Life Events
in the Church of God

Thomas H. Collins, 69, of Denton, Texas, and Retta Farrington Trescott, 73, of Anadarko, Okla., were married Sept. 26, 2009, in an outdoor ceremony at her home. Officiating minister was Monte Judah of B’Nai Shalom Messianic Congregation of Norman, Okla. Attendants were Zacharia James, best man, Tom’s son-in-law; Ezekiel and Xyannah James, Tom’s grandchildren, ring bearer and flower girl; Mark and Forrest Brock, Retta’s sons, bride’s escorts; and Mark’s wife, Stephanie, Retta’s daughter Julie Gardner and Summer James, bridesmaids. Tom and Retta have been friends in the Church of God since meeting in 1979 at the first CGI conference in Tyler.

Idoline Shane Greaves, 95, died Feb. 9, 2010. Idoline was born Dec. 9, 1914, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated from Dublin High School in Dublin, Texas, at the age of 14 and entered Draughon’s Business College in Wichita Falls, graduating at the age of 17. At 18 she took the civil-service examination offered by the government and passed it but was not offered a job until late in 1935, when she turned 21. She received a call from the Civil Service informing her to report to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 2, 1936. From there she worked for various departments including the U.S. Post Office, the Railroad Retirement Board, the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Treasury, where she worked in Treasury secretary Henry Morgenthau’s correspondence pool.

Jean Kessler, 84, of White Oak, Texas, died Nov. 22, 2009. She was born Dec. 29, 1924, in Empire, Okla. She was a homemaker and a Christian. Survivors include daughters Kimberly Skelton, White Oak, and Kelly Gentry, Tyler; three grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and numerous loving family members. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eddie Kessler; and four brothers. If desired, memorials may be sent to Spring House Day Care, 3839 Gilmer Rd., Longview, TX 75604.

Ken Farmer (father of Mark Farmer), 2516 Korn St., Niles, MI 49120, heart problems. Cards or E-mails would be appreciated. E-mail: markfarmer4@aol.com.

Fred Gill, Tulsa, Okla., area, gall bladder and kidney stones.

Gayle Horner, Oklahoma City, Okla., neuropathy in extremities.

Elaine Keys, Conway, Ark., slight stroke.

Glenn Lay, Okmulgee, Okla., recovering from surgery, and awaiting another surgery.

Graveside services were Feb. 12, 2010, at Hoover cemetery, near Big Sandy. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Ralph Greaves, her parents and one brother. Survivors include granddaughters Cheryl Kautz and husband Robert, and Johnna Padilla and husband Darren; and three great-grandchildren, Courtney Kautz, Sammy Kautz, and Keith Padilla. See also "COG Lady Decoded Japanese Messages Just Before Pearl Harbor," The Journal, May 31, 2001.

Rene Antoinette Phillips-Qualls, 55, passed away Feb. 9, 2010, at her home in Morro Bay, Calif.. Born in San Fernando, Calif., Rene lived throughout the state and the Southeast and settled in Morro Bay in 1999. Rene is survived by her sons Nathan and Thomas; sister, Janet; father, Theodore; sister-in-law, Rebecca; brother-in-law, Jeff; and many beloved family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eddie Qualls.