Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 16 Jan 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 J.E. Battenfield Jr. J.E. Battenfield Jr., 72, a longtime Amarillo automobile dealer, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1997. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. today in Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors Ivy Chapel, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mr. Battenfield was born in Portales, N.M., and had lived in Amarillo most of his life. He was a Baptist. He had been in the car business in Amarillo since 1950. He owned 21 car dealerships here and in Colorado Springs, Colo., over a long career. The dealerships included American Motors (Rambler) and Chrysler new car operations. He was named to the dealers' advisory board of American Motors in 1964. Mr. Battenfield started work in 1980 on a bejeweled 1963 Corvair Monza after his wife, Jean, died in an automobile accident on Interstate 40. After pictures of the car ran in the Sunday News-Globe in 1985, regional and national publications discovered it as well. Texas Monthly ran a color photo and short article on the vehicle about two months later. Seven Japanese stations, CNN and BBC contacted him, as well as stations in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Although offered several thousand dollars for the car, Battenfield said in a 1987 Globe-News interview that he would not sell it. He planned to bequeath it to a museum. He was a Marine Corps veteran and was wounded while in combat on Okinawa during World War II. He also saw duty in the Marshall Islands. He received the Purple Heart Award. He also had been president of Jebco Safety Research Dept. Survivors include a son, Ron Battenfield of Amarillo; two daughters, Linda Smith of Amarillo and Becky Schneider of Tucumcari, N.M.; a brother, Jim Battenfield of Amarillo; two sisters, Evelyn Green of Hillsboro, Ore., and Betty Malson of Amarillo; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family will be at 3305 Gramercy Parkway following the services. The family suggests memorials in lieu of flowers be to the Presbyterian Children's Home, 3400 Bowie St., Amarillo, Texas 79109. Frankie Lou Denny Frankie Lou Denny, 70, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Memory Gardens Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. Larry Stone, pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mrs. Denny was born in Mountain Home, Ark., and had lived in Amarillo since 1957. She married Harold Harding Denny in 1947 at Tucumcari, N.M. She was a catalog supervisor for JC Penney for 25 years and had been a member of the JC Penney retiree club for six years. Survivors include her husband; two sons, Steve Denny of Channing and Randy Denny of Amarillo; two brothers, Lon Goettsch of Amarillo and Bill Goettsch of Tucson, Ariz.; a sister, Betty McEntire of Amarillo; four grandchildren; and a greatgrandchild. The family requests memorials be to the Don and Sybil Harrington Cancer Center, 1500 Wallace Blvd., Amarillo, Texas 79105. Alma L. Mosely Alma L. Mosely, 90, of Amarillo, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Mosely was born in Durant, Okla. She was a homemaker and a Baptist. She married Ed Mosely in 1927 at Amarillo. He died in 1955. Survivors include a daughter, Alma Jo Ford of Fort Gibson, Okla.; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. New Mexico Alex Brown TEXICO, N.M. - Alex Brown, 56, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1997. Services will be at 1 p.m. today in Texico Baptist Church with the Rev. Bob Brown officiating. Burial will be in Mission Garden of Memories at Clovis by Steed-Todd Funeral Directors of Clovis. Mr. Brown was born in rural Texico. He graduated from New Mexico State University with a mechanical engineering degree. He worked for North America Aviation as a design engineer on the first stage of the Apollo moon rocket. He was a team member in development of large scale water desalinization by reverse osmosis. He worked in Australia on standardizing railroad gauges in all states. He also worked in agriculture in Kansas and Wyoming before returning to New Mexico to continue in agriculture. He also worked with a HOST program in Clovis schools tutoring in math and English. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Texico. Survivors include a brother, Dee J. Brown of Texico; three sisters, Beryl Goody of Clovis, Anita Weems of Las Cruces and Joanne Scott of Moorestown, N.J. The family suggests memorials be to New Mexico Boys Ranch. Mabel Crow FARWELL - Mabel Crow, 97, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Masonic Cemetery at Las Cruces, N.M., with Tom Elliott and John Wearden officiating. