Mr. John Cochran Caldwell

Feb. 3, 1928—June 21, 2012

Concord resident

Mr. John Cochran Caldwell, 84, of Concord, passed away June 21, 2012, at Brightmoor Hospice in Griffin.

Mr. Caldwell was born on Feb. 3, 1928, in Concord, son of the late John William Caldwell and the late Gladys Cochran Caldwell. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He spent his life farming the same land his family farmed for well over a century. He spent numerous years on the Pike County Farm Bureau Board as well as 26 years on the Southern Rivers Energy Board. He was a member and Deacon of Concord Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his sister, Dorris C. Dupree.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Inell Patton Caldwell of Concord; daughters and sons in law, Jane C. and Edward Bottoms of Concord, Pat C. and Jack Goodman of Concord; grandchildren, Stephen C. Goodman, Carrie B. and Jon Shocklee, Matthew E. and Melissa Bottoms, John W. Bottoms; six great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, June 24, 2012, at 3 p.m., at Concord Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Hebron Cemetery in Concord. Friends may visit the family on Saturday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home and other times at the residence of Jane Bottoms.

The family suggests donations be made to Concord Baptist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Moody Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Hon. Larry Weldon Starr

June 26, 1932—June 20, 2012

The Honorable Larry Weldon Starr died Wednesday, June 20, 2012, in Tyler, Texas. A service of remembrance and thanksgiving for Judge Starr’s life will be 2 p.m. Saturday, June 23, 2012, at First Baptist Church in Longview, Texas. The Starrs will receive friends and family immediately following the service. A graveside service for the family will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Starr Cemetery, near Elkhart, Texas. Welch Funeral Home will handle the services.

Larry Weldon Starr was born June 26, 1932, in Elkhart, Anderson County, Texas, to Alonzo Rilden and Ruth Hamby Starr, deceased. The youngest of nine children, he received his early education in Waco, Texas, until his family returned to Elkhart. He played football for the state regional champion 1949 Elkhart Elks as well as the bi-district champion 1950 team.

Starr graduated Elkhart High School valedictorian of the class of 1950 and received a naval ROTC scholarship to attend the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. After graduating with a B.A. in mathematics, he served our country as a naval aviator and navigator in the United States Navy from 1954-57. Starr then attended Baylor University School of Law, where he received the Bachelor of Laws degree (later Juris Doctor) in 1960.

Larry spent the first six years of his private law practice at the Houston law firm of Fulbright, Crooker, Freeman, Bates & Jaworski. While in Houston, he met and married Nancy Elizabeth Ogletree of Griffin, Georgia, on June 23, 1963. He moved to Longview in 1966 to join Kenley, Boyland, Hawthorn, Starr & Coghlan as a partner. Starr spent the last two years of a 20-year practice as a partner with the firm of Sharp, Ward, Ross, McDaniel and Starr.

In 1981, Starr was appointed as the first judge of the County Court at Law of Gregg County, Texas, an office in which he served for five years. He was elected as the second judge of the 188th Judicial District Court and presided over that court for nine years. In 1996, Governor George W. Bush appointed him as the first Republican to serve as justice of the Texarkana Court of Appeals. Judge Starr was the first Gregg County resident in several decades to serve on any of the Texas appellate courts. After retiring, Judge Starr continued to serve as a visiting judge on the Texas Courts of Appeals and as a visiting trial judge in several East Texas counties.

Judge and Mrs. Starr joined First Baptist Church of Longview in 1966, where they taught sixth-grade Sunday school. Judge Starr also enjoyed singing in the sanctuary choir for many years. He also served as a member of the board of directors of the Greater Longview United Way and the Longview Symphony. Larry enjoyed travel, reading and music.

Judge Starr is survived by Nancy and their three children and spouses and nine grandchildren: Michael and Sarah Starr and Elizabeth, Emily and Matthew of Tyler, Texas; Jeffrey and Ellen Starr and Emma, Anna Mary and Rebecca of Walnut Creek, California; and David and Jennifer Starr McCumber and Will, Michael and Andrew of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Also surviving Judge Starr is one sister, June Slabey, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the W. Morris Ford Foundation at First Baptist Church, 209 East South Street, Longview, TX 75601; or the Longview Symphony Orchestra at P.O. Box 1825, Longview, TX 75606.

DEATH NOTICES

Mrs. Winnie Ruth Blalock, age 92 of Griffin, passed away on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at Westbury Medical Care Home. Graveside funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 11:00am in Oak Hill Cemetery. Reverend Gordon Tippins will officiate. Family and friends are asked to assemble at the funeral home at 10:00 am Saturday. Conner-Westbury Funeral Home, 1891 West McIntosh Road, Griffin, 770-227-2300 www.conner-westburyfuneralhome.com