Obituaries for week of November 9, 2009

Tommie Dillard Wright
1935-2009
COLORADO CITY -- Tommie Dillard Wright, 73, died on Saturday, November 7, 2009, in an Odessa hospice facility. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 14, 2009, at the 22nd and Austin Church of Christ in Colorado City with Royce Clay officiating.

He was born on December 20, 1935, in Howard County, and married Janie Pharis on July 6, 1963 in Seminole. He had owned and operated Rosie’s Gun Shop in Loraine for a number of years. He enjoyed reading, singing with the C-City Opry and going to the Senior Citizens Center in Loraine and Colorado City. He was a member of 22nd and Austin Church of Christ.

Survivors include his wife, Janie Wright of Colorado City; one daughter, Jeanie Talley of Austin; one son, Sam Wright of Austin; one brother, Jimmie Wright of Lockhart; four grandchildren; three great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews and friends.

The family suggests memorials to Home Hospice, 111 E. 7th, Suite A, Big Spring, Texas 79720; Hospice House of Odessa, 903 N. Sam Houston, Odessa, Texas 79761; or to the American Cancer Society, % Carolyn Brooks, P. O. Box 2121, Big Spring, Texas 79721-2121.

Arrangements under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Big Spring. Online condolences can be made at: www.npwelch.com

Larry Blair
1945-2009
COLORADO CITY - Mr. Larry “Blair” Blair, age 64, passed away Saturday, November 7, 2009, at his residence with his family by his side. Family visitation was held Monday, November 9, 2009, at the funeral home from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  A funeral service was Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Colorado City with Rev. Paul Smith officiating. Burial followed in the Loraine Cemetery.

Mr. Blair was born on June 25, 1945 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Dual and Opal Jo Williams Blair.  He was a longtime resident of Colorado City and a member of Calvary Baptist Church.  He married Fielda Wall in on November 18, 1967, in Snyder.  He graduated from Sul Ross State University in 1971. Larry retired from teaching after 32 years; 27 years being for Colorado City ISD.  Mr. Blair proudly served his country and was a Vietnam Veteran.

He leaves behind his wife of 41 years, Fielda Wall Blair of Colorado City; daughters, Christi White and husband, Randy of Brock and Amber Peaslee and husband, Casey of Colorado City;  five grandchildren, Brayden White, Brett White, Sarah Hancock, Hayden Peaslee  and Carter Reid Peaslee; his brother, Ronnie Blair and wife, Debbie of Loraine; brother-in-laws, Larry Joe and wife, Teresa Wall of Snyder and Bobby Wall of Snyder; sister-in-law, Donna Billingsley and husband, Kim of Dunn; nieces, Tammie Waters and husband, Darren of Greenwood, Carrie Ortiz of Colorado City, Dayla Merritt and husband Bert of Lubbock and Ashton Patton and husband, Bobby of Prescott, AZ; nephews, Rusty Blair of Laredo, Russell and wife, JJ Wall of Ira, Cody Wall of Bronte, Clint Wall of Snyder, Zach Billingsley and wife, Krista of Lubbock, Kaden Billingsley of Wichita Falls and Kyler Billingsley of Snyder, Charlie Ortiz of Colorado City; mother-in-law, Elizabeth Wall of Colorado City; and care-giver, Mary Casey.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Dual and Opal Jo Blair; niece, Misty Dawn Blair; father-in-law, Milton Wall; sister-in-law, Becky Wall.

James D. Richardson
19402-009
ETOILE -- Memorial services for James D. Richardson, Jr., 69, of Etoile were held Saturday, November 7, 2009 in the Carroway-Claybar Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend John Spurgeon, Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, officiating. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Carroway-Claybar Funeral Home.

Mr. Richardson was born August 21, 1940 in Colorado City, Texas to Harriet (Pritchett) and Douglas Richardson, and died Tuesday, October 27, 2009 in a local hospital. A resident of Houston most of his life, he had resided in Etoile for five years. He graduated from Colorado High School in 1968. Mr. Richardson was a 1969 BBS graduate of Sam Houston State University, served in the U.S. Army, and retired from Union Texas Petroleum.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy (Johnston) Richardson of Etoile; son, Kyle Richardson of Houston; daughter and son-in-law, Deidre and Jerry Rials of Conroe; granddaughters, Nicole and Danielle Richardson of Sugar Land and Taylor Matney of Conroe; mother, Harriet Richardson of Big Spring; brothers, Dick Richardson of Sweetwater and Dean Richardson of Big Spring; father-in-law and mother-in-law, C.W. and Irene Johnston of Etoile; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Dennis and Jacqui Johnston of Lufkin; and numerous special nieces, nephews and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his father, Douglas Richardson and stepdaughter, Dana Medford.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in Mr. Richardson’s memory to Hospice in the Pines, 116 South Raguet Street, Lufkin, Texas 75904, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4461, Houston, Texas 77210-4461, or to a charity of your choice.

Tennie Lee Fears Gary
1916-2009
ARLINGTON -- Tennie Lee Fears Gary passed away in Arlington, Sunday November 8, 2009, after a brief illness. 
She was born October 6, 1916, to Albert Lee and Annette Coleman Fears in Rusk County, Texas.  She graduated from Henderson High School.  She married Carl Deason Gary September 19, 1936.  They spent 20 plus years in Colorado City, where they raised their children Jimmy Don “Buddy” and Shirley Ann. 

Tennie and Carl retired in 1971 from the grocery business and moved to Hide Away Lake.  They made their home there for 35 years.  Tennie sold real estate for several years with Hide Away Realty and Town and Country Realty.

Her membership with Hide Away Lake Community Church dates back to the beginning of the church.  Tennie enjoyed working in her yard, attending church functions, playing cards with friends, having family near, and making baby quilts for the Rainbow Room.

She is welcomed to glory by her parents; her husband,Carl; her sister, Lorene Turner; her brother, James Fears; her grandson, Jeremiaah “Jacie” Herron, and other dear family and friends.  
She leaves on the pilgrimage her son, Buddy Gary and his wife, Margo; their son, Jimmy Don Gary II, and his wife, Michelle; her daughter, Shirley Herron; many nieces, nephews, and friends of the heart.  She now humbly cheers them on to glory.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, November 11 at 1:30 p.m. in the chapel of Caudle-Rutledge Funeral Home in Lindale.  Burial followed in Tyler Memorial Cemetery in Tyler. 
Mom always said, “Give me flowers while I am alive to enjoy them.”  In keeping with this wish, please make memorial gifts to organizations within your community that assist people such as food banks, shelters, People Attempting to Help or March of Dimes.