Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 24 Dec 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; Wednesday, December 24, 1997, 7:20 AM Amarillo Melvin G. Polson Melvin G. Polson, 62, of Amarillo, died Monday, Dec. 22, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church with Monsignor James C. Gurzynski officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mr. Polson was born in Clayton, N.M., and moved to Amarillo 30 years ago. He retired in 1988 from the FAA as an electronic technician. He was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. Survivors include a daughter, Vanessa Polson of Amarillo; a brother, Charles L. Polson of Hobbs, N.M.; a sister, Gloria A. Polson of Sacramento, Calif.; and two grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Larry Jones Feed the Children. The body will not be available for viewing. New Mexico Charles M. Compton PORTALES, N.M. - Charles M. Compton, 83, died Nov. 13, 1997, in Birmingham, Ala. Graveside services were in Portales Cemetery by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales Inc. Mr. Compton was born in Portales. He attended Portales schools and earned a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He served as an officer in the Coast Guard. He was a CIC officer aboard the USS Pride in the North Atlantic from 1942 until 1945. After returning home, he began working at First National Bank of Portales. He worked there for 40 years, retiring as vice president in 1984. Mr. Compton married Bessie Beall Addicks in 1942 at Portales. She died in 1977. He married Claudia Addicks in 1979. Survivors include his wife. Elsewhere Betty J. Gregory GRANBURY - Betty J. Gregory, 69, died Monday, Dec. 22, 1997. Graveside services were at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Holly Hills Memorial Park with Lee Porter officiating. Arrangements were by Martin's Funeral Home. Mrs. Gregory was born in Quanah and graduated from high school in Childress. She married Harold M. Gregory in 1948 at Denver. She had lived in Colorado Springs, Colo., Houston, Amarillo and Fort Worth. She most recently was living in Hood County near Granbury. She was a homemaker. She had worked as a machine bookkeeper for the city of Amarillo and the city of Denver. She also worked for the Fort Worth Refinery before retiring in 1972. Survivors include her husband; a son, David B. Gregory Sr. of Arlington; a brother, Porter F. Steffey Jr. of Del Rio; four sisters, Anna Mae Hoffman of Pryor, Okla., Beatrice Lawson of Albuquerque, N.M., Jewel Graham of Bedford and Mary Copeland of Lubbock; and a grandson. The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to a favorite charity. Oklahoma Mary Ruth Ryther GOODWELL, Okla. - Mary Ruth Ryther, 72, died Monday, Dec. 22, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Panhandle Centenary United Methodist Church with the Rev. Greg Keith, pastor, officiating. Additional services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Grantham Funeral Chapel in Duncan. Burial will be in Duncan City Cemetery. Local arrangements are by Henson-Novak Funeral Directors of Guymon. Mrs. Ryther was born in Marlow. She graduated from Marlow High School in 1943 and then attended Cameron Junior College. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1947 with a bachelor's degree in speech. He obtained her master's degree in education from Central State University in Edmond. She also had done graduate work at the University of Oklahoma. Mrs. Ryther had a 30-year career as an educator. She was a professor of English and humanities for more than 23 years at Panhandle State University in Goodwell before retiring in 1987. She was a member of Panhandle Centenary United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school for many years. She also was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and the American Association of University Women. She married Ernest Vernon Ryther Jr. in 1949 at Duncan. He died in 1979. Survivors include two sons, Ernest Ryther of Guymon and Richard Ryther of Goodwell; and two sisters, Fern Davis of Marlow and Zada Warren of Wichita, Kan. A Mary Ruth Ryther Memorial has been established for the Next Step Network, Oklahoma Panhandle State University Foundation or Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. Memorials will be accepted at Henson-Novak Funeral Home, Box 1306, Guymon, Okla. 73942. Area Clovis M. Womack BORGER - Clovis M. Womack, 78, died Saturday, Dec. 20, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. today in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Gregg Simmons, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery by Brown Funeral Directors. Mr. Womack was born in Womack and had lived in the Borger area for 54 years. He retired as an operator at the Phillips Rice Plant. He was a member and deacon at First Baptist Church. He married Dorothy Cole in 1940 at Oklahoma City. Survivors include his wife; a son, Clovis Womack of Austin; a daughter, Judy Robbins of Borger; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Lottie Moon Christmas Fund c/o First Baptist Church, Box 470, Borger, Texas 79008-0479. Nina L. Markley DIMMITT - Nina L. Markley, 88, of Tyler, a former Dimmitt resident, died