Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 12 Aug 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, August 12, 1997, 6:45 AM Amarillo Ruby Edith Stribling Ruby Edith Stribling, 87, of Amarillo, died Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997. Graveside services will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Rosemount Cemetery at Commerce. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mrs. Stribling was born in Wolf City. She lived most of her life in Houston until moving to Hedley in 1985. She was a homemaker and a Methodist. She married Jewel Stribling in 1956. He died in 1991. Survivors include a son, Mark Stribling of Houston; a sister, Noami Lindley of Cumby; and a brother, Gerald Blount of Hedley. Wynell Gill Wynell Gill, 73, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd., with the Rev. Roy S. Wheeler of Paramount Terrace Christian Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Gill was born in Friona. She worked at Pantex for 40 years. She had been a member of Paramount Terrace Christian Church for several years. Survivors include a son, Greg Gill of Amarillo; and three grandchildren. The family suggests memorials in lieu of flowers be to the American Cancer Society. LaVerne Nugent LaVerne Nugent, 92, a former Amarillo resident, died Friday, Aug. 8, 1997, in New Orleans. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd., with the Rev. Marty Hamrick, associate pastor of Polk Street United Methodist Church, officiating. Entombment will be at Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Nugent was born in Wolf Island, Mo. She was an Amarillo resident from 1909 to 1996, when she moved to New Orleans. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jacob Seborn Nugent Jr., in 1987. Mrs. Nugent was a member of Polk Street United Methodist Church. Survivors include a son, William J. Nugent of Metairie, La.; a granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren. Pete Green Pete Green, 33, of 1041 Pryor St., died Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997. Prayer services will be at 7 p.m. today in Rector Funeral Home Chapel, 2800 S. Osage St. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Rector Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Pat Hoffman of St. Laurence Cathedral officiating. Burial will be in Llano East Cemetery. Mr. Green was born in Fort Worth. He attended St. Laurence Catholic schools. He worked as a door technician at B&Z Overhead Door Co. He married Tonja McNulty in 1984 at Amarillo. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Tara Green of the home; three sons, Peter Lawrence Green Jr. and Seth Lawrence Green, both of the home, and Chance Lawrence Green of Arizona; his parents, Rod and Liz Green of Amarillo; four brothers, Joseph Green, Timothy Green, Mark Green and Ronald Green, all of Amarillo; and his grandmother, Judy Johnson of Hurst. New Mexico Sotero Acuna CLOVIS, N.M. - Sotero Acuna, 61, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997. Rosary was recited at 7 p.m. Monday in Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Community. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today in Our Lady of Guadalupe by the Rev. Daniel M. Balizan. Burial will be in Texico Cemetery by Muffley Funeral Home. Mr. Acuna was born in Amigos, Durango, Mexico. He married Juana Puga in 1952 at Mexico. They moved to Clovis in 1955. Mr. Acuna was the owner-operator of La Pulga Flea Market. He was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Community. He was preceded in death by a son, Tomas, in 1982. Survivors include his wife; five sons, Lorenzo Acuna, Gerardo Acuna, Sotero Acuna Jr., Leonardo Acuna and Isabel Acuna, all of Clovis; four daughters, Modesta Garza, Modesta Ortiz, Antonia Ramirez and Margarita Acuna, all of Clovis; 31 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Elsewhere Dessie Isabel Retherford URBANA, Mo. - Dessie Isabel Retherford, 88, died Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Cantlon Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Norman Cass officiating. Burial will be in White Chapel Cemetery. Mrs. Retherford was born in Tolar, N.M., and raised in Texas. She married Charley Thomas Retherford in 1928 at Amarillo. They owned and operated a dairy farm in Texas. They moved to Urbana in 1953 and then to Drexel; Paola, Kan.; and finally to Lancaster, Minn. After her husband died in 1973, Mrs. Retherford returned to Urbana. She was a member of Urbana Church of Christ. Survivors