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home of Clovis, N.M. Mrs. Crow was born in Weatherford. She married Bryan Jeff Crow in 1918 at Dicey. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1933 and a daughter, Lorraine Crow Armstrong, in 1966. Survivors include five grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Farwell Volunteer Fire Department or to the Farwell Convalescent Center. Nick Payton CLAYTON, N.M. - Nick Payton, 47, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1997. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church. Arrangements are by Hass Funeral Home. Mr. Payton was born in Dodge City, Kan., and lived in Bucklin, Kan., until his family moved to Clayton in 1956 and purchased the Union County Leader. He attended Clayton schools and worked in the Leader printing plant. He began his career as a newspaper photographer at The Record-Courier in Gardnerville, Nev. He then was a photographer for the Alamogordo Daily News and the Las Cruces Sun-News. He later became the advertising director for a weekly newspaper in suburban St. Louis and was a regional advertising executive with the Kroger grocery store chain also in the St. Louis area. Mr. Payton was the editor and publisher of the Union County Leader for 16 years. While he was publisher, the Leader became one of the largest weekly newspapers in the state. Throughout the 1990s, the Leader won 23 first-place awards in the annual New Mexico Press Association newspaper contests. Mr. Payton was instrumental in forming a local corporation that purchased the Eklund Hotel in 1991. He served as the corporation's first president. He also was an active member of the Clayton Rotary Club. He was an avid wine collector, an avocation that led to hosting three wine tasting dinners in Clayton that were recognized nationally for their interest in the wine world. He also was a gun collector. Survivors include his wife, Brandy Payton; his mother, Betty Sellers of Clayton; a sister, Lani Hammond of Amarillo; and a brother, Tony Payton of Arlington, Va. The family requests memorials be to the Nick Payton memorial scholarship fund to encourage students from Union and Harding counties to seek a college education. Memorials can be sent to the Leader office. The body will be available for viewing today at the funeral home. Elsewhere Carmelita Wendel MOUNT STERLING, Ohio - Carmelita Wendel, 59, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1997. Services will be at 8 p.m. today in Eberle Funeral Home at London, Ohio, with the Rev. Gordon Ell officiating. Cremation will follow. Survivors include her husband, Dana O. Wendel; six daughters including Cheryl Creech of Borger, Texas, and Ella Marie Hatcher of Amarillo; two sons; her parents, James E. and Mallissa E. Leister of Amarillo; a sister, Tommie Spivey of Amarillo; 20 grandchildren; and four greatgrandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to the Wendel family c / o Eberle Funeral Home, 103 N. Main St., London, Ohio 43140-1144. Friends may visit the funeral home from 5 to 8 p.m. today. [ISMAP] Area Jewell Inez Judkins PAMPA - Jewell Inez Judkins, 90, died Tuesday, Jan. 14, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors Colonial Chapel with Dr. Jim Prock, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Mrs. Judkins was born in Hunt County. She moved to Pampa in 1959 from Denison. She married William T. Judkins in 1921 at Sister Grove. He died in 1977. She was an alterations clerk at Bentley's and Gilbert's for many years. She was a member of First Baptist Church and the B&PW Sunday school class. Survivors include three daughters, Evelyn Epps and Beadie Baird, both of Pampa, and Doris Smith of Levelland; two sisters, Pansy V. Turley of Garland and Aline Waits of Albuquerque, N.M.; a brother, E.S. Keller of Tom Bean; five grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to the American Cancer Society or Pampa Meals on Wheels. Rosalie Ruth Ussery BORGER - Rosalie Ruth Ussery, 74, died Friday, Jan. 10, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Brown Funeral Directors Chapel of the Fountains with the Rev. David Jones, pastor of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery. Mrs. Ussery was born in Laredo and had been a longtime Borger resident. She was a homemaker and a Methodist church member. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Roy Ussery, in 1980. Survivors include two sons, Earl G. Ussery of Henderson and Wayne L. Ussery of Redmond, Wash.; and five grandchildren. Raymond Sever STINNETT - Raymond Sever, 68, a former Stinnett resident, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1997, in Muskogee, Okla. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Brown Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Charles Fisk officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Cemetery. Mr. Sever was born in Tulsa, Okla. He lived in Stinnett before moving to Muskogee where he had been a longtime resident. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Stinnett. He was a former employee of Fields & Co., and was the former manager of the Borger Hotel. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marjorie Helen Sever, in 1972. Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Sever of Muskogee; a son, Dennis Sever of Midland; two daughters, Deborah Jo Tarpley of Houston and Leslie Jean Prouty of Stillwell, Kan.; a brother, James E. Sever of Lubbock; a sister, Kathryn Curry of San Antonio; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Lena Lois Daniell SUDAN - Lena Lois Daniell, 89, of Grants Pass, Ore., a former Sudan resident, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1997. Services were at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Chapel of the Valley Funeral Home at Grants Pass with the Rev. Lance Garrett officiating. Burial was in Hawthorne Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Daniel was born in Wapanucka, Okla. She married Acie Daniell in 1924 at Eldorado, Okla. She lived in Sudan for many years before moving to Grants Pass. She was a homemaker and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Survivors include her husband; a son, Donley Daniell of Grants Pass; a daughter, Darlene Hall of Utica, N.Y.; a brother, Martin Hall of Borger; three sisters, Mig Hooper of Eldorado, Ruth Huber of Houston and Jurahee Bahler of Albuquerque, N.M.; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a great-greatgrandchild. Delsie Oleta Beard Sanders DUMAS - Delsie Oleta Beard Sanders, 72, died Monday, Jan. 13, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Morrison Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel with Beale Denton, elder at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church in Amarillo, officiating. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in Morton Memorial Cemetery at Morton. Mrs. Sanders was born in Floyd County and had been a lifetime resident of Dumas. She was a sales clerk for several department stores in Dumas. She was a member of Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church in Amarillo. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Garland Woodrow Beard, in 1975. She married Eugene D. Sanders in 1987 at Dumas. Survivors include her husband; eight sons, Garland Dale Beard and Martin Gale Beard, both of Dumas, Eugene D. Sanders Jr., Don Sanders, John Sanders, James R. Sanders and Duane Sanders, all of Amarillo, and Bobby Sanders of Lubbock; three daughters, Jeana Glover of Barton, Fla., Donna Walton of Amarillo and Dovie Poole of Dumas; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family will be at 306 W. 7th in Dumas. Blanche Stewart BOOKER - Blanche Stewart, 90, of Anaheim, Calif., a former Booker resident, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First United Methodist Church of Booker with the Rev. Royce Scott officiating. Burial will be in Heart Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home of Perryton. Ms. Stewart was a farmer and rancher. Survivors include a son, Dwight Trosper of Oceanside, Calif.; a daughter, Rhea Rutz of Yorba Linda, Calif.; three brothers, Charles Custer of Logan, Okla., Desley Custer of Booker and Leslie Custer of Balko, Okla.; three sisters, Isabel Barnett of Perryton, Ruth Albin of Follett and Bernetta Brower of Balko; nine grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a greatgreat-grandchild. George B. Butler DUMAS - George B. Butler, 76, died Tuesday, Jan. 14, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Hunt Memorial United Methodist Church with the Rev. Stephen Gaines, pastor, officiating. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Hillcrest Garden of Memories at Hillsboro. Arrangements are by Morrison Funeral Directors. Mr. Butler was born in Hill County. He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1937 and from Hill County Junior College in 1941. He had lived in Dumas since 1976, moving from Boise City, Okla. He was an aerial engineer in the Army during World War II. He married Inez Dorsey in 1977 at Midland. He was a line foreman for Southwestern Public Service Co. for 27 years before retiring in 1985. He was a member of Hunt Memorial United Methodist Church and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union. He was preceded in death by a son, George Bryant Butler Jr., in 1989. Survivors include his wife; a stepdaughter, Billie Marie Easter of Azle; two sisters, Peggy Serkness and Cleo Burk, both of Clifton; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family will be at 209 Chelsea in Dumas. They request memorials be to the American Cancer Society, 211 Zauk, Dumas, Texas 79029. Carl Wayne Reeves TULIA - Carl Wayne Reeves, 74, died Tuesday, Jan. 14, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. Don Auten, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery by Wallace Funeral Home. Mr. Reeves was born in Swisher County. He grew up in Tulia and graduated from Tulia High School. He married Georgia Height in 1947 at Tulia. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and the Masonic Lodge. He served three years in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1978 after 30 years of service. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Eddie Reeves of Tulia and Joey Reeves of Plainview; a sister, Hazel Thompson of Boise City, Idaho; and six grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Calvary Baptist Church Building Fund. Randy Wilkerson FRIONA - Randy Wilkerson, 35, of Crowell, a former Friona resident, died Sunday, Jan. 12, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. Vergil Ichtertz, pastor, and the Rev. Brent Rashall officiating. Burial will be in Friona Memorial Park by Ellis-Blackwell Funeral Home. Mr. Wilkerson was born in Friona and graduated from Friona High School in 1979. He had lived in Crowell for one month, moving from Lazbuddie. He was a cowboy and worked with cattle. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Survivors include a daughter, Averi Wilkerson of Dora, N.M.; his father, Junior Wilkerson of Clarendon; his mother, Katie Mae Wilkerson of Clarendon; a brother, Ronnie Wilkerson of Lazbuddie; and a sister, Debbie Pool of Big Spring. Lee Stevenson BOVINA - Lee Stevenson, 83, died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Neely Landrum, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Bovina Cemetery by Ellis-Blackwell Funeral Home of Friona. Mrs. Stevenson was born in Lockney. She married Earl D. Stevenson in 1931 at Elida, N.M. He died in 1995. She had lived in Bovina since 1952, moving from Elida. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Bovina Women's Study Club and the Ladies Bridge Club. She also taught Sunday school for many years. Survivors include two sons, Oakley Stevenson of Bovina and Gary Stevenson of Austin; a daughter, Lexie Mitcham of Sachse; a sister, Wanda Cooper of Carlsbad, N.M.; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Roy L. Shepperd MATADOR - Roy L. Shepperd, 88, died Tuesday, Jan. 14, 1997. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Ron Kelley, pastor, and the Rev. Steve Ulrey, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Wellington, officiating. Burial will be in East Mound Cemetery by Seigler Funeral Home. Mr. Shepperd was born in Ira, Scurry County. He married Clemie Parker in 1934 at Plainview. She died in 1988. He moved to Matador from Throckmorton in 1988. He was a rancher and cowboy and a member of the Baptist church. Survivors include a daughter, Eunice McFall of Quitaque; a brother, Clifford Shepperd of Lubbock; two sisters, Lylin Knight of Tahoka and Floy Parker of Anton; two grandchildren; and four greatgrandchildren. Frank E. Watson HEREFORD - Frank E. Watson, 83, died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Gililland-Watson Funeral Home Rose Chapel with the Rev. H.W. Bartlet of Temple Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Rest Lawn Memorial Park. Mr. Watson moved to Deaf Smith County in 1945 from Vega. He married Belmont Bourlan in 1940 at Silverton. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of Temple Baptist Church and the Masonic Lodge. He worked at an implement and auto body shop. Survivors include his wife; a son, Doug Watson of Shawnee, Okla.; seven brothers, L.A. Watson of McAlester, Okla., Ores Watson of Wichita Falls, Marvin Watson and Bill Watson, both of Hodgen, Okla., Loyd Watson of Tyler, and Dorsey Watson and Duane Watson, both of Wagoner, Okla.; three sisters, Eula Caldwell of Canyon, Inez Vaughn of McAlester and Lillian Qualls of Iola, Kan.; and a granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to Hereford Senior Citizens or Deaf Smith Health Care Foundation.