The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 204, No. 3, Ed. 1 Friday, January 15, 1999 Page: 3 of 4
four pages : ill. ; page 23 x 14 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
THE HOPKINS COUNTY ECHO, Sulphur Springs, Texas, Friday, January 15,1999 — 3
DEATHS
William F. ‘Dub’ Sellers
Funeral services for William F.
“Dub” Sellers, 84, of Arlington were
held at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, in Rest-
land Abbey Chapel in Dallas.
Interment followed services in
Restland Memorial Park.
Mr. Sellers died Wednesday, Jan.
6, in Arlington.
He was bom Feb. 1, 1914, in Sul-
phur Springs.
Survivors include one daughter,
Debbie Stevenson of Fort Worth; one
brother, Edwin Sellers of Dallas;
four grandchildren, Alan Rogers,
Travis Stevenson, Carol Stevenson,
and William Stevenson; and two
great-grandsons, Joshua and Alex
Rogers.
Memorials may be made to Amer-
ican Heart Association, 1615 Stem-
mons Freeway, Dallas, Tx. 75207.
Winnie McLaughlin
Final rites for Winnie “Ginger”
McLaughlin, 74, of Sulphur Springs
were conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday,
Jan. 9, in St. James Catholic Church
with Father Kingsley Nonis as cele-
brant.
A rosary service was held at 6:30
p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, in West Oaks
Funeral Chapel followed by visita-
tion from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Interment followed final rites in
City Cemetery. Serving as pallbear-
ers were Jimmie Wayne McLaugh-
lin, Richard Van Vleet, Paul Van
Vleet, Clint Van Vleet, Justin Van
Vleet, and Dennis Van Vleet. Hon-
orary pallbearers were Paul Davis,
Ed Carothers, Dr. Darren Amecke,
Ryan Brown, Lloyd Van Vleet, Hop-
kins County Hospice, Father Bemie
Pustejovsky, Paul Bartz, Craig
Carothers, and Buddy O’Brien.
Mrs. McLaughlin died at 6 a.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 6, at her residence
following a lengthy illness. She was
bom April 16, 1924, in Smackover,
Ark., the daughter of Mack Henry
and Martha Elizabeth Deering
Nichols. She married J.T. McLaugh-
lin Jan. 19, 1948, in Houston. He
preceded her in death in 1995.
She was office manager for Mid-
western Welding Company. She
resided in Sulphur Springs since
1980 and was a member of St. James
Catholic Church and the Women’s
Guild of the church. She was a life
master in A.C.D.L. and a member of
Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County
Duplicate Bridge Club and Mineola
Duplicate Bridge Club.
Survivors include one son, Jimmie
Wayne McLaughlin of San Antonio;
two daughters, Vivian McLaughlin
Van Vleet of Sulphur Springs and
Shirley Warden of Houston; three
sisters, Eula Faye Davis, Dorothy
Carothers, and Barbara Parker, all of
Houston; nine grandchildren; and six
great-grandchildren.
Mrs. McLaughlin was also pre-
ceded in death by one son, Gary E.
McLaughlin; one brother, Grady
'Nichols; and one sister, Hazel
Nichols.
James Malone
Funeral services for James Mal-
one, 45, of Sulphur Springs were
held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at
Morning Chapel Baptist Church with
the Rev. Gaylean Ford officiating.
Interment was in Restlawn Memo-
rial Park. Serving as pallbearers were
Harold Berry, Anthony Dial, Henry
Wooten Jr., Maurice Ford, Farrie Joe
Stokes, Tyrone Dial, Benny Dial and
Marvin Dial.
Mr. Malone died Tuesday, Jan. 5,
at Hopkins County Memorial Hospi-
tal.
He was bom Nov. 25, 1953, in
Hopkins County the son of Henry H.
and Lillian Malone.
Mr. Malone attended Douglas Ele-
mentary and Sulphur Springs High
School. He was a member of East
Caney Baptist Church.
