Typed and spelled as written

Barbara (Caddell) Fox

June 8, 1969
(newspaper clipping in Criswell Cemetery Association Minutes)


Criswell Homecoming Held Sunday

     The Eighteenth Annual Criswell Cemetery Memorial Homecoming was held Sunday, June 8, at the Criswell community center.  There was a large crowd in attendance with visitors from over the state.

     Mrs. Oscar Bonner and Mrs. Alta Caddell furnished the floral arrangements for the auditorium.

     Activities for the day started at 10:30 a.m. with a church service with Travis Smith presenting the Memorial address.

     At 11:00 a.m. the program began with Thomas Criswell as master of ceremonies and in charge of the congregational singing “When We All Get To Heaven” and “I Will Sing The Wondrous Story.”

     Mrs. Aubrey Stone was pianist and Mrs. George Stone was program chairman.

     A prayer was led by Jack Walts.  Billy Kyle Stone, the president, welcomed the visitors.  Miss Sharon Potts gave the welcome address.

     Mrs. Jane Ann Baron sang “Fill My Cup Lord” and “I Believe In Miracles.”  Mrs. Aubrey Stone presented a piano medley.

  Mrs. Johnny Brown sang “An Evening Prayer,” and Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Addie Barnett sang “Until You Know the Love of God.”

     Special recognitions were made.  Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Clonts of Knox City, Texas were recognized as traveling the longest distance to attend.  Mrs. Mary Bowers, age 81, was recognized as the oldest person present.

     Mrs. Oscar Bonner read the mortuary list which included the names of W. J. Walts, Thurman McDaniel, Wiley Kesner, Bill Garrett, Andrew Caddell, Howard Adair Brown, Edd Nitzchke, Travis Grffith, Jack Broxton, Fields Jr. Stone, Mrs. T. B. (Addie) Stone, Mrs. Johnny Walts, Mrs. Julia Easter, Loyd Eaves, Mrs. Marie (Criswell) Jacobs and Ode Sims.  The Memorial prayer was given by Travis Smith.

     Announcements were made and the benediction was said by Thomas Criswell.

     At noon, a basket lunch was served on tables under the trees.  Travis Smith gave the invocation.

     At 1:30 p.m., the president, Billy Kyle Stone, called the business meeting to order.  The minutes were read by the secretary-treasurer, Mrs. C. C. Stone.

     Contributions were made for the upkeep of the cemetery and community center building.  Considerable expense had accumulated by having the unwanted trees and shrubbery bulldozed off the grounds, and the cemetery has been plotted off with concrete blocks and numbered.

     Robert Grisham was elected president and Arley Wayne Walts, vice-president.  Three directors were elected:  Arley Wayne Walts, Gene Brown and Robert Grisham.