Obituaries through 1975 for Hockley County TX
Hannah George Martin
from Carolyn Bethany Sosebee sosebee@esc14.netAvalanche Journal, 2 Aug 1951, p. 10.
Rites Pending for Mrs. J. W. Martin
Ropesville, August 1, (Special)
Mrs. J. W. Martin [Hannah George Martin], 66, died at 11:55 a.m. today at her home here. She had lived in the area since 1923, and was a member of the Methodist Church.
Funeral services are pending the arrival from California of a son. Rix Funeral Home of Lubbock will have charge of services.
Survivors are her husband, six sons, Jim (Jimmie Gladys Martin) of Ropesville; Arzie (Arzie Raymond Martin) of Ropesville; Tyree (Tyree Nathan Martin) of Ropesville; Andrew (Andrew Bert Martin) of Seagraves; George (Melvin George Martin) of Brownfield; Butler (Butler Smith Martin) of Yorba Linda, Calif.; a daughter, Mrs. B. G. Littlefield (Lucy Ethel Martin Littlefield) of Ropesville; 28 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Bernice Garner Littlefield
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeLubbock Avalanche Journal, Sunday, February 17, 1952
B. G. Littlefield of Ropesville Claimed
Bernice Garner Littlefield (b. July 9, 1911)(d.February 16, 1952), 40, Ropesville welder, died at 2:05 p.m. today following an illness of several months. He moved here last April from Yarbalinda, California.
Funeral services are pending at Rix Funeral Home in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas.
Littlefield is survived by his wife; one son, Jesse Leon Littlefield and a daughter, Frances Joan Littlefield of the home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Littlefield of Brownfield, Terry County, Texas; five brothers, G. A. Littlefield of Littlefield, Texas, T. J. and C. J. of Brownfield, Texas, R. C. of Lovington, New Mexico, and S. D. of Lingo, New Mexico; four sisters, Mrs. E. H. Martin of Pep, New Mexico, Mrs. E. G. Stalcuy of Maders, California, Mrs. W. D. Harris of Houston, Texas and Mrs. C. A. Bagwell of Fort Worth, Texas.
James Willey (Gilbert) Martin
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeLubbock Avalanche Journal, 26 May 1952, Section I, Page 9
Ropesville, May 25 (Special)
Services Set Today for Ropes Resident
Funeral services for Willey Martin (James Willey (Gilbert) Martin), 80, Ropesville, who died in a Lubbock hospital about 3:00 p.m., Saturday, will be held at 2:00 p.m. today in the First Methodist Church here with Rev. J. R. Ferguson and Rev. R.I. Hart officiating.
Burial will be in the Ropesville, Cemetery under the direction of Rix Funeral Home, Lubbock.
Martin was a retired farmer.
Survivors include six sons, J. G.(Jim Glady Martin), Placentia, Calif.; A. R.(Arzie Raymond Martin), Ropesville; A. B.,(Andrew Bert Martin) Seagraves; George (Melvin George Martin), Brownfield; Butler (Butler Smith Martin), Ropesville; Tyree (Tyree Nathan Martin, Sr.), Ropesville; a daughter, Mrs. B. G. Littlefield (Lucy Ethel Martin Littlefield), Ropesville; a brother Henry Martin, Delphi, Ind.; 27 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
(Also, one sister, Fannie Maude Martin Gann, sho preceded him in death, June 14, 1937.)
Pallbearers will be Russell McSwain, E. M. Snider, Floyd Wartes, Frank Brown, R. L. Northam, Jr., and Sam Gossett.
NOTE: This man was my great grandfather. He was the son of William H. Gilbert and Frances Martin Gilbert. William H. Gilbert disappeared when Willey was a very young boy. His mother and siblings moved back to his mother's parents' home. The story goes that when James Willey went to school, the teachers called him James Willey Martin because he now lived in the Martin household. He kept the name. His mother was a Martin so he came by it honestly. James Willey (pronounced Wiley) was born November 25, 1878, in Van Buren County, Tennessee and was married June 1, 1901 in Van Buren County, Tennessee to Hannah George. Attached is a picture of James Willey and Hannah George Martin holding two of their children. Fannie Maude Martin is setting in her father's lap and Jim G. Martin is setting in his mother's lap.
George Melvin Martin
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeAvalanche Journal, 24 Oct 1958, p.2
George Martin Rites Set in Brownfield
Brownfield (Special) - Funeral services for George M. Martin, 48, Brownfield Auto Dealer since 1947, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday in the First Baptist Church here. Burial will be in the Ropesville Cemetery under the direction of the Brownfield Funeral Home. Other arrangements are pending. Martin died following a heart attack suffered at his home Thursday morning. A native of Tennessee, he had lived in Terry County since 1923. He was a member of the Brownfield Lions Club. Survivors include his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Georgia Cummings, Lamesa, Texas; a son Teddy; five brothers J. G. (Jimmie Gladys Martin) A.R. (Arzie Raymond Martin), Tyree (Tyree Nathan Martin) all of Ropesville; A. B. (Andrew Bert Martin) of Seagraves; Butler (Butler
Smith Martin) of Whittier, California; a daughter, Mrs. T. J. Littlefield (Lucy Ethel Martin), Ropesville.
