Ronnie Watson
A memorial service for Ronnie Watson, 55, of Throckmorton, was held Saturday, March 3, at the Merriman-Archer Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Will Fish officiating.
Arrangements were under the direction of Merriman-Archer Funeral Home of Throckmorton.
Mr. Watson was born on July 7, 1951, in Olney to Edker and Dora (Cook) Watson. He died Wednesday, Feb. 28, at Throckmorton County Memorial Hospital.
He was a farmer. He was preceded in death by a sister, Margaret Waldon, and brothers Lee Roy, Jackie Dan, Joseph and Don Watson.
Survivors include sisters Pearl Gillock and husband Bob of Olney, Dorothy Evans of Jefferson, Venita Stephens of Jefferson, Nettie Miller and husband R.L. of Ranger, Nell Burns and husband Tim of Euless and Jean Watson of Eastland; brothers Oliver Watson and wife Marilyn of Olney and Edker “Jr.” Watson and wife Deveda of Woodson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Throckmorton County Memorial Hospital.
Mary Magdelene (Pelham) Beard
Funeral services for Mary Magdelene (Pelham) Beard, 71, of Iowa Park, were held Thursday, March 1, at Lakeview Church of God in Iowa Park with Ted Gray, senior pastor, officiating. Interment followed in Highland Cemetery in Iowa Park under the direction of Dutton Funeral Home.
Mrs. Beard was born April 10, 1935, in Madill, Okla. She died Sunday, Feb. 25, in Wichita Falls.
She was a registered nurse and had worked at several healthcare facilities throughout her life, including Roseburg Hospital in Oregon, the Bridgeport Hospital, Hamilton Hospital in Olney, and she retired from the North Texas State Hospital in Wichita Falls in 1998. She ended her career in Iowa Park at the Iowa Park Healthcare Center in January 2007. She married the Rev. Billy G. Beard on July 2, 1952, in California.
Mrs. Beard was preceded in death by her father, Richard Isaac Pelham; her mother, Meadie (Gurlie) Storie; and “Daddy,”Albert Storie; a daughter, Brenda Sue Talbert; a grandson, Zachary William Beard; two brothers, William Pelham and Junior Pelham; and a sister, Oleta McCain.
She is survived by two sons, Danny Beard and wife Jodie, and Brian Beard, all of Iowa Park; two brothers, Thomas Pelham of Linden, Calif. and James Pelham of Bridgeport; three granddaughters, Kristen Dunagan of Wichita Falls, Leslie Lucas of Tennessee Colony and Lauren Knighten, of Iowa Park; four grandsons, Clayton Beard of Iowa Park, Danny Beard Jr. of Klamath Falls, Ore. and Ryan Beard and Steven Talbert of Iowa Park; six great-granddaughters, three great grandsons and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family suggests memorials be made to Hospice of Wichita Falls, P.O. Box 4804, Wichita Falls, TX 76308.
Karrie Lynn Cook
Graveside services for Karrie Lynn Cook, 24, of Olney, were held Wednesday, March 7, at Restland Cemetery with Scotte Clark of Olney officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Lunn Funeral Home.
Mrs. Cook was born Jan. 20, 1983, in Seminole. She was a Certified Nurses Aid and a homemaker, and she attended First Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Jesus Martinez of Megargel; three sons, Glen Cook of Vernon, Jose Martinez and Carlos Martinez, both of Olney; her mother, Ida Alvizo of Olney; one brother, Gary Strong Jr. of Wichita Falls; four sisters, Melinda Tellez and Cassandra Villeda, both of Olney, and Ashley Strong and Amber Strong, both of Florida; grandparents Amelio Herrera of Vernon and Jovita Zuniga of Rotan; five nephews and three nieces.
Donald Bruce James
Funeral services for Donald Bruce James, 70, of Olney, were held Wednesday, March 7, in the chapel of Lunn Funeral Home with Scotte Clark officiating. Graveside services with military honors will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in the Beech Creek Cemetery in Atlanta, Texas, under the direction of Lunn Funeral Home.
Mr. James was born June 22, 1936, in Albuquerque, N.M., to the late Henry and Frances (Field) James. He died Sunday, March 4, in Olney.
