Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 13 Oct 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, October 13, 1997, 6:20 AM Amarillo Thelma M. Miller Thelma M. Miller, 84, of Amarillo, died Friday, Oct. 10, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Martin Road Chapel, 1505 Martin Road with Dr. Stan Coffey of San Jacinto Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano East Cemetery. Mrs. Miller was born in Soldier, Kan., and had lived in Amarillo for 37 years. She married Ted Miller in 1933 at Clovis, N.M. They had lived in California from 1956 until 1970. Her husband died in 1996. She was a homemaker and a member of San Jacinto Baptist Church. Survivors include four daughters, Betty Kizer, Eula Killian and Thelma E. Miller, all of Amarillo and Bertha Holgate of Pearblossom, Calif.; five sons, Kenneth Miller and Ted Ray Miller, both of Amarillo, Forest Miller of Dennison, Billy Everett Miller of Athol, Idaho, and Larry Miller of Paradise, Calif.; 27 grandchildren; 49 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1213 N. Seminole St., and request memorials be to a favorite charity. John F. Sharpe John F. Sharpe, 74, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1997. Cremation was by Memory Gardens Crematory under the director of Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Memorial services will be held at a later date in Virginia. Mr. Sharpe had lived in Amarillo the past 20 years. He was a water equipment salesman for many years. He was an Army veteran of World War II. Survivors include a sister, Sarah Layne of Virginia. Joan Keating Joan Keating, 78, of Amarillo, died Friday, Oct. 10, 1997. Prayer services will be at 6 p.m. today in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors Bell Avenue Chapel, 5400 Bell. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Mary's Catholic Church with Monsignor Francis Smyer of St. Mary's Catholic Church, the Rev. Rex Nicholl and the Rev. Terry Burke, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Keating was born in Rogersville, Miss., and had lived in Amarillo most of her life. She was a graduate of St. Mary's Academy and Amarillo College. Mrs. Keating was a homemaker and a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, St. Mary's Rosary Altar Society and the Catholic Women's Club. She was preceded in death by her husband, Patrick J. Keating, in 1980. Survivors include a son, J. Michael Keating of Amarillo; a brother, Pat Garvey of Amarillo; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1823 S. Virginia and requests memorials be to St. Mary's School, 1200 S. Washington St., Amarillo, Texas 79102. Jacob Brown Jacob Brown, infant son of Brad and Casey Brown of Amarillo, died Thursday, Oct. 9, 1997. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Gene Anderson officiating. Arrangements are by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Jacob was born in Amarillo. Survivors include his parents; grandparents, Danny and Dena Brown of Amarillo and Deana Garrison of Amarillo; great-grandparents, Bill and Kay Bynum of Amarillo; and great-great-grandparents, Marie Loyd of Amarillo, Dorothy Coleman of Lefors and Sue Dixon of Amarillo. Mildred Lemke Mildred Lemke, 89, of Amarillo, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40 with the Rev. Dean Wynn, chaplain of The Canyons Retirement Center, officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Lemke was born in Texas County, Okla., and moved to Amarillo in 1939 from Stratford. She was a teacher. She married Walter H. Lemke in 1932 at Boise City, Okla. He preceded her in death. Survivors include a son, Paul Lemke of Village Mills; a daughter, Wanda Williams of Amarillo; a brother, Raymond McWirter of Aztec, N.M.; two sisters, Alwayne Lemke of Amarillo and Wilma Cameron of Stratford; and three grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Wild Flower Care Center, 5500 W. 9th Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79106. Wanda Faye Love Wanda Faye Love, 52, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. today in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors Bell Avenue Chapel, 5400 Bell St. Ms. Love was born in Beeville and had lived in San Antonio before moving to Amarillo about four years ago. She was a graduate of Southwest Texas. She had been a technical writer for Pantex and was a member of Unitarian Fellowship and Compassionate Friends. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Katherine Temple Braine. Survivors include a son, Jackson Fielding Braine of Amarillo; and a sister, Marie King of George West. The family requests memorials be to the American Cancer Society of the Don and Sybil Harrington Cancer Center. Bernie A. Starker Bernie A. Starker, 84, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 1997. Vigil services were held at 8 p.m. Sunday at Holley Funeral Home in Canyon. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today in Holy Name Catholic Church at Happy by the Rev. Jerry Stein. Burial will be in Happy Cemetery at Happy. Arrangements are by Holley Funeral Home of Canyon. Mr. Starker was born east of Amarillo. He was a retired barber and was the owner of Bernie's Barber Shop in Canyon for 15 years. Survivors include five daughters, Dorothy Smothermon of Murrieta, Calif., Bonnie Buecker of Happy and Anita Belcher, Mary Borchardt and Leta Acker, all of Amarillo; a son, Mike Starker of Amarillo; 18 grandchildren; and 13 greatgrandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. Area James Lee Williams DUMAS - James Lee Williams, 54, died Friday, Oct. 10, 1997. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. today in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Scott Willingham, pastor, officiating. Arrangements are by Morrison Funeral Directors of Dumas. Mr. Williams was born in Tucson, Ariz., and had lived in Dumas since 1980. He was a teacher and a coach. He had been a track coach at Dumas High School. He was a member of the Texas State Teacher's Association; Texas High School Coaches Association; Beta, Beta, Beta, an honor fraternity; and the Biology fraternity. He also served on the Dumas YMCA Board of Directors from 1989 to 1996. He married Sharalon Hoffman in 1964 at Seminole. Survivors include his wife; a son, Shon Michael Williams of Harlingen; a daughter, Shelle Myree Chamblee of Bastrop; his father, C.A. Williams of Monahans; a brother, Jerry Ross Williams of Kermit; and three grandchildren. The family will be at 621 Belmar. The body will not be available for viewing. The family suggests memorials be to the Coach William Memorial Scholarship Fund. Mamie G. Ritter GROOM - Mamie G. Ritter, 92, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Groom United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tom Moore, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Groom Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle in Amarillo. Mrs. Ritter was born in Big Stone, S.D. In 1913, she moved to the Groom area from Oklahoma and in 1959 she moved to Groom where she lived until moving to Amarillo two months ago. She married Roy Ritter in 1923. They farmed and ranched in Gray County, near Groom. He died in 1980. She was a member of Groom United Methodist Church, the Panhandle Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star and the Groom Senior Citizens Association. Survivors include a son, Donald Ritter of Groom; two daughters, Arlene Wallace and Geraldine Wood, both of Amarillo; a sister, Lucy Reeves of Watsonville, Calif.; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Groom United Methodist Church. Luby Dalton Jones McLEAN - Luby Dalton "Casey'' Jones, 92, died Friday, Oct. 10, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Hillcrest Cemetery by Lamb Funeral Home. Mr. Jones was born in Cordell, Okla., and moved to the McLean area in 1925 from Fort Sumner, N.M. He was a retired mechanic. He married Marjorie Fowler in 1963 at McLean. She died in 1995. There are no known survivors. W.H. Vick HEREFORD - W.H. "Harlin'' Vick, 89, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 1997. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in West Park Cemetery with the Rev. Ted Taylor of Hereford Church of the Nazarene officiating. Arrangements are by Gililland-Watson Funeral Home. Mr. Vick was born in Erath County and moved to Deaf Smith County in 1925. He was a farmer and attended the Church of the Nazarene. Survivors include three nephews, Ray Neel of Amarillo, Wayne Neel of Albuquerque, N.M., and Dale Botts of Amarillo; and a niece, Eva Mae Cover of Grants Pass, Ore. Robert Owens FLOYDADA - Robert "Bob'' Owens, 82, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Wendell Horn officiating. Burial with Masonic rites will be in Floydada Cemetery by Moore-Rose-White Funeral Home. Mr. Owens was born in Pilot Point and moved with his family to Floyd County in 1928. He graduated from Dougherty High School. He was the retired owner of W&O Butane Co. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and of Masonic Lodge 712. He married Mildred Reese in 1937 at Floydada. She died in 1988. Survivors include a son, Phillip W. Owens of Floydada; a daughter, Jerry Ann Pearson of Floydada; a brother, Charlie Bill Owens of Belton; a sister, Ruby Gooch of Floydada; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Floydada Nursing Home, 925 W. Crockett, Floydada, Texas 79235; the Floydada Senior Citizens, 301 E. Georgia, Floydada, Texas 79235; or Hospice Hands of West Texas, P.O. Box 1118, Lockney, Texas 79241. Oklahoma Oklahoma Richard Max Curtis LaForge OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Richard Max Curtis LaForge, 62, a former Amarillo resident, died Monday, Oct. 6, 1997. Memorial services were held on Oct. 9, 1997 in the Demuth Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Paul Tanner of the Amazing Grace Chapel officiating. Mr. LaForge moved to Amarillo in 1976 where he worked as a quality control inspector for IBP and later was a salesman for Baxter Lane Co., also in Amarillo. While living in Oklahoma City, he was a businessman. Survivors include two daughters, Lisa L. Horner of Augusta, Kan., and Laura L. Post of Amarillo; two brothers, Jim LeForgey of Portland, Ore. and George LeForgey, of Texarkana; a sister, Judy LeForgey of Portland; and six grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the American Heart Association, 2404 W. 7th Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79101. Elsewhere Pauline Morales MORTON - Pauline Morales, 64, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in Ellis Funeral Home Chapel. Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Tuesday in St. Ann's Catholic Church by the Rev. Ricardo Salditos. Burial will be in Morton Memorial Cemetery. Mrs. Morales was born in Carrizozo, N.M. She moved to Morton in 1974 from Lubbock. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church and the Crusillos. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Vitalia Saenz in 1993. Survivors include four sons, Daniel Ray Ayala, Gilbert Joh Ayala and Alfonso Adam Salazar, all of Lubbock and Mike Saenz of Morton; two daughters, Delia Beth Luebana and Esther Casias, both of Lubbock; four sisters, Gloria Duarte, Janie Lucero and Mary Lucero, all of Morton and Sylvia Avila of Oklahoma; four brothers, Edward Morales and Lorenzo Morales, both of El Paso, Conception Morales of Carrizozo and Filimon Morales of Alamogordo, N.M.; 20 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Harold Dee Holley ODESSA - Harold Dee Holley, 72, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Parkview Church of Christ with Charles Jones and Joe Cross officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens by Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors. Mr. Holley was born in Wellington. He served during World War II in the armed forces in the Philippines. He farmed in Muleshoe for 25 years and retired as sales manager for Odessa Spring Brake and Axle of Odessa. He had been a member of the Church of Christ for 61 years. He married Patsy Ruth Gaston in 1954 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Ann Martin of Midland, Charlotte Benton of Midland and Jan Davis of Houston; a son, Eddie Holley of San Antonio; a sister, Evandena Foster of Channing; and three grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Odessa Christian School, 2000 Doran, Odessa, Texas 79761 or Leukemia Society, 950 Isom, San Antonio, Texas 78218.