Survivors include his mother, Lil-
lian Malone of Sulphur Springs, and
one half-brother, Lee Finney of Los
Angeles, Calif.
Mr. Malone was preceded in death
by his father.
White Funeral Home is in charge
of the arrangements.
Annie Lee Rhodes
Funeral services for Annie Lee
Rhodes, 96, of Shirley Community
were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10,
in West Oaks Funeral Chapel with
the Rev. Fred W. Lewis officiating.
Interment followed services in
Shirley Cemetery. Grandsons and
nephews served as pallbearers.
Mrs. Rhodes died at 6:17 a.m. Fri-
day at Hopkins County Memorial
Hospital.
She was bom Dec. 5, 1902, in
Paint Rock Community the daughter
of William Bradford and Artie Coke
Davidson. She married Elmer
Rhodes Dec. 25,1920, in Paint Rock
Community. He prdteded her in
death in 1971.
Mrs. Rhodes was a homemaker
and lifelong resident of Hopkins
County. She was of the Methodist
faith.
Survivors include one son, Charles
Rhodes of Shirley Community; one
daughter, Dorothy Hurley of Sulphur
Springs; two sisters, Lois Keith of
Como and Sally Cannon of Dallas;
two grandchildren, William Dodd
and June Dickey, both of Sulphur
Springs; six great-grandchildren; and
eight great-great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Rhodes was preceded in
death by two brothers, Albert David-
son and Clarence Davidson, and two
sisters, Katie Millsap and Maggie
Reeves.'
Ina Crosby Parnell
Memorial services for Ina Crosby
Parnell, 96, of Shreveport, La., for-
mer resident of Sulphur Springs,
were held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9,
at First Baptist Church in Shreveport.
Graveside services were held at 2
p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, at Sulphur
Springs City Cemetery with Dr.
David Hardage officiating.
Mrs. Parnell died at 8:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 7, at Schumpert Med-
ical Center in Shreveport.
She was bom in Sulphur Springs
Aug. 22, 1902, the daughter of
Clarence
C. and Nellie Kincaid Crosby. She
married William Rogers Parnell in
September of 1925. He preceded her
in death.
Mrs. Parnell attended Baylor Uni-
versity. She was a homemaker and a
member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include four sons. Jon
Lee Parnell of Georgetown, William
Robert Parnell of Waco, David
Crosby Parnell of Dallas, and Robert
Patrick Parnell of Shreveport; one
daughter, Marilyn Parnell Folger of
Victoria; 16 grandchildren; and 10
great-grandchildren.
Mrs. "Parnell was preceded in
death by her sister, Nell Crosby.
Frat E. Davis Sr.
Funeral services for Frat Edward
Davis Sr., 82, of Sulphur Springs
were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12,
in West Oaks Funeral Chapel with
the Rev. Clint Stephenson officiat-
ing.
Interment was in Sulphur Springs
City Cemetery with Masonic grave-
side services by Sulphur Springs
Masonic Lodge #221 AF&AM. Pall-
bearers were Bill Campbell, Charles
Hyde, Paul Stewart, Ed Elliott, John
Sellers, Armond Beaty, John B.
Irons, and Rick Bosworth. Honorary
pallbearers were the elders and dea-
cons of First Christian Church and
grandsons, Dr. W. Ray Hanna and
Gilbert McGrede.
Mr. Davis died unexpectedly early
Saturday, Jan. 9, at his residence.
He was bom Oct. 22, 1916, in Sul-
phur Springs the son of H.L. “Roy”
and Amanda Faye Ardis Davis. He
was a 1934 graduate of Sulphur
Springs High School and attended
East Texas State University. He mar-
ried Frances Tolson April 9,1936, in
Cooper. She survives.
Mr. Davis was a retired 30-year
U.S. Postal Service employee who
worked with the Sulphur Springs
Post Office as a city and rural carri-
er. He was appointed post master at
Pickton in 1971 and served in that
capacity until his retirement in 1981.
