October 4, 2007

Octa Lorena Wells Smith... 
Octa Lorena Wells Smith, 89, passed away September 25, 2007.
Family graveside celebration of life and shared remembrances for Octa Lorena Wells were at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, September 29, 2007 at Bellevue Community Cemetery, under the direction of White Family Funeral Home, Bowie, TX. Burial services followed at 1:00 p.m.
Denton Bible Church Associate Pastor, Rev. Jim Hill, officiated in sharing of scripture and favorite poetry which Lorena cherished and practiced in her gifted life of love and caring for friends and family alike.
Lorena was born at high noon on January 1, 1918 at her Newport, TX family home being the 12th child of 15 children blessed to the late Edward Mathew and Margaret Baker Wells. She attended public school in Newport, Texas.
She married Gerald Brann Smith February 20, 1937 in Walters, OK. She worked in retail sales in Wichita Falls, TX until her husband’s retirement from the Wichita Falls Post Office. They briefly moved to Seymour and then on to Gregory, TX where they purchased a motel, restaurant and service station serving area oilmen and vacationing sports fishermen to the Coastal region. Their family business interests evolved to a family book store in Corpus Christi at the time of her husband’s passing on February 18, 1966. Lorena, with the help of her then teenage sons, Gerald Smith, Jr. (Jerry) and Harry Edward Smith, carried on the family business until she sold the business and began her career in photography management with Larry Robinson Studios. She served as a pioneer female Corpus Christi business manager until her early retirement in 1969.
In 1969 upon successfully seeing her two eldest sons through completion of college, she moved with her youngest son, Edgar Lee Smith to Gainesville, TX. She worked for a brief period of time at Lerner Studios and ended her business career working in retail shoe sales with Frank Blagg at Farrar’s Shoe Store.
Upon retirement she enjoyed multiple trips around the world, enjoying her visits to the New England states’ fall season and all that New York City had to offer. She always said she never met a stranger in New York City - given her outgoing personality to all, such was never given reason for dispute. She also loved relaxing with books of all types.
Lorena was preceded in death by numerous brothers and sisters; beloved husband and cherished eldest son, Jerry.
Survivors include: children and spouses, Harry Edward Smith and wife, Kathy Crum Smith (formerly of Corpus Christi) of San Antonio, TX; youngest son, Edgar Lee Smith and wife, Vanessa of Gainesville, TX; daughter, Nancy Cyrena Smith of Seguin, TX; four grandchildren, Charlie, Katie, Natalie, and Tara, who were the pride of her life; and the recent addition of three great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, favorite in-laws, and countless friends associated with her activities at Denton Bible Church, the Denton Senior Center and the Tuesday Bowling League.

James “Bud” Edgemon... 
James “Bud” Edgemon, 77, passed away September 27, 2007 in Bowie, TX.
He was born October 5, 1929 iin Wilbarger County to William and Elsie Nokes Edgemon. He married Robert Bowers on October 19, 1964 in Bowie, TX. Bud worked in the oilfield and for Liggett Dairy. He was a bus driver and later School Bus Superintendent until he retired in 2000.
Funeral services were conducted Monday, October 1, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. in the Drawing Room of the White Family Funeral Home. Burial followed at the Vashti Cemetery. Arrangements were entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Bud is survived by: his wife, Roberta Edgemon of Sunset, TX; children, Carol Maxwell, Karen Allen and Cathy Sutton, all of Bellevue, TX; Dennis Gregory of Henrietta; Michael Gregory of Sunset, TX; Rolland Edgemon of Corpus Christi, TX; Charlie Edgemon of Sunset, TX; one sister, Juanita Stapp of Olney, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Eddie Edgemon. 

Tommy Ray Howard...
Tommy Ray Howard, 76, passed away September 29, 2007 in Bowie, TX.
Mr. Howard was a lifelong resident of Bowie, TX. He attended high school and the local VFW. He was a Disabled Veteran of the Korean War, President of the Coon Hunters Association, worked in the oil fields with his brothers for several years. Loved the Deer Camp with his family and friends, being on the lake and loved his famly.
Funeral services were October 2, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at the Heritage Family Funeral Home Chapel in Bowie. Reverend Mike Henson officiated. Services were under the direction of Heritage Family Funeral Home, Bowie, TX.
He is survived by his daughter, Cathy Moore of Bowie; son, Tommy Ray Howard Jr. of Bowie; grandchildren, Joe Tom Clary, Kit Wayne Howard, Tommy Tyrell Howard, Marie Lynn Howard, Misty Ray Howard, Chrissy Lorea Mann; great grandchildren, Dallas Adam Clary and Seth Daniel Ray Mann and numerous nieces and nephews. 
He is preceded in death by his wife, Fern Goolsby Howard; parents, George and Marbel Howard; daughter, Linda Lorea Howard; grandchildren, Tammy Howard and Tommy Howard; great grandchildren, Tommy Clary and Tyler Clary; brothers, Freddie Lee Howard and Larry Joe Howard; sisters, Frances Faye Moore and Mary Nell Denver.
Pallbearers were Kit Wayne Howard, Joe Tom Clary, Tommy Tyrell Howard, Clyde Henson, Don Henson and Norman Ingram.

