Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 9 June 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; Monday, June 9, 1997, 5:55 AM Area Retha A. Nies PERRYTON - Retha A. Nies, 84, died Saturday, June 7, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First Christian Church with the Rev. Roy King officiating. Burial will be at Ochiltree Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home of Perryton. Mrs. Nies was born in Ochiltree County. She had been a lifetime resident of Perryton. She was a homemaker and a member of First Christian Church. She married Fred B. Nies in 1938 at Borger. Survivors include her husband; a son, Fred B. Nies II of Austin; a daughter, Sharon K. Oneil of Little Rock, Ark.; two grandsons and a granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Ochiltree General Hospital Memorial Fund, 3101 Garrett Drive, Perryton, Texas 79070. Eddie L. Garrard BORGER - Eddie L. Garrard, 59, died Saturday, June 7, 1997. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Sunset Cemetery at Stinnett, with the Rev. Don Hill of Central Baptist Church officiating. Arrangements are by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors of Borger. Mr. Garrard had been a lifetime resident of Borger. He moved to Borger from Hobbs, N.M. He was truck driver for G.P. Guinn Trucking for a number of years. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Garrard; two sons, David Garrard of Borger and Dennis Douglas of Oklahoma; a daughter, Julie Litterell of Borger; two brothers, Johnny Garrard and Donald Ray Garrard, both of Borger; a sister, Betty Tiddle of Laurel, Miss.; and five grandchildren. Edwin Gilbert Nichols Sr. PLAINVIEW - Edwin Gilbert Nichols Sr., 75, died Saturday, June 7, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Wood-Dunning Colonial Chapel at Plainview, with Richard Dickerson, pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Amarillo, officiating. Burial will be at Plainview Memorial Park. Mr. Nichols was born in Erin, Tenn. He attended high school in Erin and business college in California. He came to Lubbock in 1942 and moved to Plainview in 1953. He married Ruby Johnson in 1942 at Royalty. He played semipro baseball in Lubbock from 1946 until 1950. He was a district manager for American National Insurance Company for 38 years. He retired in 1987. He was an Air Force veteran, serving during World War II. He was a past member of the Lions Club. He was also a member of Church of Christ. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Cecila White of Plainview, and Sandi Davis of Olton; two sons, Edwin "Ed'' Nichols Jr. of Perryton and Mark Steven Nichols of Bloomingdale, Ill.; two sisters, Virginia Crandall of Plainview and Jane Grace of Rockdale; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. James R. Johnson STRATFORD - James R. Johnson, 53, died Sunday, June 8, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jerry Stewart, pastor, officiating. Burial will be at Stratford Cemetery. Arrangements are by Morrison Funeral Directors. Mr. Johnson was born in Hollis, Okla. He was a heavy equipment operator for Sherman County for many years. He was a member of First Baptist Church. He married Lola Sanders in 1964 at Stratford. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Deirdre Booth and Tamara Seaton, both of Stratford; his mother, Luella Johnson of Stratford; a sister, Nell Ingham of Amarillo; and five grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the American Diabetes Association, 4242 Medical Drive, Suite 7200, San Antonio, Texas 78229. The family will be at 601 N. Poplar in Stratford. Robert L. Kernell PLAINVIEW - Robert L. Kernell, 72, died Sunday, June 8, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Lemons Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Jimmy Dane of Denton, officiating. Burial will be at Plainview Memorial Park. Mr. Kernell was born in Paris. He grew up in the Lakeview community near Petersburg. He moved to Plainview in 1952 and farmed for a short time and then went into auto sales. He was a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include two sons, Bobby Kernell and Kenny Kernell, both of Plainview; two sisters, Violet Arnold of Lubbock, and Emma Junick of Big Spring; and four grandchildren. Elda Hart FRIONA - Elda Hart, 68, died Sunday, June 8, 1997. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Friona Cemetery with Leon Talley of Friona and the Rev. Vergil Ichtertz of Friona, officiating. Arrangements are by Ellis-Blackwell Funeral Home of Friona. Ms. Hart was born in Parmer County. She had been a lifetime resident of Parmer County. She was employed at the Parmer County Hospital for 38 years. She served as administrator for 25 years. She retired in 1996. She was a member of First United Methodist Church. She is survived by a sister, Wanda Hart of Friona. Amarillo John F. Moyer John F. Moyer, 95, of Amarillo, died Friday, June 6, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Chapel of First Baptist Church with Chester O'Brien officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St. Mr. Moyer was born in Silver City, N.M. He graduated from A&M University (now New Mexico State University) in Las Cruces, N.M. He married Ruth Land in 1928 at Granite, Okla. She died in 1977. He worked for the Federal Government Biological Survey for a few years and then went to work for the U.S. Postal Service. He retired in the 1960s as a railway postal clerk. He married Jewell in 1977. She died in 1989. He was a volunteer with the National Association of Retired Federal Employees Palo Duro Chapter, Amarillo Senior Citizens Associations and was a member of First Baptist Church. Survivors include a son, Sherman Moyer of El Cerrito, Calif.; a daughter, Christine Golightly of Placerville, Calif.; three sisters, Mary Kimble of El Paso, Ella Erbacher of Sun Valley, Calif., and Druscilla Cooper of Santa Barbara, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Ware Memorial Care Center, 400 W. 14th Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79101. The body will be available for viewing from 6 to 8 p.m. today. Beatrice Eime Beatrice Eime, 86, of Amarillo, died Saturday, June 7, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in N.S. Griggs & Sons Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd., with Mark Cattau, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, officiating. Burial will be at Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Eime was born in Gordonville. She moved to Amarillo in 1953. She was a nurse in Wichita Falls and Amarillo. She married Melvin Eime in 1950 at Wichita Falls. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Bullock of Amarillo; a sister, Marvis Fraser of Alpine; two brothers, Bill Mitchusson of Denison and James Mitchusson of Bells; two grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Sam Zielke Sam Zielke, 83, of Amarillo, died Friday, June 6, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel, 2820 Virginia Circle, with the Rev. Robert Field, pastor of Southeast Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at Llano Cemetery. Mr. Zielke was born in Coldwater, Kan. He had been a resident of Amarillo since 1961. He worked for Colorado Interstate Gas for 37 years, retiring in 1978 as field station chief operator. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He married Ruth Loewen in 1938 at Clayton, N.M. He was a member of First Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Lynda Diane McDonald, in 1981. Survivors include his wife; two brothers, Elias Zielke of Dalhart, and Leonard Zielke of Amarillo; a sister; two grandsons; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, Texas 79176-0001. Betty Raef Betty "Aunt'' Raef, 75, of Amarillo, died Saturday, June 7, 1997. Rosary will be at 7 p.m. today in Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel, 2820 Virginia Circle. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Francis Hall with the Rev. Terry Burke officiating. Burial will be at St. Francis Cemetery. Mrs. Raef was born in Caw City, Okla. She had lived her entire life in Amarillo. She was a homemaker and a former member of the Sunnyside Club. She was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church. She married George V. Raef in 1941 at St. Francis Community. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Paula Raef of Arvada, Colo.; her mother, Olive Anderson of Amarillo; a brother, Claude Hampton of Amarillo; a sister, Helen Donaldson of Amarillo; two grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. In lieu of flowers, send memorials to St. Francis Catholic Church Building Fund c / o Amarillo National Bank, North Branch, 712 N. Taylor, Amarillo, Texas 79107. Robert McKinley Sr. Robert McKinley Sr., 63, of Amarillo, died Sunday, June 8, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Stephen United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jim Smith, pastor, and the Rev. Dean Wynn, associate pastor, officiating. Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. in Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mr. McKinley was born in St. John, Kan. He graduated from Hooker High School in Hooker, Okla. He received his bachelor of science degree from Panhandle State University in Goodwell. He received his master's degree from the University of Oklahoma and completed graduate work at the University of Arkansas, West Texas State University and the University of Oklahoma Biological Station at Lake Texhoma. He was a professor of biology at Amarillo College for 30 years. He served with the Army from 1953 until 1956. He was a member of the Southwest Association of Naturalists, Oklahoma Academy of Science, Texas Community College Association and the Hooker Masonic Lodge. He was also a member of St. Stephen United Methodist Church, where he was active in the Covenant Sunday school class and served on the administrative board. He married Glenda Stevens in 1962 at Hooker. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Robert McKinley Jr. of Hampton, Va., and Kristopher McKinley of Owasso, Okla.; three daughters, Sandra Burdis and Donna Cleere, both of Amarillo, and Connie Dreher of El Dorado, Kan.; his mother, Gretchen Linnenkamp of Hooker, two brothers, Bill McKinley of Hooker and Bill Nuttle of Canoga Park, Calif.; two sisters, Evelyn Joy Denney of Tujunga, Calif., and Kay Howard of Columbus, Kan.; and nine grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, Texas 79176-0001, or to Robert E. McKinley Sr. Scholarship, care of Amarillo College Foundation, P.O. Box 447, Amarillo, Texas 79105-9973. Elsewhere Jim L. Stanley GRANBURY - Jim L. Stanley, 78, died Friday, June 6, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Wiley Funeral Home at Granbury with the Rev. Frank Harris officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Park in Fort Worth. Mr. Stanley was born in Memphis. He was a retired pest exterminator. He was an Army veteran and a Methodist. He married Madeline Fagan in 1937 at Altus, Okla. Survivors include a son, John R. Stanley of Fort Worth; a daughter, Mary Tagg of Abilene; a sister, Francis Smith of Amarillo; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Betty Lucretia Weir Brock LUBBOCK - Betty Lucretia Weir Brock, 89, died Friday, June 6, 1997, in Amarillo. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Central Baptist Church with the Rev. Wayne McKay, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the City of Lubbock Cemetery. Arrangements are by Sanders Funeral Home. Mrs. Brock was born in Clark County, Ark. She moved to Lubbock in 1927 and later to Amarillo in 1993. She was a member of Central Baptist Church. She worked for the Lubbock Independent School District for 35 years and was food manager at Parsons Elementary for many of those years. She married Elly Leldon "Jack'' Brock in 1937 at Hockley County. He died in 1960. Survivors include a daughter, Jo Ann Goad of Amarillo; two sons, Joe Billy Brock of Hico, and Bobby Dean Brock of Houston; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Mamie Yeates ROARING SPRINGS - Mamie Yeates, 86, died Sunday, June 8, 1997, in Lubbock. Services will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday in First Baptist Church at Roaring Springs, with the Rev. Don Jones, pastor, and the Rev. Johnnie Williams, retired Methodist minister of Lubbock, officiating. Burial will be at Afton Cemetery. Arrangements are by Seigler Funeral Home of Matador. Mrs. Yeates was born in Alice. She moved to Dickens County around 1920. She married Tom B. Yeates in 1929 at Afton. They made their home near Afton in Dickens County for many years and later moved to Roaring Springs. They had recently moved to Lubbock. She was a past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, member of the Predicta Study Club, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Mayflower Society, a former secretary of the Afton Cemetery Association and a former Sunday school teacher. She was also a member of First Baptist Church of Roaring Springs. She was preceded in death by a son, Gerald Yeates, in 1996. Survivors include her husband; a son, Tom. W. Yeates of Lubbock; a sister, Hazel Cummings of Lubbock; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. Wallace McNeil LUBBOCK - Wallace "W.J.'' McNeil, 85, died Saturday, June 7, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. Dale Cain, former pastor of Albuquerque, N.M., and the Rev. Christopher Sutton, pastor, officiating. Burial will be at Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements are by Resthaven Funeral Home. Mr. McNeil was born in Sevire County, Ark. He graduated from Petersburg High School. He moved to Lubbock in 1939. He retired from the McNeil Brothers' Auto Service, of which he was a co-owner. He married Alice B. O'Dell in 1936 at Plainview. She preceded him in death. He was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon since 1949. He was active in the hospital visitation and ministry to the homebound. He served on several committees at Calvary Baptist Church and served two years with the Lubbock Baptist Association evangelical planning committee. He taught junior and senior high boys' Sunday school classes for 35 years. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Myra McNeil of Lubbock; a son, Dwain of Odessa; two sisters, Anna Mae Stapleton and Ruth Seveland, both of Amarillo; a brother, Buck McNeil of Lubbock; a granddaughter; and a great-grandson. The family requests memorials be to Hospice of Lubbock, 4314 S. Loop 289, Lubbock, Texas 79413.