He served during World War II as a
civilian employee with the C.A.A. at
various air bases located throughout
Texas.
He was a longtime member of
First Christian Church where he
served in many offices including
Elder Emeritus, and he was a mem-
ber of the Builders Sunday School
Class. Mr. Davis was a 50-year
member of Sulphur Springs Mason-
ic Lodge #221 AF&AM, and was
past Worshipful Master of the Lodge.
He was a 32nd degree Mason, a
member of Sulphur Springs Chapter
#63 R.A.M. and Sulphur Springs
Council #44 R&SM. He was a mem-
ber of DeMolay Commandry #20,
Knights Templar in Greenville. He
was also a member of the Grand
Lodge of Texas and served as Dis-
trict Deputy Grand Master of the
State. He was a member of Hella
Temple Shrine in Dallas. He was a
member of and past Worthy Patron
of Sulphur Springs Chapter #718
Order of the Eastern Star. He had
served on the Board of Directors of
the Order of the Rainbow.
Mr. Davis was an active leader in
the Republican Party in Hopkins
bounty. He was a member of and
First Commander in Confederate
Veterans Col. J.M. Matt Barton
Camp #44. He was a great-grandson
of Col. J.M. Matt Barton and a
grandson of the Honorable Texas
Congressman James Harvey
“Cyclone” Davis. He was one of the
founding members and presidents of
Hopkins County Genealogical Soci-
ety. He was also a member of
Descendants of George Washington
Army, Valley Forge.
Other survivors include two sons,
Frat E. Davis Jr. of Flower Mound
and James Larry Davis of Palestine;
one daughter, Betty Davis of New
Braunfels; one brother, James Har-
vey Davis of Mesquite; nine grand-
children; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Mr. Davis was preceded in death
by a son, Roy Davis.
Memorials may be made to Hop-
kins County Genealogical Society,
212 Main St., Sulphur Springs, Tx.
75482, or to First Christian Church,
207 N. Davis St., Sulphur Springs.
Sharon Evans
Funeral services for Sharon Evans,
50, of Yantis were held at 2 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 10, at Emory Baptist
Church with the Revs. Rodney
Williams, Harold Mills, and Buddy
Evans officiating.
Interment was in Emory City
Cemetery with Greg Huskey, Jimmy
Huskey, Scottie Nichelson, Randal
Nichelson, Gerald Burnett, and Fred-
die Chamness serving as pallbearers.
Honorary pallbearers were Gary
Koemer, Garry Hicks, Keith Hicks,
Bobby Hicks, Roger Mahagan and
D.K. Evans.
Mrs. Evans died Friday, Jan. 8, at
Medical City Hospital in Dallas.
She was bom in Dallas Feb. 23,
1948, the daughter of Billy Joe
Hicks and Maxine Leach. She mar-
ried Don Evans in Plano April 7,
1973. He survives.
Mrs. Evans was a homemaker. She
was a member of Order of the East-
ern Star. She was of the Baptist faith.
Other survivors include her moth-
er, Maxine Hicks of Yantis; one son,
Donald Keith Evans of Commerce;
two daughters, Melanie Rene’ Evans
and Melissa Dawn Evans, both of
Yantis; and two brothers, Garry
Hicks of Fort Worth and Keith Hicks
of Plano.
She was preceded in death by her
father Nov. 14, 1996, and a brother,
Ronald Joe Hicks Sept. 14, 1984.
Tannia Rae Self
Funeral services for Tannia Rae
Self, 1-year-old daughter of Joe Bob
and Sherry Elmore Self of Sulphur
Bluff, were held at 2 p.m. in Sulphur
Bluff Baptist Church. Dr. Cecil
McLeod will officiate.
Interment was in Sulphur Bluff
Cemetery with Jim Williams, Lonnie
Taylor, Allen Joslin and Shawn Mur-
ray serving as honorary pallbearers.