Viola Jones Wilder... 
Viola Jones Wilder, 93, passed away September 28, 2007 in Nocona, TX.
She was born January 1, 1914 in Spanish Fort, TX to Wiley and Minnie Barbee Tucker. Viola was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Nocona. She worked as a sticher for Nocona Leather Goods Company and as a clerk in a variety store.
Funeral services were conducted Monday, October 1, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. at Scott-Morris Funeral Home. Burial followed in the Nocona Cemetery, under the direction of Scott Morris Funeral Home of Nocona.
She is survived by: one son, Carl Wayne Jones; three step children, Don, Doris and Denzel Wilder; and one sister, Jewell Phillips of Nocona, TX.
Viola was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, A.J. Jones in 1953 and her second husband, Joe Wilder in 1989, two sisters; and two brothers.

Velma Irene Teichman... 
Velma Irene Teichman, 85, of Nocona, TX, passed away September 24, 2007 in Nocona.
She was born January 23, 1922 in Bonham, TX to Monroe Wesley and Susan E. Green Thomas. Velma lived in the Nocona area most of her life where she worked at Nocona Boot Company. She was a member of Bethel Baptist Church.
Funeral services were Thusday, September 27, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bethel Baptist Church in Nocona with Rev. Lamoin Champ and Dale Berry officiating. Burial followed in the Nocona Cemetery, under the direction of Scott Morris Funeral Home of Nocona.
Velma is survived by: two sons, James Elliott, Nocona, TX and David Elliot of Pecos, TX; one daughter, Patricia Zingale, Cleveland, OH; two stepsons, Bobby Teichman of Wallace, TX and Buddy Teichman of Paris, TX. 
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bud Thomas, one granddaughter and five brothers. 

Lucy Anna Fuhrmann Hess... 
Lucy Anna Fuhrmann Hess, 90, of Muenster, TX, passed away Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at her home in Muenster. 
She was born April 11, 1917 in Ardmore, OK to the late Anthony and Lucy Fuhrmann. On January 12, 1937, she married Edward Hess in Sacred Heart Church. Lucy was a homemaker and they owned and operated Ed Hess Drilling Company until his retirement. Lucy was a devoted wife and mother. She was a devout Catholic and a member of Sacred Heart Church. 
Mass of Christian Burial was conducted at 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 28, 2007 at Sacred Heart Church in Muenster, TX with Fr. Ken Robinson celebrating the mass. Burial followed at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Muenster, under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home of Muenster.
Survivors include: daughters, JoAnn Berend of Friona, TX, Carol Henscheid of Muenster, TX and Evelyn “Cotton” Evans of Tyler, TX; sons, LeeRoy Hess of Westlake, TX, Terry Hess of Valley View, TX, Keith Hess of Saint Jo, TX; twenty-five grandchildren; thirty-four great grandchildren; and one brother, Marcus Fuhrmann of Lindsay, TX. 

Paul Hulen Crumpler, M.D.... 
Paul Hulen Crumpler, M.D., died on September 24, 2007.
Dr. Crumpler was born in Bowie, TX on November 20, 1954 to Hulen Porter and Virginia Hatcher Crumpler. He is survived by his wife, Sherron and children Jason Crumpler, Sarah Crumpler, Jenna Crumpler, step-daughter Vanessa Perez and step-son Javier Perez, all of Temple, TX.
Dr. Crumpler attended Bowie schools, graduating from Bowie High School in 1973. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977 and then, following in the footsteps of many Crumplers before him, he chose to enter medical school.
He received his medical degree from Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in 1980 and began his medical practice in Bowie. working alongside his father, the late Hulen Porter Crumpler. While in Bowie, Dr. Crumpler served as Chief of Staff of Bowie Memorial Hospital. In 1988, he moved to Temple where he joined Scott and White Clinic in Killeen, TX. It was in Killeen where he met and fell in love with Sherron Curtis. They were married on June 27, 1996.
Although Dr. Crumpler loved practicing medicine, he also enjoyed playing bass guitar in his home church ensemble and composing music on his electric piano with his wife, Sherron, singing by his side. Dr. Crumpler received great joy from being a family man and a friend to all who knew him.
In 2007, Dr. Crumpler moved to Beaumont to practice medicine at Coastal Pain Care. Within a few months, Beaumont physicians approached him and asked him to be the family medicine physician at the Gulf Coast Health Center, a federally qualified center devoted to providing low cost health services to families who could not otherwise afford the care. Dr. Crumpler absolutely loved working with his patients and often said that he had found his true calling for service. When Dr. Crumpler was not at work he thoroughly enjoyed his hobby of fishing behind his house.
In addition to his immediate family, others who will miss him dearly are his mother, Virginia Crumpler of Bryan, TX; his brother, Jimmy Crumpler, sister-in-law Kristal, nephews Jameson and Jordon of Bowie; his sister, Jeannie Michelle Crumpler McGuire, brother-in-law Bill, nephews Jason Goss and Justin Goss and niece Calli Goss of Bryan; brother Adam Crumpler and sister-in-law Lindsey of Denton, TX; step-mother Joyce Crumpler of Bowie; and step-siblings Robert Shoemaker of Duncan, OK; Rhonda Thomas of Edmond, OK; and Jill Beard of Walker, LA.
A memorial service for Dr. Crumpler was conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 27 at the Temple Bible Church. Mike Henson of First Baptist Church, Bowie, officiated at a graveside service at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 28, 2007. Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery, under the direction of the Heritage Family Funeral Home of Bowie.