This week in Wills Point History Friday, June 10,1960
Summer recreation baseball got underway Monday night with four teams seeing action this week. Boys reporting on the Little League No. 1 team are Steve Steadham, Richard Davis, Wayne Langford, Tim Provence, Tim Sockwell, Joe Dempsey, C.W. Wilson, Charles Curtis, Steve Roberts, Gerald Chandler, James Chitty, Kirk Evans, Rickey Liston, and Mike Smith. Managers, Curtis Lynn Ebarb, Ralph Liston and T.K. Provence Jr. (See newspaper for names of players on the other teams.)
Bruce Bradshaw, teacher and coach at Wills Point high school for the past two years, submitted his resignation last week to R. M. Hooks, superintendent. He has accepted the position of assistant coach in his hometown of Center at the AAA high school. Mr. Bradshaw has coached football, basketball and baseball since he came to Wills Pont in 1958, in addition to teaching biology, general science and drivers education.
Rev. Ben Allen Pierce has been appointed as pastor of Russell Memorial Methodist Church in Wills Point, according to an announcement Friday by Bishop A. Frank Smith of the Texas Conference of the Methodist Church. Rev. Pierce is being moved to Wills Point from Gulfport Methodist church. Rev. Robert Kalb, pastor of the Methodist church in Wills Point for the past two and one half years was assigned to Pleasant Retreat Methodist church at Tyler. All ministers move to their new appointments this week.
The graduating class of 1947 met Saturday night, June 4, in the fellowship hall of Russell Memorial Methodist Church for it first reunion since graduation. Felix Massey served as master of ceremonies and showed pictures of class members taken during school days on a screen. Prizes were given to the one who traveled the farthest to attend; the one who had changed the most and the least in appearance, the one with the most children; and the one with the least hair. A bulletin board was hung with letters of interest from class members who were unable to attend. (See newspaper for names of those in attendance.)
Leroy Edwards, Negro, died Wednesday morning, shortly after falling from a tower at the Dallas pump station at the Tawakoni Lake site, reports said. He was carried to Baker Clinic by Eubank & Co. ambulance. After receiving emergency treatment at the clinic, the victim was taken to a Dallas hospital. He lived only a few minutes after reaching the hospital. Mr. Edwards, an employee of Newton Construction Co. lived in Dallas.
Barry Lehecka, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Lehecka, was accepted into two fraternities at Stephen F. Austin College in Nacogdoches recently. He will re-enter SFA in the fall after attending ETSC during the summer.
Robert J. Waggoner of Terrell, former resident of Wills Point died in a Terrell hospital Thursday morning. Funeral services will be held this afternoon at Anderson Clayton Funeral Chapel in Terrell. Interment will be in White Rose cemetery. Mr. Waggoner was, preceded in death by his wife and a child. Survivors include two brothers, A.F. Waggoner of Terrell, Sam Waggoner of Mesquite; a sister, Mrs. Lillie Scott of Terrell and a number of nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Charlie Phipps died Sunday, June 5, at her home. Funeral services were held at Eubank & Co. Funeral Chapel with interment in White Rose cemetery. Mrs. Phipps was born near Wills Point on Sept. 8, 1884, daughter of Marion and Lou Bridges Lasater. On Aug. 10, 1902, she was marred to Charlie Phipps. To this union of more than 57 years were born seven children, five of whom preceded her in death. Survivors include her husband, a daughter, Mrs. Alice Todd, of Canton, a son Jim Phipps of Wills Point, two sisters, Mrs. G.C. Clark of Albany and Mrs. Will Hill of Sidney; two brothers, Charlie Lasater of Wills Point, and Wes Lasater of Plainview; two grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held for Lee Smith of Fruitvale Friday afternoon, June 10, at the Baptist church at Fruitvale. Interment was in Shields cemetery in the Central community near Grand Saline, Mr. Smith was born Oct. 1, 1884, son of Bud and Mary E. Shields Smith. Survivors include a sister, Miss Lurena Smith of Fruitvale.
Mrs. Nell B. Cook will be installed as Worthy Matron of the Wills Point Eastern Star Chapter No. 366, with her staff of officers, Saturday June 4. New officers of the Wills Point Masonic Chapter 108 will be installed July 8 at 7:30 o’clock. (See newspaper for complete articles.)
News of Our Men, Women in Service: Airman 1-C Freddie Lee Leach, son of W.J. Leach is stationed in Sembach, Germany with the radio mobil group. He left the states in November 1958, where he was to spend 32 months. Leach will return to the states in July 1961.
Las Vegas, Nev. A 1-c Albert D. Lambert received his discharge from the U.S.A.F. at Nellis Air Force Base, Sunday June 5. Lambert has been at Nellis for 3-1/2 years. He was a jet mechanic and crew chief of F-100 aircraft. He was chosen airman of the month of the 4521st combat crew training squadron for the month of November 1959. Airman Lambert is the son of Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Lambert of Wynnewood, Okla., and is married to the former Bettye Adkins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Adkins, Wills Point. The Lamberts have one son, Lee, age 18-1/2-months.
Miss Mabel C. Baxter, homemaking teacher at Cartwright high school for the past 11 years, resigned to accept a similar position in the Tyler public schools. Miss Baxter was the first homemaking teacher at this school coming here when the department was opened in 1949. (See newspaper for complete article.)
Note: This issue also contains an obituary for Miss Ada T. Box, born August 25, 1878, the last of the family of Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Box nine children.
These articles have been extracted from original copies of the Wills Point Chronicle and may be viewed on microfilm at the Van Zandt County Library of Genealogy and Local History, located in the courthouse annex in Canton.
