Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries
Diamond Joy Herring Ham
ORANGE - Services for Diamond Joy Herring Ham, 79, will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at Caledonia Cemetery in Caledonia with Ed Green officiating.
She died Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000, at Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital in Orange.
Larry Harris
Larry Harris, 35, of Port Arthur died Saturday, September 29, 2000, at Christus St. Mary's Hospital.
He was a lifelong resident of Port Arthur and a laborer.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Hannah Funeral Home with the Rev. James Queen Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Live Oak Cemetery. Visitation is from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Survivors include three daughters, Brandi Harris, Tangeniqua Harris, Deondra Harris all of Port Arthur; two sons, Larry Harris Jr., Joseph Harris both of Port Arthur; nine sisters, Angela Garcia, Eunice Harris, Doris Harris, Betty Brown, Dorothy Long, Mary Thompson all of Port Arthur, Thelma Quenn of Beaumont, Lean Barry, Leana Harris both of Houston; and eight brothers, Gerald Harris, Clifton Harris, Freeman Harris all of Port Arthur, Joseph Harris, Leory Harris both of Houston, Tex Lumas, Leroy Dural both of Opelousas, La., Joseph Dural of Los Angeles, Calif.
David 'Chief' Hawthorne
David "Chief" Hawthorne, 69, of Port Arthur died Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000, at Park Place Medical Center.
A native and lifelong resident of Port Arthur, he was a retired chief deputy for Jefferson County Sheriff's Department for more than 31 years. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Port Acres and Masonic Lodge No. 872. He was past president of the East Texas Peace Officers Association.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Baptist Church in Port Acres with the Rev. Bill Adams and the Rev. Jeff Bell officiating. Burial will be at Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Levingston Funeral Home in Groves. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday and additional visitation Friday at the funeral home.
Survivors include his wife Shirley; a daughter, Melody Ann Williams of Houston; two sons, Lanny Hawthorne of Beaumont and Jack Hawthorne of Tyler; two sisters, Betty Jean Jacobs of St. George, Utah, and Lorraine Marsh of Groves; a brother, Steve A. Hawthorne of Port Arthur; and eight grandchildren.
Ruth Scott Hill
Services for Ruth Scott Hill, 83, of Port Arthur will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Clayton Thompson Funeral Home with the Rev. Bill Adams officiating. A private burial will take place in Beaumont.
She died Monday, Oct. 2, 2000, at Christus St. Mary's Hospital.
Edward 'Ed' McCracken
BRIDGE CITY - Edward "Ed" McCracken, 73, of Bridge City died Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000, at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.
A Waco native and former Belton resident, he lived for the past 33 years in Bridge City. He was retired as a construction engineer and a 33 year member of Operating Engineers Local 450C of Nederland. He was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He was a life member of the VFW Post 4008 in Belton.
Military graveside funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Friday at North Belton Cemetery in Belton. Visitation will be from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City.
Survivors include his wife Lana; three sons, Billy McCracken of Savannah, Ga., Rick McCracken of Pooler, Ga., and Jackie Hooker of Bridge City; a daughter, Diane Newton of Arlington; three sisters, Violet Dorsett of San Antonio, and Edna Caldwell and Rachel Davis, both of Belton; a brother, J.D. McCracken of Angleton; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.
Lemon Leon Miller
Lemon Leon Miller, 90, of Port Arthur died Sunday, Oct. 1, 2000, at Park Place Medical Center.
A native of Batchelor, La., he was a Port Arthur resident for 72 years and a faithful member of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, where he served as a senior usher. He retired from Gulf Oil Refinery with 44 years and four months of service. He was a member of Lakeshore Lodge No. 256 (Mason) and American Woodmen.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Progressive Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Walter D. Allen, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Johnson Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Gabriel Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church.
Survivors include two daughters, Hargie Faye Pitre of Port Arthur and Loyce Fisher of Beaumont; a sister, Ella McDay of Dallas; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Chauncey C. 'Chan' Petry
PORT NECHES - Chauncey C. "Chan" Petry, 79, of Port Neches died Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2000, at Mid-Jefferson Hospital in Nederland.
A native of Comfort, W. Va., he was a Port Neches resident for 46 years. He was a retired supervisor for Unocal. He was a World War II Coast Guard veteran.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Levingston Funeral Home in Port Neches with the Rev. T.J. Sasser officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Survivors include his wife Alma; two daughters, Sandra Latiolais of Groves and Tammy Johnson of Port Neches; two sisters, Nina Rose of St. Albans, W. Va., and Nette Jarrett of Virginia; four brothers, Archie Petry of Casper, Wyo., Dempsey and Jim Petry, both of Winfred, W. Va., and Carl Petry of Chelyan, W. Va.; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Contributions may be made to American Heart Association (Beaumont Division), P.O. Box 7015, Beaumont, TX 77726-7015.
Norval V. Pinder
CLEAR LAKE - Norval V. Pinder, 80, of Clear Lake died Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000, at his residence.
He was a native and resident of Port Arthur before moving 25 years ago to Lake Charles, La., and then living in Houston for the past 15 years. He was president of Thunderbird Manufacturing in Houston. He was a 32nd degree mason and member of the Masonic Lodge Calcasieu No. 400 in Lake Charles. He was also a U.S. Coast Guard veteran during World War II.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Greenlawn Memorial Park with the Rev. James Damon officiating. Burial will be under the direction of Levingston Funeral Home in Groves. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Survivors include a son, Michael Pinder of Clear Lake; a sister, Marie Roller of Port Arthur; a brother, Volney L. Pinder of Port Arthur; three grandsons; and a great-granddaughter.
George W. 'G.W.' Ramey
Services for George W. "G.W." Ramey, 87, of Port Arthur will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Clayton Thompson Funeral Home with the Rev. Jim Dammon officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park.
He died Tuesday, October 3, 2000, at his home.
Wayne A. Sawyer
PORT NECHES - Wayne A. Sawyer, 60, of Port Neches died Monday, Oct. 2, 2000, at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.
A native of Norfolk, Va., he lived in Port Neches for nine years. He was a retired executive with the Union Oil Company of California with 30 years of service. He was a Georgia Institute of Technology graduate with a degree in civil engineering. He held a master's degree in business administration from the University of California in Los Angeles. He was a reserve officer in the U.S. Air Force, of the Presbyterian Faith, and a 32nd degree mason.
Services will be at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Broussard's Mortuary in Nederland with the Rev. Mike Cole officiating. Burial will be private.
Survivors include his wife Sheila; a son, William Sawyer of Raleigh, N.C.; a brother, Frank Sawyer of Norfolk, Va.; and father William Sawyer of Norfolk, Va.
Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the charity of one's choice.
Leon Simon
Services for Leon Simon, 92, of Port Arthur will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church with the Rev. Randy Vaughn officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Hannah Funeral Home.
He died Sunday, October 1, 2000, at Park Place Medical Center.
