R.P. Mitchell of Albany, Texas, passed away Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at the First Christian Church in Albany under the direction of Bailey Howard Funeral Home of Clyde. Burial will be in the family plot in the Albany cemetery, followed by lunch at the First Christian Church. All are welcome. 

R.P. was born in Albany, Texas on Sept. 23, 1923. His parents were Richard (Dick) Mitchell and Esther Hammer Mitchell. 

Donald Stilwell, age 86 of Albany, passed away Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020. Graveside funeral services with full military honors were held Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery of Abilene with Dinty Bowman officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary. 

Donald Leroy Stilwell was born May 20, 1933 in Breckenridge, Texas to parents Leroy Forest Stilwell and Nellie Marie Long Stilwell. 

He graduated from Albany High School and furthered his education with two years of college. 

Joseph Beck Matthews, III died unexpectedly of natural causes on Jan. 1, 2020 at his home in Durango, Colorado.

Joe was born to Julia Jones Matthews and John Alexander Matthews on Jan. 28, 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas. 

He grew up in Abilene, attending Abilene public schools through ninth grade. Joe was a 1962 graduate of The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. He attended Stanford University then later enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as a reservist. 

Dan Edward Chambers, 75, of Abilene, formerly of Albany, died Friday, Dec. 27, 2019 in an Abilene nursing home. No services are planned at this time.

Dan was born July 19, 1944 in Lueders to Aubrey and Margie (Davis) Chambers. He attended Lueders/Avoca High School. He worked in the oilfield as a pumper for many years. 

He later moved to Albany where he was a Deacon at the Albany Church of Christ and a volunteer for the Albany Volunteer Fire Department for many years.   

Rodney Alexander, age 51 of Albany, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Graveside funeral services were held Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Albany Cemetery with Pastor Paul Johnston officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary.

Rodney Lee Alexander was born on April 18, 1968 in Long Beach, California to parents, Marshall Alexander and Linda Harris Alexander. He grew up in Albany, graduating from Albany High School in 1987. 

Ann Hudman, 76, of Crane, passed away on Monday, Dec. 23, 2019, surrounded by her loving family.

Ann was born on May 26, 1943, in Abilene, Texas.  She had lived in Crane for the past 53 years.  She was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church.

Ann loved Elvis music, reading, spending countless hours in her rocking chair, and playing “Happy Colors” on her i-Phone.  

Charliene Martin, age 81 of Albany, joined her heavenly father on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. A graveside service was held Saturday, Dec. 21 in the Albany Cemetery with Pastor Tom Chandler officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary. 

Shirley Charliene Cribbs was born April 19, 1938 in Elbert, Texas, to Charlie Bud Cribbs and Lavera Easley Cribbs. She graduated from Throckmorton High School on Feb. 21, 1958. 

Bonnie Rodgers, age 70 of Eastland, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019. Funeral services were held Saturday, Dec. 28 at First Baptist Church in Eastland with Pastor Paul Johnston officiating. Interment followed in the Albany Cemetery under the direction of Morehart Mortuary.

Bonnie Dean Wood was born Jan. 21, 1949 in Stephenville, Texas to parents Doyle Wood and Bonnie Pack Wood. She was a member at First Baptist Church in Eastland, the Civic League in Eastland, as well as a former member of the Old Jail Art Center in Albany. 

Lovella Dodgen, age 98 of Albany, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. A graveside funeral service was held Sunday, Dec. 15 in the Albany Cemetery. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary.

Lovella Martin was born Nov. 16, 1921 in Anson, Texas to her parents, Bud Martin and Claudie Mae Ferrell Martin. On Sept. 30, 1939, she married M.E. “Mickey” Dodgen in Abilene, Texas. 

Lovella had worked for First National Bank and First Financial Bank before retirement and was a member of Maranatha Fellowship in Albany. 

Sammy Kay Shirley, 77 of Albany, TX passed away on Nov. 25, 2019 surrounded by loved ones. 

The family will hold a private memorial service. Services are under direction of North’s Funeral Home.

Sam was born in Kermit, TX to Willie May and Franklin Homer Shirley on Oct. 1, 1942. He went to school in Odessa, TX. He worked in construction for most of his life, always working hard to provide for his family. 

He loved to joke and make people laugh, and could often be found spinning around the dance floor to a good country and western song.