Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 14 Jan 1998
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Last updated; Wednesday, January 14, 1998, 6:26 AM
Amarillo
Dorothy Lee Pruitt
Dorothy Lee Pruitt, 69, of Amarillo, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral
Directors, Martin Road Chapel, 1505 Martin Road, with the Rev. Norman
Shuman of Abundant Life Fellowship in Borger officiating. Burial will
be in Llano Cemetery.
Mrs. Pruitt was born in Seymour. She moved to Amarillo 43 years ago
from Wheeler. She was a homemaker. She attended Abundant Life
Fellowship in Borger.
She married Jack Pruitt in 1971. He died in 1972. She also was
preceded in death by two daughters, Glenda Nivens in 1994 and Judy
Chinea in 1970.
Survivors include two sons, Gary Chandler of Fritch and Ronny Chandler
of Kirkland, N.M.; three daughters, Carolyn Bustillos of Fritch, Sonya
Pruitt of Stinnett and Cherrill Rodriquez of Borger; a brother, Bob
Dennis of Amarillo; two sisters, Adele Chandler of Austin and Jerry
Flanigan of Amarillo; 16 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.
The family will be at 528 W. Colorado St. They request memorials be to
Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box
950, Amarillo, Texas 79176.
J.D. Bishop
J.D. Bishop, 78, of Amarillo, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in Schooler Funeral Home Brentwood
Chapel, 4100 S. Georgia St., with the Rev. Jay Graham of Paramount
Terrace Christian Church officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park
Cemetery.
Mr. Bishop was born in Amarillo and had been a lifetime Amarillo
resident. He graduated from Amarillo High School in 1937. He served
with the Navy during World War II.
He retired in 1973 as superintendent of transportation for the U.S.
Postal Service in Amarillo. He also worked for AAA Delivery Service
and for the Tascosa High School cafeteria. He was a member of Second
Baptist Church.
He married Melba Turpin in 1939. She died in 1973. He married Violet
"Vi" Wyrick in 1976 at Amarillo.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Brenda Grice of Louisiana;
three stepdaughters, Inez Wyrick of Amarillo, Pamela Nordby of Coeur
D'Alene, Idaho, and Karla Nardi of Hot Springs, Ark.; a stepson, Boyce
Wyrick of Lubbock; two brothers, James J. Bishop of Amarillo and Paul
Bishop of Bothel, Wash.; 12 grandchildren; and eight
great-grandchildren.
The family requests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000
Jefferson St., Amarillo, Texas 79101.
Alfred Thomas Jr.
Alfred Thomas Jr., 67, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Memorial Park
Cemetery with the Rev. James Burns of San Jacinto Full Gospel Church
officiating. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home Inc., 4100 S.
Georgia St.
Mr. Thomas was born in Wilburton, Okla. and had been a longtime
resident of Amarillo. He was a staff sergeant in the Air Force, having
served in the Korean War. He was a truck driver for Heath Furniture
Co. for 20 years. He was a member of Foursquare Gospel Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbie Thomas, in 1973.
Survivors include three sons, Alfred Bruce Thomas and Curtis Anthony
Thomas, both of Amarillo, and Timothy Shane Thomas of Borger; a
brother, Mickey Thomas of Grand Prairie; and five grandchildren.
William Arvel Stephens
William Arvel Stephens, 76, of Amarillo, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Paramount Baptist Church
with Dr. Gil Lain, pastor, and Kenneth Meek, retired minister,
officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Boxwell
Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle.
Mr. Stephens was born in Haskell County and had lived in Amarillo
since 1970. He farmed in Knox and Haskell counties until 1950, when he
moved to Petersburg. He farmed in Petersburg, Plainview and Stratford
until 1970.
He then moved to Amarillo, where he was the owner of an implement
business until retiring in 1984.
Mr. Stephens was ordained as a deacon in the Baptist church in
Plainview in 1963. He was a member of Paramount Baptist Church. He was
a veteran of the Air Force, serving in the 8th Air Force stationed in
London.
He married Lula O. "Dee" Graham in 1945 at San Angelo.
Survivors include his wife; a son, William L. "Bill" Stephens of
Amarillo; a daughter, Pamela D. Urbanczyk of White Deer; a brother,
Morgan Melvin Stephens of Deport; and three grandchildren.
The family requests memorials be to Hospice of Veterans Hospital or
the Paramount Baptist Church scholarship fund.
Winnie B. Hudgins
Winnie B. Hudgins, 95, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Citizens Cemetery in
Clarendon with the Rev. Royce C. Womack, retired Methodist minister,
officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors,
2820 Virginia Circle.
Mrs. Hudgins was born in Whitewright and had lived in Amarillo for 75
years. She was a homemaker and a member of Polk Street United
Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Davis W. "Dab" Hudgins.
Survivors include two sisters, Edna Sargent and Allie Allen, both of
Amarillo.
Frances H. Sheffield
Frances H. Sheffield, 78, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Memorial Park
Cemetery East Mausoleum with Dr. Murray Gossett, associate pastor of
First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell
Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle.
Mrs. Sheffield was born in Ferndale, Calif., and had lived in Amarillo
since 1960. She was a homemaker and a Presbyterian.
She married Otho "Tex" Sheffield in 1940 at Reno, Nev.
Survivors include her husband; three sons, Richard Sheffield and Larry
Sheffield, both of Granbury, and Robert Sheffield of Giddings; a
daughter, Bonnie Vaughn of Amarillo; a brother, Elbert Peterson of
Santa Rosa, Calif.; two sisters, Patricia O'Connell of Ferndale and
Betty Hosley of Redding, Calif.; eight grandchildren; and three
great-grandchildren.
The family will be at 3511 Vantage. They request memorials be to a
favorite charity.
Mary Jo Brockington
Mary Jo Brockington, 68, of Amarillo, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Llano Cemetery with
the Rev. Howard Romaine, pastor of New Zion Baptist Church in Borger,
officiating. Arrangements are by Warford-Walker Mortuary Inc., 509 N.
Hughes St.
Ms. Brockington was born in Bonham and had been a longtime Amarillo
resident. She was educated in the public school system. She was a
homemaker.
Survivors include a son, Robert L. Cook of Amarillo; four daughters,
Brenda Cook and Yvonna Williams, both of Amarillo, and Marie Gordon
and Tuwuana Williams, both of Duncanville; a brother, Doug Barr of
Bonham; three sisters, Jeffe Givens, Linzie Barr and Joyce Milton, all
of Kansas City, Mo.; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren;
and five greatgreat-grandchildren.
The family will be at 206 S. Harrison St.
D.H. Galbreath
D.H. "Harry" Galbreath, 94, of Amarillo, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel
of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40, with the Rev. Bill Wade of Polk
Street United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Memorial
Park Cemetery.
Mr. Galbreath was born in Oklahoma. He moved to Amarillo in 1951 from
Shamrock. He was an electrician employed by the union. He was a member
of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
He married Mittie Jewell in 1937. She preceded him in death.
Survivors include two sons, Jack and Burrell; four daughters, Betty,
Mary, Pat and Maxine; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
The body will be available for viewing at the funeral home until
service time.
Bessie Louise Carman
Bessie Louise Carman, 61, of Las Vegas, formerly of Amarillo, died
Thursday, Jan. 8, 1998.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral
Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Burial will be in
Memory Gardens Cemetery.
Mrs. Carman was born in Clovis, N.M. She moved to Las Vegas in 1986
from Amarillo.
She married Earl L. Carman in 1954 at Clayton, N.M.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Billy Carman of Las Vegas and
David Carman of Oklahoma City; a daughter, Cheryl Lee of Amarillo; a
brother, V.L. Trapp of Carlsbad, N.M.; and two sisters, Vera of
Farmington, N.M., and Florene Clayton of Colorado.
The family requests memorials be to the American Cancer Society.
Willadeane Garrett
Willadeane Garrett, 69, of Amarillo, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998, in
Big Spring.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Paramount Baptist Church with
Dr. Gil Lain of the church and the Rev. Randy Cotton of Trinity
Baptist Church in Big Spring officiating. Burial will be in Llano
Cemetery by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40.