NOTE: George Melvin Martin (circa 1910-1958), my great uncle, was born in Van Buren County, TN. He was the son of James Willey Martin and Hannah George Martin.
Jim G. Martin
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeLubbock Avalanche Journal, November, 1970
Jim G. Martin's Rites Planned
ROPESVILLE (Special)
Services for Jim G. Martin (Jimmy Gladys Martin), 66, will be at 2:00 p.m. Monday in the United Methodist Church here. Officiating will be Rev. C. Jones, pastor, Garnie Atkinson, Church of Christ minister of Lubbock, and Rev. Sam Elrod, minister of the Nazarene Church here. Burial will be in Ropesville Cemetery conducted by Rix Funeral Directors of Lubbock.
Martin was dead on arrival at 9:00 p.m. Friday in Lubbock's Methodist Hospital following an apparent heart attack at his Ropesville home.
He lived here since 1923 and was a farmer and a businessman.
Survivors include his wife, Irene (Sallie Irene McCormick Martin); two sons, J. L. of Denver, Colorado, and James E. (James Edward Martin) of 502 54th Street, Lubbock; a sister, Mrs. Lucy (Lucy Ethel Martin) Littlefield of Ropesville; four brothers, Arzie (Arzie Raymond Martin)of Ropesville, Tyree (Tyree Nathan Martin) of Brownfield, Andrew (Andrew Bert Martin) of Seagraves, and Butler (Butler Smith Martin) of Whittier, California; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be George Carter, Ewell Exum, Lloyd Wall, Robert Hall, Joe Harris, and Edsel Huie.
Tyree Martin
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeRopes Plainsman, Ropesville, 29 Apr 1971, p. 1.
Last rites were conducted at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday from the First United Methodist Church in Ropesville for Tyree Martin, Sr., 53, of Brownfield, Texas. The Rev. Ted Dotts officiated, assisted by the Rev. Carrol Jones and the Rev. Ollie Apple. Interment was in the Ropes Cemetery under the direction of Rix Funeral Home of Lubbock. Tyree passed away at his home in Brownfield Saturday morning following an apparent heart attack.
Living in Hockley County, Texas most of his life, Tyree entered school here in the first grade and lived here continuously from 1944 until last year when he moved to Brownfield. He opened an insurance agency in Ropes in 1956 and operated it until he suffered a severe heart attack over a year ago. While in Ropes, he served on the Board of Stewards of the First Methodist Church and was a member of the Volunteer Fire Department and also a member of the city council.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; one daughter, Doris Jane Bradley of Lubbock; three sons, Tyree, Jr. of Lubbock and Jimmy and Johnny of the home; one sister, Mrs. Tommy Littlefield of Ropesville; three brothers, Arzie of Ropesville; Butler of Whittier, Calif., and Andrew of Seagraves, Texas, and one grandson.
Nephews served as pallbearers. The Plainsman family, along with the community, extend deepest sympathy to the family in their time of sorrow.
Note: Tyree Martin is my great uncle. He was the youngest son of James Willey Martin and Hannah George Martin. He was born September 5, 1917 in Van Buren County, TN.
Andrew Bert Martin
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeAvalanche Journal, May 1975
Services for Andrew Bert Martin, 66, of Seagraves, Gaines County, Texas, are scheduled at 3:00 p.m. Friday in the First Baptist Church here. Officiating will be the Rev. H.D. Williams of Denton, Texas, the Rev. Iver Lake, pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Seagraves, and the Rev. Harry Pittman of Denver City, Texas. Burial will be in the Seminole Memorial Park under the direction of Connally Funeral home of Seagraves.
Martin, a native of Tennessee, married Eula May Stephenson, November 9, 1931, in Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas. He moved to Sligo Community near Seagraves in 1937. Martin, a Seagraves resident since 1940, farmed until 1949. He was manager of Goodpasture Grain Elevator in Seagraves.
Survivors other than his wife are two sons, Troy Sibbley Martin and Bert Laverl Martin, both of Seagraves; three daughters, Mrs. Elvis Inez Martin Bridges of Denver City, Texas, Mrs. Norma Faye Martin Ward of Lubbock, Texas, and Mrs. Carolyn Ann Martin Mills of Virginia Beach, Virginia; two brothers, Butler Smith Martin of Whittier, California and Arzie Raymond Martin of Ropesville, Texas; a sister, Mrs. Lucy Ethel Martin Littlefield of Ropesville, Texas; 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
NOTE: Andrew Bert Martin, 18 June 1908-13 May 1975, my great uncle, was born in Van Buren County, TN. He was the son of James Willey Martin and Hannah George Martin. Eula May Stephenson, his wife, was born May 23, 1914.
