Obituary

Obituary of Lillian Avis Baum
(C. Avis Catalog entry #332)
 

Mrs. Lillian Baum dies in hospital

Mrs. Lillian Avis Baum, 82, of 1648 Victory, died Thursday in a Wichita Falls hospital.

Services are pending at Hampton-Vaughan Funeral Home.

Born July 21, 1892 in Wichita Falls, Mrs. Baum was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Avis prominent city pioneers and married Harry S. Baum July 17, 1916.  She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include a sister, Mrs. Ruby Dunkelberry of Wichita Falls and a brother, Jake of Austin.
 

Wichita Falls Record News, February 1, 1989
(C. Avis Catalog entry #453)

p. 4

Ruby Dunkelberg

Ruby Avis Dunkelberg, 86, of 3006 McNiel died Monday at her home.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Hampton-Vaughan Funeral Home with Dr. Earle W. Crawford, pastor emeritus of First Presbyterian Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery.

Dunkelberg was born Nov. 23, 1902, in Wichita Falls and had been a lifetime resident.  She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Bethania Regional Health Care Center Auxiliary and Unity Junior Study Club.

She was the daughter of J. D. Avis, pioneer of Wichita Falls.  

Survivors include one son, Ralph C. of Wichita Falls; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

The family will be at 4501 Dunbarton.  Memorials may be made in the form of donations to a favorite charity.

Wichita Falls Record News September 30, 1935 
(C. Avis Catalog entry #119)

p.1
 

Wichitan Passes

J. D. Avis, native of Northwest Texas and for 50 years one of the leading citizens of Wichita Falls, died at his home here Sunday.

ACTIVE IN MASONRY

First White Child Born in Montague Moved Here in Town's Early Days

J. D. Avis, 74, pioneer of Wichita Falls and the first white child born in Montague, died at his home, 1318 Tenth street shortly after 5 o'clock Sunday afternoon.

Mr. Avis had been in ill health for several months, but his death came as a shock to his many friends over this section of the state.  In his entire life Mr. Avis followed only one business - that of cattleman and rancher - although he was active in many civic and fraternal enterprises during his half century of residence in Wichita Falls.

Filled Official Posts

As a pioneer rancher and as a representative of the best citizenship among the early builders of this section, Mr. Avis was widely known over this area.  He served on the board of aldermen of Wichita Falls a quarter century ago, later as a member of the commissioners court of Wichita county and then filled two terms as a member of the house of representatives of the Texas legislature.  His work in the Texas legislature was regarded as particularly sound and of benefit to his district.

Mr. Avis was born Aug. 13, 1861, in Montague and spent his early life there.  In 1885 he was married to Miss Mineola Bush at Montague and in the same year the young couple came to Wichita Falls to make their home.  They continued to live in Wichtia Falls from that time.  Mr. Avis devoting himself to the operation of his ranching interests in Wichita and adjoining counties.  On March 1, 1935, Mr. and Mrs. Avis celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, receiving the congratualtions of a great host of friends not only upon the anniversary by upon their many years of service to their city.

Mr. Avis had been a member of the First Presbyterian church here for many years, and was one of the original stockholders of the Times Publishing Company.

Surviving Relatives

Mr. Avis is survived by his widow; three sons, F. P. Avis and J. D. Avis Jr., of Wichita Falls, and Jake Avis of Austin; four daughters, Mrs. W. U. McCutchen of Wichita Falls, Mrs. W. F. Weeks of Tyler, Mrs. Harry S. Baum of Atlanta, Ga., and Mrs. Ralph Dunkelberg of Fort Wayne, Ind.; a brother, F. M. Avis of California and two sisters, Mrs. S. H. Hodges of Los Angeles, Calif., and Mrs. T. M. Palmer of Hereford.  A fourth son, Robert Avis, died in California four years ago.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete Sunday night.  The Merkle Undertaking company will be in charge of the services.

