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Weekly Newspaper and Travel Guide for Ward County Trans Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

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Nov. 25, 1998

The Nutcracker is drama choice


The Monahans High School Drama Department will present, The
Nutcracker, a children's theatre version of the timeless
Christmas classic about the value of friendship. The
performances will be held in the Monahans High School
Auditorium on Dec. 3,4 and 5 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 2:30
p.m. The production is made possible through grants from The
Ward county Activities Council, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Jones,
First National Bank, The Women's Division of the Chamber of
commerce, and First State Bank. Admission is by donation
with tickets available at the door.

The play tells the story of a little girl named Clara, who
receives a magical Christmas nutcracker from her favorite
uncle. The nutcracker comes to life, and he and Clara set
out for the Fortress of Sweets and many new adventures. The
production has been adapted by Evelyn Jones, M.H.S. Theatre
Director. "I have seen the ballet performed several times. I
have thought that the story might be a little hard to
follow, if you don't know it already," Jones said. "So I set
about through the use of dialogue and acted scenes to make
the story clearer for children."

Much of the ballet has been incorporated into the production
as well through the choreoghraphy of Jessica Williams, a
high school junior. "What a learning opportunity this has
been for me! I've been in other productions but never been
in charge before. The experiences I have had and the things
I've learned about responsibility and commitment will stay
with me for the rest of my life," Ms. Williams said.

Responding to the question, "What have you learned through
the experience of being in this production, Elizabeth Cox,
who is splitting the role of Clara with Tabatha Zocher,
said, "It takes a lot of cooperation with others and a lot
of commitment fro oneself."

Mark Zocher, a followspot operator, stated, "I have learned
that you have to take the time to do stuff right so you
don't have to do it over. And always pay attention."

Amanda Iley, a freshman partygoer in the play, said, "Being
in a production takes hard work, getting along with others,
but at the same time, it's a lot of fun."

"I've learned to have more patience," said dance captain,
Kristen McFarlin. "And that dealing with this many people
takes a lot of work to pull off such a big production."

Jesse Creel is the Master Carpenter and will share the role
of Nutcracker with Jody Perry. He had the following comment,
"Being involved in drama has been good for me. Working in
both cast and crew for this show has make me realize what
Ms. Jones goes through each time we do a show."

Cassandra McDaniel, a dance captain and featured Arabian
performer stated, "This is my second major production. A
great deal of time and effort has gone into this, and I's
sure that audiences, young and old, will love it."

"Being a part of the management staff is difficult but
rewarding," said sophomore assistant stage manager Kasey
Walker. "I've realized that organization and cooperation and
dependability, are absolutely necessary when doing something
like this."

These students are among the 120 young people, ages 4
through 12th grade who have been working to make this
production reality. The box office will open one hour before
each performance. "Join us for this special evening,"
concluded Jones. "We promise you our best efforts to bring
you a Christmas treat you won't soon forget."

Christmas on Main Street


Monahans Main Street and the Chamber of Commerce are joining
forces this year to ensure a delightful Christmas
celebration for the community.

Their Lighted Christmas Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. on
Dec. 7, making its way from the high school on Betty St. to
the Million Barrel Museum on Sealy St.

No Christmas activities will take place in the park this
year; instead, all the festivities will be within the
Million Barrel.

Entertainment will include burning of the Yule Log and the
chance for kids to see Santa.

Says Suzi Blair, Main Street Manager, "It's a great thing
that we have combined activities to make one great holiday
celebration. It's been great working with the Chamber."

There will be plenty of refreshments on hand, including hot
chocolate, coffee, and cookies, all served by First State
Bank, First National Bank, Wednesday Study Club, Women's
Division of the Chamber, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
and Tau Lambda.

Sheri Lord, Chamber Director, promises that this celebration
is "going to be the biggest and best ever."

If you have any questions, call the Chamber Office at
943-2187.

Holloway held on capital count


Robert Lee Holloway III, 22, of Houston, was arrested here
in Monahans Friday on a warrant out of Harris County, where
he is charged with capital murder.

According to Chief Deputy Jerry Heflin, Holloway and an
accomplice shot a Houston convenience store clerk during a
robbery, and then fled west. Holloway was already on
probation for another robbery.

He was arrested at his job site near Monahans, and is
currently being held for the Harris County Sheriff's
Department without bond.

