Rites Held For Melvin Rankin Here Wednesday

Melvin Clinton Rankin, 66, a retired farmer died at his home Monday [17 December 1962] about 8 p.m. of a heart attack. Mr. Rankin was born at Jewett, Texas, November 13, 1896 and came to Dickens County in 1913 and made his first home in the White River community. He had lived in Spur for the past 12 years.

He is survived by his wife and one son, John Rankin, of Tatum, NM; one brother, L.L. Rankin, Spur; two sisters, Mrs. Ida Rucker, Dallas, and Mrs. Ada Springer, Lewisville, Texas.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. in the Church of Christ with Charles Adams officiating, assisted by Cleston Pritchett. Pallbearers were Henry Slack, Arvin Lambert, Ike Simmons, Forrest Martin, Willie Williams and T.B. Watson.

Burial was in the Red Mud Cemetery with Campbell's Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Masonic rites were conducted at graveside.

Source: The Texas Spur, December 20, 1962. Transcribed by Kay Laster.

Bauna Vista Rae Brantner

July 1, 1911 — Jan. 5, 2004

BREMOND — Services for Bauna Vista Rae Brantner, 92, of the Petteway Community are set for 1 p.m. Thursday [January 8] at the Heards Prairie Baptist Church in Petteway.

Rev. David Smith of North Central Baptist Church in Houston will officiate. Burial will be in the Heards Prairie Cemetery at Petteway near Bremond.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bremond Funeral Home.

Mrs. Brantner died Monday [January 5, 2004] at Bremond Nursing Center.

She was born in Bell County and lived in the Petteway Community for the past five years. She worked for a church day school and was a member of the North Central Baptist Church in Houston.

Survivors include her husband, Hubert Branter of Petteway Community; a daughter, Billie Jean Anderson of Houston; a brother and sister-in-law, Milton and Ann Rae of Houston; a sister, Irene Gallagher of Giddings; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Source: The Bryan-College Station Eagle, Bryan, Texas. Submitted by Sally Pinkos Brantner.

William Gilbert Ray

William Gilbert Ray, 69, of Houston, passed away, Saturday [July 29, 1978] in a local hospital. Member of Little York Baptist Church.

Survivors: Wife, Christine Ray, Houston, daughters, Joyce Golden of Magnolia, JoAnn Miller, Houston, sons, William Ray, Houston, Richard Ray, Jersey Village, sister, Annie Lewis, Bremond, Texas; brothers, George Ray, Seattle, Washington, Herman Ray, Choudrant, La., eight grandchildren.

Funeral services 10:00 a.m. Monday, Brookside Funeral Chapel with Rev. Gary Wallace officiating. Interment Brookside Memorial Park.

Brookside Funeral Home, Eastex Freeway at Lauder Road, 449-6511.

Source: Undated Houston Chronicle clipping. Transcribed by Jerilyn Jones Yates.

Avis Smith

Services for Avis Smith, 84, of Lubbock will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Faith Baptist Church with the Revs. O.E. Price, Jay Morse and Richard Crane officiating.

Burial will be in Spur Cemetery under direction of Rix Funeral Directors.

Mrs. Smith died Wednesday, April 6, 1994, in South Park Hospital.

She was born on Jan. 20, 1910, in Tuscola and was married to Walter L. Smith in Spur on Aug. 27, 1930. She had been a Lubbock resident since 1943 and was a homemaker and a Baptist. A son, Charlie, died in 1951.

She is survived by her husband; a daughter, Ludene Miller of Wolfforth; two grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren.

Nephews will serve as pallbearers.

Source: Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Friday, April 8, 1994. From the records of Lillian Grace Nay.

John Reed

Funeral services for a pioneer cattleman, John Quinton Read, 79, were held Friday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. in the Spur Church of Christ. Gary Williams, minister officiated; assisted by Rev. Clarence Stephens, pastor of First Methodist Church, Spur.

Mr. Read died Jan. 24 [1968] at his home west of Spur. He was a member of the Church of Christ.

At the age of 15, John Read went on his first cattle drive. For many years he was employed by the Spur Co. as a cowboy. Later, he owned a ranch in Kent County.

He is preceded in death by his first wife, Minnie Read, who died in 1958.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. John Read, of Spur; two daughters, Dot Fowler, Fair Oaks, CA; and Leta Read, Lubbock; one half sister, Mrs. Belle Lamb, Greenville; two half brothers, Mac Read, Delwin and Woodrow Read, of Graham; two grandsons and two great grandsons.

Pallbearers included Howard French, George Nally, Ellis Draper, Gifford Phillips, Bill Schmidt, and Herman Bostic.

Interment was in Spur Cemetery.

Source: The Texas Spur, February 1, 1968. Transcribed by Becky Hodges, September 2004.

Funeral services were held Monday in the First Baptist Church for Lyn Luther Rankin, 77, a retired farmer.

Rev. Norris Taylor officiated; assisted by Rev. Wayne Grizzle, Crosbyton.

Mr. Rankin had been a resident of Dickens County since 1944. He was a member of the Baptist Church.

Survivors include five sons, Howard Rankin, Post; Wayne Rankin, Weatherford; Leland Rankin, Lubbock; Jack Rankin, Odessa; Boyce Rankin, Dallas; one daughter, Mrs. Vivian Hendrix, Knox City; two sisters, Mrs. Ada Springer, Montana, CA; Mrs. Ida Ruck [Rucker], Mesquite; 14 grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Henry Slack, Robert Cannon, Buran Jones, Bill Simpson, Harry Martin, Cecil Caplinger, Robert Hahn, Ore Smith.

Interment was in Spur Cemetery.

Source: The Texas Spur, July 20, 1967. Transcribed by Becky Hodges, September 2004.