Honored by Masons

In addition to his service on the governing bodies of his city, county and state, Mr. Avis devoted much of his time and attention during his life to the work of the Masonic order.  He was a 33rd degree Mason, a life member of Wichita Falls lodge No. 635 and a member of the executive committee on education and service for the Masonic grand lodge of Texas.  For his work in Masonry, he received many honors.  George Lawler, secretary of lodge No. 635, Sunday night said of his service:

"We knew him as a man true as steel to his friends and more especially, a brother Mason.  We know that he was a good Mason, a good man, and worthy of all the honors that came to him in Masonry."

Became Mason in 1884

Mr. Avis was raised to the degree of a Master Mason in Montague lodge No. 415, A. F. And A. M., on Feb. 9, 1884.  He affiliated with Wichita Falls lodge No. 635, on May 19, 1893, and subsequently became a life member of that lodge.  He served as master of the lodge in 1907.

In the early days of Wichita Falls, members of the lodge recalled, the Wichita Falls lodge had a small membership and because of economic conditions, had difficulty in holding its charter.  On more than one occasion Mr. Avis and others waded in water knee-deep to attend lodge meetings in order to make a quorum and hold the lodge charter.

During this time Mr. Avis also went to many of the surrounding towns in this section and assisted in conferring degrees.  Travel then was by buggy, hack or horseback.  Many times Mr. Avis would work most of the night in the lodge ceremonies of neighboring towns, then return to Wichita Falls the same night, often reaching home after daylight.

Mr. Avis attended the first grand lodge meeting in Waco.  He was raised to the degree of Royal Arch Mason in Wichita Falls on April 17, 1894, and served as High Priest in 1906.  He was active in the chapter work and carried a certificate for many years.

Heads Texas Lodge

Mr. Avis was "hailed and greeted Royal and Select Masters" in 1894 , the same year he took the Chapter, and before the Chapter and Council were made separate bodiers.  He served as Thrice Illustrious Master of the Wichita Falls Council in 1906.  He served the proper time in the various offices in the Grand Council of Texas and in 1923 was elevated to Most Illustrious Grand Master, the highest office in the order.

Mr. Avis received the orders of knighthood in Vernon Commandery No. 33, Knights Templar, more that 30 years ago, and when Wichita Falls Commandery No. 59 was organized in 1911, he was one of its charter members.  In 1928 he was made commander of the order.

The Scottish Rite degrees were conferred on Mr. Avis many years ago at Dallas.  He took the Shrine in Hella temple, Dallas, later affiliated with Moslah temple at Fort Worth and when Wichita Falls organized a temple, he was one of the first members.

Mr. Avis was a 33rd degree, I. G. H., of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.  He was a past D. D. G. M. of the 88th Masonic district and past G. V. for the Council and Chapter.

Obituary of Mrs. M. C. White
(C. Avis Catalog entry #128)

Wichita Daily Times Wednesday May 6, 1925, p. 3

BURIAL MRS. WHITE, WICHITA PIONEER, TO BE IN MONTAGUE

Mrs. M. C. White, aged 84, one of the real pioneer citizens of Wichita Falls, died at her home, 901 Burnett street, at 10:30 o'clock Tuesday night.  Death was due to the infirmities of old age.

Mrs. White came to this city from Montague in 1887 or 1888.  Her husband, M. C. White, purchased the Kemp Grocery Company, a wholesale grocery business, and remained in the mercantile business here until his death in 1896.  Her first husband, David Avis, was a merchant in Montague before his death.

She was born on May 6, 1841, in Missouri, and moved to Montague early in life.  After coming to Wichita Falls Mrs. White became a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was active in church work for many years.  She had been in failing health of some time.

Surviving her are four children from her first marriage,  J. D. Avis, of this city, F. M. Avis of Imperial Valley, Cal, Mrs. S. H. Hodges of Los Angeles and Mrs. Mary Palmer of Hereford, Texas.  She is also survived by one sister, Mrs. Polly Boohaw, of Montague county, and a number of grandchildren.  

