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Body of Missing Woman Found Near Proctor

According to the Comanche County Sheriff’s Office, the body of Elizabeth Coffey has been located. Coffey was reported missing to the Comanche Police Department on June 17, 2008.

At approximately 10:52 a.m. on Saturday, August 2, the Comanche County Sheriff’s Office and Comanche Chief of Police Bruce Bradshaw were called to the Purvis Ranch located on 3551 FM 1476 between Gustine and Proctor on reports that the missing person and her vehicle had been located.

Upon arrival Coffey’s family led officers to where Miss Coffey was located. Justice of the Peace Bill Koenig was called to the scene and an inquest was started. The Texas Rangers and DPS Crime Scene Lab were called in for assistance in processing the crime scene. Coffey was sent to Tarrant County Medical Examiners’ Office for autopsy.

Ben There

Special to the Free Press, By Benny Wayne Chupp, DHS Class of ‘58

A winner never quits! A quitter never wins! That was a sign in the old football dressing room. I thought about it many times in my bouts with ‘gray sickness.’ The motto, along with treatments at the Uranium Health Center, cured my affliction.

My high school years were from l954 to 1958. Our class was the first to spend four years in the new high school. Bearcat Stadium also opened in l954. As freshmen we had the honor of crawling yard-line to yard-line pulling grass burrs out of the grass. At least 265 home games have been played there and it would not surprise me if there is someone who has seen all of them.

In the first game in the new stadium De Leon beat Gorman 37-0. Of note, the fight song was written by a band director during our high school years.

Before CNN or Fox News, it was not reported—but we also survived the first terrorist attack on our school in our junior year. A bomb was exploded in the northeast corner, blowing out windows and disrupting English class. The terrorists were never caught. J.W. Dendy was not a Texas Ranger yet.

A candidate this year is about ‘change.’ He missed the mid-50s. At the beginning of our senior year, President Eisenhower sent troops to Little Rock to integrate public schools. In DeLeon, without problems, we accepted Duster and Comyn students.

Russia launched Sputnik, an earth orbiting capsule, in the fall of 1957. The space race began. One of our classmates’ ambition, in the yearbook, was to be the first man on the moon. We laughed; however it happened in 10 years, but not to James Fraiser. He did make it to Odessa where the surface is much like that of the moon.

The 50s also brought change in entertainment. Radio was going out, television was coming in. People began watching Matt Dillion, Lucy and Joe Friday. Those with TV’s had crowds come over and watch the $64,000 Question and the latest star appearing on Ed Sullivan. The Saturday game-of-the-week brought Yankee Stadium into your living room with Dizzy and Peewee. We channel surfed the three available stations.

Music also changed. Blackboard Jungle introduced Bill Haley and the Comets. Como, Crosby and Sinatra were finished. We had Elvis, Chuck Berry and Fats. Burleson’s Snak Shack became be-bop heaven. ‘Daddy-O’ and ‘Kool’ reigned. Burrs changed to duck tails. Sideburns ruled.

Cars changed. Ford’s V8 patent ran out. Chevy built a 283 four barrel. The drive to Gorman now could be done quicker than Marty Robbins could sing ‘El Paso’. Gas was twenty-five cents a gallon and we still blew drip wells.

Education changed. During our high school years we had a new superintendent. Mrs. Duke, Ms. Roger Mae Smith and Mrs. Spencer retired. Our freshman year, a new coaching staff arrived. Al Langford, Bill Little and James Perkins. Coach Langford stayed four years. He never had a losing season or a district championship; however, his legacy was taking slow skinny kids and convincing them they could compete. I feel that coaches Fred West, Clyde Noonkester, Daylon Whitehurst, Jackie Morgan and Grady West were also part of his legacy. Was Coach Langford tough? He drove a pink and white Crown Victoria and no one made fun of it. Coach Little followed and got the Bearcats to the playoffs. Chief was a class guy. He left. James Perkins stayed. He taught and coached two years in high school, left for junior high where he principaled and coached. His junior high teams rarely lost. This carried over and became the backbone of a successful high school program for three decades. Let me add, Midland College has a building named for Al Langford, and of course, a school in De Leon is named for James Perkins.

Our graduation class was about fifty in number with almost an equal share of each gender. Some stayed in De Leon; others left and came back later. Those trapped in the cities (sometimes by grandchildren) always return for visits. Why? It’s like the scene in Field of Dreams—to come back to a place of good thoughts, good memories and good times. De Leon may be dry, hot and dusty; but it is home and special.

Hospital Board Meets New Chief Nurse

By JERRY MORGAN, Reporter

VAN DYKE -- The introduction of the hospital's new Chief Nursing Officer, the selection of a bank to serve as the hospital's depository, and whether to voluntarily join in the financial support of the county's Central Dispatch operation were some of the issues considered at the most recent hospital board meeting.

The Board of Directors of the Comanche County Consolidated Hospital District met in regular session on Tuesday, July 29, with five members present.