As a young boy he received the Life ranking in the Boy Scouts of America. He and Mary Ann Cooley were married in 1966 in Louisiana. He served in the U.S. Army and fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
He was employed with Colonial Construction Company, and was later a welder on water tanks and worked in the oil field. Mr. James was a past member of the DAV, and moved to Olney from Wichita Falls in 2003.
Survivors include three sons, Joseph James of Missouri, and Donald and Henry James of Olney; one daughter, Mary Lou Weiss of Gilmer; four brothers, Robert James and wife Pauline of Arizona, Thomas James of New Mexico, Jerrold James and wife Gail of New Mexico and Frank James and wife Delores of Florida; three sisters, Marian Calhoun of New Mexico, Carol Brennan and husband Edward of New Mexico and Barbara James of Virginia; two grandchildren, Kelly and Harold Weiss; numerous nieces and nephews and great- and great-great nieces and nephews.
Melissa Gail Shelton Livingston
Funeral services for Melissa Gail Shelton Livingston, 37, of Megargel, were held Saturday, March 3, in the chapel of Lunn Funeral Home with Dan Hooper of Olney officiating. Interment followed in Newcastle Cemetery under the direction of Lunn Funeral Home.
Mrs. Livingston was born Nov. 13, 1969, in Dennison to Dale and Nancy (Maxwell) Shelton. She died Wednesday, Feb. 28, at Hamilton Hospital.
She and T.J. Livingston were married Nov. 19, 2005, in Olney. She received an associate’s degree in pre-law from Virginia Tech. She was a Baptist, and moved to Megargel from Olney in 2006. She was preceded in death by her father, Dale Shelton, in 1977.
Survivors include her husband, T.J., of Megargel; one daughter, Breanna Livingston of Megargel; three sons, Emory Phillips and Tanner Phillips of Abilene and Troy Wesley Livingston of Megargel; her mother and step-father, Nancy and Tommy Hudson of Abilene; one sister, Kristy Novian of Hewitt; one brother, James Shelton of Germany; one grandson, Trystan Phillips of Abilene; her grandmother, Maxine Blevins of Olney; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Tennilee VanZandt
Graveside services for Tennilee VanZandt, 94, of Ponder and formerly of Olney, were held Saturday, Feb. 24, at Restland Cemetery with Scotte Clark, minister of Hamilton Street Church of Christ, officiating. Arrangements were under direction of Lunn Funeral Home.
Mrs. VanZandt was born Feb. 15, 1913, to the late Odie and Bertie M. (Downey) Freeze. She died Wednesday, Feb. 21, in Grapevine.
She and Odom VanZandt were married Dec. 30, 1938, in Archer City. He preceded her in death on Sept. 20, 1966.
She worked for General Telephone Company for 31 years, retiring in 1973.
She was a member of the Church of Christ in Justin.
Survivors include two daughters, Anna Kay Brown and husband Charlie of Fort Worth, and Judy Roberts and husband Paul of Ponder; two brothers, Henry Freeze and wife Pauline of Olney and Bill Freeze and wife Skeeter of Canton; one sister, Helen Wright of Canton; four grandchildren, Kathy Lunsford, Ricky Barker, James Shawver and Deborah Hicks; and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the SPCA of Texas at PetSmart in Denton, 1441 South Loop 228, Denton, Texas 76205.
Zella Mae Allison
Private family services for Zella Mae Allison, 95, of Olney were held Sunday, Aug. 20, at First Baptist Church with Scotte Clark officiating.
Interment followed at Restland Cemetery with arrangements under direction of Lunn Funeral Home.
Mrs. Allison was born July 22, 1911, in Olney to the late Londy Jackson and Clemmie Denia Cooper Kilcrease.
She died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2006, in Olney.
She and Frank William Allison were married Oct. 14, 1936, in Throckmorton. He preceded her in death Jan. 24, 1987.
Mrs. Allison was a homemaker. She moved to Olney in the 1990s from Austin. She was a member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son Don Buckalew of Olney; three grandchildren Harley Portwood, Linda Rounsaville and Donna Kay Harrison; seven great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Hamilton Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 158, Olney TX 76374.