The body will be taken to Montague, the old family home, for burial.  Funeral services will be conducted from the Central Presbyterian Church here, with Dr. Nat F. Grafton officiating at 2:00 o'clock Thursday afternoon.  The body will be shipped to Montague Friday morning.  The body will be forwarded to Bowie over the Fort Worth & Denver railroad by the Moore Undertaking Company, and taken to Montague in a private conveyance.

Active pall-bearers for the funeral will be F. P., Dave, Jack and Robert Avis, and Houston Hodges, grandsons of Mrs. White, and W. U. McCutchen.  Honorary pall-bearers will be Walter Palmer of Dallas, Lawrence C. Avis of Phoenix, Ariz. and Frank Avis Jr. of El Centro, Cal. three other grandsons who will not be able to attend the funeral.

Biographical Sketch of W. W. Collins
(C. Avis Catalog entry #667)

DRAFT (not the version in the Star-Telegram newspaper) 10-10-05

Obituary Of

WILLIAM WOLCOTT COLLINS

FORT WORTH — William Wolcott Collins, 86, died peacefully Friday, October 7, 2005 in Fort Worth, Texas. He was born February 5, 1919 the son of Margaret Wolcott Collins and William Franklin Collins, the grandson of Franklin Henry Collins, and the great-grandson of Delia H. Collins, who settled in Fort Worth in 1862. He came from a pioneer mercantile family.

Growing up in Fort Worth, he attended Central High School. At a young age, he developed a passion for tennis. He and his doubles partner won the City district and regional high school tennis championships, gaining the state finals in Austin. Later, in 1939 and 1940, he won the Fort Worth City Mens Singles and Doubles titles. Prior to college, he attended Texas Country Day School, the forerunner to St. Mark’s School in Dallas, where he was captain of the football team.

In 1937, he attended Williams College in Massachusetts, where he pledged Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. During his senior year, he was tapped for membership in Gargoyle, Williams’ senior class honorary society. He was captain of his college tennis team and qualified for the 1941 National Intercollegiate Championships in Philadelphia. He graduated from Williams with a B.A. degree in economics in 1941.

With the advent of World War II, he obtained his commission at the Naval Academy Officers Candidate School at Annapolis. From 1942 to 1945, he served in the Pacific theater as an officer aboard the legendary heavy cruiser, U.S.S. Indianapolis. He saw action from the Aleutian Islands in the north to the Admiralty Islands in the south. When his ship became the flagship for Admiral Spruance and the Fifth Fleet, he participated in the mid-Pacific drive to Japan. He served under fire at Tarawa, the Marshalls, Saipan/Tinian, Palau, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and in raids on Japan. For his service and valor, he received nine battle stars.

After three and a half years at sea, he was re-assigned to the U.S.S. Juneau, a new light cruiser being readied for a Japanese invasion. His transfer was only weeks before a Japanese submarine sank the Indianapolis in the Philippine Sea, resulting in the loss of 900 men and the Navy’s greatest sea disaster. After the war, he served in the Naval Reserve in Fort Worth. He resigned his commission in the 1950s with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

In late 1945, he joined Collins Art Company, a downtown Fort Worth family business started in 1888 by his grandfather, Franklin Henry Collins. At Collins Art, he helped develop the breadth and scope of the company’s paint and wallpaper operations, which included the Collins-Davoust Paint Manufacturing Company in Dallas and, later, Collins Paint Products in Houston, Collins Paint Products in Oklahoma City, and additional stores in the Fort Worth market.

In 1964, his childhood friend and classmate, Charles Tandy, asked him to join Tandy Corporation’s then new operation called RadioShack, and he did. He retired from RadioShack in 1987. In retirement, he operated as a hobby a small mail-order business called Chaparral Books, which focused on Texana, and spent several months each year at his vacation home in Santa Fe.

