Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 24 Sep 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, September 24, 1997, 6:40 AM Amarillo Marilyn June Wright Marilyn June Wright, 61, of Amarillo, died Monday, Sept. 22, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors Ivy Chapel, 2820 Virginia Circle, with the Rev. David Veazey, pastor of Amarillo Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Wright was born in Emet, Okla. She lived in Pampa for 40 years before moving to Amarillo seven years ago. She married James Charles Wright in 1951. Mrs. Wright was a Baptist. Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Renee Johnson and Tonya King, both of Amarillo; a son, Rickey L. Wright of Amarillo; a sister, Kay Maxwell of Hobbs, N.M.; and seven grandchildren. Nellie L. Thomason Nellie L. Thomason, 78, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. today in Southlawn Assembly of God with the Rev. Jerald Middaugh officiating. Private burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Mrs. Thomason was born in Collingsworth County. She moved to Amarillo in 1942 from Memphis. She married George Thomason in 1937 at Memphis. He preceded her in death. Mrs. Thomason was a homemaker and a member of Southlawn Assembly of God. Survivors include a son, Dwight Thomason of Amarillo; two daughters, Glenda Cole and Audrey Hickman, both of Amarillo; three brothers, Robert Fike of Canon City, Colo., Howard Fike of Amarillo and Raymond Fike of Wellington; two sisters, Oleta Watts of Wellington and Charlene Cleveland of Belton; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Charles Gilbert Davis Charles Gilbert Davis, 65, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Sept. 21, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Schooler Funeral Home Brentwood Chapel, 4100 S. Georgia St., with Rick Mathis, minister of West Amarillo Christian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Davis was born in Clarendon. He owned and operated a photography studio and several lounges. He was co-owner of TASCO and TEX-AM trucking companies. He also was co-owner of Texhoma Farm Lines. He was a Golden Glove boxer. He photographed Alamo Catholic football games and also was active in the Alamo Catholic Booster Club. He was a Baptist. Mr. Davis married Forraine Johnston in 1950. Survivors include his wife; his mother, Winnie Hodges Shuffler of Amarillo; five sons, Charles Trent Davis of Corpus Christi, Steven Dale Davis of Gatesville, Mark Anthony Davis and Matthew Wayne Johnson, both of Amarillo, and Wiley Turman of Las Vegas; a brother, Benny Joe Davis of Amarillo; five sisters, Helen Cheek Green and Charlotte Frost, both of Amarillo, Rhonda Evelyn Jacobs of Tyler, Duwanna Lee Graham of Shreveport, La., and Rene Clay Jordan of Little Rock, Ark.; 13 grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren. The family will be at 2201 N. Woodland. There will be a luncheon at the Travelodge Inn at Nelson and Interstate 40 after the services. Elsewhere Terry Blasingame IRVING - Terry Blasingame, 39, a former Amarillo resident, died Saturday, Sept. 20, 1997. Services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home Chapel with Mark Gomez officiating. Burial was in Oak Grove Memorial Gardens. Mr. Blasingame was born in Amarillo and had lived in Irving for 25 years. He worked for N.C.H. Corporation in Irving and was active in community activities. He married Diane Lynn Ezell in 1983 at Irving. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Amanda Hill, Terese Blasingame and Amber Blasingame, all of Irving; three sisters, Michael Puryear and Chris King, both of Amarillo, and Sherry Kube of New Mexico; his mother and stepfather, Barbara and Harland King of Amarillo; his father and stepmother, Gene and Jan Blasingame of Amarillo; his grandmother, Molly Blasingame of Amarillo; and a grandchild. The family requests memorials be to Cross Roads of Irving. Bill Darden LORENZO - Bill Darden, 82, died Monday, Sept. 22, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in the Lorenzo Church of Christ with Joseph Johnston, minister, and Brad Swygard of Taylor, Neb., officiating. Burial will be in Lorenzo Cemetery by Adams Funeral Home. Mrs. Darden was born in Ralls. She married Joe Darden in 1937 at Oklahoma City. He died in 1993. She was a bookkeeper. She was a member of the Lorenzo Church of Christ, the Lorenzo Senior Citizens and the Lorenzo Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mrs. Darden also was a member of the Lubbock China Painters Guild, the