Extracted from The Odessa American (Odessa, TX)
Beekie Ezell
BENBROOK -- Beekie Ezell, a retired owner of Ezell Industrial Paint and Tank Company, passed away Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999, at a Dallas hospital.
He was born December 5, 1919, in Jena, La., to Jefferson and Pearl Ezell and was an Army veteran of World War II, having served in the Pacific Conflict.
Beekie was a graduate of Texas Christian University, where he attended both before and after his military service on football scholarships. He later coached in McAllen and was a member of Who's Who in Texas, South and Southwest. He was a member of the American Legion, VFW Post 297, Kermit Masonic Lodge and served on the Board of Directors for the Kermit Independent School District for many years. He owned and operated Ezell Industrial Paint and Tank Company in Kermit from 1953 until 1990.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Texas Christian University Letterman's Association.
Services were Saturday, August 21, 1999, at First Baptist Church in Benbrook. Committal services were held Sunday, Aug. 22, 1999, at Kermit Cemetery.
He was preceded by his first wife, Claudia; his parents, Jefferson and Pearl; and his brother, Col. Dee Ezell.
Survivors include his wife, Dot Ezell of Benbrook; daughters, Claudia Dee Ezell Fanelli and husband, Sam, of Fountain Hills, Ariz., Candace Ezell Rust and husband, Ron Rust, M.D., of Bryan; stepdaughters, Cherry Whigham of Kermit and Ginger Leeper of Fort Worth; stepsons, Tom Arnold of Dallas and Charles Arnold, M.D., of Midwest City, Okla.; brothers, Dr. Manny Jeff Ezell and Col. Don Ezell, USMC, Ret., both of Fort Worth; grandchildren, Ty, Clay Don and Candace Kristin Warren, Erik and Justin Rust, Melinda and Matt Whigham, Brandon and Kris Arnold, Tara, Gatlin and MeKeever Arnold; one niece; and one nephew.
Services were under the direction of Benbrook Funeral Home.
Friday, September 10, 1999