In the 1950s, he was a founder and President of the Fort Worth Tennis Patrons Association, an organization designed to help young, promising tennis players pursue their goal of play on the Junior Davis Cup team. He was on the board of the Panther Boys Club and served several years on the Fort Worth Zoning Board. He was a director of Executive Service Corporation, an officer of Downtown Rotary Club, and a Board member and President of the Tarrant County Historical Society.

He joined the Exchange Club of Fort Worth in 1956 and was a member of that organization for almost 50 years. He was a Mason and belonged to other business and social organizations. He was a member of Steeplechase Club and maintained a membership in River Crest Country Club. He was a member of Ridglea Presbyterian Church.

He was a devoted husband and father, as well as a decorated war veteran. There was not a nicer man or truer friend - the highest of all compliments. It is seriously doubted he ever had an enemy. His life was full and for that he was grateful.

His charming wife, Peggy, and his sister, Caroline Collins Prizer, predeceased him. He is survived by his son, William Wolcott Collins, Jr. of Fort Worth; the Rev. David Avis and his wife, the Rev. Mary Avis, of Baytown, Texas; Charles Avis and his wife, Betsy, of Pasadena, California; Peggy Prizer Kenny and her husband, John, of Washington, D.C. and Old Lyme, Connecticut; Pamela Prizer Chernick and her husband, Craig, of Fort Worth and Santa Fe; and Dana Prizer Devereux and her husband, Rick, of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He leaves behind many friends and relatives, who have been blessed by his life and will forever mourn his passing.

Services will be Thursday, October 13, at 10:00 a.m. at Ridglea Presbyterian Church, 6201 Camp Bowie Blvd. Pallbearers are Bob Bowen, Dr. Gordon Kelly, Dr. Bill Lorimer, Cecil Munn, Dr. Robb Rutledge, Tom Seymour, Earle Shields, Grady Shropshire, Terrell Small, and Mark Smith. Interment will follow at Greenwood Memorial Park, White Settlement Road at University Drive, Fort Worth. Following interment, the family will receive friends at River Crest Country Club, 1501 Western Ave.

Memorials may be made to: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (1515 Holcombe, Houston, TX ), Tarrant County Historical Society, or the Alzheimer’s Association, Tarrant County Chapter.

Written by his son William Collins, Jr.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram 7/16/1903
(C. Avis Catalog entry #672)
 

    MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS, July 16. -- At 5 o'clock this morning Colonel C. G. Mooring, proprietor of the Piedmont hotel, died, his illness being of short duration.
    Colonel Mooring was one of the best known hotel men in Texas.  He formerly lived in Temple, where he conducted a hotel for many years.  He came to Mineral Wells about four years ago, and has been very successful.  Surviving him are his wife and several children.
    The short time during which he was ill has caused his death to be a surprise to all who knew him.

 

Dallas Morning News 10-14-2008
(C. Avis Catalog entry #680)
 

Charles "Dwight" Chiles, Jr., born in Birmingham, Alabama on September 21, 1920 to Charles Dwight and Fay Rudd Chiles. Growing up in Austin, Dwight, as a young boy, worked as a Senate Page in the Texas Legislature. Dwight is survived by his wife of 63 years, Alice Taggart Chiles; daughter, Alice Ayers of Dallas and her son, Ash of Galveston, Texas; Son, Dwight and his children, Emma and Sarah of Aspen, Colorado; son, Jimmy and his wife, Jennifer and their children, Tag and Katie of University Park. Dwight graduated from Texas Military Institute in San Antonio in 1939 and attended University of Texas, Austin until WWII, volunteering for the U.S. Army Air Force. He served as a Boeing B-17 pilot in the Eighth Air Force, 100th Bomb Group 349th Squadron. On his 18th mission, he was shot down and captured by the German forces and remained in a Nazi prison, Stalag 1 until Russian troops liberated him in May 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, and the Air Medal. In 1946, he went to work for Braniff Airlines and moved his family to Dallas in the 1950's until his retirement from Braniff in 1982. At Braniff, Dwight served in several key management and executive capacities. In the late 1940's, Dwight worked on developing Braniff's South American routes. He had a life full of travel and meeting dignitaries around the world. Dwight will be remembered for his quick wit and infectious laughter. Dwight loved service work and helping others. Dwight enjoyed a variety of deep sea fishing, UT football, and the Dallas Cowboys. He was a father to all of us and had an incredible life. An open visitation will be held Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home. Memorial Services will be held Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Sparkman-hillcrest Northwest Highway Chapel.