Obituaries

DONALD LEE TUCKER

Services for Donald Lee Tucker, 43, were held Monday at the
Tucker family residence in Van Alstyne, with Rev. David
Meeks officiating. Burial was directed by Waldo Funeral
Home.
Mr. Tucker was born on Jan. 7, 1955 in Breckenridge, and
died Nov. 14, 1998 at Wilson N. Jones Regional Hospital. He
was an oil field drilling supervisor in west Texas for many
years, and was a member of First Baptist Church of Anna.
He was married to his wife, Kim Ponder, on Apr. 14, 1980, in
Kermit.
Survivors include his wife Kim; two sons, Donald Lee Tucker,
Jr. of Sherman and Tommy Joe Tucker of Pecos; a stepson,
Johnny Bishop of El Paso; two daughters, Rochelle Dawn
Tucker of Van Alstyne and Christina Diane Fason of Rosebud,
Ar; parents, Douglas Ray and Betty Norma Jean Tucker of
Graham; two brothers, Ray Tucker of Mineral Wells and Ricky
Tucker of Graham; two sisters, Susie Whitenton of Hurst and
Jeanie Baker of Oklahoma; three grandchildren; several
nieces and nephews; and his best friend, Larry O'Bryan.

LEWIS S. ZOCHER

Services for Lewis S. Zocher, 67, will be held Friday at 2
p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, officiated by Bob
Bonnington. Burial will take place in Monahans Memorial
Cemetery, directed by Harkey Funeral Home.
He was born March 3, 1931 in Marathon Co., Wi., and died
Nov. 22, 1998 in Odessa Medical Center.
Mr. Zocher graduated from Medford High School in 1950, and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps shortly thereafter. Following
his service in the Marines, he settled in Texas where he
worked for a time in the oil field. It was during this
period that he moved to Monahans.
He worked for the Monahans postal service for 13 years,
worked as an independent paint contractor, and had a job
with the Texas Youth Commission in Pyote for a decade.
Following his retirement from the Texas Youth Commission in
1996, he continued to work part-time for them as a paint
contractor. He was always known as a hard worker.
He was a Christian and member of St. James Episcopal Church.
He served on the Bishop's committee and was a lay-reader.
He will be dearly missed.
Mr. Zocher is survived by his wife, Kay Zocher of Monahans;
three sons, Tony Zocher of Las Alamos, N.M., Mark Zocher of
Pyote, and Robert Zocher of Monahans; one daughter, Brenda
Hill of Ft. Stockton; one brother, Winthrop Zocher of
Minneapolis, Mn.; two sisters, Joyce Brasheras and Jackie
Henry, both of Dallas; 5 grandchildren; and 2
great-grandchildren.

RAMON FUENTES GARCIA

Services for Ramon Fuentes Garcia, 56, were held Tuesday at
Tamarisk Cemetary, officiated by Fr. John Lucido. Burial
was directed by Harkey Funeral Home.
Mr. Garcia was born on Nov. 15, 1942, in Study Butte, and
died Nov. 17, 1998 at the family residence in Grandfalls.
He was a Catholic and farm laborer.
Survivors include one daughter, Gloria Garcia of Crane; two
sons, Raymond Garcia and Roy Garcia, both of Monahans; two
brothers, Juan Garcia of Grandfalls and Merarado Garcia of
Monahans; four sisters, Maryann Gonzales of Jal, New Mexico,
Elodia Garcia of Odessa, and Elida Ramirez and Rosa Olibas,
both of Grandfalls; and four grandchildren.

VIRGIE MARY WHITSITT

Services for Virgie Mary Whitsitt, 91, were held Friday
at 10 a.m. at Southside Baptist Church, officiated by Pastor
Bill Hatler. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetary in
Jacksboro under direction of Harkey Funeral Home.
Mrs. Whitsitt was born on August 8, 1907 in Sulphur, OK
and died at Midland Memorial Hospital on Nov. 11, 1998. She
was a retiree of Texas Power & Light Co. and a homemaker.
She married Earl Whitsitt on May 20, 1924.
Survivors include her three daughters, Norma Ann Haines
of Monahans, Emma Jane Horton of Oklahoma City, OK, and Mary
Earlene Heisler of White Earth, MN; two brothers, Boyce
Myers of Woodbridge, VA and John Myers of Reno, NV; four
grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and
nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Earl; three
brothers, Ira Myers, Roy Myers, and Dolph Myers ; and two
sisters, Urusla Mae Heinlen and Alene Potts.
The family suggests memorials to the building fund of
Southside Baptist Church of Monahans.

