He later served in the Army Air Force during World War II, as a flight instructor.

While stationed at San Marcos he met and married Batista Simpson in 1944. After the war. they moved to Dallas, where he joined the Ted Work­man Advertising Agency. He later opened his own agency, Shaw Studios. He had numerous commercial advertising accounts, such as Republic National Life, Fidelity Union.

He also designed ads for Freddy Kilowatt, Saladmaster, and Honey Bee. He moved to Salado 22 years ago, and did the advertising for Salado for many years, including the Christmas Stroll and Art Fair.

Shaw was former president of the Salado Historic Society and the Merchant’s Association. The Shaw’s had a shop called The Granary on Rock Creek Drive for 10 years. He also did adver­tising for Scott & White Hospital for several years.

Survivors are his wife of 60 years, Batista Shaw, their children: Sandy Johnston, and her• hus­band, Terry, Billie Sue Scales, and her husband, David. Grandchildren are Brady Johnston, Shawn Wolff, and her husband, Todd, Taylor Hutton, and Trey Hutton. He had two great-grandchildren: Austin and Tyler Wolff, of Austin.

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