Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 1 Jan 1997 Copyright, http://www.amarillonet.com/ ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Thanks to the Amarillo Newspapers for allowing us to place their online obits in the USGenWeb Archives ==================================================================== Amarillo Aretta Denise Westerholt Aretta Denise Westerholt, 36, of Tyler, a former Amarillo resident, died Saturday, Dec. 28, 1996. Services will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Ms. Westerholt was born in Amarillo and had lived in Tyler for the past five years. She was the owner of a housecleaning business. She was preceded in death by a son, Arthur Westerholt. Survivors include her husband, Jim Miller; two sons, Harley Westerholt of Dallas and Jeffrey Westerholt of Tyler; her mother and stepfather, Betty and Bill Brasfield of Amarillo; her father, Edmund Belter of Amarillo; three sisters, Teresa Kinser of Pueblo, Colo., and Betty Cameron and Sissy Belter, both of Amarillo; and three brothers, Larry Belter of Weston, Colo., Aaron Belter of Troup and Christopher Belter of Amarillo. The body will be available for viewing Tuesday and Thursday at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home. Debra McClure Debra "Pinky" McClure, 39, of 3201 S. Hill St., died Sunday, Dec. 29, 1996. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40, with the Rev. Bill Gehm of Grace Community Church of Amarillo officiating. Cremation was by Memorial Park Crematory. Mrs. McClure was born in Michigan City, Ind. She moved to Amarillo in 1971 from Germany. She graduated from Caprock High School in 1976 and from Amarillo College in 1981 as a photographer with an associatešs degree in mass communication. She married John David McClure in 1992 at Amarillo. She worked at KVII Channel 7 for 131/2 years as a production engineer. She then worked at the Amarillo Community Center from 1993 to 1995 and was a teacher for the children in day care there. She was a Methodist. Survivors include her husband; her parents, J.C. and Lennell Clark of Amarillo; a brother, Patrick Joe Clark of Amarillo; three sisters, Deborah Davis of Willingboro, N.J., Peggy Clements of Tulsa, Okla., and Lani Clark of Amarillo; and grandparents, Clifford and Dorothy Morrow of Pharr. The family will be at 3201 S. Hill St., and suggest memorials be to the National Kidney Foundation of Amarillo, 5920 W. Amarillo Blvd., Amarillo, Texas 79106. Kenneth Alonzo Helms Kenneth Alonzo Helms, 67, of 4209 Angelus Drive, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Llano Cemetery with Glen Walton of Bell Avenue Church of Christ officiating. Arrangements are by Colonial Funeral Home, 1010 W. Ninth Ave. Mr. Helms was born in Arnett, Okla., and had lived in Amarillo for many years. He had been a cook for the Tall House Restaurant, the Cattlemanšs Cafe, the Potter County Correctional Center and the Union 76 Restaurant. He also had worked at Jessešs Cafe in Wildorado. He married Ruby Moody in 1980 at Amarillo. He was a member of the Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by a stepson, Tommy Stratton, in 1983. Survivors include his wife; four stepsons, John Stratton of Dallas, David Stratton of Plano, Henry Stratton of Oregon and Roy Stratton of Wildorado; a stepdaughter, Betty Stratton of Amarillo; two brothers, Jim Helms of Wildorado and Albert Helms of California; two sisters, Alice Helms and Lorene Helms, both of California; nine grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 4209 Angelus Drive. The body will be available for viewing from 8 to 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Clarence Baker Clarence Baker, 90, of Amarillo, died Saturday, Dec. 28, 1996. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Warford-Walker Mortuary Chapel of Roses, 509 N. Hughes St., with the Rev. David Hill Sr., pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Baker was born in Hastings, Okla. He had been an Amarillo resident for a number of years. He attended public school and joined the Army in 1943. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of New Hope Baptist Church. He was a chauffeur until retiring. Survivors include three daughters, Lillie Jean Jones of Lawton, Okla., Bobbie C. Steele of Dayton, Ohio, and Georgiana Steele of Jacksonville, Fla.; a son, Clyde Smith of Sunray; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family will be at 207 S. Madison St. The body will be available for viewing from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday. Opal McClellan Hunt Opal McClellan Hunt, 86, of 6207 McCoy Drive, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, Bell Avenue Chapel, 5400 Bell St., with the Rev. Roy S. Wheeler of Paramount Terrace Christian Church officiating. