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Ila was the mother of some of our alumni.  Please keep the family in your prayers.

Ila Mae Purcell Naron

Buffalo Gap - Ila Mae Purcell Naron, 81, formerly of Buffalo Gap, Texas, passed away on Thursday, October 10, 2019 at home, in a suburb of Dallas, after a lengthy battle with breast cancer.

Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, October 14, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene, Texas. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 15, at First Baptist Church in Buffalo Gap with Pastor Chuck Gililland officiating. Burial will follow in Belle Plain Cemetery in Callahan County, Texas.

The daughter of Ila Ruby (Sadler) and Charlie Orbin Purcell, she was born on March 19, 1938 in Cross Cut (Brown County), Texas. The majority of her life was spent in Taylor County, Texas. She married Leon Naron on July 25, 1968 in Abilene.

Ila was an accomplished author, having written for multiple magazines and newspapers, as well as having published several books. She had a national membership to the Writers Guild and the Business and Professional Women's Association. She worked in the country music industry as a singer/songwriter/promoter/manager. She wrote songs that she recorded, as well as songs that were recorded by other artists. Later in life, she turned her attention to promoting health and wellness with her own natural health clinic, where she practiced and taught massage therapy. She loved to dance, play games and spend time with family. Ila was a member of First Baptist Church - Buffalo Gap and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Ila was preceded in death by her parents, and by her husband Leon Naron on February 24, 2015.

Survivors include her son, Orbin Lesly and wife Carole of Buffalo Gap; two daughters, Veonna Lewis and husband Roger of Wauneta, Nebraska, and Amber Goldman of Dallas; a sister, Jerene Holt and husband Ted of Buffalo Gap; and one brother, Leo Purcell and wife Mary of Clyde. Ila is also survived by five grandchildren, Kalen Gardner of Amarillo, Kiersten McIntyre and husband Cody of Seminole, Colton Lesly of Buffalo Gap, Brin Lewis Garcia of Marietta, Minnesota, and Jarrod Draper of Benkelman, Nebraska; and four great-grandchildren, Tinley McIntyre, Taylor McIntyre, Celeste Garcia, and Maizie Lewis.

Serving as pallbearers will be Colton Lesly, Cody McIntyre, Billy Flint, ll, Billy Flint, lll, Larry Fernandez, Sr., Larry Fernandez, Jr., Slade Cupps, Charlie Purcell, and Levi Purcell. Ted Holt and Leo Purcell will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family suggests memorials may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure (Breast Cancer), 7412 University Ave Unit 2, Lubbock, TX 79423-1486; or Belle Plain Cemetery.

Memories may be shared and condolences submitted online at www.HamilFamilyFuneralHome.com.

Published in Abilene Reporter-News from Oct. 12 to Oct. 13, 2019

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My classmate, Janet's brother passed away.  Please keep her and their family in your prayers.

LAWN: Russell (Pooh) Vaughn, 63, passed away Monday, October 7, 2019 at his sister’s house in Lawn. A graveside service will be held on Friday, October 11, 2019 at 10:00am in the Dewey Cemetery, arrangements have been entrusted to Fry~Smith Funeral Home, Tuscola. A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 10, from 6 to 8pm at the funeral home.

Pooh was born to Louie and Peggy (Reinbarger) Vaughn on May 18, 1956, in Abilene. He was born a preemie with underdeveloped lungs. Pooh was brought back to life twice, once by a nurse and once by his mother. These health issues forced him out of school in the sixth grade but also allowed him to become an accomplished chess player.

Pooh was a Mamma’s boy and developed a keen style of never forgetting anything and nagging, it was these traits that often found him working in the tower of the pulling unit in the family’s oil field service company. Pooh was a master of being a “Jack of all trades” he could fix and almost build anything he wanted. His last find was an old canoe that he brought back to life and fished out of.

He loved to fish, golf, lots of golf, and watching real wrestling then the WWE. He also loved Subway sandwiches, he loved them so much that most of the Subway shops knew him on a first name basis and knew which sandwich he wanted. He really enjoyed being able to watch wrestling and eating a Subway sandwich at the same time. When he was not at Subway, golfing, watching wrestling, fixing something, or working, you could find Pooh and his dog at Allsup’s eating a burrito.

Pooh loved his family and his wife, he would tell you his wife was Sarah (Johannes) Vaughn and that they were married on February 14, 1992 in Lawn, but his best friend was his dog. Pooh and Sarah did not have children, but he loved his steps kids, Pooh, in general, loves kids, all kids. Pooh never met a stranger.

Pooh was known to give the shirt off his back to someone in need and in that spirt, in lieu of flowers donations can be made in Pooh’s name (Russell Vaughn) to Hendrick Cancer Center, 2000 Pine St, Abilene, TX 79601.

He is survived by his wife Sarah Vaughn of Lawn; brothers, Terry Don and Glenda Vaughn of East Texas, David Vaughn and wife Retha of Lawn; sister, Janet Griffith and husband Donnie of Lawn; stepchildren Steven and Dawn Perkovich, Angela and Donny Jander; several step grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death are his parents, his sister Cathy Angle, and stepson Jeffery Pugh.

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