Lillian Duniphin

Lillian M. Nicholas Duniphin, Lil to her friends, age 84, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 25th 2009, surrounded by her family.

Lil was born on January 6, 1925 in Waco, Texas to her late parents Willie Mae and Thomas Whaley, Sr. She grew up and went to school in Cisco, Texas and at the age of four or five, followed a flock of peacocks a mile or two across the railroad tracks. She was the oldest of her six siblings. Lil and her late husband, John Wesley Nicholas were married on September 1, 1947 and moved to Odessa at that time where John Wesley built them a house and lived there until his passing on October 6, 1984. Lil served as a Rosie the Riveter during World War II at the Fort Worth General Dynamics Plant for two years, riveting the nose cones of the B-24 bombers. She was also a past member of the Rebekah Lodge and an avid gardener. She enjoyed people, music, dancing, and cooking for all of her family. She kept many children and their childrens children and was a devoted mother, grandmother and friend. She took in friends and family members in their time of hardship and gave them a home away from home.

After the death of John, she married Tom Duniphin in 1985 and moved to Brownwood on the lake. They lived there for 15 years and fished, played bingo, and met some good friends. She had the best green thumb possible. She had okra nine feet tall, and cockscomb blooms the of dinner plates lining the property. She had many dogs and cats, birds and other critters around her place that she fed quite often. She and Tom caught crappie and catfish all the time until they moved back in 2000 to be near her family as her health was deteriorating. She gave us such wonderful memories. She will be dearly missed.

Lil was preceded in death by her husband, John W. Nicholas; sisters, Helen Campbell of Odessa, Lucy Hassen of Sweetwater, Jo Ann Burrow of Odessa, Mary McKinney of Houston; and a brother, Thomas Whaley, Jr. of Denver City.

She is survived by her daughters, Karla Sue Milson and husband Jim of Odessa, Leta Kay Caron and husband Norman of Midland; son, Ronald Dale Williams of Odessa; grandson, Brian Milson of Odessa; brother, Bill Whaley of Brownwood; and many dear nieces and nephews.

We want to thank Hospice of Odessa and Hospice of Midland for all their wonderful staff of nurses and special people who took care of our mom. Words can not express how we feel about this organization. We want a special thank you to go to all the caregivers who brightened her days and our lives.

Visitation with the family will be 6:00 to 8:00 PM Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 AM Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Jimmy Braswell officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers will be R. D. Williams, Jim Milson, Brian Milson, Norm Caron, Richard Gray and Keith Curtis. Honorary pallbearer is Joe Beene.
ate of hitlers berth and deathreturn of lung cancer

Visitation

Sunset Memorial Funeral Home
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
6:008:00 PM

Service

Funeral Service

Sunset Memorial Chapel
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
11:00 AM

Cemetery

Sunset Memorial Gardens
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762