Mrs. Garrett was born in Shallowater. She lived in Amarillo from 1952
until 1997.
She married Billy Neal Garrett in 1952 at Amarillo. He died in 1985.
She was a homemaker and a member of Paramount Baptist Church in
Amarillo and Trinity Baptist Church in Big Spring. She also was a
member of SMGA.
Survivors include a son, Phillip Gibson of El Paso; two daughters,
Jennifer Carnahan and Kay Garrett, both of Coahoma; two brothers, Ted
Dunavant of Hatville, Ark., and Bob Dunavant of Vernon; four sisters,
Ethil Porterfield of Trashwood, Ark., Florence Calvert of Roswell,
N.M., and Clara Mae Everhart and Faye Melton, both of Amarillo; five
grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to Paramount
Baptist Church in Amarillo or Trinity Baptist Church in Big Spring.
Area
Alice Pearl Sharum
PAMPA - Alice Pearl Sharum, 90, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in First Assembly of God Church
with the Rev. Mike Moss, pastor, and the Rev. Calvin Newton, pastor of
First Assembly of God Church in Borger, officiating. Graveside
services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Buffalo Cemetery near
Sweetwater, Okla. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral
Directors.
Mrs. Sharum was born in Clarksdale, Ark. In 1909, her family moved to
Hughes County, Okla., where she finished high school.
She married Roy McKay in 1926 at Carson, Okla. They moved to a farm in
Roger Mills, Okla., in 1929. She later married Dalton Sharum in 1944
at Sayre, Okla. They moved to Pampa in 1958. Mr. Sharum preceded her
in death.
Mrs. Sharum worked in a cafe until retiring. She then cared for
children in her home until she was 80 years old. She was a member of
First Assembly of God Church and taught Sunday school there for many
years.
Survivors include three sons, Henry McKay of Detroit Lakes, Minn.,
Gerald McKay of Borger and Tom McKay of Pampa; two daughters, Jean
Sebree of Sayre and Rachel Robinson of Holdenville, Okla.; 16
grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and five
great-greatgrandchildren.
Annie Rosa Lofton
CLARENDON - Annie Rosa Lofton, 91, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First United Methodist Church with
Dr. James Bell, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Citizens
Cemetery by Robertson Funeral Directors Inc.
Miss Lofton was born in Callahan County. She lived in the McLean and
Alanreed area before moving to Clarendon more than 40 years ago. She
was a homemaker and a member of the Clarendon Church of Christ.
Survivors include three sisters, Velma Castleberry and Cora
Castleberry, both of Clarendon, and Georgia Durham of McLean; and a
brother, John Lofton of Racine, Wis.
Opal Pauline Murray
HEDLEY - Opal Pauline Murray, 83, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Services will be at 11 a.m. today in First Baptist Church with the
Rev. Bryan Knowles, pastor of Martin Baptist Church in Clarendon,
officiating. Burial will be in Rowe Cemetery by Robertson Funeral
Directors Inc. of Clarendon.
Mrs. Murray was born in Wills Point and had been a resident of Hedley
most of her life. She owned and operated a fabric shop for 25 years
before retiring in 1990. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern
Star and First Baptist Church.
She married Francis Marion "Frank" Murray in 1934 at Hedley. He died
in 1988.
Survivors include a daughter, Pat Day of Lubbock; two grandchildren;
and three great-grandchildren.
Robert Glasco Higgins
HEREFORD - Robert Glasco Higgins, 87, died Saturday, Jan. 10, 1998.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. today in Hereford Care Center.
Arrangements are by Parkside Chapel.
Mr. Higgins was born in Reed, Okla., and had lived in Hereford for
many years. He worked on farms and in the agricultural industry all of
his life. He was a member of Primitive Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Nelda Burdett of Fresno, Calif.; two
brothers, Denton Higgins of Lewis, Colo., and Herbert Higgins of
Hereford; and two grandchildren.
William Harvey Reeves
SHAMROCK - William Harvey Reeves, 66, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First United Methodist Church
with the Rev. John Dorn, pastor, and the Rev. Joe G. Jernigan, pastor
of Calvary Christian Fellowship Church, officiating. Burial will be in
Shamrock Cemetery by Wright Funeral Directors.