Tannia died Monday, Jan. 11, at
10:40 a.m. in Hopkins County
Memorial Hospital.
She was bom Dec. 16, 1997, in
Sulphur Springs.
Survivors include her parents; one
brother, Taylor Joe Self; maternal
grandparents Ray and Jackie Elmore
of Sulphur Bluff; paternal grandpar-
ents Bobbie Self of Sulphur Bluff
and Joe Self of Dike; maternal great-
grandparents, C.L. and Floy Elmore
and J.P. and Sybil Deaton, all of Sul-
phur Bluff; paternal great-grandpar-
ents, Bob and Mary Lewis of McK-
inney and Carlos and Helen Self of
Winnsboro; and two great-great-
grandmothers, Jewell Lewis and
Aline Jenkins, both of McKinney.
Gwendolyn Harrison-Dodds
Funeral services for Gwendolyn
Joyce Harrison-Dodds, 58, of Daly
City, Calif, were held Thursday, Dec
24, at Lewis & Ribbs Mortuary Gar-
den Chapel in San Francisco. The
kev. Arthur Green officiated.
Interment was at Olivet Memorial
Park in Colma, Calif. Serving as
pallbearers were Cornell Harrison.
Kenneth Harrison, Jeruss Harrison.
Horace Carter, Elijah Kay Sterling,
and John Cooks.
Mrs. Harrison-Dodds died Satui
day, Dec. 19, in Daly City.
She was born in Sulphur Springs
Sept. 15, 1940, the daughter of Gird
enous and Helen Harrison. She mar
ried Troy Dodds in 1961 in San
Francisco, Calif.
Mrs. Harrison-Dodds was
employed with Wells-Fargo Bank for
almost 30 years until her health
failed. She was of the Baptist faith
Survivors include her parents; two
sons, Eric Dodds of Atlanta, Ga. and
Keith Dodds of Daly City; two
brothers, Cornell Harrison and Ken-
neth Harrison; and six grandchildren.
Anika, Kiura, Derek, Jordan. Tanaka.
Nicole and Jenelle Dodds.
Nell Bailey
Funeral services for Nell Bailey.
76, of Sulphur Springs were held at
2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, in West
Oaks Funeral Chapel with the Rev
Tommy Hall officiating.
Interment was in Restlawn Memo-
rial Park with Robert Lee. Ronny
Lee, Randy Lee, Bob Swatsell, Billy
Wilks, and Larry Johnson serving as
pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers
were Arthur Boyd, Sam Speed.
Mack White, A.J. Campbell. Bill
Reece, S.A. Dickson, and Rav
Vaughn.
Mrs. Bailey died at 5:15 a.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 12, at her residence
following an extended illness.
She was born in Reilly Springs
Community June 15, 1922, the
daughter of Henry and Maude
Stunkard Phillips. She married Bill
C. Bailey Dec. 3, 1938, in Hopkins
County. He preceded her in death ii\.
1987.
Mrs. Bailey was a life-long resi-
dent of Hopkins County and a long-
time member of Davis Street Baptist
Church. She was a 20-year employ-
ee of Cannon Craft Shutters.
Survivors include five sons. Bill T.
Bailey, Don R. Bailey, and Jimmy
Earl Bailey, all of Sulphur Springs.
Phillip C. Bailey of Broken Arrow.
Okla., and Kerry Mack Bailey of
Carrollton; one brother. Jimmy
Phillips of Yantis; 10 grandchildren;
and four great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by
three brothers, Walter Phillips, Travis
Phillips, and H.B. “Boodie" Phillips.
Coleman Lake Financing Plan To Voters
Hopkins County residents will likely decide the fate of $4.5 million park project
By BRUCE ALSOBROOK
Parks and Recreation Commis-
sion members are proposing a plan
to fund the first phase of an esti-
mated $4.5 million parks project at
Coleman Lake with sales tax mon-
ey collected by the local economic
development corporation.