Obituary of Margaret Chiles Collins
(C. Avis Catalog entry #664)

Ft. Worth Star-Telegram
Wednesday, March 10, 2004 p. 10B
 

FORT WORTH - Margaret "Peggy" Chiles Collins, 80, departed this life Tuesday, March 9, 2004. She had suffered declining health in recent years, and peacefully succumbed after recent hospitalization.
    Funeral: 9:30 a.m. Friday in Greenwood Chapel. Burial: Greenwood Memorial Park.
    Memorials: The family requests that memorials be made in her name to the Alzheimer's Association, Tarrant County Chapter or to St. John's United Methodist Church, 501 S. Alexander Dr., Baytown, Texas.
    Mrs. Collins was born Dec. 9, 1923, in Temple and was a daughter of the late Charles Dwight Chiles of Birmingham, Ala., and Fay Rudd of Temple. Mrs. Collins was a woman devoted to her family. She came from a fine lineage, that old Texas stock so revered and honored in this day. She was a charming hostess, and friends were always met with open-handed hospitality and tender consideration. Those who knew her best will have a grateful memory of a life well-lived and a friend worthwhile. Peggy was educated at Austin High School, Arlington Hall Junior College in Washington, D.C. and the University of Texas, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. She also belonged to the Junior League and the Assembly of Fort Worth and held offices in the Austin Junior League. She was a member of Ridglea Presbyterian Church. In addition, she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
    Her family arrived in Texas as a part of the 'Old Three Hundred" of Austin's Colony in the 1820s. Enjoying painting as a hobby, she studied under several schools in Santa Fe, N.M. Golf, too, was a favorite activity. She was an accomplished artist with cuisine as well. Her tasty concoctions will be missed.
    Survivors: Husband of 40 years, William Wolcott Collins; sons, Bill Collins Jr. of Fort Worth, the Rev. Dave Avis and his wife, the Rev. Mary Avis, of Baytown, Charles Avis and his wife, Betsy, of Pasadena, Calif.; brother, C. Dwight Chiles Jr. and his wife, Alice, of Dallas; grandsons, David Avis and his wife, Shannon, of Bedford and James Avis of Los Angeles, Calif.; several nephews and nieces, including Pamela Chernick and her husband, Craig, of Fort Worth. She also leaves behind many beloved relatives and friends who have been blessed by her life.


Greenwood Funeral Home
3100 White Settlement Road. (817) 336-0584

Obituary of Charles Chester Chiles
(C. Avis Catalog entry #20)

4/12/1904
Birmingham Age-Herald, Birmingham, Alabama

Train No. 4 northbound Pan-American Special, the fast train on the Alabama Great Southern (Queen and Crescent route), ran into an open switch at Arklet, Miss. about five miles north of Meridian, Miss. yesterday afternoon at 2:50 o'clock.  The engine was turned over, the mail coach completely wrecked and baggage and express car and second-class coach derailed.  Engineer Charles C. Chiles was killed in the catastrophe and several were slightly injured.

There are indications that the switch was thrown by some miscreant, the lock being found on the ground near by, and it is also a fact that no train had used the side track for hours previous to No. 4 passing that place.  The full list of dead and injured follows:

Charles C. Chiles, engineer, Birmingham.