include five sons, Charles William Retherford of Lewisville, Texas, Lester Roy Retherford of Castle Rock, Colo., Dwayne Retherford of Reed Springs, Wayne Retherford of Raytown and Edgar Lewis Retherford of Fristoe; three daughters, Dorothy Faye Eichler of Warsaw, and Leta Moore and Donna Moore, both of Urbana; a brother, Joseph R. Shackelford of Amarillo; a sister, Sylvia Ellen Waner of McMinnville, Ore.; 21 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren. Frank Pohl MATADOR - Frank Pohl, 88, died Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997. Services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Monte Wike, pastor, and the Rev. Ron Kelley, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Kress, officiating. Burial with Masonic graveside rites will be in East Mount Cemetery by Seigler Funeral Home. Mr. Pohl was born in LaVaca County and moved to Matador in 1933. He graduated from Slaton High School and attended Southern Methodist University and New Mexico A&M. He graduated from Chillicothe Business College. He operated a hardware store in Matador for 35 years before retiring in 1981. Mr. Pohl was a Navy veteran of World War II. He was a member of the Matador Masonic Lodge and First United Methodist Church. He married Lola Knierim in 1935 at South Plains. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Carolyn Limmer of Snyder; two sisters, Annie Petter of West Columbia, Texas, and Tillie Cullar of Abilene; two grandsons; and three great-grandchildren. Oklahoma Lweda Joyce Eagleston TECUMSEH, Okla. - Lweda Joyce Eagleston, 66, died Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997. Graveside memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Little Cemetery with the Rev. Glenn C. Peck of First Baptist Church of St. Louis, Okla., officiating. Arrangements are by Cooper Funeral Home. Ms. Eagleston was born in Eldorado and raised in Reydon. She was a 1947 graduate of Reydon High School. She lived in Amarillo for about 30 years. She was supervisor of housekeeping at Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo for 17 years. After retiring, she moved back to Oklahoma and had lived in Tecumseh since 1994. She was preceded in death by a son, Ivan Leroy Eagleston III. Survivors include a son, Gary Eagleston of Shawnee; five daughters, Loretta Lyles of Red River, N.M., Beth Wright of Seminole, Jackie Marley of Madera, Calif., and Mattie McSperritt and Etta Vawter, both of Tecumseh; three brothers, Roy Robbins of Tecumseh, James Robbins of Dumas and Bill Robbins of Amarillo; three sisters, Mildred Ballew and Ann Seba, both of Lubbock, and Nona Miller of Snow Flake, Ariz.; and 12 grandchildren. The family has established a memorial fund at First United Bank of Tecumseh. Area Ernest C. Gordon MOBEETIE - Ernest C. "Shorty'' Gordon, 89, died, Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First United Methodist Church of Mobeetie with the Rev. Gary Jahnel, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Wheeler Cemetery at Wheeler. Arrangements are by Wright Funeral Home of Wheeler. Mr. Gordon was born in Throckmorton County. As a child, he moved to Wheeler County. He graduated from Wheeler High School. He married Goldie Rebecca Williamson in 1948 at Sanford. She died in 1990. Mr. Gordon served with the Army during World War II. He also was a rancher and a member of First United Methodist Church of Mobeetie. Survivors include two brothers, George Gordon of Monmouth, Ore., and Horace Gordon of Toledo, Ohio; and three sisters, Flora Mae Kelley of Mobeetie, Elda Wilson of Pampa, and Lucille Kilbreath of Lubbock. Dorris Marie Houck PAMPA - Dorris Marie Houck, 69, died Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors Colonial Chapel with Dr. Derrell Monday, pastor of Central Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Mrs. Houck was born in Russell, Okla. She moved to Pampa in 1950 from Mangum, Okla. She attended Clarendon Junior College, where she obtained an associate's degree in 1982. She attended the Tarrant County Junior College Nursing Home Administration School and received her NHA license in 1983. Mrs. Houck was a homemaker and had been an administrator and assistant administrator at Pampa Nursing Home for more than five years. She retired in 1992. She was a member of Central Baptist Church. She married Lindy Houck in 1952 at Mangum. He died in 1967. Survivors include two daughters, Tanya Parks of Duncan, Okla., and Sabrina Nuttall of Englewood, Colo.; a son, Brad Houck of Pampa; a brother, Al