Abilene bowling columnist reflects on good times with late friend, bowler Unruh
On the morning of June 8, my friend and bowling partner Willard Paul Unruh received his heavenly wings.
Paul was a United States Air Force retired veteran and an avid bowler. He also was the manager of Dyess Lanes for the last few years. The center was always ready for open, league and tournament bowling. He was quite proud of this fact.
Over the years, Paul and I have bowled with and against each other, and I am going to miss the competition.
The one big bowling event that really joined us together occurred on May 4, 2018, during league play. Paul and I had just purchased new bowling balls. I was bowling on lanes Nos. 3 and 4 and Paul was bowling on 5 and 6. My bowling ball was really jumping that night. I did not know that Paul’s bowling ball also was jumping.
After rolling my last ball of the set, I put on my shoe covers and ran out the center because I had to pick up my grandson from a fun night at school. As I was running out of the center, I heard Margaret McMillan yell “Shorty, you just shot an 805 with games of 279, 249, and 277.”
I picked up my grandson and returned to Dyess Lanes. Paul met me at the door and gave me a great big congratulations. He has a sly smile on his face and then he dropped the bomb on me. He informed me that my 805 was the second high series bowled for the night. He had just rolled an 814 series with games 267, 278 and 269.
Since neither one of had ever bowled a 300 game, we agreed that night that our next goal will be the perfect game. For Paul, the feat was accomplished during the Texas State Open Tournament on May 29, 2021, in Plano. In addition to the 800 and 300, he also had an 11 in a row honor score.
In Paul’s honor, I will keep my eyes on rolling the perfect game.
Paul is survived by his wife, Lisa, and daughters, Jacquelyn and Shelby. Please keep them in your prayers. Lisa and Paul honored me by allowing me to officiate at Paul Memorial service on June 12. Thanks to Lisa and Paul. Rest in Peace my friend and brother.
The following scores are from the end of the winter leagues and the beginning of the summer leagues. The summer leagues are on the floor.
ABL MONDAY NO TAP
May 9
Dylan Huestis High Game 300, High Series 788
Virginia Greer High Game 257, High Series 653
ABL SENIOR CITIZEN FUN BUNCH
May 6
Steve McWilliams High Game 245, Jerry DePriest High Series 565
Vivian Petty High Game 178, High Series 483
May 13
Bill Billings High Game 245, High Series 601
JoJo Tubbs High Game 198, High Series 486
May 20
Bill Billings High Game 233, High Series 609
Glendora Myrick High Game 204, High Series 533
June 3
John Richardson High Game 278, Steve McWilliams High Series 668
Joyce Breeden High Game 209, High Series 511
ABL SUNDAY SUPER LEAGUE
May 8
Lupe Moreno High Game 242, Chris Davis High Series 644
Casi St. Jean High Game 180, Brenda Comer 511
May 15
Lupe Moreno High Game 242, Chris Davis High Series 644
Casi St. Jean High Game 180, Brenda Comer 486
ABL TALENTS WASTED SUMMER
May 18
Bryan St. Jean High Game 242, High Series 601
Casi St. Jean High Game 150, High Series 417
May 25
Barry Holley High Game 246, High Series 686
Autumn Carlile High Game 171, Casi St. Jean High Series 459
June 1
Dakota Thornton High Game 223, Chevy Burleson High Series 581
Samantha Rappe High Game 152, Autumn Carlile High Series 406
June 8
Bryan St. Jean High Game 256, High Series 672
Autumn Carlile High Game 175, Casi St. Jean High Series 435
June 15
Dakota Thornton High Game 256, High Series 625
Shelly Burleson High Game 161, High Series 454
ABL TEXAS SENIORS
May 3
Johnny Breeden High Game 180, Jerry DePriest High Series 490
Virginia Greer High Game 201, High Series 521
May 10
Johnny Breeden High Game 190, High Series 513
Virginia Greer High 165, High Series 483
ABL WEDNESDAY NO TAP
May 18
Bill Billings High Game 300, High Series 742
Dona Bezdek High Game 240, Peggy Inman High Series 643
May 25
Steve McWilliams High Game 287, High Series 735
JoJo Tubbs High Game 245, High Series 704
June 1
Bill Billings High Game 300, High Series 712
Kit Clark High Game 253, High Series 629
June 15
Steve McWilliams High Game 300, High Series 830
Virginia Greer High Game 247, JoJo Tubbs High Series 608
DYESS PRIME REJECTS
May 19
Shorty Mims High Game 192, Fred Shaw High Series 560
Noke Logan High Game 171, High Series 473
May 26
Steve McWilliams High Game 287, High Series 735
Karen Thompson High Game 193, High Series 468
DYESS SUMMER GO GETTERS
June 1
Steve McWilliams High Game 225, Tom Morey High Series 560
Elaine Goos High Game 173, High Series 469
June 16
Steve Mc Williams High Game 253, High Series 576
Noke Logan High Game 176, Elaine Goos High Series 484
CONVERTED SPLITS
2-4-5-10: Paul Mains, 2-4-8-10: Dylan Huestis, 2-5-7: Scotty Skiles, 2-5-8: Tina Sanders, 2-7: Pat Arnold,, Ruth West, Don Mueller, 2-10: Greg Ververs, 3-6-7: JoJo Tubbs, 3-6-7-10: Jan Carter, 3-6-8-10: Wanda Burns, 3-10: Glendora Myrick (2), Denis Baysinger, Wanda Burnes, Conrad Smith (2), Frankie Roberts, Jan Carter, Kay Buford (3), Thelma Hoffman,(2), Elaine Goos, Beth Malone (2), Bill Peterson, Virginia Greer, Larry Ware (2) Tina Sanders, Barry Holley, Johnny Breeden, 4-5: Sonia Ruiz, Mark Thompson, Dona Bezdek, Ruth West, Jennie Ortiz, 4-5-7: Larry Ware, Glendora Myrick, Johnny Breeden, 4-7-9: RJ Ramos, Natalie Nickerson, 4-7-10: Johnny Breeden, 4-9: Steve McWilliams, 5-6-10: Janet Beckett, Conrad Smith, 5-7: Ken Shields, Janet Beckett, Ruth West, Virginia Greer, Natalie Nickerson (2), Wanda Burns, 5-8-10: Jennie Ortiz, 5-9-10: Tina Sanders, 5-10: Ruth West, Conrad Smith, Dannisue Pierce (2), 6-7: Elaine Goos, 6-7-10: Natalie Nickerson, Mike Langford, Larry Ware, 8-10: Ken Shields, Mike Langford, Greg Ververs, 9-10: Paul Mains, Wanda Burns,
5-7-10 The “Lilly”: Greg Ververs
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene bowling community loses another avid competitor in Unruh
