Ozona History

July 27, 1944

Between 35 and 40 neglectful Ozonans paid compromise fines or did some convincing explaining here Tuesday morning after an Internal Revenue agent checked for a few hours Monday afternoon the cars in the downtown area for presence or absence of the little purple stickers which Uncle Sam requires be pasted on every windshield as evidence of payment of the federal tax on motor vehicles. J. A. Miller, Internal Revenue agent with headquarters in San Angelo, caused something of a run on the local post office for the stamps when a few turns up and down the street resulted in issuance of notices to car owners to appear at the Hotel Ozona the following morning at 9 o’clock for hearing on charges of violation of the federal law requiring payment of the $5 use tax.

July 22, 1954

Three weeks from the day she met death by drowning in flood swollen Live Oak Creek, the body of Mrs. Ruben Gutierrez of Del Rio was found on the Pecos River ranch of Bill Conklin of Ozona. Mrs. Gutierrez was the 16th body recovered after the June 27-28 floods which struck Ozona and the Crockett County area to continue into the Rio Grande to put that stream on its most devastating rampage in history.

The body of a two-year-old child, believed drowned in the Ozona flood, and those of four Odessa fishermen lost in the Howard Draw-Pecos river flood, have not yet been recovered. The body of Mrs. Gutierrez, object of a search lasting several days conducted by a large number of men from Sheffield-Irran-Ozona area, was found buried in a big pile of drift on the Conklin ranch, down the Pecos River from the mouth of Live Oak creek. The body of Mr. Gutierrez was found near the juncture of the two streams the day before the tragedy.

The wreckage of their car was nearby, almost buried in gravel. The couple, both teachers and on their way to Alpine to attend the summer session at Sul Ross College, are believed to have driven their car into the water on or near the bridge on Highway 290 over Live Oak creek and were swept downstream by the raging waters. Three sections of the big Live Oak bridge were knocked out by the flood waters.

July 23, 1964

Barbara West, daughter of Wayne E. West of Ozona and Mrs. Nan Tandy West, Hollywood, a student at Robinayre Preparatory School for Girls, Rancho Lomita, Camarillo, California, has received notice of official acceptance for the 1965 Olympics trials to membership on the United States Equestrian Team, it was announced by Mrs. John Brown, co-director of the school. Barbara is 12 years old, said to be one of the youngest persons ever accepted for trial, has been a student at Robinayre for three years receiving all her training from the school’s riding instructors. Appearing in local horse shows, Barbara has shown quality performance in switching from one horse to another, the director said.

July 25, 1974

By far the best-looking gas pumper in town is Debra Clayton. The OHS senior cheerleader was station attendant this summer for her grandfather at Stuart Motors. Needless to say, business has been brisk all summer long.