Nichols of Fort Worth; and five grandchildren. The family will be at 1700 W. Kentucky. They request memorials be to the American Lung Association, 3520 Executive Center Drive, Suite G-100, Austin, Texas 78731-1601. Norma Lee Parsons PAMPA - Norma Lee Parsons, 66, formerly of Custer City, Okla., died Sunday Aug. 10, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Kern-Schneider-Kiesau Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Clinton, Okla., with the Rev. James Robinson of First Baptist Church of Clinton officiating. Burial will be in Antioch Cemetery, northwest of Arapaho, Okla. Mrs. Parsons was born and raised in Custer County, Okla. She graduated from Independence High School. Following graduation, she attended Draughon's Business College at Wichita Falls. While living in Custer City, she worked as a postal clerk for 13 years. She moved to Pampa five years ago. She married Robert Harold Parsons in 1949 at Wichita Falls. He died in 1989. She also was preceded in death by a son, Larry Parsons, in 1977. Survivors include her mother, Murel Wilson Cordes of Arapaho; three daughters, Patti Smith of Pampa, Gloria Young of Eustice and Barbara Flannery of Weatherford, Okla.; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1325 Sabra Lane in Weatherford. They request memorials be to the Diabetes Foundation. Paulus Burkett DUMAS - Paulus Burkett, 81, died Monday, Aug. 11, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Morrison Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel with Art Lynch, minister of First Street Church of Christ, and Brent Clark of the church officiating. Burial will be in Dumas Cemetery. Mr. Burkett was born in Walnut Springs and had been a Dumas resident since 1966. He was a plant operator at Phillips Petroleum Co. before retiring. He received naval training in San Diego and was a Navy veteran of World War II. He served on the USS Saratoga, the USS Hector and the USS Pensacola. He received the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the American Defense Medal with one star, the Philippine Liberation Medal, the Commendation of Meritorious Mast and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. He married Joetta J. Stockton in 1943 at Fort Worth. Mr. Burkett was a member of First Street Church of Christ and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Kenneth P. Burkett of Pampa and Ronnie H. Burkett of Dumas; a brother, Ted Burkett of Decatur; a sister, Bertie Carr of Dallas; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family will be at 512 Cedar St. They request memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson St., Amarillo, Texas 79101; or the Panhandle Chapter of the American Heart Association, 2404 W. Seventh Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79106. Mattie Kathryn Grieb BORGER - Mattie Kathryn Grieb, 82, died Friday, Aug. 8, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. today in Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Roger Harwerth, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery. Mrs. Grieb was born in Tishomingo, Okla., and had been a resident of Borger since 1934. She retired as a service representative for Southwestern Bell Telephone after 31 years of service. She married Tom Grieb in 1942 at Wichita Falls. He died in 1971. Mrs. Grieb was a member of First Presbyterian Church. Survivors include a son, Steve Grieb of Amarillo. John H. Ballenger TULIA - John H. Ballenger, 93, died Monday, Aug. 11, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Charles Davenport, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery by Wallace Funeral Home. Mr. Ballenger was born and raised in Palo Pinto County. He began working as a barber at an early age in Palo Pinto County. He attended barber school in Fort Worth and barbered for two years in Burleson. He moved to Tulia in 1928. He barbered for Red Atchley in the Olympic Barber Shop for 15 years. He bought the business in 1943. He barbered for 71 years and retired at the age of 87. He received his real estate broker's license in 1947. He was the official national weather observer in Tulia from 1969 to 1989. He was on the Volunteer Fire Department in Tulia for 22 years. He was a member of First Baptist Church. He married Gladys Stallings in 1945 at Tulia. She died in 1992. Survivors include two sons, Richard Ballenger of Tulsa, Okla., and Jack Ballenger of Tulia; a brother, Clarence Ballenger of Bluff Dale; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Tulia Cemetery Association.