SPUR (Special) - Services for the Rev. Garland W. Rankin, 77, of Peaster will be at 10 a.m. today in First Baptist Church in Weatherford.

Burial will be at 5 p.m. today in Spur Memorial Cemetery under direction of White's Funeral Home of Weatherford.

Rankin died Wednesday, May 14, 1997, at his residence.

He was born Feb. 20, 1920, in Crosby County. He attended Wayland Baptist College in Plainview and Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He was a U.S.veteran of World War II, and he was a member of First Baptist Church in Weatherford. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and he was a Mason.

He was an ordained minister. Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Doyle Rankin; a son, Charles W. of Dallas; a daughter, Carol Ann Reeves of Amarillo; two brothers, Howard of Post and Boyce of Midlothian; a sister, Vivian Hedrix of O'Brian; and four grandchildren.

Source: Lubbock Avalanche Journal, May 14, 1997. Record provided by Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum. Transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes.

Note:Wednesday is calendar correct for May 14, 1997. Services and burial were presumably at a later date.

Funeral services for Ada R. Springer, 83, were held Saturday [3 March 1979] at 2 p.m. in Campbell Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Wayne Rankin officiating.

Mrs. Springer died February 28 in a Clovis, N.M. nursing home. She had resided in Clovis since 1942. She was a member of the Baptist Church.

She is survivied by two daughters, Velma Hunt, Clovis, N.M. and Doris Truan, Fontana, Calif.; a son, Roland Springer, Frankstown, Colo.; a daughter-in-law, Frances Springer, Albuquerque, N.M. and one sister, Ida Rucker, Dallas, ten grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren also survive.

Pallbearers included James Shoemaker, Howard Rankin, Roy Shoemaker, Pat Patterson, Douglas Hinson and Harry Martin.

She was buried in Red Mud Cemetery next to her father, Thadaus Rankin.

The Texas Spur, March 9, 1979 via the Dickens County Rootsweb.

Milton Raymond Rae

Milton departed this world peacefully Saturday, September 22, at the age of 93.

A local barber, Milton grew up on a farm in East Texas. He received his barber license in 1935 and began his career in Temple, Texas. He came to Houston in the late 1930's. He owned barber shops on Canal St., Bellfort St., and Almeda Genoa. He was also a part time real estate broker during the 60's. Barbering was not only his main profession, but also his hobby. He enjoyed the contact he had with his many customers and friends. He cut the hair of many families for 3 generations, grandfathers, sons, and grandsons during his long career. He was an active barber continuously for 68 years, including almost four years of service in the Navy during World War II. He retired in Aug., 2003 at the age of 89. He was a member of St. Christopher's Catholic Church.

Milton is preceded in death by his parents David and Ola Rae; sisters Bauna Brantner and Easter Johnson; brothers Tommy, Jack , G.O.(Son) , T.J., Aubrey, and D.R.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of almost sixty years, Ann, daughters Margaret Sullivan and husband John, Linda Tollett and husband Jesse. Grandchildren: Tiffani Sullivan, Dawn Sullivan Hawthorne and husband Jason, Trey Sullivan, Nathan Tollett, Jessica Tollett, and Lauren Tollett. great-grandson: J.T. Hawthorne; sister: Irene Gallagher and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to especially thank Pat Arp for her help, support, and friendship during these last several months. Milton will be remembered for his dedication to his family and friends and will be greatly missed.

The family will receive friends from 5:00pm-8:00pm Monday, with a vigil service and rosary starting at 7:00pm, and the Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30am Tuesday, September 25th, both held at St. Luke's Catholic Church, 11011 Hall Rd. Houston, Texas 77089.

In lieu of usual remembrances, the family suggests contributions to the Alzheimer's Association, or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Source: The Houston Chronicle, September 24-25, 2007.

Note: Milton was born 3 August 1914.

Morgan Randall

Funeral services for Morgan Randall, 65, were held Monday [11 May 1970] at the Steel Hill Church of Christ, George Calvert, Midland minister officiating.

Mr. Randall died Saturday [9 May 1970] in the Aspermont Hospital. He was born in Dickens County and resided in the Steel Hill community. He was a member of the Church of Christ.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Willie Fay [Pierce] Randall, Spur; three daughters, Marjorie Davis, Alamorgado, NM; Shirley Bird, Amarillo; Caroline Elliott, Fort Worth; two sons, William, Fritch; and Dannie, Kingsville; one sister, Mrs. Jessie Erath, Spur. Also listed are thirteen grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Interment was in the Spur Cemetery.

Source: The Texas Spur, May 14, [Thursday] 1970. From the records of Lillian Grace Nay. Via Dickens County RootsWeb.

Agnes Pinkos

Funeral services for Agnes Pinkos, age 102, were held at St. Mary's Catholic Church at 1:00 pm on Saturday, December 20. Rev. Benjamin Magnaye was the officiating priest. Interment followed at St. Mary's Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers were Charles Rybarski, Albert Rybarski, Ronnie Brantner, Tommy Joe Pinkos, Joe Wachel and Paul Ray.

A Rosary was held on Friday at 7:00 pm at the Bremond Funeral Home. Mrs. Pinkos passed away on December 17, 2008 at the Bremond Nursing and Rehab Center. She was born on April 8, 1906. At the time of her death she was the oldest person living in Bremond.

She was preceded in death by her husband Louis Pinkos, a son Tommy Pinkos on December 12, 2008, and a granddaughter Sheila Pinkos.

Survivors include a son, Willie J. Pinkos and wife Barbara of Deer Park; a daughter, Margie Porter and husband Lee also of Deer Park; daughter-in-law Paula Pinkos of Houston; 12 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

Source: The Bremond Press, January 2, 2009, courtesy Jerilyn Jones Yates.