Sulphur Springs-Hopkins County
Economic Development Corp.
board members are scheduled to
discuss the idea in a work session
at noon Wednesday at the EDC
office, 1200 Houston St.
If the EDC board approves, the
proposal would require approval
from the public to spend the sales
tax dollars, estimated at $2.5 mil-
lion for the initial phase, on the
project.
A binding public vote would
likely be held during the general
election in May.
Without public approval of the
proposal, the project probably
won’t be built, according to Sul-
phur Springs City Manager Marc
Maxwell.
“I don’t think there is an alterna-
tive [funding] plan,” Maxwell said
Tuesday morning. “If it [approval]
doesn’t happen, it [the park] needs
not to happen.”
Parks and Recreation Commis-
sion members reviewed the prelim-
inary plans for the park at a meet-
ing Monday night.
Commission members stressed
that no firm decisions have been
made, but did discuss a number of
options regarding design and use.
MHS Planning and Design of
Tyler, which drew up the plans,
estimates the completed park
would cost about $4.5 million, but
would encompass a myriad of facil-
ities: eight baseball/softball fields,
four soccer fields, about 2.5 miles
of trails, tennis courts, a pavilion,
12 picnic stations and a picnic shel-
ter, playground, fishing pier and
boardwalk.
The cost would also cover all
utilities, site preparation, electrical
costs, paved parking for 800 vehi-
cles, and the dredging and shore-
line shaping of the lake.
Commission Chairman Keith
Shurtleff told about a dozen people
attending the meeting the project
would be done in different phases,
with the first phase designed to cre-
ate a facility that would have some-
thing for everybody.
Phase I, at an estimated cost of
$2.5 million, would include most
of the utilities, site preparation,
parking and landscaping costs, six
ball fields, two soccer fields, one
trail, five picnic stations, and the
dredging of the lake.
Shurtleff and other commission
members also made plans to meet
with members of local youth base-
ball. softball and soccer associa-
tions.
Current thinking calls for moving
boys baseball games to the com-
plex at Coleman Lake.
Girls softball, regular season
games, would still be played at
City Park, with provisions for tour-
nament play and other special uses
at the new fields.
The project would also entail the
hiring of a full-time parks and
recreation director and
groundskeeping staff for the city to
manage and oversee maintenance
at all three city parks. Maxwell
said.
“It would more than double the
acreage that we have to maintain,”
he said. “The staff that we have
maintaining the parks now main-
tains them well, but they’re not
maintaining the ball fields, and this
would be an enormous increase in
responsibility.
I could not expect the voters to
make a decision on something like
this without having a [maintenance
plan).”
Mayor Mike Miesse said Tues-
day the details of funding ongoing
operations at the parks would have
to be addressed by the parks and
recreation commission.
“We don’t have all those details
yet, and that’s what we’re trying to
get together from now until the
time they go to the economic
development commission,” he said.
“If that’s what they want to do.
we’re going to have to have all
those details.
Hopefully, by Jan. 26 [the tenta-
tive date for the next Parks and
Recreation Commission meeting],
all those details will be out in the
public. But I don’t know at this
time.”
A proposed parks operations
budget provided by City Finance
Director Peter Karstens estimates
$103,500 to $125,500 in depart-
mental staffing for five new posi-
tions — a director ($34,000 to
$42,000), maintenance mechanic
($18,000 to $21,000),
groundskeeper II ($18,000 to
$21,000) and groundskeeper I
($15,500 to $18,500) and mowing
foreman ($18,000 to $23,000).
The proposed budget would also
include five temporary laborers for
six months of seasonal mowing
and two “roving” half-year t*#npo
rary employees.
Lifeguards would continue to be
filled by temporary employees, as
well.
Karstens said there would be
extensive public discussion about
the design of the park and funding
before the matter goes to a public
vote.