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in the city of Lubbock Cemetery. Mrs. Hunt was born in Hansford County. She lived in Lubbock for 60 years and had lived in Amarillo for the past 12 years. She attended Texas Tech University. She married Howard Hunt at Clovis, N.M. She was a homemaker and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Lubbock Daughters of the Pioneer. She also was a member of First United Methodist Church of Lubbock. Survivors include a daughter, Faye Doss of Amarillo; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. The family will be at 6207 McCoy Drive. Wilda L. Robertson Northern Wilda L. Robertson Northern, 79, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, Dec. 31, 1996. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Rector Funeral Home Chapel, 2800 S. Osage St., with Lynn Garrett of First Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Northern was born in Dawson and moved to Amarillo in 1940 from Dawson. She married Harvey H. Northern in 1937 at Hubbard. He died in 1977. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Carolyn Sue, in 1950. She was a member of Eastside Church of Christ. Survivors include four daughters, Jean Hatcher, Dorothy J. Roach, Karen Cagle and Sherry Kirby, all of Amarillo; two sons, James Northern of Cypress and Bobby Northern of Amarillo; a sister, Elaine Sorenson of Waco; a brother, Kenneth R. Robertson of Newport News, Va.; 14 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The family will be at 7603 Stuyvesant Ave. They request memorials be to the Crown of Texas Hospice, 1100 S. Jefferson St., Amarillo, Texas 79101. Elsewhere Maurice M. Moore ELKHART, Kan. - Maurice M. "Red" Moore, 68, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Christ Lutheran Church with the Rev. Jim Lucas officiating. Burial will be in Elkhart Cemetery by Harrell Funeral Home. Mr. Moore was born in Baldwin, Iowa. He had been a resident of Elkhart since March. He was a retired dispatcher and a member of the Helion Masonic Lodge No. 36 of Maquoketa, Iowa. He married Mable Darlene Goarche in 1947 at Lost Nation, Iowa. Survivors include three sons, Sonny Douglas Moore of Ark City, Spencer Dean Moore of Great Bend and Stuart David Moore of Elkhart; a daughter, Sandra Diane Edger of Dodge City; a sister, Mildred Whitt of Dubuque, Iowa; 11 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Friends may visit the funeral home from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. Nyla F. Stewart DALLAS - Nyla F. Stewart, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Highland Christian Church with the Rev. Lee Brummel officiating. Private burial will be in Restland Memorial Park. A celebration of life reception will be in the Fellowship Hall. Arrangements are by Restland Funeral Home. Mrs. Stewart was born in Amarillo. She received a bacheloršs degree in elementary education from Abilene Christian University in 1959 and a masteršs degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1970. She had been a social worker at Hope Cottage Adoption Center since 1970 and had most recently served as director of special services. She married Robert P. Stewart in 1957. They lived in Vienna, Austria for four years and settled in Dallas in 1968. Survivors include her husband; a son, Steve Stewart; a daughter, Dianne Barton; her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Foy Shackelford; two brothers, Jerry Shackelford and Lynn Shackelford; and a granddaughter. The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to the Building Blocks program of the Greater Dallas Community of Churches, 2800 Swiss Ave., Dallas, Texas 75204. Visitation will be at the funeral home between 5 and 8 p.m. Friday. Lee Allen Stewart SAN ANGELO - Lee Allen Stewart, 66, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Robert Massie Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Chris Seidlitz, pastor of Belmore Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery at Bronte. Mr. Stewart was born in Tennyson. He had been a resident of San Angelo since 1993. He married Patsy Hasty in 1960. He worked for Santa Fe Railway for 43 years as a telegrapher and dispatcher in Slaton and Amarillo. He retired in 1993 as supervisor of train operations in Albuquerque, N.M. He was a veteran of the Korean War. Survivors include his wife; a son, Dr. Kevin Stewart of Lockney; a daughter, Karen Grantham of Amarillo; his mother, Emma Brown Stewart of San Angelo; a sister, Lou Westbrook of Amarillo; a brother, Leo Stewart of San Angelo; and two granddaughters. The family requests memorials be to the Boy Scouts of American, South Plains Council, 30 Briercroft Office Park, Lubbock, Texas 79412. New Mexico Olen Parker CLOVIS, N.M. - Olen Parker, 91, died Sunday, Dec. 29, 1996. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens with Dr. Herbert Bergstrom officiating. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Mr. Parker was born in Porch, Okla. He was a cowboy and moved to Clovis from Crosbyton, Texas, after retiring from the L7 Ranch. He had been a resident of Clovis for the past 20 years. He was in the Army artillery and served with the Army during World War II. Survivors include a sister, Dorothy Madison of Abilene, Texas. Glenn E. Carter CLOVIS, N.M. - Glenn E. Carter, 50, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Steed-Todd Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Herbert Bergstrom officiating. Burial will be in Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens. Mr. Carter was born in Silver City. He attended ENMU and married his wife, Marilyn, in 1968. He was a local contractor employed by Newt & Butch Construction. Survivors include his wife; four children, James Carter, Debbie Stenstrom, Melissa Carter and William Carter; and two sisters, Lynne Bryant and JoAnn Bernhardt. The family requests memorials be to the American Cancer Society. Tom Burns CLOVIS, N.M. - Tom Burns, 71, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Rosary will be recited at 9 a.m. Friday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Nynpha Garcia officiating. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church by the Rev. Wilfred Savaard. The eulogy will be given by Russ Koelzer, pastor of Gateway Christian Church. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Mr. Burns was a lifelong resident of Clovis. He attended Sacred Heart Parochial School and graduated from Clovis High School. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1946. He played football while in high school and was a Bengal Bout Boxer in college. He married Joanne Jessee in 1954 at Clovis. He was a longtime businessman in the Clovis community. He continued with the family business, Burns Agency, which was founded in 1908 by his father, Frank S. Burns. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Committee of Fifty and the Clovis Board of Realtors. He was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus and the Elks Lodge. He served as state president of the New Mexico Insurance Association. He also was a member of the Realtors Association of New Mexico. Mr. Burns and his brother, Jim, have also been involved in farming and ranching for many years in Curry County. Survivors include his wife; a son, Terry Burns of Minneapolis; three daughters, Margaret B. Hinchee of Clovis, Mary Charlotte Nee of Albuquerque and Jannette Clare of Chicago; a brother, James F. Burns; a sister, Katherine B. Skarda; and two grandsons. The family requests memorials be to the American Heart Association. Area Shelly V. Allen PARIS, Texas - Shelly V. Allen, 91, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church at Earth with the Rev. Kay Reed officiating. Burial will be in Earth Memorial Cemetery at Earth by Bright-Holland Funeral Home. Mr. Allen was born in Leadhill, Ark. He was a grocer and a member of Bonham Street Church of Christ. He married Lola Blanche Barrett in 1932. She died in January 1971. In June 1971, he married Minnie Mae Wood in Paris. She died in 1995. Survivors include a daughter, Shirley Lowrimore of Hugo, Okla.; a stepdaughter, Valda Burns of Sumner; three stepsons, Kenneth Wood of Paris, and James Wood and Rex Wood, both of Midland; a brother, Whetsel Allen of Cortez, Colo.; a sister, Fern Alsobrook of Cortez; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several stepgrandchildren and step great-grandchildren. The body will be available for viewing at the funeral home until noon today. Velma McDaniel PAMPA - Velma McDaniel, 84, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Memory Gardens Cemetery with the Rev. Nathan Hopson, pastor of Highland Pentecostal Holiness Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mrs. McDaniel was born in Buffalo Springs and had been a longtime resident of Pampa. She married Walter Neal McDaniel in 1949 at Shamrock. He died in 1981. She was of the Pentecostal faith. Survivors include a daughter, Brenda Stark of Shawnee Mission, Kan.; and a sister, Evylen Jones of Pampa. John Leo Smith CLARENDON - John Leo Smith, 77, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Truman Ledbetter, pastor, and the Rev. John Denton, retired Baptist minister from Borger, officiating. Burial will be in Citizens Cemetery by Robertson Funeral Directors Inc. Mr. Smith was born in Ogden, Utah, and raised in Amarillo. He had been a resident of Donley County most of his adult life. He married Mary Jane Cook in 1938 at Lelia Lake. He had been a farmer most of his life. He was a member of First Baptist Church and had been a deacon there since 1967. He was on the Clarendon College board of regents from 1980 to 1992. He also served on the Lelia Lake and Clarendon school boards for several years. He was a member of the Donley Appraisal District Board for several years and served as chairman in 1984 and 1985. He also served on several farm committees for the FHA and ASCS. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Marilee Self of Clarendon and Sheila Wade of Lelia Lake; a sister, Annie Edwards of Howardwick; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Manuel Pineda PLAINVIEW - Manuel Pineda, 89, of Lubbock, a former Plainview resident, died Tuesday, Dec. 31, 1996. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Thursday in Lemons Funeral Home Memorial Chapel. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church with the Rev. Elberd Fadallan of the church officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park. Mr. Pineda was born in Cadyta, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, and grew up in Robstown. He married Petra Hernandez Pineda in 1935 at Robstown. She died in 1995. He moved to Lubbock in 1952, to New Deal in 1955 and to Plainview in 1956. He returned to Lubbock in 1987. He was a Catholic. Survivors include six daughters, Patsy Garza, Angie Castillo and Manuela Galvan, all of Lubbock, Lupe Beltran and Maria Garza, both of Plainview, and Janie Aguilar of Denton; four sons, David Pineda of New Deal, Joe Pineda of Houston, Manuel Pineda Jr. of Lubbock and Abel Pineda of Rome, Ga.; a sister, Agapida Santana of Elsa; 43 grandchildren; 51 great-grandchildren; and a greatgreat-grandchild. Charles Ward Pinkerton HALFWAY - Charles Ward Pinkerton, 83, died Sunday, Dec. 29, 1996. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Trinity United Methodist Church at Plainview with the Rev. Shane Brue, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park at Plainview by WoodDunning Funeral Home of Plainview. Mr. Pinkerton was born in Halfway in the house that is now located at the Hale County Farm and Ranch Museum in Hale Center. He grew up in the Halfway community and owned Halfway Grocery and Market from 1937 to 1978. He had worked for Precinct 4 since 1979 and was a volunteer for the Halfway Volunteer Fire Department. He served as fire chief for several years. He was one of the founders of the Halfway Water Supply and was active in Little League ball teams and Boy Scouts. He also worked with the Lions Club and 4H. He had been active in Halfway Methodist Church, where he was a superintendent and teacher. He attended Trinity United Methodist Church in Plainview. He married Ruby Polk in 1967 at Halfway. Survivors include his wife; three sons, William Ward Pinkerton of Fort Worth, Rex Pinkerton of Halfway and Kit Pinkerton of Plainview; three daughters, Sylvia Harmon of Claude, Gladys Pinkerton of Fort Worth and Rhonda Ellis Pinkerton of Texas; a sister, Helen Hart of Mission; two brothers, Allen Pinkerton of Rockville, Md., and Cecil Pinkerton of Tampa, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Trinity United Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society. V.L. Benedict MULESHOE - V.L. "Vic" Benedict, 75, died Monday, Dec. 30, 1996. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Stacy Conner, pastor, officiating. Private graveside services will be in Muleshoe Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are by Ellis Funeral Home. Mr. Benedict was born in Glenrock, Wyo. He married Ece Marshall in 1939 at Tyler. He moved to Muleshoe from Plainview in 1962. He was an insurance underwriter for Southwestern Life Insurance Co. He was a member of Muleshoe Masonic Lodge No. 1237 and had received his 50-year pin. He also was a 32nd Degree Mason and a past master of the Scottish Rite of Lubbock. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans. He also was a member of First Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife; a son, Mark Kevin Benedict of Vernon; a brother, Buddy J. Benedict of Tulsa, Okla.; and two granddaughters. The family requests memorials be to Muleshoe Meals on Wheels, 300 S. First, Muleshoe, Texas 79347; or Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson, Amarillo, Texas 79101. Herbert Ollin Jones BORGER - Herbert Ollin Jones, 82, died Sunday, Dec. 29, 1996. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Highland Park Cemetery with the Rev. Leonard Forsythe, pastor of Bible Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors. Mr. Jones was born in Allens Point. He had been a Borger resident since 1946, moving from Honey Grove. He was a custodian and sacker for Furršs Food Stores. He served during World War II in the Armyšs 709th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Lodge No. 1789. He was preceded in death by a son, Jerry Jones, in 1980. Survivors include a son, Charlie Jones of Huntsville. George William Ball BORGER - George William Ball, 68, died Sunday, Dec. 29, 1996. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Sunset Memorial Cemetery at Stinnett with the Rev. Jerry Moon, pastor of Biblical Apostolic Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors. Mr. Ball was born in Hereford and grew up in Stinnett and Borger. He lived in Quanah and Amarillo before returning to Borger in 1994. He was a welder and a Baptist. Survivors include his wife, Mary Ball of Amarillo; a brother, Jay Ball of Modesto, Calif.; and seven sisters, Dorothy Clement of Pampa, Norma Bosley of Skellytown, Ruth White and Mable Massengale, both of Borger, Opal Cowan of Navasota, Nancy Campbell of Tyler and Bertha McLane of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The family will be at 1215 Cooley in Borger.