BETTY C. LONG SMITH

Services for Betty C. Long Smith, 67, were held Tuesday at
First Methodist Church with Richard Cook and Rev. Gary
Seelau officiating. Burial was in Kermit Cemetary, directed
by Cooper Funeral Chapel.
Mrs. Smith was born on Dec. 28, 1930, and died on Nov. 13,
1998. She was a nurse and Kermit resident for 27 years.
She married "Russ" Smith, Sr. on Aug. 23, 1947.
Survivors include her husband Russ Smith Sr.; three sons,
Rusty Smith of Carlsbad, NM, Jeffery Smith of Kermit, and
Timothy Smith of Monahans; two daughters, Jolene Roy of
Clovis, NM, and Melody

NANCY SIMPSON

Services for Nancy Simpson, 58, were held on
Sunday, Nov. 15, at McNett Funeral Home Chapel in Andrews
with Brother Donnie Noble officiating. Assisting him will
be Rev. Cameron Gavin. Burial will be in the Andrews Old
Cemetary under the direction of McNett Funeral Home.
Mrs. Simpson was born Dec. 7, 1939 in Kirkland and died
Nov. 11, 1998 at University Medical Center in Lubbock. She
was co-owner of Jo's Coffee Shop in Andrews and also managed
the Corner Drug Soda Fountain. She retired in 1994.
Survivors include her husband, John Simpson of Andrews;
two daughters, D'Nan Halbrooks of Monahans and Dawn
Hungerford of Wolfforth; one son, Destry Simpson of Okinawa,
Japan; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

MAXINE SWOPE HUGHES

Services for Maxine Swope Hughes, 75, of Tallahassee, FL,
are today (Wednesday) at Culley's Meadowwood Chapel in
Tallahassee. Burial will take place in Culley's Meadowwood
Cemetary, directed by Culley's Funeral Home.
Mrs. Hughes died Sunday. She was a homemaker and of the
Baptist faith. She was also an excellent seamstress.
Survivors include her husband Gilbert H. Hughes; sister Opal
Dorrell of Monahans; and four nieces and nephews.

THELMA (T.Z.) BEAIR

Services for Thelma (T.Z.) Beair, 76, were held Saturday at
First Methodist Church, officiated by David Snyman. Burial
took place in Monahans Memorial Cemetary, directed by Harkey
Funeral Home.
Mrs. Beair was born May 7, 1922 in Bartlesville, OK, and
died Nov. 18, 1998 in Odessa Medical Center. She was a
homemaker and had lived in Monahans since 1952.
She married Bill Beair on Feb. 14, 1947.
Survivors include her husband Bill of Monahans; one son, Ray
Beair of Lubbock; one daughter, Carol Browning of Odessa;
one brother, Jerry L. Zink of Flatrock, N.C.; and one
grandson, Brian Browning of Dallas.

GLORIA M. HINOJOS

Services for Gloria M. Hinojos, 77, were held Monday at St.
John's Catholic Church, officiated by Fr. John Lucino.
Burial was in Monahans Memorial Cemetary, directed by Harkey
Funeral Home.
Mrs. Hinojos was born March 26, 1921 in Ruidosa and died
Nov. 20, 1998 in Permian General Hospital in Andrews. She
was a housewife and lived in Andrews for three and a half
years.
Survivors include three sons, Pedro Hinojos of Kermit, Greg
Hinojos of Texico, N.M., and Raul Hinojos of Monahans; three
daughters, Ofelia Hinojos of Socorro, Mary Ellen Primera of
Monahans, and Sara Lujan of Andrews; two brothers, Frank
Martinez of Indio, CA and Herminio Martinez of Ruidosa; five
sisters, Carmen Holguin of Superior, AZ, Sara Tovar of Mesa,
AZ, Lilia Gonzales of Orange Co., CA, Socorro Jimenez of
Ontario, CA, and Pilar Abalos of Hereford; 21 grandchildren;
and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Pedro Hinojos.

DIMAS POLANCO

Services for Dimas Polanco, 61, were held Monday at St.
John's Catholic Church. Burial was in Monahans Memorial
Cemetary, directed by Harkey Funeral Home.
Mr. Polanco was born May 6, 1937 in Presidio and died Nov.
20, 1998 in Houston. He was a salesman.
Survivors include his wife, Rita Polanco, of Monahans;
mother, Josefa R. Polanco, also of Monahans; three sons,
Marcos Polanco of Joshua, Harvey Polanco of Monahans, and
Christopher Polanco of McAllen; one daughter, Delma Polanco
of West Columbia; four brothers, Adam Polanco of Crane, E.R.
Polanco of Imperial, Leonard Polanco of San Antonio, and
Prajedis Polanco of Monahans; six sisters, Luzia Valenzuela,
Josefina Baeza, Vera Subia, and Martha Arredondo, all of
Monahans, Elva Martinez of El Paso, and Delia Olibas of
Pecos; and two grandchildren.



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Copyright 1998 by Ward Newspapers, Inc.
Joe Warren, Publisher
107 W. Second St., Monahans TX 79756
Phone 915-943-4313, FAX 915-943-4314
e-mail monnews@ultravision.net

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Copyright 1998 by Ward Newspapers Inc.