William Garland Button 1918-2011

William Garland Button (Garland) died peacefully December 7, 2011 after a brief illness. He is survived by a daughter, Betty Button, of Austin; twin sons, William L. (Bill) Button of Dallas and Robert G. (Bob) Button and his wife, Nancy, and two very special grandchildren, Jeff and Amy of Murphy, Texas. He was preceded in death by his precious wife of 62 years, Margaret Miller Button. Garland is also survived by his sister-in-law Alma Ruth Sissel and her husband, Charles, of Eunice, New Mexico. He was preceded in death by his parents A.G. and Verba Jessee Button, and by a sister, Jean Rae Cantrell.

 

Garland was born December 1, 1918 in McKinney, Texas. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, Texas (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) in 1938. Upon graduation, he taught briefly in high schools at Lindale and Gladewater. In 1945 he joined Texas Power & Light Company (a predecessor of TXU) in Dallas. After working many years as a district and division manager, he was elected Vice President in charge of Operations in 1966. In 1970, he became Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and was appointed to the TP&L Board of Directors. For many years Garland worked tirelessly as a volunteer in support of his alma mater. Garland was appointed by Governor Preston Smith to the first separate Board of Regents of East Texas State University in 1969 and was elected its first Chairman. He served on the board for 16 years receiving appointments from three governors. Upon his retirement from the board he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree and named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University.

 Garland was a loyal, faithful member of The Episcopal Church for more than 50 years. He was a long time member of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Dallas, serving in many capacities including Vestryman, Senior Warden, Chairman of the Endowment Committee, and Diocesan Convention delegate. He also served a 3 year term on the Board of Trustees of St. John’s Episcopal School of Dallas. Garland has been described as “Everybody’s Friend” who touched untold numbers of lives. He had an abiding love for his Church, his family, and his alma mater. We will miss his amazing intellect, his wonderful sense of humor, and his love for us all. A Requiem Eucharist will be celebrated at 11:00 am on December 17, 2011 at The Episcopal Church of The Transfiguration, 14115 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, Texas with a reception immediately following. All are welcome. Garland will be privately interred in the Columbarium at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

William Garland Button was James Furry and The Three Sisters' 5th cousin once removed.  His ggg grandparents were Charles Powell Jr. and Leah Goldman through their son Dr. David Powell.  Around the time of the Civil War, David Powell migrated from Northern Missouri to Collin County, Texas.

William Garland Button's line from David Powell is  below:

1. David Powell / Lucinda Shoemaker
2. William Elliott Mallone / Mary ‘Polly’ Powell
3. William Thomas Button / Lucinda Mallone
4. Agustus Garland Button / Verba Button
5. Wm Garland Button

James Furry December 26 1919 - April 29 2016

Funeral services for James Thurman Furry, 96, of Brownwood, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at the Heartland Funeral Home with Rev. Shanna Neff officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow in the Windham Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Mr. Furry passed away Friday in Brownwood surrounded by his loving family.

James Thurman Furry was born on Dec. 22, 1919 in Byrds to Claude Franklin and Bertha Ann Mallone Furry. On Dec. 8, 1940 he married Odessa Mae McGuire in Grosvenor and she preceded him in death on Feb. 24, 1997.

James entered the Army Air Corps on Nov. 29, 1943 in Dallas. After proudly serving our country during WWII, he was honorably discharged as a Corporal at Sheppard Field on Nov. 2, 1945. He attended Daniel Baker College in Brownwood, worked in the oil industry and was a Petroleum Engineer with Russell Engineering in Abilene, when he retired in 1981.

Survivors include three daughters, Thurlene Joy Price and husband Roy of Cloudcroft, N.M., Linda Darlene Payne of Brownwood and Judy Kay Trollinger and husband Michael of Brady; a daughter-in-law, Ginger Furry of Silver City, N.M.; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and numerous great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Larry Wayne Furry of Silver City, N.M.; three sisters, Thelma Adele Furry St. Ama, Jewell Elizabeth Furry Wyatt and Emily Claudean Furry Windham; and by one brother, Charles Troy Furry.

James was The Three Sisters' 5th cousin.  His gggg grandparents were Charles Powell Jr. and Leah Goldman through their son Dr. David Powell.  Around the time of the Civil War, David Powell migrated from Northern Missouri to Collin County, Texas.


James' descendant from David Powell is:
1. David Powell / Lucinda Shoemaker
2. William Elliott Mallone / Mary Polly Powell
3.  David Powell Mallone / Martha Ann Byrd
4.  Charles William Mallone / Emily Taylor
5.  Claude Franklin Furry / Bertha Ann Mallone
6. James Furry...


James, in his own words, from our Powell Times and Lines newsletter, 1995.

I was born and grew up on the farm owned by my Great-Grandfather Mallone.  I lived the good ole country life that I love to re-live in my thoughts.  I was back and forth between Brownwood and that farm until I entered the service.  Odessa [his wife] lived between these two placed.

My grandfather Charles William (Buck) Mallone lived in the house where I was born.  I was his first grandchild and he was my buddy.  He taught me to hunt and fish, where to set my traps, to train my dogs, and where the ole catfish was hiding and how to catch him.  The only time I ever heard Granny and Granddad have words was when he traded a fat hog for a little old pot-bellied bluetick hound pup for me.  Granny almost ran us off the place.

I spend 35 years working in the oil fields, the last 15 years as aa production supervisor.  I had no training, I just went out and did the job.  I had been trained in business and accounting.  My brid of 54 years and I raised four great children.  After our last child was born, 1951, I started doing family research and have been hooked on it every since.