Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 2 Dec 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 ==================================================================== Last updated; Tuesday, December 2, 1997, 6:42 AM Amarillo Lester L. Peterson Lester L. Peterson, 98, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Elliott-Hamil South Chapel at Abilene with the Rev. T.C. Melton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Tuscola, officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery at Abilene. Local arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mr. Peterson was born in Comanche County. He lived in the Abilene and Tuscola areas for 81 years before moving to Amarillo in 1982. He was a farmer and a member of First Baptist Church of Tuscola. He was preceded in death by his wife, Valvee, in 1980. Survivors include two sons, Burl Peterson of Amarillo and Delbert Peterson of Lubbock; eight grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch and Affiliates, Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79174. The body will be available for viewing at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home South. Marvin P. Manasco Marvin P. Manasco, 79, of Amarillo, died Friday, Nov. 28, 1997, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40, with the Rev. Dale Bingham of Arden Road Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Manasco was born in Alvarado and moved to Amarillo in 1925. He married Mary Bradshaw in 1939 at Selina. She preceded him in death. He was a machinist at Pantex and attended Arden Road Baptist Church. Survivors include a son, Donald R. Manasco of Amarillo; a daughter, Sue Atkins of Colorado Springs; a brother, Bill Manasco of California; a sister, Frances Boyles of Lubbock; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Richard R. Gallegly Richard R. Gallegly, 62, formerly of Amarillo, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997, in Albuquerque, N.M. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Llano Cemetery with the Rev. F.M. Byford of Paramount Baptist Church officiating. Arrangements are by French Mortuary in Albuquerque. Mr. Gallegly was born in Amarillo. He was a graduate of Amarillo High School and West Texas State University. He retired from the Amarillo Texaco Refinery in 1985. He moved to Albuquerque in 1987 and was employed as a funeral director with French Mortuary. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Albuquerque. Survivors include his wife, Sue Gallegly; two daughters, Laura Clark and Emily Hollabaugh, both of Amarillo; a sister, Sue Wright of Paducah; and two granddaughters. Visitation will be at Paramount Baptist Church from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. The family requests memorials be to the Dale Gallegly Memorial Music Scholarship Fund c/o Paramount Baptist Church, 3108 S. Western St., Amarillo, Texas 79109. Joseph Petit Joseph "Joep" Petit, 81, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in St. Mary's Catholic Church with Monsignor Francis Smyer of the church officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St. Mr. Petit was born in Tiburg, Holland. He moved to the United States in 1956 and lived in Lubbock, where he worked for Fenner-Tubbs. He later began his own business, Lubbock Imports. He moved from Lubbock to Amarillo in 1964. He worked for Messer Volkswagen before starting another business, Joep Petit Imports 707-Foreign Cars. He retired in 1987. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Mr. Petit married his wife, Jodie Petit, in 1948. Survivors include his wife; a son, Etienne Petit of Amarillo; three daughters, Monique Kolb and Sam Burns, both of Amarillo, and Ninon Hills of Burke, Va.; 14 grandchildren; and a great-grandson. The family will be at Rt. 4, Box 31, off of McCormick Road. Ida Puckett Ida Puckett, 97, of Amarillo, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the First Baptist Church Chapel with Dr. Strauss Atkinson, retired Baptist minister, and Dr. Howard K. Batson, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park in Plainview. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mrs. Puckett was born in Bell County. She graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor Academy in 1920 and married Richard Puckett in Belton on the same day. Mr. Puckett died in 1981. Mrs. Puckett lived in Big Spring, Floydada and Plainview before moving to Amarillo in 1982. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. Survivors include a daughter, Annelle Campbell of Amarillo; two sons, Dale Puckett of Lubbock and Sam Puckett of Las Cruces, N.M.; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 7620 Tarrytown Ave. They request memorials be to the Gideons. Gladys G. Ivie Gladys G. Ivie, 81, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Memorial Park East Mausoleum with Dr. Charles Jones of Second Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Mrs. Ivie was born in Oklahoma and had been a lifelong resident of Amarillo. She was a member of Second Baptist Church. She married Charles Ivie in 1931 at Oklahoma. He died in 1990. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Dorothy Voyles, in 1995. Survivors include a son, Jerry Ivie of Irving; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1007 N. Apache. They request memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. The body will be available for viewing today at 10 a.m. Oklahoma Frank J. Ogan GUYMON, Okla. - Frank J. Ogan, 80, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 1997, in Stratford, Texas. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Victory Center with the Rev. Charles Mendenhall officiating. Burial will be in Elmhurst Cemetery by Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home. Mr. Ogan was born in Tyrone. He attended Tyrone schools, graduating in 1935. He moved to Guymon from Tyrone in 1946. He owned and operated Western Iron & Salvage for 28 years before retiring in 1991. He was a member of Victory Center and of the Oddfellows. He was an Army veteran of World War II. His wife, Mary, preceded him in death. Survivors include a son, Billy Ogan of Hooker; a daughter, Judy Vail of Texhoma; two sisters, Ester Apsley of Liberal, Kan., and Norma Edens of Gruver, Texas; two brothers, Dexter Ogan of Fresno, Calif., and George Ogan of Weatherford; and a granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to the Coldwater Manor activity fund or the Panhandle Alzheimer's Association c/o Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1112, Guymon, Okla. 73942. The family will greet friends at the home of Judy Vail, 213 E. Elm, Texhoma. New Mexico Charlie Thatcher PORTALES, N.M. - Charlie Thatcher, 84, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 1997. Masonic graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Portales Cemetery with members of Portales Lodge No. 26 AF&AM officiating. Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary Inc. of Portales. Mr. Thatcher was born in Soddy, Tenn. He was raised in Tennessee and completed high school in Tennessee before moving to New Jersey. He married Elsie Sytsma in 1939 at Patterson, N.J. After marrying, they moved back to Tennessee, where he worked as a welder. During World War II, Mr. Thatcher served in the Navy as a gunner on a merchant marine ship. After the war, he worked for a short time in Flint, Mich., at the General Motors plant. They returned to New Jersey, where he continued to work as a welder until 1955, when he opened Thatcher's Delicatessen at Hawthorne, N.J. He owned and operated the business until retiring in 1978. He then moved to Portales where he worked with his son at Thatcher Motor Co. He had been fully retired since 1992. Mr. Thatcher was a member of the American Legion at Clovis and also of Veterans of Foreign Wars No. 9515 at Portales. He had maintained his Masonic membership in the New Jersey lodge where he was active for many years. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1977. Survivors include a son, Chuck Thatcher of Portales; and two sisters, Lucy Reese of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Laura Thomae of Tampa, Fla. The family requests memorials be to the Portales High School Ram Band c/o Floren Thompson III, band director, PHS, Portales, N.M. 88130. Flavious B. Terry MCALISTER, N.M. - Flavious B. Terry, 76, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 1997. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in Dunn Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Tucumcari. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Anne's Catholic Church in Tucumcari by the Rev. John C. Daniel. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in National Cemetery at Santa Fe. Mr. Terry was born in Ima and had been a lifetime resident of the McAlister community. He was engaged in farming and ranching there. He served in the Army for more than three years during World War II. He was a member of the American Legion and of St. Anne's Catholic Church in Tucumcari. Survivors include his wife, Ruth L. Terry; a daughter, Georgia Burmeister of Corrales; two grandchildren; and a greatgrandson. Martha H. Cooper PORTALES, N.M. - Martha H. Cooper, 77, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in First Baptist Church with Dr. Philip Fike officiating. Burial will be in Portales Cemetery by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales Inc. Mrs. Cooper was born in Liberal, Kan. She grew up in Stafford, Kan., and graduated from high school there in 1938. After finishing her education, she began working as a Harvey Girl at the Harvey House in Hutchinson, Kan. She married Eldin L. Cooper in 1944 at Chattanooga, Tenn. She helped her husband in the management of several Harvey House hotels including the Painted Desert Inn in Arizona. They later moved to Clovis. While in Clovis, Mrs. Cooper worked in the catalog department at the Sears store for several years. In 1965, they moved to Los Angeles. While living there, she worked for Los Angeles County. She retired in 1980, and they moved to Portales to make their home. Mrs. Cooper was a member of First Baptist Church and the East Valley View Homemakers Club. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1995. Survivors include a son, Eldin Cooper of Portales; a daughter, Susan Czatka of Richardson, Texas; and two grandsons. Elsewhere Lena Mae Crum BROWNSVILLE - Lena Mae Crum, 92, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Castro Memorial Gardens at Dimmitt with the Rev. Rusty Dickerson officiating. Arrangements are by Delta Funeral Directors. Mrs. Crum was born in Snyder and moved to Dumas when she was 8 years old. She married H.L. Crum in 1927. They moved to Dimmitt. Mr. Crum died in 1978. Survivors include a son, Leon Crum of Brownsville; and four grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the American Cancer Society. Ranah Blair Wilson BELTON - Ranah Blair Wilson, 95, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in North Belton Cemetery with the Rev. Sarah Collins officiating. Arrangements are by Heartfield Funeral Home. Mrs. Wilson was born in Belton. She worked for the Selective Service in Amarillo. When she retired, she moved back to Belton. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star. She married John Clay Wilson in 1925 at Belton. Survivors include a daughter, Lois W. Clarke of Cedar Hill; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Area Floy Livingston Henry BORGER - Floy Livingston Henry, 83, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Brown Funeral Directors Chapel of the Fountains with the Rev. Gregg Simmons, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery. Mrs. Henry was born in Foreman, Ark., and had lived in Borger for 51 years. She was a retired hairdresser and the former owner of the DeSoto Hotel. She was a member of First Baptist Church and Rebekah Lodge No. 286. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Richard Kennedy; her second husband, Vick Livingston, in 1967; and her third husband, Wayne Henry, in 1988. Survivors include two sons, Vick Livingston Jr. of Round Rock and Ronnie Henry of Sanger; four daughters, Renee' Hopson of Pampa, Rita Berry and Judy Sherwood, both of Amarillo, and Della Sheppard of Norman, Okla.; 13 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Bonnie Bernice Rader CANADIAN - Bonnie Bernice Rader, 102, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Shattuck Memorial Cemetery at Shattuck, Okla., with Dr. Lewis Holland of United Methodist Church officiating. Arrangements are by Mason Funeral Home of Shattuck. Mrs. Rader was born in Chariton, Iowa. In 1907, she moved to Oklahoma with her parents and settled on a farm southwest of Shattuck. She was educated in the Shattuck public schools. She married Ernest Justin Rader in 1922 at Shattuck. She helped him in the cattle business. Mrs. Rader was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and La Compania Home Extension Club. She also volunteered as a Pink Lady with the Newman Memorial Hospital Ladies Auxiliary. She was a member of Shattuck United Methodist Church. Her husband preceded her in death in 1971. Survivors include a son, Don W. Rader of Canadian; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Gary Billingsley HEREFORD - Gary Billingsley, 62, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jeremy Grant and Dr. Tom Fuller officiating. Burial will be in Rest Lawn Memorial Park with Masonic rites by the Hereford Masonic Lodge. Arrangements are by Parkside Chapel. Mr. Billingsley was born in Lamesa. He married Colleen Leithauser in 1958 at Amarillo. They moved to Hereford in 1964. While in Hereford, Mr. Billingsley taught school for several years before retiring as principal of Northwest Elementary School in Hereford. He was a past secretary of the Hereford Lions Club. He was a Scoutmaster for Troop 50 for more than 25 years and a junior deacon with the Hereford Masonic Lodge. He also was a past president and current board member and director of the Hereford Day Care Center. Mr. Billingsley was a member of the board of directors of the Hereford Friends of the Library. He was an instructor for COPES of Amarillo and for the hunter safety education course. He also was a member of the Retired Teachers Association. Survivors include his wife; a son, Russell Billingsley of Dallas; a daughter, Leslie Lipperman of Irving; his mother, Kathryn Billingsley of Seminole; and a brother, Neil Billingsley of Plainview. The family requests memorials be to the Texas Lions Camp for Crippled Kids, Camp Don Harrington c/o the Boy Scouts of America or the Hereford Day Care Center. Neal Jones BORGER - Neal Jones, 81, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Leonard Forsythe, pastor of Bible Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery. Mr. Jones was born in Creek County, Okla. He had been a Borger resident since 1961, moving from Blackwell, Okla. He was an oil field technician for Midco Tank Co. He was a Baptist. Mr. Jones married Ruby Tompkins in 1973 at Borger. She died in 1990. Survivors include two sons, Charles Jones of Hennessey, Okla., and David Jones of Kingfisher, Okla.; a stepson, George Wise of Seattle; a daughter, Frances Brooks of Borger; two brothers, Jason Jones of Magnolia, Ark., and Sie Jones of Kellyville, Okla.; a sister, Elsie Riggles of Moffit, Colo.; 17 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1406 Burch and 1502 Yows. Joel Earl Easterling CLARENDON - Joel Earl "Pete" Easterling, 88, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Robertson Funeral Directors Chapel of Memories with the Rev. Bryan Knowles, pastor of Martin Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Citizens Cemetery. Mr. Easterling was born in Fordyce, Ark. He moved to Alanreed in 1920 and to Clarendon in 1926. He attended Alanreed and Clarendon schools. He worked as a meat cutter for 12 years in Pampa, Amarillo and Clarendon. He then farmed until retiring in 1973. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of Martin Baptist Church. Mr. Easterling married Lillian Eugenia Tidwell in 1941 at Hedley. She died in 1990. He also was preceded in death by a son, David Lynn Easterling, in 1967. Survivors include a daughter, Janice Knorpp of Clarendon; and a brother, Fred Easterling of Farmington, N.M. Nora Ellen Decker CLARENDON - Nora Ellen Decker, 90, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Robertson Funeral Directors Chapel of Memories with the Rev. Truman Ledbetter, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Citizens Cemetery. Mrs. Decker was born in Garner, Parker County. She moved to Clarendon from Weatherford in 1927. She married Ralph Horace Decker in 1928 at Weatherford. He died in 1990. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Betty Jean Baker, in 1994. Mrs. Decker worked at Stocking Drug Store and Saye's Clothing Store in the early years of her life. She later was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. Survivors include two grandsons, Gary Baker of Amarillo and Gale Baker of Austin; three great-grandchildren; two stepgreat-grandchildren; and two greatgreat-grandchildren. T.J. Mull PLAINVIEW - T.J. Mull, 62, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Plainview Cemetery with the Rev. Leslie Welch, pastor of Seth Ward Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Lemons Funeral Home. Mr. Mull was born in Rodgers and had lived in Plainview since he was 6 weeks old. He worked at Tommy Lewis Industries and was a volunteer at the Plainview Senior Citizens. He was a member of Seth Ward Baptist Church and the Special Olympics. Survivors include a sister, Florence Laswell of Plainview. The family requests memorials be to the Special Olympics of Plainview. Helen Faye Parks QUANAH - Helen Faye Parks, 68, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Price-Jackson Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Clinton Young officiating. Burial will be in Quanah Memorial Park. Mrs. Parks was born in Rotan and had lived in Quanah most of her life. She graduated from Quanah High School. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. She married James Parks in 1957 at Wichita Falls. Survivors include her husband; two sons, Matten Ray Mahan Jr. of Rio Vista and Kenny Parks of Henderson; four daughters, Joyce Gregory of Vernon, Delores Ann Parks of Quanah, Brenda Biddy of Lubbock and Linda Parks of Wichita Falls; a sister, Bernice Whitmire of Quanah; and eight grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Bonnie Mae Long MORTON - Bonnie Mae Long, 76, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Ellis Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Gary Boles, pastor of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Morton Memorial Cemetery. Ms. Long was born in Silverton. She moved to Morton in 1977 from Maple. She was a homemaker and a member of First United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star. She was preceded in death by a son, Marvin Long, in 1982. Survivors include a son, James Perry Long of Downington, Pa.; a daughter, Lorena Miller of Canyon; four sisters, Ruth Elnita Key of Levelland, Martha Meek of Canadian, and Marie Adams and Doris Huff, both of Morton; a brother, Garland Fort of Brookhaven, Miss.; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Kinley Wynn TURKEY - Kinley Wynn, 83, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Melvin Clinton, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery by MyersLong Funeral Directors. Mr. Wynn was born in Hedley. He served with the Army during World War II. He was a farmer. Survivors include a brother, Fred Wynn of Sacramento, Calif. Fay Robertson TULIA - Fay Robertson, 69, died Monday, Dec. 1, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Charles Davenport, pastor, officiating. Graveside services will be at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in Crestview Memorial Park in Wichita Falls. Arrangements are by Wallace Funeral Home. Ms. Robertson was born in Rule. She graduated from Olney High School and attended Draughon's Business College in Fort Worth. She was a financial secretary at Midwestern University in Wichita Falls for 20 years before retiring in 1975. She moved to Tulia in 1988. She was a member of First Assembly of God, the Association of Retarded Citizens and the Association of Acoustic Neuroma. Survivors include two sons, Lee Robertson of Tulia and Dewayne Robertson of Wichita Falls; four sisters, Louise Szydolsky and Mary Mayes, both of Happy, Ethel Rutherford of Tomball and Lillie Mae Wesley of Midland; two brothers, H.L. Cox of Amarillo and Ernest Cox of Midland; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.