Obituary

Funeral services for Fleeta "Yvonne" Crabtree Southerland, 67, of Mexia, formerly of Plainview and Hale Center, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at Bartley Memorial Chapel in Plainview with the Rev. Renae Phillips of Metropolitan Community Church in Lubbock officiating. Burial will follow at Parklawn Memorial Park under the direction of Bartley Funeral Home in Plainview. Mrs. Southerland died Feb. 20, 2005, at her residence in Mexia after a lengthy illness. She was born May 18, 1937, in Woodrow, Lubbock County, to Henry and Lona Crabtree. She married R.L. Southerland on July 22, 1955, in Lubbock. Mrs. Southerland lived in Mexia since 2001. She was a Hale County resident for 44 years before moving to Mexia. She attended Isabel Powell's Beauty School and South Plains College. She was co-owner of R.L.'s Machine and Welding. She was a tax preparer for H&R Block of Plainview for 17 years. She taught ceramics at House of Ceramics in Plainview. She was a Texas State PTA Life Member, holding various positions in the PTA. Also was active as a leader in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownies and Girl Scouts and was a member of Beta Sigma Phi. Pallbearers will be Bradley Southerland, Brandon Alvis, Eric Ellena, Steven Langston, Russell Langston, Chris Walton, Don Walton, Nicholas Southerland and Joshua Southerland. Survivors include her husband, R.L. Southerland of Mexia; two sons, Charles Southerland of Curry County, New Mexico and Kevin Southerland with partner Chris Bolinger of Lubbock; two daughters, Michelle Southerland with partner Ronnie Wade of Mart, Texas and Traci Walton with husband Matt of Plainview; three brothers, Wayne Crabtree with wife Linda of Lubbock, Preston "Pete" Crabtree with wife Suzy of Houston and Leland "Dude" Crabtree with wife Linda of Amarillo; 11 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Rogaleeta Gayle Southerland, and a great-grandson, Austin Lard. The family will receive friends at Bartley Funeral Home this evening from 6-8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Providence Hospice, 1007 E. Palestine, Mexia, TX 76667.