J. R. Murray, superintendent of bridges and buildings, Fort Payne; left wrist and arm sprained.
Aaron Durr, colored, fireman,  Birmingham; bruised about body.
R. J. L. Richardson, mail clerk, Chattanooga; right leg and right arm bruised.
John T. Martin, mail clerk, Chattanooga; right and left side of body bruised.
F. Y. Moses, express messenger, Chattanooga; both legs and arms bruised.
Jim Whitney, colored, porter, left hip bruised.
Nellie Dickey, passenger, Houston, Tex., shaken up.
Mrs. Mollie Schwezeil, passenger, Olsen, Ala., left arm bruised.

Train No. 4 due in Birmingham at 6:45 p. m. left Meridian on time, and was making good time when Arklet, a small place 4.8 miles north of Meridian, was reached.  The train was in charge of Conductor N. A. Jett with Charles C. Chiles at the throttle on engine No. 181, one of the fastest and best engines on the line.  Members of the train crew say before reaching the switch they felt a jar, which indicates that the engineer saw the switch turned and the speed was reduced considerably.  A few seconds later the train came to a sudden stop and there was a great crash as the mail car, baggage and express and first coach were wrecked and derailed.  The engine turned over.

Dr. O. A. Harrison, the company surgeon at Meridian, and other physicians, went to the scene on the wrecking outfit, while Superintendent A. Griggs went down from Birmingham.  The track was cleared at 8:40 p. m. and train No. 4 arrived in Birmingham this morning bringing the remains of the brave engineer.  It appears that the engineer stuck to his post and was caught under the engine.  He was badly bruised about the head and scalded.  His death was almost instantaneous from all indications.  The two mail clerks, Richardson and Martin, made a lucky escape, as their car was badly damaged.  The express and baggage car and coach were not damaged beyond repair.

Every care was taken of the injured people and Dr. Harrison sent in a report that the injuries in each case were slight.

Charles C. Chiles, the most unfortunate one in the wreck, was one of the best known railroad employees in Birmingham.  He was very popular about the city and was honored with a large majority a few years ago for membership on the police commission.  He was always good hearted and happy and had a kind word for all.  He was also quick to assist those in need.

He was connected with the Alabama Great Southern railroad for seventeen to twenty years and had never been in any serious wreck previously.  He was a man of family, leaving a widow and three children, two sons and one daughter, ranging in age from 4 to 12 years.  He married Miss Nave, daughter of Mrs. M. A. Nave and lived with his mother-in-law at No. 2217 Fourth avenue.  He came to this section from Newport, Ky.  He was a beloved member of Alabama Great Southern Division No. 436, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and that organization will send a handsome floral offering for the funeral, arrangements for which are now being made.  The interment will be in Birmingham.

A full investigation into the wreck is being made by officials of the Alabama Great Southern railroad.  Superintendent Griggs remaining at the the scene last night.

A large number of passengers who lived in Birmingham and vicinity were in the train which was wrecked.  Friends here were greatly alarmed when it became known that the train had met with misfortune.

Obituary of Dr. Charles Dwight Chiles
(C. Avis Catalog entry #21)

Birmingham Age-Herald

Dr. Chiles Dead
Burial Of Fairfield Physician Announced For Friday Afternoon

Funeral services for Dr. Charles D. Chiles, 33, prominent physician for the T. C. I. Co., who died at a local infirmary late Wednesday afternoon, will be held from his residence, 771 Parkway Drive, Fairfield, Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock.  Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery with Johns in charge.  Mr.  Chiles is survived by his wife.
Pall bearers will be as follows:  Active, Dr. C. A. Greene, C. T. Phillips, Dr. V. D. Lee, R. W. Kirkland, C. C. Halcombe, Dr. R. T. Smith.

Honorary pall bearers:  <53 names follow>