“The thing we’re doing here
between the boards and the staff
and city council is trying to be
very, very deliberate,” he said.
“Right now, the concept is get-
ting worked on, so it’s hard to put
the cost to the concept until you
know what we’ve settled on.
“When the numbers come out.
the different boards make their rec-
ommendations. and if it’s recom-
mended we go to the people and
have a series of public hearings,”
he added.
“We want to be very thorough, so
that by the time the people would
vote on this, if that actually gets to
that point, everybody has every bit
of information they need, whether
it’s neighbors of the park wonder-
ing about lights, whether it’s trails
too close to homes. Those types of
issues we want to spend plenty of
time discussing."
ECHOGraph
^Hopkins County
w.m. rhfc* cm*
MMvIUI IIff . HMMMMNi
Mitchell retires from HCMH
By PENA GRAVES_
Hopkins County Memorial Hospi-
tal has come a long way in the past 50
years, and Elizabeth Mitchell has
watched it She’s been a constant in
the local medical community, serving
at the county's two hospitals in the
past five decades.
“I was the first employee at the
hospital on Davis [Street], and at that
time it wasn't finished.” said
Mitchell, who started work at the old
hospital in July of 1949 and remem-
bers it well.
“The yard wasn't put in. and I did-
n’t even have a desk. I had a tele-
phone and worked on the floor.” said
recently.
“And in the oU hospital, we would
have patients in the hall a lot of the
tine because we didn’t have room for
all of than. I beheve we had a 65-bed
hospital, and we would have 74
patients. In fact, I was even a patient
ia the hall at one point in time ”
Mitchell said she has worked with “The hospital has undergone so
10 hospital administrators during her many changes.” said Mitchell,
career with HCMH. “Not only did we change locations.
‘Two or three of them were just but we didn't have all of the meetings
interim.” she said. “And I worked we have now and not as many gov-
under the very first administrator, eminent regulations.
Lowell Hudson, as secretary to the “I have been part of the hospital,
administration medical staff and seen it mature and change through the
board of directors. years, to develop into a health care
“Although continuing in that post- facility which now offers so much to
tion with the changing of administra- our county.” added Mitchell
tor through the years. I also had many “One thing you can be certain of is
other duties. For some reason I that change will continue
thought you were expected to take on In health care today, daily a new
anything you were asked to do.” , chapter of regulations for each of us
Some of those duties included bust- is seemingly written, different statu-
ness office manager, insurance clerk tics to review, understand and inter-
and membership oo various commit- pret, and new challenges posed to our
tees. organization, our p**^«*« our pbysi-
T was also a medical records typist dans and our adnsinnabon.
because there was no official depart- There are no boil win with what
meat, and the records were dictated tie hospital can do the next 50 yean.”
by the chief operating room lechni- Although the hospital staff is like a
dan.” she added. family to her. Mitchell said it isn’t
Mitchell sees the changes in the what it used to be.
hospital as amazing. 1 “There’s not quite as much close-
ness as it was. in the beginning
because of the size." she said.
“Everybody knew everybody and
helped everybody out if they had
problems. And everybody did more
things individually than they do now."
Karen Strickland, medical staff
coordinator and a 30-year colleague,
describes Mitchell as “a teacher, a
friend, a sounding board and a trusted
ally.”
“Mrs. Mitchell has been faithful.' '
dedicated and a loyal employee for
Hopkins County Memorial Hospital,
and we are very thankful for her coo
tn buttons which helped to make this
organization a success.” said Sherry
Moore, marketing and managed care
«• - - ■
director
The Hopkins County Memorial
Hospital staff honored Mitchell with
a banquet Sunday. Jan. 10. in the hos-
pital's cafeteria hum 1 p.m. to 3 pm
The pubbe was invited.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Keys, Scott & Lamb, Bill. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 204, No. 3, Ed. 1 Friday, January 15, 1999, newspaper, January 15, 1999; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth780709/m1/3/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.