Obituaries for Sunday, February 22, 2015

Pearl Stegall,

Pearl was born June 11, 1925, in Weatherford, TX, to Joseph Alonzo and Jemima (Parker) Beauchamp. She married Othoe Stegall on November 8, 1941, in Brownfield, TX. Bishop Stegall passed away on February 17, 2009.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and thirteen siblings and is survived by children, David and Anita Stegall of Levelland, Sue and Foy Boyd of Midland, and Gerald and Pat Byas of Paris; grandchildren, Sharee and Jacky Howard of Lubbock, Ali Byas of Midland, and Shanna and Chris Whitney of Waco; great-grandchildren, Baylee, Wade, and Harlee Whitney and Lexi and Luke Howard; and her precious “Granddog,” Sophia Grace Boyd; brother-in-law, Henry Rollins, Jr. and wife Carol of Carrollton; and sister-in-law, Mary Curby of Fairview, OK; special friends since their teen years, Ed Crawford of Wills Point and Aileen Crawford of Richardson; and numerous nephews and nieces including her namesake, Edith Pearl Worthy of Crowley.

Pearl (also known as Sister Stegall) was a true and loyal minister’s wife from the time her husband was licensed to preach by the Church of God (headquartered in Cleveland, TN) at age 25, and she was 22.  She was a superb helpmate and partner as they pastored churches in Stephenville, Brownfield, Sweetwater, Paris, Dallas, and Ft. Worth.  The Stegalls moved to Lubbock to be near their children in May, 2008.  She remained a faithful member of the Paris Church of God.  1 Corinthians 15:58 “… you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Casket bearers are Ray Spencer, Lonnie Spencer, Kenny Poole, Benny Lovell, Ronnie Grooms, Lawrence Ray Price, Wayne Blackshear, and Vernon Thompson.  Great-Grandsons, Wade and Luke will serve as honorary bearers.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Bishop Othoe Stegall Education Fund at Paris Church of God, 1400 Bonham Street. Online condolences may be sent to the Stegall family at www.fry-gibbs.com.

RALPH CLAYTON WILLIAMS, Lt Col USAF, Ret passed away February 20, 2015. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sunday February 22, 2015 in the chapel of Starrett Funeral Home with Rev. Mike Fortenberry officiating. Interment will follow in Providence Cemetery.

He was born in Mt Olive, Illinois January 5, 1920; youngest of six children born to Anna Ruth Ritter and Manson Edgar Williams. Growing up in Palmer, Illinois he then graduated from Illinois State College in June of 1941. The following September he and his best friend, Loren Kerns, joined the Army Air Corps. He completed Weather Observers School in early January 1942, signed up for Aviation Cadet Training and was sent to Kelley field San Antonio, Texas while awaiting assignments. He was then shipped to Lou Foote Flying School, Stamford, Texas (Arledge Field) for primary training in a PT-19A Fairchild. From Texas he was transferred to Perrin Field, Sherman, Texas for training in a BT-13A and instrument training in a Link trainer. He received advanced training at Foster Field, Victoria, Texas in the famous North American AT-6 for formation flying, ground and low target gunnery, instrument and night flying as a 2^nd Lt. After training he was ordered to report to Columbia Army Air Base at Columbia, South Carolina, assigned to the 486^th Bomb sq., 340^th Bomb GP a newly organized B25 medium bombardment unit just entering operational training; the same type airplane used by Lt. Col. Doolittle’s squadron on the Tokyo raid. In 1943, his squadron was booked on the U.S.S. America, a 32000 ton luxury liner converted to a troopship that took them to El Kabrit, Eqypt. His squadron was then sent to North Africa to support the British 8^th Army in driving the Germans out. His tour of duty took him to French North Africa; Benina, Libyia; Castel Benito, Libyia; and Medinine, Tunisia, Algiers, and Sicily; assigned to the 57^th Bomb Wing, commanded by BGen. Robert Knapp. His 50 combat missions with the 486^th Bomb Squad earned him the Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, the North Africa, Middle East and European theater medal with 3 battle stars, for North Africa, Sicily and Italy.

In 1944, he met and married Norma Jean Stubblefield at Tinker Air Force Base in Muskogee, Oklahoma. In 1962, he was the director of personnel for the Detroit Air Defense Sector headquarters. He retired from the Air Force in 1963 after serving at Fort Custer Air Force Base, Battle Creek, Michigan. They then established Pic-a-tic Ranch in Valley Springs Arkansas. While living in Valley Springs he became the Plant Superintendent of Claridge Products, Harrison, Arkansas. In 1980, he and his wife sold the farm and moved to San Antonio and later in 1985, they moved to Paris Texas. He loved his family and was very active in his children’s and grandchildren’s lives.

He is survived by a son, Carroll Clayton Williams, Paris,Texas; Kandice Kay Pryor and husband Don Pryor, Paris, Texas; granddaughters; Stacey Ludlow, and husband Sean Ludlow, Mustang, Oklahoma; Lee Ann Watts and husband Charlie Watts, San Antonio, Texas; Traci Watkins and husband Harold Watkins Melissa, Texas; Staci Christian and husband Terry Christian, Paris, Texas; and Angi Cox, McKinney, Texas. Great grandchildren are Logan Fountain, Dillon Ludlow, Doryn Ludlow, Caitlin Ludlow, Emily Watts, Rachel Watts, Korbin Hamner, Katlyn Watkins, Easton Mercik, Ryan Hatcher and Blain Hatcher.

He was preceded in death by his wife in 1997 and his grandson Shane Fountain in 1998.

Serving as pallbearers will be Logan Fountain, Stacy Hatcher, Terry Christian, Harold Watkins, Dillon Ludlow, and Charlie Watts.

Friends may register in Ralph’s Book of Memories at www.starrettfunerals.com .

Betty Louise Jones, 80 of Paris, passed away Saturday, February 21, 2015. Funeral services have been set for Monday, February 23, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. at Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Tiny Freelen officiating.

A private interment will follow at McDonald Cemetery. No formal visitation has been set.

She is survived by her children, Travis and wife Debra, Patricia, Ricky and wife Louise; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Travis Jones; her son, Frank Jones.

Online condolences may be sent to the Jones family at www.fry-gibbs.com

John Wayne “Johnny” Jarrett, 62, of Paris, passed away Feb. 17, 2015.  A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 22^nd, at 2:00 p.m. at Highway Full Gospel Church.

Johnny, the son of Robert & Meddie Taylor, was born Oct. 7, 1952. He was a well-known local musician. He played with many musicians throughout the area.

He served in the U. S. Army and was honorably discharged in the early 1970’s.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Lena, and two sisters, Betty Jarrett and Joann Taylor.

Survivors include his siblings, Charles Jarrett, Robert Lee Jarrett, Ann Strunc, Merle Frost, Georgia Day, Bernice Ward, Joyce Nelson, James Taylor, Shirley Davidson and Roy Taylor along with numerous nieces & nephews and a host of friends.