Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 3 April 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 Loyd Smith Loyd Smith, 76, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, April 1, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, Bell Avenue Chapel, 5400 Bell St., with the Rev. Dana Moore of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Mr. Smith was born in Mobeetie and moved to Amarillo in 1952. He was a self-employed businessman until 1960 when he began working for Central Motor Freight as a truck driver. He retired in 1985. He married Esther Defries in 1967 at Canyon. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Shirley Hubbard and Donna Ziegler, both of Amarillo; two sisters, Lynn Whisenhunt of Amarillo and Jonell Barton of Midland; a brother, Johnny Smith of Lakeview, Ore.; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family will be at 4032 Rose Drive. Richard Noland Richard Noland, 63, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, April 2, 1997. Services will be at 3 p.m. today in Llano Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. Windell Taylor, chaplain of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Mr. Noland was born in Detroit. He moved to Amarillo 36 years ago from Altus, Okla. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War. He was the former owner of Panhandle Fire Equipment Co., and retired from the safety department at West Texas State University. He was a former member of the Amarillo Jaycees and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include two daughters, Barbara Collins of Hedley and Lisa Volz of Cashion, Okla.; a son, Robert Dean Noland of Plano; his mother, Alice Noland of Arcadia, Fla.; two sisters, Mary Alice Kiesling of Westland, Mich., and Joan Murphy of Livonia, Mich.; a brother, George Noland of Dayton, Ohio; and four grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to the Multiple Sclerosis Association. Maria Reyes Maria Reyes, 68, of 4006 N.E. 18th Ave., died Tuesday, April 1, 1997. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Martin Road Chapel, 1505 Martin Road. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Laurence Cathedral by the Rev. Al Gradillas of the church. Burial will be in Llano East Cemetery. Mrs. Reyes was born in Durango, Mexico. She moved to Amarillo in 1985 from Juarez, Mexico. She married Mario Reyes in 1950 at Durango. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Laurence Cathedral. Survivors include her husband, Mario Gustave Reyes Vele of Springerville, Ariz.; three daughters, Elizabeth Reyes, Ciria Mayela Reyes and Rosario Esparza, all of Amarillo; four sons, Victor Reyes, Gustavo Reyes, Juan Reyes and Miguel Reyes, all of Amarillo; four sisters, Maria de Refugio Gandara, Ernestina Gandara and Lucia Gandara, all of Durango, and Josefina Gandara of Mexico City, Mexico; a brother, Francisco Gandara of Durango; 17 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family will be at 4006 N.E. 18th Ave. Beverly Elston Beverly Elston, 65, of Amarillo, died Sunday, March 30, 1997. Private family graveside services were at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Garden of Cross at Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Andrew Parker, associate to the rector at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, officiating. Arrangements were by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Mrs. Elston was born in Fort Worth. She had lived in Amarillo for 28 years. She married Norris Elston in 1950 at Waco. She was a bookkeeper for the Amarillo Overhead Door Co. She was of the Episcopal faith. Survivors include her husband; a son, Thomas Hank Elston of San Francisco; a daughter, Leslie Webb of Amarillo; and three grandchildren. Susan Stuart Ferguson Fields Susan Stuart Ferguson Fields, 66, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, April 2, 1997. Private graveside services and burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mrs. Fields was born in Amarillo. She was educated in the Amarillo public schools and graduated from Amarillo High School in 1949. She then attended and graduated from Monticello College for Women at Godfrey, Ill. She finished her bachelor's degree and master's degree in education at West Texas State College at Canyon. She was a teacher in the Amarillo Public School District. She worked here for more than 30 years before retiring in 1996. She married Truett N. Fields in 1953 at Amarillo. He died in 1985. Survivors include a daughter, Janet Lynn Fields Brown of Hewitt; a son, Robert Kent Fields of Midland; a brother, Dan Ferguson of Billings, Mont.; and two grandchildren. The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. The family will receive visitors at the family home from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday. New Mexico Opal B. Wall CLOVIS, N.M. - Opal B. Wall, died Monday, March 31, 1997, at Tucson, Ariz. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First Church of the Nazarene with the Rev. Ed Abla officiating. Burial will be in Wheatland Cemetery at Wheatland by Steed-Todd Funeral Directors. Mrs. Wall was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond C. Wall; a son, Bobby C. Wall; and a daughter, Glenda Ray Attaway. Survivors include a daughter, Myrna S. Wall of Tucson; a brother, Hershal Cogdill of Albuquerque; two sisters, Thelma Leach of Santa Ana, Calif., and Willie Fern Williams of Portales; and six grandchildren. Eddie Jo Ward CARLSBAD, N.M. - Eddie Jo Ward, 66, died Tuesday, April 1, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Bethel Baptist Church with Robert Seago, pastor, and the Rev. Roger Heath of Crandall officiating. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Fairview Cemetery at Wellington, Texas. Arrangements are by Denton-Funchess Funeral Home. Mrs. Ward was born and raised in Wellington. She married John H. Ward in 1947 at Wellington. They moved to Carlsbad in 1968 and served at Bethel Baptist Church until 1995. She served with her husband in the ministry. She was active in the children's ministry and the ladies' ministry. She drove a school bus for almost 30 years for the Carlsbad Municipal Schools. Survivors include her husband; a son, the Rev. John Wesley Ward of Silver Lake, Texas; three daughters, Joye Lanell Weaver of St. Cloud, Minn., and Lynna Lea Ward McMillan and Melissa Gail Lewis, both of Carlsbad; five brothers, Virrel Roberts of Littlefield, Glenn Roberts of North Highlands, Calif., Odis Roberts of Eugene, Ore., Archie Roberts of Lockhart and Wayne Roberts of Hereford; two sisters, Leta Campbell and Ruby Campbell, both of Hereford; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. The body will be available for viewing at 9 a.m. today in the funeral home. Robert Edwin Spencer CLAYTON, N.M. - Robert Edwin "Bobby" Spencer, 72, died Saturday, March 29, 1997. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Clayton Church of God with the Rev. Ed Murphy, pastor, officiating. Arrangements are by Hass Funeral Directors. Mr. Spencer was born in Wheeless, Okla. He was a 1940 graduate of Clayton High School. He married Alice Gander in 1954 at France. He was a sergeant major in the Army when he retired in 1968 after 25 years of service. He had lived in Colorado Springs, Colo., since 1988. Survivors include his wife; a son, John Spencer of Colorado Springs; and his mother, Bernice Dance of Clayton. Elsewhere Floyd N. Smith WELLSVILLE, Kan. - Floyd N. Smith, 85, died Sunday, March 30, 1997, at Olathe, Kan. Services were at 4 p.m. Tuesday in First United Methodist Church at Baldwin City with the Rev. David Watson officiating. Arrangements were by Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home of Ottawa. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. today in Memory Gardens Cemetery at Pampa, Texas, with the Rev. Brad Walker, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Canadian, Texas, officiating. Local arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors of Pampa. Mr. Smith was born in Hickory, Okla. He attended elementary school in the Hickory area. He graduated from East Central State at Ada, Okla., with a bachelor's degree. He received a master's degree in education from West Texas State University at Canyon, Texas. He married Maurine I. Williamson in 1938 at McLean, Texas. They lived in the Pampa and El Paso areas until moving to Baldwin City. Mr. Smith was a teacher and taught at various schools in the Pampa and El Paso areas. He retired from the El Paso ISD as vice-principal in 1977. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church at Baldwin City and a former member of the Manhattan Presbyterian Church of El Paso, where he served as an elder and was active in other activities. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Rose M. Hall of Kerrville, Texas, and Judy S. Neslage of Ennis, Texas; a twin brother, Lloyd V. Smith of Edmond, Okla.; three sisters, Annie Dunn of Las Vegas. Nona Robertson of Aberdeen, N.C., and Betty Barrow of South Pines, N.C.; five grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to First United Methodist Church Handicap Accessibility Fund c/o Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, Box 64, Baldwin City, Kan. 66006. Woodrow W. Henry KINGSLAND - Woodrow W. "Woody" Henry, 84, died Wednesday, April 2, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Home with Dr. Larry Ashlock officiating. Burial will be in Lakeland Hills Memorial Park at Burnet County. Mr. Henry was born in Hill County. He was a farmer and rancher. He retired from Ashland Oil Co. after 25 years of service. He married Cecil Charity Hendrick in 1935 at Shamrock. He had lived in Kingsland since 1972, moving from Shamrock. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Kingsland and the Oddfellows of Shamrock. Survivors include his wife; a son, Wayne Henry of Austin; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the American Cancer Society. Area John Charles Meyers PAMPA - John Charles Meyers, 84, died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1997. The body was cremated. Memorial graveside services will be at 11 a.m. today in Memory Gardens Cemetery. The family will be assisted at the graveside by Bobbye Petty. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mr. Meyers was born in Brackenridge, Pa., and had lived in Pampa since 1938. He was a longtime employee of KerrMcGee Oil Co., retiring after 30 years. He was a veteran of the Army Air Corps, serving in the Pacific during World War II. His wife, Lois Louise Shelton, preceded him in death in 1996. Survivors include a daughter, Dianna Louise Isley of San Diego; and a grandson. The family suggests memorials be to Hospice of the Panhandle or the Alzheimer's Association. Ruby White HEREFORD - Ruby White, 86, of Amarillo, a former Hereford resident, died Tuesday, April 1, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Avenue Baptist Church with Johnny Griffith, pastor, and the Rev. Larry Perkins of Frio Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in West Park Cemetery by Gililland-Watson Funeral Home. Mrs. White was born in Jackson County, Okla. She moved to Texas in 1938 from New Mexico. She moved to Deaf Smith County in 1963 from Castro County. She was a homemaker and a Baptist. She married James Raymond White in 1938 at Jackson County. He died in 1984. She also was preceded in death by two sons, Donald Ray White in 1938 and Vernon Ray White in 1965. Survivors include three sons, Charles White of Show Low, Ariz., James Arthur White of Amarillo and Jimmy White of Hereford; three daughters, Shirley Ennis and Betty Williams, both of Amarillo, and Essie Marie Rowland of Cullman, Ala.; three brothers, Carl Mitchell of Yuba City, Calif., Gerald Mitchell of Portales, N.M., and Basil Mitchell of Hereford; 23 grandchildren; and 43 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 226 Ironwood in Hereford. They request memorials be to Jan Werner Adult Day Care or Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. Clara Ary Black MULESHOE - Clara Ary Black, 82, of Stephenville, a former Muleshoe resident, died Tuesday, April 1, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Sudan Cemetery at Sudan with the Rev. Jack Stone, pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Muleshoe, officiating. Arrangements are by Ellis Funeral Home. Ms. Black was born in Greenville, Ark. She married Edd Ary in 1932 at Stigler, Okla. He died in 1977. She also was preceded in death by a son, Charles Ary. She lived in Muleshoe from 1945 to 1984. She had lived in Stephenville since 1989, moving from Roswell, N.M. She was a homemaker. Survivors include three sons, Harvey Ary of Oklahoma City, Mike Ary of Cimarron, N.M., and Ron Ary of Stephenville; a daughter, Shirley Sanchez of Roswell; two sisters, Oma Green of Compton, Calif., and Opal Martin of Levelland; 21 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Rex Alvin Long McLEAN - Rex Alvin Long, 67, died Wednesday, April 2, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. David Drennon, pastor, and the Rev. Thacker Haynes, pastor of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Alanreed Cemetery at Alanreed by LambFerguson Funeral Home. Mr. Long was born in Lelia Lake. He married Gaylia Bomar in 1950 at Clovis, N.M. They moved to McLean in 1956 and had lived there since. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War. He was a cowboy and a Baptist. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Mike Long of Wheeler and Kit Long of Odessa; and four grandchildren. Ray McCullough DUMAS - Ray McCullough, 91, died Wednesday, April 2, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First Street Church of Christ with Art Lynch, minister, and Curtis Camp and Dale Pearson, both of Amarillo, officiating. Burial will be in Northlawn Memorial Gardens by Morrison Funeral Directors. Mr. McCullough was born in Fletcher, Okla. He was a former Amarillo resident and a former longtime resident of Hereford. He had been a Dumas resident since 1976. He served in the Army from 1921 to 1923. He owned the Chrysler dealership in Hereford from 1951 to 1960. He then owned the Tri-State Engine Company from 1960 until retiring in 1967. He was a member of First Street Church of Christ. He served as an elder in both Hereford and Amarillo. He married Alma Kizer in 1930 at Sentinel, Okla. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Shirley Brothers, in 1977. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mary Lou Armstrong of Dumas; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 905 Bennett in Dumas. They request memorials be to High Plains Children's Home, 1501 W. 58th Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79110. Jerry Leroy Berten SHAMROCK - Jerry Leroy Berten, 68, died Tuesday, April 1, 1997. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Ken Cole, pastor of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Shamrock Cemetery by Wright Funeral Directors. Mr. Berten was born in Shamrock and graduated from Shamrock High School in 1947. He attended San Marcos Military Academy in San Marcos and also Southwestern University of Oklahoma at Weatherford, Okla. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War with the 6174th Tactical Con. Group. He managed the Laddie's Store in Shamrock with his mother from 1960 to 1985. Mr. Berten served with the Wheeler and Shamrock fire departments for more than 40 years. He served many years as the Wheeler County Defense Coordinator and Red Cross Disaster Chairman for the Panhandle District. He was past president of the Panhandle Firemen and Fire Marshall's Association and of the Shamrock Ex-Student's Association. He served two terms on the Shamrock City Council and was a past general chairman of the St. Patrick's Association. He was a member of the American Legion Deshazo George Post No. 68 for more than 40 years and had served in most offices. He served many years with Clay Funeral Home Ambulance Service and the Wheeler County Ambulance Service. He had been a member of First Baptist Church since the early 1960s. Mr. Berten married Mary Charles Nunn in 1964 at Shamrock. Survivors include his wife; a son, David Berten of Shamrock; and his mother, Lena Berten of Shamrock. The family requests memorials be to the Shamrock Volunteer Fire Department or the Wheeler Volunteer Fire Department. Oklahoma Alana Kay Kosler KEYES, Okla. - Alana Kay Kosler, 18, died Monday, March 31, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Keyes High School auditorium with Jason Kearney officiating. Sherri Hitchings and Shel Shipley will also speak. Burial will be in Willowbar Cemetery by Cimarron Mortuary of Boise City. Miss Kosler was born in Boise City and raised in Keyes. She attended and graduated from Keyes High School in 1996. While in school she was a member of the student council, FCA and FHA and the track and cross country teams. She also was vice president of her senior class and a school mascot her senior year. Survivors include her parents, Roger and Donell Hunt and Terry and Candi Kosler, all of Keyes; a brother, Adrien Kosler of Keyes; a stepsister, Lori Robertson of Weatherford; grandparents, Bob and Janie Whisennand of Marietta, Don and Leta Stark of Felt, and Vic and Joyce Hunt of Keyes; and great-grandparents, Cliff and Mildred Stark of Ballinger and Chris Hunt of Keyes. The family requests memorials be to the Ronald McDonald House or Northwest Texas Hospital SICU. Memorials will be accepted at Cimarron Mortuary. Earl Sperry MAY, Okla. - Earl Norval Sperry, 81, died Tuesday, April 1, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in United Methodist Church at Follett, Texas, with the Rev. Brad Enloe officiating. Burial will be in Fairmont Cemetery at Follett by Good Samaritan Funeral Service of Woodward. Mr. Sperry was born and raised north of Follett in Beaver County. He graduated from Follett High School. He worked at the Follett Bank. He married Frances Larkey in 1939 at El Reno. They made their home in Follett, where he operated the Phillips 66 station. In 1944, they moved to a farm near May. In addition to farming and ranching, Mr. Sperry was a highway contract mail carrier for 20 years. He retired in 1991. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Follett. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Virginia Hilbig of Booker, Texas, Patti Carrell of Woodward and Janis Yauk of Gate; two brothers, Orville Sperry and Ora Sperry, both of Follett; two sisters, Velma Heil and Lucy Wynn, both of Follett; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.