Lubbock Travel Club and the Lubbock Christian University Associates. Survivors include a son, Joe David Darden of Lorenzo; a daughter, Susan Butler of Canyon; a sister, Leatha Thomas of Wellington; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Oklahoma Lula Schroeder Wichert HOOKER, Okla. - Lula Schroeder Wichert, 90, of Hillsboro, Kan., a former Hooker resident, died Sunday, Sept. 21, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Mennonite Brethren Church at Adams with Steve Unruh officiating. Burial will be in Mennonite Brethren Cemetery by Roberts Brothers Funeral Home of Hooker. Mrs. Wichert was born near Hillsboro. She attended French Creek School at Hillsboro for five years and Rosehill School near Lehigh, Kan. Her family moved to Fairview, where she spent her last year at Leslie School, receiving her eighth-grade diploma in 1923. She married Jacob "Jake'' Wichert in 1928. They lived in Fairview for seven months before moving to Adams. In 1969, they moved to Hooker. Mr. Wichert died in 1987. Mrs. Wichert continued to live in Hooker for a short while before moving to Hillsboro. Mrs. Wichert was a member of Mennonite Brethren Church at Adams. Survivors include her children, Harold Wichert of Hooker, Cecil Wichert of Topeka, Kan., Wayne Wichert of Basehor, Kan., Chester Wichert of Denver, Marcella Frantz of Hillsboro and Larry Wichert of Kremlin, Okla.; 17 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Mennonite Brethren Church c/o Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Okla. 73945. New Mexico Dudley C. House CLOVIS, N.M. - Dudley C. House, 46, died Monday, Sept. 22, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Steed-Todd Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Mark Scott officiating. Burial will be in Wheatland Cemetery at Wheatland. Mr. House was born in Clovis. He graduated from Clovis High School in 1969 and attended New Mexico State University. He served in the Army for two years and was stationed in Germany. He was employed by Honetreat Corp. of Clovis. Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Lois and Ray Hale of Clovis; three sisters, Sid Strebeck of Clovis, Bernice Poldrack of Midland, Texas, and Jana Clements of Amarillo; and grandmother, Blanche Ware of Clovis. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Dr. Gerald D. Hastain CLOVIS, N.M. - Dr. Gerald D. Hastain, 82, died Sunday, Sept. 21, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Central Baptist Church with Dr. Tom Martin and Dr. Herbert Bergstrom officiating. Burial will be in Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Dr. Hastain was born in Fairplay, Mo. He graduated in 1943 from Kansas City Western Dental College, now part of the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He remained a clinical instructor for one year. He served in the Navy as a dental officer during World War II, stationed at Jacksonville, Fla. He married Mary Collins in 1944 at Jacksonville. They moved to Clovis in 1945, and he established his dental practice. He retired in 1986. He had made medical-dental mission trips to the Caribbean Islands, Honduras and Kenya, Africa. Dr. Hastain was a member of the New Mexico Board of Dental Examiners for 10 years and had served as president of the New Mexico Dental Association. He had been a president of the Rotary Club and a deacon of Central Baptist Church. He also served on the board of directors of Retirement Ranch and was a Mason and a Shriner. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Dayna Hare of Austin, Texas; two sons, Dr. Edmund Hastain of Breckenridge, Colo., and William Hastain of Albuquerque; a brother, Leonard Hastain of Bolivar, Mo.; and five grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Central Baptist Church building fund, 1501 N. Norris, Clovis, N.M. 88101; or the Alzheimer's Association. Area Richard Lee Uzzell FRITCH - Richard Lee Uzzell, 48, died Monday, Sept. 22, 1997. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. today in St. John's Catholic Church at Borger by Monsignor Harold Waldow of Baptist St. Anthony's Health System in Amarillo and Monsignor Norbert Kuehler, pastor of St. John's Catholic Church. Arrangements are by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors of Fritch. A Wake service will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday in Butler Funeral Home at Kansas City, Kan. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick's Catholic Church at Kansas City by the Rev. Mike Mullen, pastor. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery at Kansas City. Mr. Uzzell was born in Kansas City and had been a Fritch resident for 15 years. He had been a lab technician for Phillips Petroleum Co. for 28 years. He was an Air Force veteran and served in Vietnam. He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church in Borger and St. Theresa's Choir. He also coached soccer teams. Mr. Uzzell married Catherine Cassidy in 1971 at Kansas City. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Aaron Christopher Uzzell of Lubbock and Joshua Lee Uzzell of the home; and a brother, Fred J. Uzzell of Kansas City. The family requests memorials be to Sisters Servants of Mary, 800 N. 18th, Kansas City, Kan. 66102; or Fritch Volunteer EMS, Box 758, Fritch, Texas 79036. Ruthie Lucille Williams BORGER - Ruthie Lucille Williams, 77, died Saturday Sept. 20, 1997. Graveside services were at 11 a.m. Tuesday in New Elmwood Cemetery with the Rev. Lynn Slaughter, pastor of First Assembly of God in Fruita, Colo., officiating. Burial was in New Elmwood Cemetery at Fruita by Brown Funeral Directors. Mrs. Williams was born in Wister, Okla. She moved to Borger two years ago from Fruita, where she lived for 44 years. She was a homemaker and a member of Assembly of God Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thurman Lee Williams, in 1993. Survivors include two sons, Doy Williams of Grand Junction, Colo., and Travis Williams of Fruita; two daughters, La Paris McKinney of Borger and Carol Huff of Haysville, Kan.; two sisters, Vivian Quist of Grand Junction and Opal Lucas of Palisade, Colo.; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Rev. W.T. Perry FARWELL - The Rev. W.T. Perry, 76, of Mission, N.M., a former Farwell resident, died Saturday, Sept. 20, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. (CDT) today in Hamlin Memorial Methodist Church at Farwell with the Rev. Joel Wood, the Rev. Beth Harrington and the Rev. Gene Richardson officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Terrace Cemetery at Farwell by Steed-Todd Funeral Home of Clovis, N.M. The Rev. Perry was born in Houston. He served in the ministry for 28 years. He was on the general board of the Methodist church for 12 years. He also had been a statistician for the New Mexico Methodist Conference for 20 years and a director of training at Sacramento Camp. He served on the board of the Woolworth Foundation at Jal, N.M., and the Lansing Home in Carlsbad, N.M. As a Methodist minister, he served as an associate paster in Tucumcari, N.M., and a pastor at Artesia, N.M. He also served at Wesley churches in Albuquerque, San Jon, Logan, Nara Visa, Farwell, Jal and then in Crane at Crane-Imperial Methodist Church. Rev. Perry was on the board of commissioners of the Methodist Home at Waco. He was a member of the Shriners and Scottish Rite Jal Lodge and Farwell Lodge with a 50-year pin in New Mexico and Texas. Survivors include his wife, Virginia; three daughters, Carol Crenshaw of Roswell, N.M., Barbara Little of Liberal, Kan., and Nancy Hargrave of Cleburne; 13 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Methodist Home in Waco or the Lansing Home in Carlsbad. A.B. Higgins HEREFORD - A.B. "Hap'' Higgins, 86, died Monday, Sept. 22, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in First United Methodist Church with Dr. Tom Fuller, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in West Park Cemetery by GilillandWatson Funeral Home. Mr. Higgins was born in Deaf Smith County. He was a rancher and a Baptist. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and a member of the Shriners. Survivors include his wife, Alberta; two sons, Robert Higgins and Mike Higgins, both of Hereford; two daughters, Lu Anne Black of Paducah and Janis Gordon of Apalachicola, Fla.; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Jewel McSpadden QUANAH - Jewel McSpadden, 79, died Monday, Sept. 22, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Quanah First Baptist Church with the Rev. Larry Brownfield of Faith Baptist Church in Wichita Falls and the Rev. Clinton Young of Quanah officiating. Burial will be in Quanah Memorial Park by PriceJackson Funeral Home. Mrs. McSpadden was born in Goodlett and had lived in Hardeman County all of her life. She graduated from Quanah High School. She married Merlin "Buster'' McSpadden in 1929 at Altus, Okla. Mrs. McSpadden was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Dorothy Moore and Jannita Williams, both of Wichita Falls; three sisters, Flora Mattie Cokendolpher of Wichita Falls, Dorothy Smith of Phoenix and Lola Mae Goree of Tyler; four brothers, W.T. "Dub'' Goodman of Kingston, Ariz., Johnnie U. Goodman of Arlington, Harmon Goodman of Amarillo and Sterling Goodman of Austin; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Parkinson's Foundation. Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Randy Taylor PAMPA - Randy Taylor, 41, died Sunday, Sept. 21, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors Colonial Chapel with the Rev. Paul Nachtigall, pastor of Highland Baptist Church, officiating. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Plymouth Cemetery at Samnorwood. Mr. Taylor was born in Shamrock. He moved to Pampa in 1964 and attended Pampa High School. He was a self-employed carpenter. He attended Highland Baptist Church. Survivors include a son, Joshua Taylor of Branson, Mo.; a daughter, Kristan Taylor of Branson; his parents, Eugene and Martha Ann Taylor of Pampa; three brothers, Keith Taylor, Kevin Taylor and Steve Taylor, all of Pampa; and a sister, Janet O'Neill of Amarillo. The family will be at 1123 E. Kingsmill. They request memorials be to Highland Baptist Church. Kenneth Osborn PAMPA - Kenneth Osborn, 70, died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Central Baptist Church with Dr. Derrell Monday, pastor, and the Rev. Rick Parnell, associate pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mr. Osborn was born in Hollene, N.M. He moved to Pampa in 1932 and then lived in Hollene for 15 years. He returned to Pampa in 1979. He married Marilee Conklin in 1951 at Pampa. Mr. Osborn owned and operated Osborn Service Station from 1947 to 1966. When he moved back to Pampa in 1979, he operated the station again until 1990. He founded Vapor Well Systems and worked there from 1988 until the time of his death. He also was active at the Freedom Museum. He was a Methodist and a veteran of the Army. He was preceded in death by a son, Wesley Osborn, in 1979. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Steve Osborn of Pampa and Doug Osborn of Joshua; three sisters, Thelma Bray of Pampa, Velma Lard of Amarillo and Juanita Gregg of Leesburg, Fla.; and three grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Central Baptist Church building fund or Freedom Museum. Ruby Marie Wooley PADUCAH - Ruby Marie Wooley, 73, died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1997. Graveside services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday in Buck Creek Cemetery near Paducah with the Rev. Sam Crosby of First Baptist Church officiating. Arrangements are by Seigler Funeral Home. Ms. Wooley was born in Cottle County and had been a lifelong Cottle County resident. She was a homemaker and a member of the Baptist church. Survivors include several cousins. Longina Benavides PLAINVIEW - Longina Benavides, 52, died Monday, Sept. 22, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Wood-Dunning Funeral Home Colonial Chapel with Hermilio Perez, pastor of Templo Casa de Oracion, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Cemetery. Ms. Benavides was born in Fashing. She moved to Plainview at a young age from Mathis. She was a homemaker and a member of Templo Casa de Oracion. Survivors include a daughter, Maria Luisa Loya of Plainview; three sons, Ricky Garcia, David Ortiz and Daniel Loya, all of Plainview; four sisters, Dominga Ramirez of Goodland, Mercy Martinez of Salina, Margie Gamboa of Plainview and Connie Castenada of Midland; three brothers, Ausencio Benavides and Javier Benavides, both of Austin, and Felipe Benavides of Plainview; and six grandchildren. Lera Neely Langston SPEARMAN - Lera Neely Langston, 99, died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1997. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Hansford Cemetery with the Rev. B.L. Davis, interim pastor, officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home. Ms. Langston was born in Bolivar. She had lived in the Spearman area for 50 years, moving from Foard County. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by two sons, J.C. Langston and Milford Langston. Survivors include four daughters, Oleta Denham and Viola George, both of Spearman, Katherine King of San Antonio and Della Patchett of Las Vegas; three sons, Frank Langston and Curtis Langston, both of Seymour, and Alvin Langston of Victoria; a sister, Gertrude Howshaw of Downey, Calif.; three brothers, Asa Neely of Frederick, Okla., Orpha Neely of Elgin, Okla., and Omye Neely of Grandfield, Okla.; 25 grandchildren; 62 great-grandchildren; and five great-greatgrandchildren.