Obituaries

Funeral services for Clara Grace Sherrill, 93, of Lexington, are scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, at the Lexington Livestock Commission with Keith Bexley officiating. Burial will follow in the Lexington Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. and on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, from 8 a.m. until noon at Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home in Lexington. The family will be present for visitation from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.

Clara Grace (King) Sherrill was born on March 17, 1924, in Lexington, to Brevard McDowell and Margaret “Maggie” Esebella (Dowdy) King. She was affectionately known to her family and friends as “Weise.” She was united in marriage to Buell Bernard “B.B.” Sherrill on May 1, 1959, in La Grange. They shared three children, Roderick, Gary and Sherry.

Lucille Ramos, better known as Snookie, 70, of Avondale, Ariz., formerly of Cameron, died Friday morning in an Avondale hospital..

Funeral services will be Saturday, Dec. 23, at noon at the Light Chapel Baptist Church in Cameron with Pastor Leslie  Dunn officiating. Visitation will be Friday, Dec. 22, from 6-8 p.m. at Dorsey-Keatts Funeral Home in Cameron.

She graduated from O.J. Thomas High School.

Survivors include: daughter, Shlanthia Simmons of Avondale, Ariz.; son, Ronald Daniels of Texas City; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sisters, Gloria West of California, Shirley Taylor of Cameron, and Vickie Taylor of Cameron; and brother, Donnie Daniels of Belton.

Warren Dean Hillman, 46, of Cameron died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, at his home.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home in Cameron with Rev. Johnny Kueker officiating. Burial will follow in the Hope Lutheran Memorial Park in Buckholts. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Mr. Hillman was born in Cameron on Dec. 7, 1971, to Warren Dee and Patricia Ann (Kamenicky) Hillman. He received his Bachelor’s degree from West Texas A&M and worked in the Registration and Admission offices of Temple College for over 20 years. He was a member of the Buckholts Brethren Church where he had served on the Board of Elders. Warren retired from the Cameron Volunteer Fire Department after more than 22 years. He was a life member SPJST #15 where he had served as vice president. 

Ann Schiller Ondrej Balusek, 97, of Cameron died Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, in a Cameron nursing and rehab facility. 

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home with Rev. Johnny Kueker officiating. Burial will follow in the Hope Lutheran Memorial Park in Buckholts. Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 18, from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mrs. Balusek was born Jan. 8, 1920, to John and Anna (Stracik) Schiller. She married Alfred Fritz Ondrej and he preceded her in death in 1971. In 1972 she married Dan Balusek and he preceded her in death in 2014. She had worked for the City of Cameron for many years.

Mrs. Balusek was a member of the Buckholts Brethren Church where she was a member of the Christian Sisters organization.  She was a founding member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the V.F. W. Post 2010 and a member of SPJST Lodge #47. 

She is survived by nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.

Mrs. Linda Lee Ruzicka, 66, of Belton, passed away Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, in a Temple hospital. A memorial service for Ms. Ruzicka will be held Saturday, Dec. 23, at 2 p.m. in the Kathryn W. Green Chapel of Green-Patterson Funeral Home in Cameron, with Matt Ruzicka officiating.

Mrs. Ruzicka was born June 27, 1951, in Ada, Okla., to Lowell and Ruby (Roberson) Hays. She was a longtime resident of Buckholts. She was a Baptist.

Survivors include: sons, Richard Ruzicka and wife Melissa of Belton, Micah Ruzicka and wife Noelle of Temple and Matt Ruzicka and wife Allie of Alvin; daughter, Jessica Hollas and husband Leonard of Salado; brother, Jamie Hays of Nashville, Tenn.; and sister, Nancy Smith of Houston. Also surviving are five grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Richard, her parents, and two sisters.

Bernard Ray Kostroun, 68, of Taylor and formerly of Marak and Rogers, died Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, in a Taylor group home. 

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, at the Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Marak with Rev. George Thirumangalam officiating.  Burial will follow in the Sts. Cyril & Methodius Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 3-5 p.m. with a rosary being recited at 4 p.m. at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home in Cameron.

Mr. Kostroun, a retired farmer and rancher, was born April 21, 1949, in Cameron to Jerry Louis and Gertrude Ann (Jistel) Kostroun. He was a graduate of C.H. Yoe High School and received his Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University. He was a member of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church and K.J.T. 

He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Ronald Kostroun. 

Susie Jane Howard, 68, of Cameron passed away Dec. 4, 2017, in Cameron. In accordance with her wishes, she will be cremated and services will be held at a later date.

Susie was born March 4, 1949, in Rogers to John William Orrick, Sr. and Josie Elizabeth (Warren) Orrick. She married Daryl Dean Howard on June 28, 1997 and was a homemaker. She was a sweet and sassy little lady who was the life of the party. She never met a stranger and was a lover of all animals.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Daryl Dean Howard on July 16, 2017; her parents, John William Orrick, Sr. and Josie Elizabeth (Warren) Orrick; sisters, Marie Hair, Jo Ann Cox and Dena Shriver; and her brother, John Orrick Jr.

Susie is survived by her son, Glenn Barba of Cameron; granddaughter, Brittanie Barba of North Carolina; and her brother, Michael William Orrick of Corpus Christi.

Norene Elizabeth Miller, 87, of Cameron died Thursday, Dec. 7, in a Temple hospital. 

Graveside funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at Oak Hill Cemetery with Rev. Fred Hill officiating. Visitation will be from noon until service time at Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home in Cameron.

Mrs. Miller was born to Royal Rufus and Vera Elizabeth (Watts) Ohlson. She married Kenneth Miller on March 12, 1954 and he preceded her in death in1989.  She was a member of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church. 

She is survived by: sons, Keith Miller of Lindale, Wesley Miller of Austin, and Russell Miller of Cameron; sister, Roberta Callery of Illinois; four grandchildren, Krista Miller, Kayla Miller, Rachel Miller, and Eli Miller; two great-grandchildren, Branam Darville and Jareth Darville.

Marek-Burns-Laywell Funeral Home of Cameron is in charge of arrangements.

Lawrence Russell, 56, of Rockdale, passed away on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. He was born March 26,1961.

His visitation was held Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, at New Jerusalem Christian Center, 101 East 3rd Street in Rockdale. Funeral services were held Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at the same location. His interment followed at Oaklawn Cemetery in Rockdale.  

His services were entrusted to All Families Mortuary, 109 North Alamo, Hearne, TX 77859.

David L. Terry, of Cypress, passed away last week at the age of 77. 

Visitation will be held Saturday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. at Providence Funeral Home, 807 Carlos G Parker Boulevard Northwest in Taylor.  Service will then start at 3 p.m. Burial will be in Taylor City Cemetery and followed by food and fellowship at the Terry family homestead in San Gabriel.

David was born and raised on the family farm in San Gabriel. He was active in sports at the San Gabriel school and Thorndale High School. He graduated from Southwest Texas State College (now named Texas State University) in 1962. His many early jobs included industrial arts shop teacher and bus driver. He rose to become the Director of Transportation for the Cypress Fairbanks School district. 

David was preceded in death by his parents, James and Evalyn; and his daughter, Cathi.