George Wylie Sosebee
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeLubbock Avalanche Journal, Monday, May 26, 1975
ROPESVILLE (Special) Services for Wylie Sosebee, 63, of Ropesville will be at 3:00 p.m. today at the Ropesville Church of Christ with W. O. Batten, minister of the church, officiating. He will be assisted by the Rev. Robert Adams, pastor of the Ropesville Church of the Nazarene.
Burial will be in Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock under direction of Franklin-Bartley Funeral Home.
He died at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Highland Hospital in Lubbock following an illness of two months.
A native of Bosque County, he had been a resident since 1944. He was a retired farmer. He was married to Bonnie Taliaferro in April, 1936 in Plainview. He was a former president and member of the Ropes School Board and a former director of the Ropes Co-p Gin.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Troyce Wylie of Austin; four daughters, Mrs. Patsy Smith and Mrs. Sue Suter, both of Ropesville, Mrs. Kaye Wylie of Lubbock,and Mrs. Linda Burns of Austin; two sisters, Mrs. Jesse Woods of Lakewood, California, and Mrs. D.D. Skipper of Abernathy, and twelve grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be E. J. Abney, A.L. Bevers , Horace Abston, Bill Berry, Joe Schwartz, and J. R. Smith.
NOTE: George Wylie Sosebee was my father-in-law. He farmed and ranched about 6 miles from Ropesville. He raised 5 children who all graduated from Ropes School. He was well liked and an outstanding member of the community.
Emma Taliaferro
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeLubbock Avalanche Journal, May 1980
Services for Emma Amelia Taliaferro, 89, of Lubbock will be at 11 a.m. Monday in the Franklin-Bartley Funeral Home Chapel with Oscar Batten, minister of Ropesville Church of Christ officiating.
Burial will be in Resthaven Memorial Park under the direction of Franklin-Bartley Funeral Home.
She died at 12:40 p.m Friday in St. Mary's Hospital after a brief illness. A native of Travis County, Mrs. Taliaferro had lived in Ropesville most of her life before moving to Lubbock 1 1/2 years ago. She was a resident of Lubbock Nursing Home and a member of the Church of Christ.
Survivors include her husband, Benjamin; a daughter, Bonnie Sosebee of Ropesville; a son Lloyd of San Antonio; six grandchildren; 13 great-grand children; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Ben Taliaferro
from Carolyn Bethany SosebeeLubbock Avalanche Journal, Feb 1981
Services for Ben Taliaferro, 94, of Ropesville will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday in the Franklin-Bartley Chapel with Oscar Batten, pastor of the Ropesville Church of Christ officiating.
Burial will be under direction of Franklin-Bartley Funeral Home.
Taliaferro died at 6:45 a.m. Thursday at a Lubbock nursing home after a lengthy illness.
The Atlanta, Ga., native was a retired custodian for Ford Motor Co. He moved to Lubbock from Del Rio in 1953 and moved to Ropesville in 1960.
He married Emma Glenn in 1910 in Oliver Springs. She died in May 1980.
Survivors include a daughter Bonnie Sosebee of Ropesville; a son, Lloyd of San Antonio; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
NOTE: Benjamin Mason Taliaferro was my husband's grandfather.
Jess Wright Jr.
from Paul D. Wright pdwright01@cox.netMay 1989
Services for Jess Wright Jr., 70, of Lubbock will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Highland Baptist Church with the Rev. Stan Blevins, pastor, the Rev. Kenneth Staton, associate pastor, and the Rev. Gayle Bowen of Canyon, officiating.
Burial will be in Peaceful Gardens Memorial Park under direction of Rix Funeral Directors.
He died at 1 a.m. Tuesday in Methodist Hospital following a lengthy illness.
He was born in Oklahoma and graduated from Anton High School and Texas Tech University. He was a member of Tech's 1939 Cotton Bowl team. He married Lillian Fay Ferguson in Littlefield on July 19, 1941. He taught high school and coached in Post and Crane.
He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He moved to Lubbock in 1958 and retired from teaching in Lubbock public schools in 1983. He was a member of the Texas Tech Letterman's Club, the Texas State Teacher's Association, the Retired Teacher's Association and Highland Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Pam Pope of Del Rio and Elaine Brown of Denver, Colo.; a son, Paul of Lubbock; a sister, Barbara Hawkes of Arlington; and four grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Kenneth Reynolds, Eldon Smith, Jim Bulen, Lowrie Strange, Allen Kendrick and Wade Thompson.