Mr. Reeves was born in Graham. He graduated from Shamrock High School
in 1950 and from West Texas State College in 1955 with a bachelor of
science degree in chemistry.
He served as chief chemist for the Kerr-McGee Uranium Mines in
Shiprock, N.M., the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo., and
Kennecott Copper Corp. in Kearney, Ariz. He was manager of the
analytical laboratory for the Amarillo Copper Refinery in Amarillo
before retiring in 1990. He then made his home in Shamrock.
Mr. Reeves was a member of First United Methodist Church, the American
Chemical Society and the Classic Thunderbird Club International. He
was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.
He married Jane Woolly in 1953.
Survivors include his wife; and two daughters, Tracy Cutaia of
Fayetteville, Ark., and Stacy Addington of Dallas.
The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to Crown of Texas
Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson St., Amarillo, Texas 79107; or a favorite
charity.
Lillian Whitfill
LOCKNEY - Lillian Whitfill, 79, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in Moore-Rose-White Funeral
Home Chapel. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in San Jose Catholic
Church with the Rev. Tim Schwertner, priest, officiating. Burial will
be in Lockney Cemetery.
Mrs. Whitfill was born in Madill, Okla., and attended school in
Liberty. She was a homemaker and a member of San Jose Catholic Church.
She married Jack Whitfill in 1936 at Plainview.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Anthony Whitfill of Floydada;
four daughters, Margaret Kitchens of South Plains, Helen Dixon of
Avondale, Ariz., Laura Neff of Dalhart and Carolyn Newton of Lubbock;
three brothers, Weldon Wilson of Aberdeen, Wash., Joe Wilson of Fort
Worth and Raymond Wilson of Fritch; a sister, Lucille Gross of
Muleshoe; a sister, Frances Ruff of Lubbock; 17 grandchildren; and
eight great-grandchildren.
The family requests memorials be to the American Diabetes Association,
8008 Slide Road, Lubbock, Texas 79424; or San Jose Catholic Church,
303 S.E. Fourth St., Lockney, Texas 79241.
Elsewhere
Ross Byars
RICHARDSON - Ross Byars, 90, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Memorial services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in First United
Methodist Church in Pampa with the Rev. Todd Dyess, pastor,
officiating. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors
of Pampa.
Mr. Byars was born in Greer County, Okla. He moved to Pampa in 1939.
He was a wholesale produce salesman for Shamrock Produce for many
years. He later worked for Panhandle Fruit Co. in Amarillo before
retiring in 1965.
He moved to Richardson in 1989. He was a member of First United
Methodist Church.
Mr. Byars married Norma Lee Kelley in 1930 at Oklahoma. She died in
1972.
Survivors include two sons, Byron R. Byars Jr. of Richardson and James
L. Byars of New York; a brother, Eugene Byars of Amarillo; five
grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
The family requests memorials be to the Mustang Senior Citizens
Center, 72 S. Armstrong, Mustang, Oklahoma, 73064.
Thresa Bell Taylor
FORT WORTH - Thresa Bell "Pat" Taylor, 80, died Sunday, Jan. 11, 1998,
in Amarillo.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Mount Olivet Funeral Home Chapel.
Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Mrs. Taylor was born in Leonard and had lived in Fort Worth for 60
years. She was an engineering draftsman for the Consolidated Aircraft
Plant in Fort Worth during World War II. She worked for the U.S.
Postal Service before retiring.
She was a homemaker and a member of the International Toast
Mistresses, the Glencrest Civic League and the Widowed Persons
Organization. She also was a member of Hillside Memorial Church. She
taught painting at the Kennedale Senior Citizens Center and was active
with the Girl Scouts.
Survivors include a son, Charles R. Taylor Jr. of Fort Worth; a
daughter, Pamela Ann Marten of Amarillo; three brothers, John L. Elam
of Houston, Eugene Elam of Dallas and Ira Dean Elam of Scottsdale,
Ariz.; four sisters, Alpha Holton of Wichita Falls, Florene Pearson of
Ranger, Barbara Elam of Dallas and Cheryl Holl of Houston; four
grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Betty Jo Patterson
ARLINGTON - Betty Jo Patterson, 73, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1998.
