| Home Surname List Name Index Sources Email Us | Ninth Generation14962. Vanita Ann Coffey was born on 19 May 1902 in Omaha, Morris Co., TX. Vanita died on 24 February 1997 at the age of 94 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX and was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Dallas, Dallas Co., TX on 26 February 1997.40539,40540 Obituary, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Tue., Feb. 25, 1997 FORT WORTH -- Vanita Ann Johnston, 92, a homemaker, died Monday, Feb. 24, 1997, at a Fort Worth nursing home. Funeral: 2 P.M. Wednesday at Greenwood Funeral Home. Entombment: Greenwood Mausoleum. Visitation: 6 to 8 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home. Vanita Ann Johnston was born May 19, 1904, in Omaha, Tx. Mrs. Walter Cox Johnston was a member of the Optimist Club, Park Hill Neighborhood Association and University Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Cox Johnston; a son,Frederick Hugh Bell; and a grandson, Walter Ray Johnston. Survivors: Son, Don R. Johnston of Fort Worth; grandchildren, Teri Stanek of Oklahoma, Okla., Cindy Winegardner of Arlington, Mark Bell ofIrving and Lesa Bankhead of Azle; and great-grandchildren, Tyson Stanek, Neil Stanek, Brady Sharp, Tammi Sharp, Troy Sharp and Chelsea Post. Greenwood Funeral Home We are told that Vassie nursed her baby boy while she was sick withTyphoid Fever (they called it Breast Fever). She died September 13, 1904 and he died 20 days later on October 4, 1904 at 1 year, 1 month old. Hissister, Vanita, tells us that she was about 2 years old when they died. Because of the dates on their headstones and Vanita feeling she was about 2 years old when this happened, I have changed her birth date to 1902. Vanita was raised in her Grandmother Mary's home with her aunts, Nora E.(Coffey) Leeves and Mary Ann (Coffey) Ledbetter. Apparently Vanita's grandparents raised a 13 year old black girl who took care of Vanita. The building in Omaha, that held birth/death records burned and her birth certificate was lost in the fire. She says that the black girl took her to school when she thought Vanita was about 6 years old and enrolled her in 1st grade. Vanita said she was so small (as an adult, she wore a size 4 1/2 shoe and was under 5 feet tall) that her father "Big Daddy" named her "Skeet" because she was no bigger than a mosquito! When I (Teri, her 1st grandchild) was born she said she was not old enough (age 45) to be a grandmother and asked that I call her MAMA Skeet. Someone named Annie Wallace kept records in Omaha,? Vanita Ann Coffey and Sebia Ambrose Bell were married on 31 August 1919 in Dallas, Dallas Co., TX. They were divorced in 1928. A marriage record for Mrs. Anna Vanita Bell to S. A. Bell has been found in Wise Co., TX and, is dated 29 Dec. 1928. Did they remarry? They appeared in the census on 2 April 1930 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX.40541 Vol 2 Pg 6 - Delayed Vol Birth Records-Herbert, Age 46, Emily, Age 36 Sebia died in San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA on 7 April 1962.40542 My parents best friends, (Jim and Metha McDavid) who were their attendants at their wedding, told me that Sebia was remarried and living in San Francisco when Fred and LaVonne got married. "During the wedding service I Metha) could hear a sobbing in the background somewhere. I thought it was Mr.Sackett because your mom was his only child. Not true at all, it was your (Teri's) Grandfather Bell. He hadn't seen your dad (Frederick) in ages and had been divorced and apparently left your grandmother (Vanita), but his emotions overtook him. I'll never forget that. It really wasn't a sad thing, his crying, it was more like comedy because I don't think he had been that close to your dad for a long time. Your mom and dad found humor in that, and we all really thought a lot of him.
I found another marriage certificate: Mr. S.A. Bell and Miss Eva Lee Crawford married July 18, 1942. This marriage certificate had been mailed to 2310 Genesce St. in Houston, Tx. Draft Registration: #42-4-105-C Local Board for Donley, Cty, Texas-LocalBoard Wilbarger County, Vernon, Texas. Sebia Ambros Bell, Route #2, Tolbert, Wilbarger, Texas, b. July 19, 1899, Occupation, Student Claredon, Texas, Nearest Relative, H. A. Bell R # Tolbert, Texas, Sebia's physical description: Height, tall, Build, slender, Eyes, brown, Hair, black Citation: Roll 1983778 Image 91 of 300 Vanita Ann Coffey and Sebia Ambrose Bell had the following children:
Vanita Ann Coffey and Walter Cox Johnston were married on 5 April 1935 at the home of Mrs. G. V. Leeves in Dallas, Dallas Co., TX. Notice in newspaper; no year given: Johnston-Bell Marriage. Announcement has been received of the marriage of Mrs. Juanita [sic] Bell and Walter Cox Johnston, which took place April 5 at the home of the bride's aunt, Mrs. G. V. Leeves, 5738 Vanderbilt, Dr. Harrison W. Baker of the Munger Methodist Church officiated. Mrs. Mary Ledbetter attended the bride as matron of honor, and Wilton Johnston, brother of the groom, was best man. A reception was held after the ceremony. They appeared in the census on 27 April 1940 in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX.40543 Walter Cox Johnston was born on 19 November 1906 in Lumberton, Robeson Co., NC. Walter died in Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., TX on 24 May 1979.40544 Walter put a "t" in his last name when he left home because a girl in his high school had the same last name (Johnson) and he did not like her. He opened his clothing store (Walter Johnston's Fine Clothing ) in 1947in downtown Ft Worth. At Walter's funeral, I met his sister Margaret and a couple named: Steve & Van Campbell Vanita Ann Coffey and Walter Cox Johnston had the following children:
|