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Erma Gould
Funeral services for Erma Lee Gould, 83 of Gatesville, were held Saturday, Dec. 10, 2005, at Gatesville Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Walter Rose and the Rev. John Paulson officiating. Interment
followed at Evergreen Bundrant cemetery. Gould died Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005, in a Gatesville nursing home. She was born on Oct. 10, 1922, in Purmela, to the late Albert Pierce and Ora Odell Patterson Featherston. She grew up in Purmela, where she attended school. She graduated from Jonesboro High School. She married
Al Gould in 1943. They resided most of their married
lives in Gatesville. He preceded her in death in December 1997. Gould loved her Lord and her family, and enjoyed sewing, crocheting, and reading. She also enjoyed teaching children’s Sunday School classes at the churches where her husband pastored. She was a member of Pecan Grove Baptist church. Gould was preceded in death by her parents, by her husband, and by a sister, Frances Beeman. She is survived by three sons, Fred and wife Kay Gould of Gatesville, Tom and wife Barbara Gould of Corsicana, and Steve and wife Gayla Gould of Gatesville; two sisters, Nelda Kirk and Barbara Featherston, both of Dallas; eight grandchildren; and numerous great grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Evergreen Bundrant cemetery Association. Gatesville Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
A. E. ‘Montyree’ Cox
Montyree Cox, age 89, of Valley Mills passed away Monday, Dec. 12, at a local nursing home. Graveside service will be held 2 p.m., Thursday at Waco Memorial Park in the Mausoleum Chapel under the direction of Foss Funeral Home. Cox was born on April 16, 1916. She was the daughter of J.N. and Myrtle (Wood) Early. She was married
to A. E. (Buddy) Cox on Nov. 20, 1930. He preceded her in death in 1990. Cox had formerly worked at Stanley Moore’s Outlet Store in Valley Mills. She had lived in the Valley Mills area for the pass 56 years. Survivors include three sons, Dwayne Cox and wife, Shirley of Killeen; Dean Cox and wife Bobbie of China Spring; Terry Cox and wife, Judy of Mansfield; a brother, Gene Early and wife, Lanell of Mississippi; 10 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.
Johnie Ancil ‘Smitty’ Smith, Jr.
Johnie Ancil “Smitty” Smith, Jr. of Waco, passed away Friday, Dec. 2, at 69. Graveside services were held on Monday, Dec. 5, at the St. Olaf Lutheran cemetery in Cranfills Gap, with Pastor Dan Bvandt of the First Lutheran Church of Waco officiating. Smith was born in Waco on March 16, 1936, to Johnie Ancil Smith Sr. and Lois Brooks Smith. He was educated in the Lavega School. He was a Baptist. He married
Carolyn Jermstad on Jan. 31, 1955, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Cranfills Gap. Smith worked as a parts manager for Joe L. Ward Company in Waco. He was also an accomplished musician and had many friends in the music business. He toured for a time with Dale McBrides Band and frequently played in the Waco area. Survivors include his wife Carolyn Jermstad Smith of Waco; daughters Denise Self of Waco, Rhonda Owens and Husband Shane also of Waco; brothers James Smith of Waco and Eugene Smith of Livingston; and sister Marie Fuller of Livingston. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Lutheran Church of Waco or the St. Olaf Lutheran Church of Cranfills Gap. Funeral services were conducted by Clifton Funeral Home.
Homer A. Brown
Homer A. Brown, age 100, died Nov. 27, in Cortez, Colo. Homer was born on March 21, 1905 on “The Mountain.” The Mountain was a small rural community of several families in central Texas near the town of Meridian. He was born in the family’s farm house, the first of seven brothers and sisters. As a young boy, he worked on the family farm. In the prime of his “cotton picking” career, he picked by hand 400 pounds per day. When Homer was 14, he began taking violin lessons. He became proficient enough to play in church and gave violin lessons later in life. Upon graduating from high school, he expressed a desire to attend college. Working part time, he attended Bethany Nazarene College near Oklahoma City. Wanting to be a mathematics’s teacher, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma and got his bachelor’s degree in 1932. In 1937 he received his masters degree from the University of Texas. Until his retirement in 1969, Brown was a teacher, principal, and school superintendent for 40 years. During the years of the Great Depression, he taught school, worked on road building crews for the Works Progress Administration, and sold vanilla extract door-to-door. Through his entire teaching career, his guiding motto in working with teachers and students was “firm but fair.” Brown was a teacher and school administrator in both Texas and Oklahoma, including a teacher in Welston, Okla. from 1930 to 1931; a teacher in Whitney, Texas from 1932 to 1936; a superintendent and teacher in Morgan, Texas from 1937 to 1942; a superintendent and teacher in Italy, Texas from 1942 to 1950; and a junior high school principal at Florence School in Pleasant Grove and Dallas from 1951 to 1969. In 1930, Brown and Lois Hix were married
and shortly before he death in 1980, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. In 1981, Brown and Claidy Clounch were married
and had a good life together until her death in 1984. Brown remarried
in 1986 to Nora Chestnut. At that time, he was 81 years old and Nora was 75. The two made a cute and loving couple at the Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home until Nora’s death in 2003. In 2003, Homer moved to Durango to be closer to his son, Don. For over 50 years, Brown had been content to visit the Rocky Mountains on brief family vacations. After he moved, he went fishing and sight-seeing to the nearby mountains. And he had a great view of the Rockies from where he lived at Vista Mesa Assisted Living. One of his great joys were the visits from the area elementary school classes. When he would be asked to what he attributed his good health and long years of age, he had several words of advice. He never drank, never smoked, and always tried to maintain a positive attitude. This Thanksgiving Day, he said that he had had a happy and long life. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 3, in the Meridian First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. William Sterling officiating. Burial was in the Meridian cemetery. Pallbearers included Tom Hix, Doug Brown, Bobby Brown, Robert Isbell, Jamie Zander, and Ricky Gill. Lawson Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Wilma Delores McDowell
Tuesday, Jan. 31, Wilma Delores McDowell, 97, passed away in her home in Clifton. Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 4, in Salado, under the direction of Pastor Arthur Washburn. Graveside services were held at Salado cemetery. McDowell was born Nov. 25, 1908, in Kelleen, to William Isacc and Celeste Dolores Hedrick McDowell. She later married
in Belton, and she and her husband had four children. Living in Salado, Belton, and Clifton, McDowell was involved in the restaurant business and taking care of her mother. She was affiliated with the Methodist Church. McDowell enjoyed collecting, fishing, cooking, and caring for children. Every child she cared for like they were her own. No one passed her home being hungry. She took in the homeless. She was preceded in death by her husband and her son, Cliffort B. McDowell Jr. McDowell is survived her son, William McDowell of Clifton; daughter, Celeste Grubbs and husband Troy of Clifton; son, Joe Weir of Belton; grandchildren Brenda and James Fritz of Belton; Wilma D. Alexander and husband Melvin of Clifton; Susan Ervin and husband Willie C. of Cleburne; Betty McEntire and husband Shane of Whitney; Carol Weir of Belton; Billy Plunkett of Whitney; Marvin Weir of Belton; Joey Adams of Whitney; Diane Weir of Waco; Patricia Adams of Whitney; 13 great-grandchildren; and 26 great great-grandchildren. Pallbearers included Troy Grubbs, James Fritz, Derrian Kennerson, Casey Adams, Willie C. Ervin, and Oral Hutson. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Clifton Funeral Home.
Amy Nell May Guthrie Smith
Amy Nell May Guthrie Smith passed away on Thursday, Jan. 26, at her home. Smith was born May 1, 1921, to Roy and Mary Otterson-May, in Bosque County, on the farm in the Bee Creek area. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, G.W. Guthrie, and her second husband, Leslie Smith; her sister Ida May Cranfill Cumins; Annie Marie May; and her brother, Walter May; and Dorthy Nell Cranfill Booth. Smith is survived by one sister, Lida May New of Fort Worth; a step daughter, Becky Jones and husband, Ted of Clifton; and stepson Virgil Smith of Temple; eight grandchildren, Jason, Josh, Lance, Chris, David, Daryll, Kim, and Debbie; niece’s and nephews, Raymond New, Ladena New McDonald, Mary New Ward, Al New, Rita May Naumann, Earl May, Carol May, Helen Cranfil Stone, and Milton Cranfil. She was a member of the First Baptist Church and will be greatly missed by her friends, family, and the church family she held so dearly. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Clifton Funeral Home.
Lois Ethel ‘Granny’ Goodwin
Lois Ethel “Granny” Goodwin, 96, of the Goodall-Witcher Nursing Center, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the facility. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Clifton Church of Christ, with Minister Matthew Martin presiding. Interment
will be at St. Olaf’s Old Rock Church. Lois Ethel Crow was born Jan. 3, 1910, in Wieland, to James Pearce Crow and Dorcus Ella (Wilkinson) Crow. She attended school in Wieland and later, East Texas State University in Commerce. On July 22, 1933, she married
William L. Goodwin, and the couple had six children. Goodwin worked as an LVN at Providence Hospital and Hillcrest Hospital in Waco. She was a member of the Church of Christ. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, and many different crafts, including beaded ornament making. Goodwin was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, three sisters, her daughter, Lana, and one great grandson. She is survived by her daughters, Jeanne and husband, Ed Tipton of Hurst; Wanda and husband Lee Baumeister of Bremerton, Wash.; Yvonne and husband Noble Chastain of Cranfills Gap; sons, Charles Goodwin and wife Kathy; Larry Goodwin and wife Norma Goodwin, all of Cranfills Gap; 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, one great, great-grandson, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Don and Bonnie Goodwin of Fort Worth; and numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Clifton Funeral Home.
Jackie ‘Jack’ Lilborn Bryant
Jackie “Jack” Lilborn Bryant passed away on Thursday, Jan. 26, at home in McGregor. Funeral services were held on Saturday, Jan. 28, in the Clifton Church of Christ in Clifton, with graveside service following in Peebles cemetery in Livingston. Bryant was born Dec. 19, 1939, in Goodrich. He was preceded in death by his father, Lilborn Morse Bryant; and brothers, Bobby Ray Bryant and Robert Donald Franklin. Bryant is survived by his wife, Patsy Bryant of McGregor; son, Mike Bryant of Porter; daughter, Michele Millican and husband J.C. of Porter; grandson, Michael Bryant II of Porter; and granddaughters, Brandie Millican, Brittany Millican, and Brooke Millican, all of Porter. His extended family surviving him includes Jeff Fox and wife Monica of Knox City; Jennifer Buchanan and husband Michael of McGregor; grandchildren, Garrett Fox of Knox City, Gage Fox of Knox City, Aubrie Buchanan of McGregor; parents Mary Lavelle (Wilkenson) Dear and Wales P. Dear of Livingston; sisters Ola Faye Franklin of Livingston; Beth Mullins of Midlothian; brothers, Wales (Bubba) Dear of Woodville; step-sister, Patricia Thompson of Lufkin; step-brother, Dan Edward Franklin of Cleveland. Pallbearers included Greg Wilkinson, Billie Gerald Wilkinson, Roy Dean Wilkinson, Dean Alsobrook, Kenny Fangman, and John Rose. Honorary pallbearers were E.B. Gray, Pat Richardson, and Brian Cope. Funeral services were under the direction of Clifton Funeral Home.
Travis Eugene Bollier
Travis Eugene Bollier entered the presence of Heaven on Jan. 28. Memorial service was held on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at South Oaks Baptist Church in Arlington, with Rev. Dan Curry presiding. Interment
will be in the Clifton cemetery. Bollier was born in Ireland, Texas, Dec. 13, 1928. As the eldest of eight brother, much of his early life was spent working with his family in various farming endeavors in Texas. He was a man whose life exemplified hard, honest work and serving others. Bollier was a United States Air Force veteran, serving from 1945 to 1949, receiving an honorable discharge. He then served in the City of Dallas Fire Department for 25 years, retiring in January of 1979. The last 27 years have found him farming and ranching, selling real estate, and traveling with his wife of 58 years, Zelma. Bollier loved being a part of the lives of his family. He and Zelma were always proud and supportive of their three daughters’ accomplishments. His daughters were the apples of his eye, and through he might argue about being tied around their fingers, he knew it was true and loved them for it. He welcomed three sons-in-law into the family with open arms, and made them feel like his own sons. His grandchildren had a special place in his heart. He spent countless hours building play houses, repairing go-carts, and attending sports, drill team, and band events. He used his carpentry skills to make each of them special pieces of furniture that will remind them of his all of their lives. And he spent time with each of them, sharing his quiet wisdom about responsibility, happiness, and life. Bollier also loved serving God through the local church. He was baptized in 1966, and after many faithful years, was ordained as a deacon in 1983. His special calling was using his talents in carpentry and construction to assist his local church. No matter where he and Zelma lived, the church they attended always knew that he could be counted on to pitch in wholeheartedly. Whether it was turning the heater on at 5:30 in the morning, replacing windows, or helping build pews for the sanctuary, he could always be counted on. Even the neighbors knew and respected “Mr. Travis” for his servant’s heart. They could set their clocks by his early morning walks. And whether it was asking for help to build a workshed, or repairing the chain on a young person’s bike, he was the man to see. He never saw the need to retire from serving anyone who needed a helping hand, a good meal, or a safe, quiet place to worship the Lord. He was preceded in death by his grandchildren, Matthew and Meredith Nesbit; his parents, R.C. and Ida Overcash Bollier; and his brother, Jimmy Bollier Bollier is survived by Zelma Wallace Bollier; his three daughters and their families, Gloria and Glen McClour; Shirley and Ernie Hall; Marilyn and Mark Nesbit; grandchildren Shannon (Kennon) Garms, Edward (Cindy) McClour, Trent Hall; great-grandchildren Preston McClour and Megan Garms; and brothers Allen, Bob, Bill, Wesley, Odell, and Henry Bollier. Funeral arrangements were conducted by Clifton Funeral Home.
