JoAnne C. Furlow

JoAnne C. Furlow, 81 years old, passed away in her sleep on December 28, 2005.

JoAnne was born to J. H. Crawford and Beatrice Head Crawford in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 29, 1924. Her brothers, Roy, John Jr. and Paul Crawford preceded her in death. Joanne grew up in Oklahoma during the oil boom of the 20s and the Depression and graduated from Will Rogers High School in Tulsa in 1942. Determined to support the troops in World War II, she joined a U.S.O. club and showed that she could dance as well as the Big Bands could play. At a dance in Camp Gruber in 1943, she met a soldier who was to be the love of her life, Gerald K. Furlow. After he left for North Africa, Joanne became a lively correspondence, sending him gifts and letters that continued until Gerald returned from the European Theatre of Operations in 1945. JoAnne felt lucky on Friday, September 15, 1946 when she married Gerald and the luck held, producing a marriage that lasted 59 years. JoAnne lived in Tulsa for several years, then moved to Houston and worked for several oil companies. In 1958 she became a mother. She devoted the rest of her life to raising one son and helping raise three grandchildren. She made many friends, loved reading about history, sketched charcoal pictures with an artist's flair, drove high school students to speech and debate tournaments and gave the Houston Museum of Fine Arts her active support. JoAnne is survived by her devoted husband, Gerald K. Furlow; son, David A. Furlow and his wife Lisa H. Pennington of Houston and three grandchildren, John D. Furlow, Elizabeth P. Furlow and W. Ryan Furlow, all of Houston; brother, Albert Ray Crawford and his wife Caroline of Denver; sisters, Ada Mae Crawford Francis and husband, Charles Francis of Tulsa and Beatrice Voorhees of Los Angeles. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Services are scheduled to occur on Friday, December 30 at 12:30 p.m. at Forest Park West Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer, Houston, Texas, 77077. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Texas Children's Hospital.

Carrie Mae Bell

Carrie Mae Bell, 82, of Montgomery died Dec. 27, 2005, at her home. Services will be Dec. 30, 2005. at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Felton Henderson officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Grove CME Church Cemetery in Still Crossroads. Visitation was Dec. 29, 2005, from 12:30-5 p.m.

She was born Nov. 23, 1923, in Pike County to the late Joe C. Burks and Mattie Mae Downing. She enjoyed spending time

with family and friends.