Board president Gale Easley conducted the meeting with members Joe Locke, Janna Morris, Karen Petty and Billy Ray Evans participating. Charles Mazurek was absent.

The first order of business was the introduction of new hospital CNO Kerry Radcliffe. Radcliffe most recently worked at Hill Country Memorial Hospital in Fredericksburg. She was welcomed by the Board members.

The Board then acted to approve the minutes of their previous meeting and then heard a brief and informal Medical Staff report given by Dr. Todd Davis, speaking on behalf of Medical Chief of Staff Dr. Dwayne Miller, who was not present.

Dr. Davis discussed the transition of the hospital's pathology consultant from Dr. Belli in Brownwood, who recently resigned from the position, to a group of Abilene physicians called Pathology Consultants. He added that everything was going well at the hospital as far a the medical staff was concerned and that patient volumes had held up well during what is normally the slow time of year.

The first item of new business considered was two competing bank bids as submitted by Comanche National Bank and Farmers & Merchants Bank in DeLeon. Representatives of both financial institutions were present during the consideration.

Chief Financial Officer Tom Letz presented a schedule comparing the annual effect of interest income that would be earned by the present balances on deposit at the two sets of rates. F&M Bank's proposal was the more favorable, although the projected net difference between the two competitors was less than $60 per month.

Letz stated his concerns that changing the operating account where Medicare and Medicaid payments are electronically deposited had the potential for a major disruption in the hospital's primary cash flow, the effects of which could be devastating. For that reason he hesitated to recommend the Board select F&M over Comanche National Bank, which currently serves at the hospital's depository.

Chief Executive Officer Kevin Storey concurred with Letz's assessment.

Billy Ray Evans noted that the hospital had asked for bids and stated his opinion that it was honor bound to do business with the winning bidder.

Gale Easley and Kevin Storey stated that the hospital is required to seek bank depository bids every 24 months, but that it was not required to accept any of the bids received.

Various means of splitting the hospital's banking business were discussed. There was also discussion regarding moving funds out of the TexSTAR investment pool operated by the State of Texas and bringing the funds back to the county's banks.

For full article, subscribe to the DeLeon Free Press. E-mail edition is only $20/year.

Wilkerson Has Hosted Queen’s Tea for Many Years

By LAURA KESTNER, Editor

Among local residents who volunteer their time and efforts to the DeLeon Peach and Melon Festival (and there are many) Shirley Wilkerson is among those who have served the longest.

Since the late 1970s, Wilkerson has opened her home each year to the Peach and Melon Queen candidates for a tea and an opportunity to be interviewed by the pageant judges.

Although she is the hostess, Wilkerson is quick to point out that the DeLeon Study Club (of which she is a member) is the official sponsor of the event.

“Different members of the club bring food,” Wilkerson said, “it’s certainly a team effort. And we all enjoy it.”

Wilkerson notes that her husband, Bill, shares in the preparation for the big day by making sure the yard is in perfect shape.

One of the reasons that Wilkerson enjoys hosting the event, is that her personal collection of watermelon-themed dishes, glasses and napkin rings make for a very festive table.

One aspect that all the sponsors seem to enjoy is selecting the “favors” for the girl’s tables each year.

“Several years ago, we started putting their pictures in these little photograph albums,” Wilkerson said, “and we use those for their favors. And we also give them a disposable camera to go with it. So they’ll sit there and take pictures. They really seem to enjoy it.”

Despite the fact that Wilkerson and other Study Club members get to meet with the candidates each year, Wilkerson said that she’s never really been able to predict the winner.

“We usually have a pretty good idea about the top three or four girls,” she said, “and then, every once in awhile, a girl will come in and just stun you with how she just shines, but we can’t tell for sure who will win.”

All the food, favors and decorations for the event are provided by the Study Club, which includes members Peggy Andress, Laura Brown, Grace Everhart, Linda Frank, Glenda Garza, Sandy Gould, Rae Jean Hasty, Susie Hodges, Joan Johnson, Tenia Koonce, Ruby Lesley, Sharon Lesley, Ingrid Lindsay, Pat Loudermilk, Bobbie McKillip, Kathy Miller, Earlene Moore, Paulette Nabors, Barbara Nowlin, Christie Owen, Janell Quinn, Kaye Quinn, Pam Rush and Freda VanZandt.

Through the years, Wilkerson has been faithful to host the event, never missing even one.

“I had quadruple by-pass in February of 1996,” Wilkerson said, “and we still held the event here in August. And that was fine, it was no problem.”

Wilkerson said the tea was held at the Methodist Church for “a long, long time” but was even then hosted by the Study Club.

Even though the fashions have changed through the years, (becoming ever more casual) Wilkerson said that the girls are required to wear proper “tea attire.”

Wilkerson is not sure yet when she might stop hosting the event.

“For the most part, the girls have always been very polite, very gracious and very appreciative of the Study Club’s efforts,” Wilkerson said. “And I’ve certainly enjoyed it.”

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