This obituary for Paul Coker was published in The Odessa American newspaper on Tuesday, 30 June 1970. Paul was the son of Mansel Coker and California Cypert.

“Paul Coker Sr.” He apparently did not have a middle name.

“…a Crane resident…” The city of Crane, in Crane County, Texas.

“…died at 7:30 a.m. today…” Tuesday, 30 June 1970.

“…Medical Center Hospital…” Located in the city of Odessa in Ector County, Texas.

The name of the funeral home was Sheppard. It is obscured in the image.

“Born March 29, 1907, in Searcy County, Ark…” This is consistent with Paul’s delayed birth certificate, which further narrowed his place of birth to the community of Booster.

“…Coker came to Crane in 1945.” That may be true, but Paul bounced around for a while. In 1930, he was in Seminole County, Oklahoma. In 1940, he was in Ashley County, Arkansas.

“He married Audrey Dean on May 8, 1927.” The marriage took place in Pope County, Arkansas, where both Paul and Audrey were then residing.

“He was employed as a lease pumper for Gulf Oil Corp.” Paul worked in oil for a long time. The 1930 census recorded that he was a roustabout in the oil industry. However, oil wasn’t his only gig – the 1940 census gave his occupation as farmer.

“…two brothers…” One full brother, Cebern Perry Coker, and one half-brother, William Martin Copeland.

“…three sisters…” One full sister, Dessie Ann Clayton, and two half-sisters, Virgie Condley and Danner Graham. Paul was preceded in death by two sisters, Goldie Bohannon and infant Mary B. Coker.

Bibliography

Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current (Lehi, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2019), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com, The Odessa American; Publication Date: 30 Jun 1970; Publication Place: Odessa, Texas, United States of America; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/301694542/?article=fe2f269b-6c68-457f-a080-d30e12da84ec&focus=0.755362,0.82437795,0.8700125,0.9394716&xid=3355. Record for Paul Sr. Coker. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=61843&h=558546660&indiv=try.

Ancestry.com, Arkansas, Birth Certificates, 1914-1917 (Lehi, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com, Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Birth Certificates. Record for Paul Coker. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=61774&h=868297&indiv=try.

“United States Census, 1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC4X-2XH : accessed 30 May 2021), Paul Coker, Econtuchka, Seminole, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 7, sheet 29A, line 4, family 688, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1930; FHL microfilm 2,341,664.

“United States Census, 1940,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQJ1-TN3 : 7 January 2021), Paul Coker, Elon Township, Ashley, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 2-13, sheet 3A, line 25, family 45, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 – 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 117.

“Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMBK-Z25 : 9 March 2021), Paul Coker, 8 May 1927; citing Marriage, Pope, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 2,132,054.