Obituaries

Sharon Lanell Martin, 55, of Ozona passed away Thursday, January 16, 2020 in San Angelo.

Funeral service was held Monday, January 20, 2020, at the Elmwood Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at Elmwood Memorial Park.

Sharon was born January 5, 1965 in Abilene, Texas to the late Clarence Alois Gottschalk and Edith Evadeen Warren Gottschalk. Sharon loved to help people and served the community as an EMT-P. She finished out her career at Metro Care after 30 years of service at various agencies. During her career she would travel the state training and teaching other EMT’s as well as working at Texas Motor Speedway. Sharon was a member of First Baptist Church in Ozona, Texas, and taught Second and Third grade Sunday school class. She also assisted with VBS and AWANA Kids program. Sharon was very compassionate, fearless and always there for her family and friends.

George Bunger, Jr., 81, of Ozona, Texas passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas.

A memorial service honoring his life and legacy was Sunday, January 19, at the Ozona United Methodist Church with burial to follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

George was born on December 6, 1938, in San Angelo, Texas to George Bunger, Sr. and Louise Henderson Bunger.

He attended public schools in Ozona and graduated from Ozona High School in 1957. He married Wanda Belle Armstrong on August 30, 1957, and they moved to Austin so George could attend the University of Texas. After attending the University of Texas, George and Wanda returned to Crockett County so that he could ranch with his family. He was actively involved in the family ranching business in Crockett, Kinney, Pecos, and Val Verde Counties. A short time after moving back, George and Wanda started their family and had two children, Helen Bunger Bean and Louis Bunger.

Sharon Lanell Martin, 55, of Ozona passed away Thursday, January 16, 2020 in San Angelo.

A visitation will be held Sunday, January 19, 2020, from 3 to 5 PM at the Elmwood Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held Monday, January 20, 2020 at 2 PM at the Elmwood Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at Elmwood Memorial Park.

George Bunger, Jr., 81, of Ozona, TX passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, TX.

A memorial service honoring his life and legacy will be Sunday, January 19 at 2:00 pm at Ozona United Methodist Church with burial to follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

George was born on December 6, 1938, in San Angelo, TX to George Bunger, Sr. and Louise Henderson Bunger.

2020 dawned in Heaven filled with light, laughter and songs when our beloved Chago received his wings and went to be with his Lord and Savior.

The funeral mass for Santiago “Chago” Vargas of Ozona was celebrated on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 at 1 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. Burial of his ashes followed at Lima Cemetery.

He is survived by: his son Shawn Hodges (Stephani), grandson Brock Hodges, sisters Imelda Robledo (Armando), Melissa De La Garza (Paul), Marisa Salazar (Gonzalo) Irma Vargas (Mark) and Hilda Martinez (John); his brothers Larry Martinez (Mary) and Ray Vargas; his uncle Pancho Vargas (Manuela); and his aunts, Rafela Perez, Alma Longoria (Gabriel Sr.) Mickey Arredondo (Raul), Alda De Hoyos (Thomas) and Phyliss Vargas.

He also left behind many nieces and nephews and never met a soul that did not consider him a friend.

DEATH NOTICES

Estella G. Montez died Dec. 21, 2019 at her home. She was born Feb. 9, 1947 to Fermin and Olivia Garza in Ozona.

She was preceded in death by both her parents and nephew (Fermin Castillo). She is survived by 11 grandchildren: Megan Janine Montez, Jesus Montez Mendoza, Daniela Angelica DeLa-Cruz (Alex Favela), Stephen Michael Rosas, Antonio Jose Montez, Emilio Jamie Montez (Brittney Sue), Dylan Andrew Ortega, Marissa Denise Mims (Matthew), Nathan Ybarra, Jose Angel Montez, Aracelie Vida Montez and four great-grandchildren: Alyssa Nicole DeLaCruz, Rudy Andres DeLaCruz, Angelica Mercedes DeLaCruz and Kaiden Ray Lias and nine siblings: Linda Valencia (Alberto), Fermin Garza (Gloria), Esperanza Castillo (Mauro), Tina Rodriguez (Ray), Yolanda Borrego, Ray Garza (Dora), Rosie Garza and Olivia Torres (Frank) along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Annamarie Castillo Fierro, loving daughter and mother of two, passed away at the age of 39 on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019.

Annamarie was born on December 16, 1979 in San Angelo, to Thomas and Rosa Fierro. She graduated class of 1998 from Ozona High School. She raised two daughters, Rosamaria and Joey Ann with former husband Joey R. Arredondo.

Annamarie had a passion for the outdoors. She loved going to the river, spending time with her family and having cookouts. She will be remembered as a loving mother, a good sister and a great friend.

Anna was preceded in death by her mother, Rosa. She is survived by her two daughters Rosamaria and Joey Ann, her father Thomas, her sisters Michele, Victoria, Christina, brothers Armando Fierro and Thomas Fierro, Jr. and several cousins and nieces.

Francis A. (“Hank”) Skehan, of Comstock, passed away in Ozona, Texas on Wednesday, December 11, 2019.  He was born in Houlton, Maine on April 15, 1927 to James and Mary Effie Skehan.

Hank married Mary Pat (Patty) Zuberbueler in Del Rio, Texas on June 5, 1954 and they spent almost 60 years together. They raised two children, James Emil (Jim) and Mary Louise.

In 1944, after high school, Hank enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and was assigned to the USS Monticello AP-61. The ship was used to transport troops from the USA to Italy and France. After discharge from the Coast Guard, he returned to Houlton and began taking flying lessons under the GI bill.

James Buryl Ruthardt was born June 22, 1933 in Lamar County, Texas. He and his twin sister, Minnie Muryl (Tince) were the youngest of nine children born to James Blain Ruthardt and Minnie Mc-Daniel Ruthardt.

When Buryl was nine, the family packed up the wagon and moved to the plains of West Texas to farm. Buryl did not enjoy farming. When he was old enough to leave home he got a job as an apprentice electrician, learning the trade and eventually becoming a Master Electrician.

Buryl met Zella Ray Hudson in 1952 in Levelland, Texas and they married in January 1953. Together they had five children, Twila Evon, Rodney Mack, Lori Raydon, Tina Latrice and Tonya Delyn. In January 1969 Buryl bought Ozona Electric and moved his family to Ozona.

Buryl was a member of the Lions Club in Ozona. He also was very involved in the Little League, sponsoring a team for many years. He and Zella also ran the concession stand for Little League for many years.

Early in the morning of October 28, 2019, while surrounded by her family, Melissa Childress Smith Elliott died peaceably in La Jolla California Oct 28th 2019 surrounded by her family.

She was the granddaughter of Pleas L. Childress Senior and Nell Henderson Childress of Ozona.

She was born in Kansas City, Missouri January 17, 1940, to Ethel and J. Neil Smith. She graduated from the Barstow School and went on to attend Hollins College in Virginia where she met her husband, Max Elliott, on a blind date.