Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 17 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; Saturday, May 17, 1997, 7:58 AM Amarillo Mary Alice Glenn Mary Alice "Mrs. Lawrence Glenn'' Glenn, 83, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997, at Edmond, Okla. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. today in Llano Cemetery with Dr. Alan J. Meenan, minister of First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Mrs. Glenn was born in Tulsa, Okla. She moved to Amarillo in 1949 from Lubbock. She was a homemaker and a member of First Presbyterian Church. She married B. Lawrence Glenn in 1931 at Tulsa. He died in 1992. Survivors include three nieces, Shirley Royer and Carole Harrington, both of Oklahoma City, and Louise Cutchaw of Atlanta. The family will be at 2039 S. Bowie St. They suggest memorials be to First Presbyterian Church. Rittie G. Ward Rittie G. Ward, 77, of Amarillo, died Friday, May 16, 1997. There will be no services. Cremation was by Memory Gardens Crematory. Arrangements were by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Ms. Ward was born in Perryton. She worked for Amarillo Paper Co. and Service and Supply Co. and retired from Westinghouse Corp. She was a folk music connoisseur and a lifetime member of the Kerrville Folk Music Festival. Survivors include a daughter, Danna Garcia of Amarillo. The body will not be available for viewing. Earl W. Mills Earl W. Mills, 64, of Amarillo, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Burkburnett Cemetery at Burkburnett. Arrangements are by Owens-Brumley Funeral Home. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors Ivy Chapel, 2820 Virginia Circle, with the Rev. Marty Hamrick, associate minister at Polk Street United Methodist Church, officiating. Mr. Mills attended public school in Burkburnett and graduated from Burkburnett High School in 1950. He served with the Air Force from 1951 to 1955. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Midwestern University at Wichita Falls in 1958 and a master of education degree from Midwestern in 1965. He taught at Grandfield, Okla., for two years and moved to Amarillo in 1960. While in Amarillo he taught at Horace Mann Junior High School for one year and then spent 14 years teaching at Amarillo High School, where he served as a student council sponsor and taught in the business education department. Following the fire that destroyed Amarillo High School in 1970, Mr. Mills coordinated the efforts of students and exstudents who entered the building to save the school's art collection, trophies and memorabilia. Mr. Mills served as coordinator of Secondary Instructional Services for Amarillo ISD from 1975 until retiring in 1990. As coordinator, he provided direction for the school district's programs in business education, journalism, speech, drama and foreign languages. Survivors include a sister, Betty Anthony of Tulsa, Okla. The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, Texas 79176; or a favorite charity or organization. Willa Dean Love Willa Dean Love, 57, of Amarillo, died Friday, May 16, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in SchoolerGordon Funeral Directors, Bell Avenue Chapel, 5400 Bell St., with Troy Matthews officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Mrs. Love was born in Oklahoma City and had lived in Amarillo for 40 years. She married Elmer Love in 1956 at Plainview. She was a homemaker and a member of Caprock Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband; four sons, Delmer Love, Donnie Love and John Love, all of Amarillo, and Alvin Love of Armour, S.D.; her mother, Elsie Matthews of Amarillo; two brothers, Synott Matthews of Mangum, Okla., and Marvin Matthews of Papua, New Guinea; a sister, Elsie Deloris Wilson of Washburn; 11 grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. The body will be available for viewing Sunday morning at the funeral home. Opal Griffin Opal Griffin, 81, of Amarillo, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd., with Elder R.A. Tindall of Amarillo Primitive Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Griffin was born in Quinton, Okla. She was a member of Amarillo Primitive Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd, in September 1996. Survivors include a son, Roger Ray of Amarillo; two sisters, Wilma Serdahl of Amarillo and Lee Appel of Lyons, Kan.; two brothers, John Whittington of Amarillo and Bob Whittington of Goodnight; two granddaughters; and a great-grandson. The family will be at 6802 Cloud Crest Drive. They request memorials be to Amarillo Primitive Baptist Church, 914 Colorado St., Amarillo, Texas 79108-5014. Oklahoma Franklin Miles SHATTUCK, Okla. - Franklin Miles, 76, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997, at Enid. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in First Christian Church at Gage with the Rev. Nancy Woods officiating. Burial will be in Shattuck Memorial Cemetery by Good Samaritan Funeral Service. Mr. Miles was born on the family farm north of Shattuck. He was raised in the Shattuck area and attended school there. He enlisted in the Navy and served during World War II in the Pacific Theater aboard the USS Prairie. He married Beulah Maye Lutz in 1947 at Shattuck. They lived on a farm near Fargo and later lived between Fargo and Gage. In 1976 they moved to Shattuck. He was a member of First Christian Church of Gage and a lifetime member of the Woodward Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1335. He was a handyman. Mrs. Miles died in 1981. Survivors include a son, Fenton Miles of Woodward; a daughter, Barbara Poe of Norman; two sisters, Anna Margaret Strader of Shattuck and Martha McCreary of Amarillo; and six grandsons. Sam E. Fields GUYMON, Okla. - Sam E. Fields, 85, died Thursday, May 15, 1997, in Amarillo. Family graveside services will be today in Elmhurst Cemetery with the Rev. Odie Nunley officiating. Arrangements are by Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home. Mr. Fields was born in Glasgow, Mo., and moved to Guymon in 1929. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. He married Cleone M. Forman in 1948 at Raton, N.M. He was an electrician and owned and operated Fields Electric for more than 30 years before retiring in 1985. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Guymon Veterans of Foreign Wars and Guymon Masonic Lodge. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth Bonner Fields, and an infant daughter. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Jacque Flynt of Amarillo and Roxanne King of Gallatin, Mo.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Memorials will be accepted at Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1112, Guymon, Okla. 73942. New Mexico Loyd F. Fernandez CLAYTON, N.M. - Loyd F. Fernandez, 83, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. today in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church with the Rev. Joseph Kuehner, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors. Mr. Fernandez was born in Union County. He was a rancher and had lived most of his life in the Clayton area. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of the Catholic church. Survivors include two brothers, Fred Fernandez and Tim Fernandez, both of Denver; and two sisters, Rebecca Ulibarri and Mary Lopez, both of Denver. Area Richard Earl Pate CANADIAN - Richard Earl Pate, 54, died Wednesday, May 14, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in First Christian Church with Bishop Roger Roundy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officiating. Burial will be in Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery by Stickley-Hill Funeral Directors. Mr. Pate was born in Big Spring and raised in Houston. He moved to Tucson, Ariz., in 1957 and graduated from Rincon High School at Tucson. He moved to Canadian in 1994. He served four years in the Marine Corps and two years in the Marine Corps Reserves. He enlisted in the Air Force after serving in Vietnam, Okinawa and Taiwan. He retired after 16 years. Mr. Pate coached seventh- and eighthgrade basketball and football while living in Nevada. He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a Sunday school teacher and was active in the state missionary service. After moving to Canadian, he was an active supporter of the Canadian Wildcat Booster Club and was an employee of Hemphill County Hospital. He married Barbara A. McAdams in 1969 at Tucson. Survivors include his wife; his mother, Gladys L. Pate of Appomattox, Va.; a daughter, Tina Harris of Canadian; a son, Sean Pate of Canadian; a foster son, Josh Moran of Canadian; a sister, Lory May of Appomattox; and a granddaughter. The family suggests memorials be to Canadian Wildcat Booster Club, 1828 Willard, Canadian, Texas 79014. Michael Alexander Diaz HART - Michael Alexander Diaz, infant son of Michael and Amy Diaz, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. today in Hart Cemetery with the Rev. Roger Velasquez officiating. Arrangements are by Foskey-Lilley-McGill Funeral Home of Dimmitt. Michael was born in Dimmitt. Survivors include his parents; a brother, Ryan Diaz of Hart; grandparents, Willie and Gloria Diaz, and Ray and Amelia Velasquez, all of Hart; great-grandparents, Joe Velasquez, Manuela Rodriquez, and Mel and Dominga Gonzales, all of Hart; and great-great-grandparents, Romanita Reyna, and Beatrice and Manny Fernandez, all of Hart. Betty Joyce Wilkinson SHAMROCK - Betty Joyce Wilkinson, 69, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Church of Christ with Sid Smith, minister, officiating. Burial will be in Dozier Cemetery by Wright Funeral Directors. Mrs. Wilkinson had lived most of her life in Shamrock. She married Joe Wilkinson in 1945 at Wellington. She was a member of the Church of Christ and the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary. Survivors include her husband; a son, Joe F. Wilkinson Jr. of Aurora, Colo.; two daughters, Margret Wasilewski of West Wellington, Conn., and Carolyn Wilkinson of Waco; a sister, Theda of Washington; and six grandchildren. Velma Rhyne BORGER - Velma Rhyne, 93, died Thursday, May 15, 1997, in Dumas. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Brown Funeral Directors Chapel of the Fountains with the Rev. Weldon Rives officiating. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery. Mrs. Rhyne was born in Eastland County and had been a Borger resident for 46 years. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Andrew's United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Phillip, in 1989. Survivors include two sons, P.D. Rhyne of Dumas and Dale Rhyne of Borger; four grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren. Kellie Carter PAMPA - Kellie Carter, 18, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Briarwood Church with the Rev. Lynn Hancock, pastor, officiating. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Memorial Park Cemetery at Amarillo by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Miss Carter was born in Borger and had been a lifelong resident of Pampa. She was a 1996 graduate of Pampa High School and had been active in track and drama. She also had been a Red Cross volunteer. She had completed her freshman year at Texas Tech University, where she was majoring in history. She had planned to later join the Marine Corps and then work for the FBI. She was a member of Briarwood Church. Survivors include her mother and stepfather, Bonnie and Terry Cox of Fritch; her father, Don Carter of Pampa; and grandparents, Doris M. and Virgil Eckroat of Pampa, Vernon and Wilma Carter of Bessie, Okla., and Betty Langston of White Deer. The family requests memorials be to the American Red Cross. Chester L. Pyle SPEARMAN - Chester L. Pyle, 73, died Thursday, May 15, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Rose Hill Cemetery at Tulia with Trey Morgan officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home. Mr. Pyle was born in Elmore City, Okla., and had lived in Spearman for more than 30 years. He was a farmer. Survivors include a son, Jackie Wayne Pyle of Happy; two daughters, Patsy Pinwell and Karen Pyle, both of Fort Worth; two sisters, Wanda Hodges of Plainview and Clara Mahan of Fort Worth; and a brother, Joe Pyle of Guymon, Okla. G.W. Swimmer SUNRAY - G.W. Swimmer, 86, died Friday, May 16, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Morrison Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel at Dumas with Sister Roena Sanders, lay minister from Sunray, and Darla Newbold, niece, officiating. Burial will be in Lane Memorial Cemetery at Sunray. Mr. Swimmer was born in Vian, Okla., and had been a resident of Sunray since 1947. He was a crane operator for Pott Ash. He was a member of the Pentecostal Assembly of God. He married Lucille Esther Baker in 1939 at Geary, Okla. She died in 1996. Survivors include three sons, Lonnie Swimmer of Clinton, Okla., Donnie Swimmer of Sunray and Terry Swimmer of Dumas; a daughter, Yvonne Bradshaw of Denver; three sisters, Arietta Linton of Belen, N.M., Jackie Ellison of Texhoma, Okla., and Christina Kurger of Michigan; 14 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1221 Mills. They request memorials be to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Panhandle Chapter, 715 Lamar St., Amarillo, Texas 79106. Janyth Elaine Estes WELLINGTON - Janyth Elaine Estes, 49, died Tuesday, May 13, 1997, in Dallas. Graveside services will be at 4 p.m. today in North Fairview Cemetery with the Rev. Johnny Tims, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Adams Funeral Home. Ms. Estes was born in Wellington and graduated from Wellington High School in 1965. She spent the last eight years in New York City working as a legal secretary. She had returned to Wellington recently. Survivors include her mother, Lola Estes of Wellington; and a sister, Cheryl Clinton of Graham. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Virginia Barkley Renfro SPEARMAN - Virginia Barkley Renfro, 87, died Friday, May 16, 1997. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Hansford Cemetery with the Rev. Jeff Lust, pastor of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home. Mrs. Renfro was born in Hansford. She had lived in the Spearman area for 14 years, moving from Midland. She married Harley Renfro in 1955 at Lubbock. He died in 1983. She was a graduate of Texas Woman's University in Denton. She retired from the civil service and was a member of First United Methodist Church. Survivors include two sisters, Reba B. Huffhines of Amarillo and Gertrude B. Archer of Spearman; and a brother, Freeman Barkley of Spearman.