8-10-05 Obituaries

Curtis Tiffin

Services: 9 a.m. today, New Testament Baptist Church in Portales.

Curtis Tiffin, 80, died Aug. 8, 2005 at University Medical Center in Lubbock

Tiffin was born Mar. 25, 1925, in Maude, Okla. to Effie and A. N. Tiffin. Tiffin’s family moved from Maude, Okla., to Ranchvale when he was four years old. He graduated from high school there in 1943, and entered the U.S. Navy. He served as a Seabee during World War II.

After he was discharged in 1946, Tiffin joined his family in Portales and helped his father in house construction work. His fiancée, Dorothy Stafford, had moved to Arkansas to study nursing. He traveled there and on Dec. 4, 1948 in Fouke, Ark. they were married.

They returned to Portales to make their home. In 1950 he went to work in the oil fields for Mobile Oil. After several years the family moved back to Portales and he had made his home there the remainder of his life.

After moving to Portales he worked for several more years in the maintenance department at Eastern New Mexico University. He enjoyed physical fitness and doing workouts. He was a member of New Testament Baptist Church.

Family members said Tiffin was very talented mechanically, and enjoyed inventing and tinkering. Among his inventions was a working model electric car.

Tiffin was preceded in death by his parents, as well as by a brother, Carroll T. Tiffin and a sister, Thelma Starkey.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, Ted (wife Debbie Anne) Tiffin and Tim A. (Debbie Ellen) Tiffin of Fort Worth, Texas; four daughters and sons-in-law, Delvene (husband Richard) Smith of Portales, Glenda Joy (Raymond) Sandoval of Las Vegas, N.M., Terry Lou (Mac) Scott of Portales and Kerry (Ellis) Tipton of Kemah, Texas; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two brothers, Arthur L. Tiffin of Portales and Gerald D. Tiffin of Oklahoma City, Okla. and three sisters, Jewell Hall, Laverna Brewer and Ramona Berry, all of Portales.

Herbert Bergstrom and Rev. Perry Wamego will officiate.

Burial will follow at Portales Cemetery.

Richard W. Smith, Ellis Tipton, Carl Grubbs, Chris Smith, Mac Scott and Richard L. Smith will serve as pallbearers. All other family members will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Donna Edwards, 49

Services: 1 p.m. Thursday at Ellis Funeral Home Chapel in Midland, Texas.

Donna Edwards died August 6, 2005 in Waco, Texas.

She was born Oct. 21, 1955 to Cecil “Glen” McDaniel and Juanita Hunt McDaniel in Midland, Texas, and was raised and educated there. Edwards had worked as a bookkeeper for Swartz & Brough, Inc. in Midland before moving to San Antonio in 2000. Subsequently she worked for Swartz & Brough as a real estate investor. She enjoyed being able to help low income families realize their dream of owning a home. Donna was an avid gardener, and loved spending time with her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and a sister, LaVeil Merkel.

Donna is survived by her daughter, Denise Marie Edwards of Waco; a brother, Ronnie McDaniel of Gonzales, Texas; a sister, Nancy Williams of Canyon Lake, Texas; two nieces, Kassandra and Kayla Williams and a nephew, Trey Williams.

A prayer vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ellis Funeral Home followed by a visitation until 9 p.m.

Father Rodney White will officiate services. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park in Midland.

Memorials may be directed to M.D. Anderson, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486.

Arrangements are being handled by Ellis Funeral Home of Midland.