Services will be private. Burial will be in the city of Lubbock
Cemetery. Arrangements are by Forest Ridge Funeral Home in Hurst.
Mrs. Patterson was born in Ardmore, Okla. She was a homemaker. She was
preceded in death by her husband, Samuel "Pat" Patterson, in 1980.
Survivors include two sons, John Patterson of Arlington and Michael
Patterson of Dallas; a brother, Paul Jones of Amarillo; a sister,
Billie Faye Anderson of The Woodlands; and two grandchildren.
New Mexico
Aurelia Mary Marez
CLOVIS, N.M. - Aurelia Mary Marez, 87, died Monday, Jan. 12, 1998.
Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today in Our Lady of Guadalupe
Catholic Community with the Rev. Daniel M. Balizan officiating. Burial
will be in Mission Garden of Memories by Muffley Funeral Home.
Mrs. Marez was born in Colonias. She was a homemaker and a member of
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Community in Clovis.
She married Raymon Marez in 1927 at Puerto de Luna. He died in 1984.
Survivors include three daughters, Josie Davalos of Clovis, and Sally
Chavez and Carmen Duran, both of Colorado Springs, Colo.; three sons,
Gilbert Marez of Clovis, Steve Marez of San Jose, Calif., and Jimmy
Marez of Portland, Ore.; a brother, Cruz Romero of Rocky Ford, Colo.;
30 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and 10
great-great-grandchildren.
Calvin E. Moore
SAN JON, N.M. - Calvin Edgar Moore, 72, died Saturday, Jan. 10, 1998.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in San Jon Cemetery with
C.L. Bowe and Roy Mitchell officiating. Arrangements are by Dunn
Funeral Home of Tucumcari.
Mr. Moore was born in San Jon and graduated from the San Jon school
system. He served with the Navy during World War II.
He had been the manager of Southern Union Natural Gas Co. in Tucumcari
for 18 years. He also was active in ranching in the San Jon and
Tucumcari area.
Survivors include two daughters, Marcy Merrick of Cloudcroft and Vicki
Bilbrey of Mesa, Ariz.; a brother, Clyde Moore of Tatum; four
grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Alta O. Moncus
TUCUMCARI, N.M. - Alta O. Moncus, 71, died Sunday, Jan. 11, 1998.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church
with the Rev. Bob Miller, minister, officiating. Burial will be in
Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso, Texas, by Dunn Funeral Home.
Mrs. Moncus was born in Norton. She graduated from Tucumcari High
School in 1944. She married Clough Moncus in 1944. They lived in
Tucumcari until moving to El Paso, Texas, in 1968.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1987; and by a son, Dick,
in 1989.
Mrs. Moncus returned to Tucumcari several years ago. She was a member
of First Baptist Church of Tucumcari.
Survivors include two sisters, Edna Nicoley and Ethel Walt, both of
Tucumcari; a granddaughter; and a great-grandchild.
The body will not be available for viewing.
Oklahoma
Janet Velma James Walker
BOISE CITY, Okla. - Janet Velma James Walker, 47, died Monday, Jan.
12, 1998, in Amarillo.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church with
Harold James and Derek Cox officiating. Burial will be in Bertrand
Cemetery in Felt by Cimarron Mortuary.
Mrs. Walker was born in Dalhart, Texas. She attended school in Felt
until moving to Boise City, where she graduated from high school. She
then attended the University of Hawaii.
Upon returning from Hawaii, she worked at the Denver & Raton western
wear store. She then attended airline school in Kansas City, Kan. She
moved to Grapevine, Texas, and began working for Braniff Airlines.
Mrs. Walker returned to Boise City in 1978.
She married Gary Walker in 1989 at Clayton, N.M.
Survivors include a daughter, Dana Walker of Boise City; and a
brother, Richard James of Kerrick, Texas.
The family requests memorials be to the Multiple Sclerosis Society c/o
Cimarron Mortuary.