Monday, Dec. 22, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Foskey-Lilley-McGill Funeral Home Ivey Chapel with Cleveland Bass, elder at Primitive Baptist Church in Littlefield, officiating. Private graveside services will be in Castro Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Markley was born in Fluvanna. She lived in Dimmitt before moving to Tyler in 1987. She was a homemaker and a member of Primitive Baptist Church in Tyler. She married Harold O. Markley in 1925 at Erick, Okla. He died in 1988. She also was preceded in death by a son, Windell Markley, in 1977. Survivors include a daughter, Shirley Harris of Tyler; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a great-greatgrandchild. The family will receive friends Friday from 10 a.m. until noon at the funeral home. The family requests memorials be to the Tyler Primitive Baptist Church building fund, P.O. Box 8677, Tyler, Texas 75711-8677. Grace Elizabeth Jones MULESHOE - Grace Elizabeth Jones, 90, a former Muleshoe resident, died Monday, Dec. 22, 1997, in Sulphur, Okla.. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in First Christian Church of Sulphur with Grant Brandt, pastor, and the Rev. Wayne Edgar officiating. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Muleshoe Memorial Park Cemetery with Jim Ed McGuire of Lubbock officiating. Arrangements are by Ellis Funeral Home. Mrs. Jones was born in Kiowa County, Okla., and lived there until moving to West Texas around 1920. She moved to Davis in 1985. She had lived in Sulphur for the last few months. She attended the Lutheran church. She married Lee A. Jones in 1927 at Parmer County. He died in 1963. Survivors include two sons, Melborn Jones of Sulphur and Harold Lavon Jones of Flower Mound; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a greatgreat-grandson. Beulah M. Dees Gilmore SHAMROCK - Beulah M. Dees Gilmore, 92, died Monday, Dec. 22, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Calvary Christian Fellowship Church with the Rev. Joe G. Jernigan, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Dozier Cemetery by Wright Funeral Directors. Mrs. Gilmer was born in Coalgate, Okla. She had lived in Shamrock since 1927. She married Dorsey Gilmore in 1968. He died in 1993. Survivors include two sons, Charles Ballard and Bill Dees, both of Shamrock; a sister, Anna Dorsett of Ontario, Calif.; eight grandchildren; and eight greatgrandchildren. Nellie Adams BORGER - Nellie Adams, 93, died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in the Garden of Love in Westlawn Memorial Park. Arrangements are by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors. Ms. Adams was born in Oklahoma. She was a homemaker and a member of First Christian Church. She had lived at the Borger Healthcare Center for the past eight years. Survivors include friends, Chris and Florene Watson of Borger. Zook Thomas WELLINGTON - Zook Thomas, 85, died Monday, Dec. 22, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in First Baptist Church with Jon Forrest, minister of Woodland Christian Church of Timpson, and Mike Blackledge, minister of First Christian Church of Wellington, officiating. Burial will be in North Fairview Cemetery by Adams Funeral Home. Mr. Thomas was born in Wellington. He married Leatha Bennett in 1932 at White Deer. He was the Collingsworth County judge for 24 years. He was a farmer and rancher. He had worked at The Wellington Leader and at Ralls Banner in Ralls. He also was manager of the Lillie and Wellington gins for several years. Mr. Thomas was a past manager of the Wellington branch of the Memphis Production Credit Association and was a past executive vice president and president of City State Bank. He was an officer of the Wellington Cemetery Association and was director of the Panhandle Community Action Board and the County Parole Board. He was a former trustee of the St. Joseph Hospital Board and former president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. He also had been civil defense director of Collingsworth County. He was an honorary member of the FFA and the 4-H in Quail. He also was active in Scouting. Mr. Thomas was a member of First Christian Church, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Rotary, the Soil Conservation Board and the Masonic Lodge. He also was a board member for the Seven Who Care Award. Survivors include his wife; a son, John Alf Thomas of Wellington; a daughter, Nancy Lindsey of Wellington; five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Wellington Cemetery Association or First Christian Church. Earnest Mae McLaurin PLAINVIEW - Earnest Mae "Maisie" McLaurin, 74, died Sunday, Dec. 21, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in College Heights Baptist Church with the Rev. Don Robertson, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park Cemetery by Wood-Dunning Funeral Home. Mrs. McLaurin was born in Cottle County. She was a homemaker and a member of College Heights Baptist Church. She married Harry McLaurin in 1944 at Plainview. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Connie Davis of Plainview; a son, Charles McLaurin of Lubbock; a sister, Melbra Brown of Fallon, Nev.; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity.