John L Rees

Westbrook – Mr. John L “Bill” Rees, age 97, of Colorado City and formerly of Westbrook and its mayor for 14 years, died Monday afternoon in a local hospital. Services will be at 10 AM Wednesday, December 22, 2010, in the Kiker-Seale Chapel with Revs. Paul Smith and Kenneth Rogers officiating. Burial will follow in the Westbrook Cemetery under the direction of Kiker-Seale Funeral Home.

Mr. Rees was born May 18, 1913 in Mt. Vernon, TX to John and Louetta Cooper Rees and had been a resident of Mitchell County since 1933. He married Lena Mae Ellett on November 17, 1934 in Roscoe. She preceded him in death on November 4, 2000. He had worked at Col-Tex from 1944-1956 and later farmed and was in construction. He was a member of the First Methodist Church in Westbrook.

He is survived by a daughter, Alberta Wilkerson Conkle of Tyler; a sister, Ruth Nelson of Richland, WA; grandchildren: Jack E. Wilkerson, Gregory Rees and Robin Jo Montgomery; 6 great grandchildren: Matthew Wilkerson, Sara Wilkerson Williams, Jonathan Rees, Jarrett Rees, Robert Montgomery and John Montgomery; and 3 great-great grandchildren.

He is also preceded in death by his parents; a son, Robert Rees; a brother, Robert Rees; and 3 sisters: Connie Rees, Vadie Black and Velma Case.