Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 16 May 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; Friday, May 16, 1997, 6:29 AM Area William Frank Goffinet MEMPHIS - William Frank Goffinet, 83, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in the Church of Christ with Tom Anderson and the Rev. O.K. Bowen officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery by Spicer Funeral Home. Mr. Goffinet was born in Memphis. He married Lois Richardson in 1934 at Childress. He was employed with the U.S. Postal Service in Memphis for many years. He was on the board of the Fairview Cemetery Association and a member of the Church of Christ. Survivors include his wife; a son, William Dan Goffinet of Sayre, Okla.; a daughter, Theresa Juanella Pritchett of Garland; three sisters, Lucille Berry of Lakeview, Eunice Floyd of Memphis and Elizabeth Hodgson of Norman, Okla.; a brother, W.J. Goffinet of Grand Prairie; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to the Fairview Cemetery Association, Box 265, Memphis, Texas 79245. Mary E. Nix TULIA - Mary E. Nix, 83, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Wallace Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Charles Davenport of First Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. Mrs. Nix was born in Tulia and attended school there. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. She married John Scott Nix in 1934 at Clovis, N.M. He died in 1983. Survivors include a son, Johnny T. Nix of Tulia; a stepdaughter, Beth Werger of Amarillo; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center in Amarillo or the Tulia Cemetery Association. Ruth Sanders Damron HALE CENTER - Ruth Sanders Damron, 86, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. John Erwin, pastor, and the Rev. Elton Wyatt, pastor of St. Luke's Methodist Church in Lubbock, officiating. Burial will be in Resthaven Mausoleum in Lubbock by Freeman Funeral Home of Hale Center. Mrs. Damron was born in Venus. She attended school at Venus and Frederick, Okla., and then attended North Texas Teachers College. She married Ollie Lee "Doc'' Damron in 1932 at Venus. They moved to Milford and then to Hale Center in 1942. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and a lifetime member of the Pioneer Study Club and the Order of the Eastern Star Lemond Lodge Chapter. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Becky Dent of Lubbock; a brother, Dr. Bevie T. Sanders of Tempe, Ariz.; a sister, Emily Smiley of Phoenix; a granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren. The family will receive visitors from 4 to 5 p.m. today at the funeral home. They request memorials be to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Drawer R, Hale Center, Texas 79041; or Hale Center Library, P.O. Box 214, Hale Center, Texas 79041. Ruby Elizabeth Walden QUANAH - Ruby Elizabeth Harrington Walden, 89, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Price-Jackson Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Clinton Young officiating. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. in Rosehill Cemetery at Tulia. Mrs. Walden was born in Hollis, Okla. She married John Y. Harrington in 1922 at Vernon. He died in 1962. She married O.H. Walden in 1970 at Plainview. He died in 1983. She had lived in Quanah since 1985, moving from Tulia. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church of Tulia. She also was a a 50-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Survivors include a daughter, Jerline Richardson of Ashland, Mont.; a son, John Harrington of Quanah; two sisters, Lanie Dunlap of Oklahoma City and Jewel Short of Chillicothe; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Vera Tow WELLINGTON - Vera Tow, 89, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Quail Cemetery at Quail with the Rev. Elvis Pitts, retired Baptist minister, officiating. Arrangements are by Adams Funeral Home. Mrs. Tow was born in Quail. She married William T. Tow in 1929 at Quail. They farmed in the Quail community until retiring in 1962. They then moved into Wellington. Mr. Tow died in 1996. She was a member of Faith Baptist Church. Survivors include three sons, Wayne Tow of Hartford, Conn., Calvin Tow of Amarillo and Gaylon Tow of San Angelo; two brothers, Johnny Young of Frankston and Kerna Young of Buckley, Wash.; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Quail Cemetery Association. Amarillo Mamie Jewel Merchant Mamie Jewel Merchant, 87, a former longtime Amarillo resident, died Saturday, May 10, 1997, in Midland. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Summitt Baptist Church with the Rev. Tom Black and the Rev. Rickey Hatter officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Mrs. Merchant was born in Honey Grove. She retired from Amarillo College, where she had been a head pastry cook. She lived in Amarillo for more than 53 years before moving to Midland in 1992. She was a member of Summitt Baptist Church for more than 50 years. She attended Mission Adult Day Care for more than four years. She married Lloyd R. Merchant in 1933 at Lamesa. He died in 1985. She also was preceded in death by two sons, Lloyd D. Merchant and Eugene R. Merchant, both in 1992. Survivors include a daughter, Loretta J. Lunsford of Midland; a son, Leonard R. Merchant of Amarillo; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. O.G. Hardison O.G. "Bud'' Hardison, 90, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Burgess-Fry-Owens-Brumley Funeral Home Chapel at Bowie with Dr. Ronnie Lawson of First Baptist Church in Bowie officiating. Burial will be in Tage Cemetery at Bowie. Arrangements are by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St. Mr. Hardison was born in Montague County and had lived in Amarillo for 32 years. He married Audie Lee Snow at Montague County. She died in 1944. He was a member of Tage Baptist Church. Survivors include a daughter, Evelyn Stewart of Amarillo; a grandson; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity or organization. Daisy D. Shrader Daisy D. Shrader, 83, of Amarillo, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Llano Cemetery with Dr. Charles Jones of Second Baptist Church officiating. Arrangements are by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Martin Road Chapel, 1505 Martin Road. Mrs. Shrader was born in Nacogdoches. She was a homemaker and a member of Second Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by two husbands, James Duffy in 1938 and James E. Shrader in 1982. Survivors include two daughters, Joyce Haiduk and Barbara King, both of Amarillo; two stepdaughters, Delight Bonner of Guymon, Okla., and Noey Shrader of West Palm Beach, Fla.; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Winona M. Smith Winona M. Smith, 86, of 711 S. Nelson St., died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street, with the Rev. Lynn Garrett of First Baptist Church, Elder J.R. Smith and Dr. Charles Price of First Baptist Church of Canyon officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Smith worked for the Amarillo ISD in the cafeteria for 20 years before retiring. She was a member of First Baptist Church. She married Garland Smith in 1928 at Vernon. She was preceded in death by a son, Jimmy R. Smith, in 1979. Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Carolyn Sue Tomlinson of Amarillo and Janice L. Terry of Boise City, Okla.; a son, Don L. Smith of Amarillo; 15 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. The family will be at 711 S. Nelson St. They request memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. today. Elsewhere Winifred A. Force SALINA, Kan. - Winifred A. Force, 76, died Tuesday, May 13, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Thomas Reid officiating. Burial will be in Roselawn Memorial Park by GeisendorfRush Smith Funeral Home. Mrs. Force was born in North Hampton, Ohio, and moved to Amarillo in 1966. She was a homemaker and a member of PEO Chapter BX and the League of Women Voters from 1970 to 1997. She also was a Lioness, a member of UPW Circle 5 and Friends of the Land. She had volunteered for Meals on Wheels from 1970 to 1995 and also did volunteer work at the hospital. She sang at the Messiah Festival for 20 years. Survivors include her husband, Ronald; four sons, Eric Force of Tucson, Ariz., Bryan Force of Santa Fe, N.M., Hugh Force of Fort Collins, Colo., and Gregory Force of Hays; a sister, Dorothy Burkhalter of Rossville, Ga.; and four grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Columbia Road Health Service, 1660 Columbia Road N., Washington, D.C. 20009. New Mexico Cecil Defoor TEXICO, N.M. - Cecil Defoor, 60, died Tuesday, May 13, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Steed-Todd Funeral Home Chapel at Clovis with the Rev. Kelvin Copeland and the Rev. Mike Morris officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Terrace Cemetery at Farwell, Texas. Mr. Defoor was born in House and had been a longtime resident of Farwell and Texico. He was a member of Church of God. He married Mary Helen Roberts in 1956 at Avondale, Ariz. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Barbara Kaltwasser of Keystone, Iowa; a son, John Defoor of Wilmington, N.C.; parents, E.O. and Daisy Defoor of Fort Sumner; a sister, Juanita Booth of Phoenix; a brother, Kenneth Defoor of Phoenix; and six grandchildren. Oklahoma Allen Matthew Ellison SAYRE, Okla. - Allen Matthew "Matt'' Ellison, 87, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Sayre First Assembly of God Church with Jim Banks and Damon Akins officiating. Burial will be in Delhi Cemetery by Rose Chapel Funeral Service. Mr. Ellison was born in the Spring Creek community south of Sayre. He was raised in the Spring Creek area and went to school there before graduating from Delhi. He then began farming. He married Gladnie Towry. She died in 1943. He later married Mary Lee Bonnifield. They operated the 283 Gin and Country Store before he enlisted in the Navy. He served with the Seabees during World War II. After being discharged he returned to western Oklahoma and opened a laundry business in Sayre. He moved to Washington in 1954 to farm. After his wife, Mary, died, he returned to Sayre and worked for the police department and the county. He attended the Assembly of God Church. Mr. Ellison married Luedeen Henson in 1964 at Sayre. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Nadine Holland of Lawton; a son, Gary Ellison of Sayre; a brother, Elmo Ellison of Shamrock, Texas; seven grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and eight greatgreat-grandchildren.