Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 29 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; Monday, December 29, 1997, 7:42 AM Area Ella Jane Wilbanks Collier HAPPY - Ella Jane Wilbanks, 89, died Sunday, Dec. 28, 1997. Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Lonny Poe, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery by Brooks Funeral Directors of Canyon. Mrs. Collier was born in Erath County. She was member of First Baptist Church. She married V.E. Collier in 1933 at Olton. He preceded her in death in 1970. Survivors include a son, Jack Collier of Happy; and a daughter, Jane Dixon of Friona. The family requests memorials be to Prairie Acres Nursing Home, 201 15th, Friona, Texas 79035 or First Baptist Church of Happy, Box 95, Happy, Texas 79042. Eunice Crume FARWELL - Eunice Crume, 78, died Saturday, Dec. 27, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the 5th and Ave. C Church of Christ with Dennis Dillon, minister, officiating. Burial will be in Oklahoma Lane Cemetery by Ellis Funeral Home of Muleshoe. Mrs. Crume was born in Stone County, Ark., and lived in the Texico-Farwell area since moving from Progress in 1945. She was a postal clerk in Texico. She was a member of the 5th and Ave. C Church of Christ and involved in the Progress Club and the Farwell Quilting Club. She was Poet Laureate of the Caprock District of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs in 1977, 1979, and 1980. One of her paintings was displayed in the office of Bruce King, governor of New Mexico. She married Charlie Crume in 1950 at Clovis, N.M. He preceded her in death in 1966. Survivors include four stepsons, Dick Crume of Lubbock, Kirk Crume of Albuquerque, Charles Crume of Orlando, Fla., and Bill Crume of Columbus, Ga.; a stepdaughter, Mary Lou Taylor of Friona; and a number of grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to New Mexico Children's Home in Portales, N.M. Bettie Jo Damon TEXLINE - Bettie Jo Damon, 68, died Saturday, Dec. 27, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Texline Church of Christ with D.C. Brown, minister, officiating. Burial will be in the Texline Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton, N.M. Mrs. Damon was born in Brownwood. She lived most of her life in Texline, graduating from Texline High School. She is preceded in death by her first husband, Ervin William Decker, in 1968; a daughter, Phyllis Jean Jameson in 1982; and a granddaughter, Susan Decker in 1985. She married O.C. Damon in 1976 at Amarillo. Survivors include her husband; two sons, Dale E. Decker of St. Louis, Mo., and Wayne Lee Decker of Poulsbo, Wa.; a daughter, Sharon Kay Kinser of Dimmitt; three brothers, Eldon E. Crumpton of Abilene, A.V."Pete" Crumpton of Texline, and Robert A. Crumpton of Clayton, N.M.; two sisters, Dorothy L. Waide of Texline, and Joyce Armstrong of Higgins; seven grandchildren; and three great-granddaughters. Lawrence R. McClellan GRUVER - Lawrence R. McClellan, 76, died Sunday, Dec. 28, 1997. Services will be at 10 a.m. at First Christian Church with the Rev. Gary Gumfory, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Gruver Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home of Spearman. Mr. McClellan was born in Gruver and was a lifelong resident. He was employed as a propane truck driver and was a member of First Christian Church. He married Betty Parrish in 1942 in Denver. Survivors include his wife; a son, Larry McClellan of Dallas; a daughter, Camelia Bell of Clarendon; a brother, Elmo McClellan Jr. of Gruver; three sisters, Anne Sanders of Spearman, Mary Burnett of Denver, Dorothy Mann of Tallahasee, Fla., Marguerite Millican of New Braunfels; and four grandchildren. Bessie Ola Rhodes LITTLEFIELD - Bessie Ola Rhodes, 91, of Lubbock and formerly of Littlefield, died Friday, Dec. 26, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Hammons Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Calvin Gray, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Littlefield Memorial Park. Mrs. Rhodes was born in Whitt. She was a homemaker and avid gardener. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde Rhodes, in 1978. Survivors include four sons, Dale Mixon of Garland, Royce Mixon of Littlefield, Clyde Rhodes Jr. of Pantego, N.C., and Michael Rhodes of Granbury; a daughter, Janice Burton of Lubbock; three stepsons, Elton Rhodes of Las Cruces, N.M.; Nolan Rhodes of Corpus Christi, and Lawrence Rhodes of Ruidoso, N.M.; 18 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and numerous great-great-grandchildren. Vesta Taylor RALLS - Vesta Leora Brents Taylor, 92, died Sunday, Dec. 29, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Adams Funeral Home with Ken Free, minister of Emma Church of Christ, officiating. Burial will be in the Ralls Cemetery. Mrs. Taylor was born in Stigler, Okla., and moved to Ralls in 1919. She was a farmer and member of the Church of Christ. She married Charles Oren Taylor in 1931 at Ralls. He died in 1957. She also was preceded in death by a son, Adrian Taylor, in 1984. Survivors include two grandsons, Charles "Chuck" Taylor of Amarillo, and Greg Taylor of Lubbock; a brother, Travis Brents of Grandview; a sister, Gladys Reese of Ralls; and five greatgrandchildren. Elias A. Velasquez LUBBOCK - Elias A. Velasquez, 70, formerly of Amarillo, died Saturday, Dec. 27, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in W.W. Rix Chapel with the Rev. Ezekiel Contreras of Amarillo officiating. Burial will be in Peaceful Gardens by Rix Funeral Directors. Mr. Velasquez was born in Yoakum. He lived in Amarillo for 12 years before moving to Lubbock in 1994. He served in the armed forces during the Korean conflict. He was employed as a carpenter and was a member of the Assembly of God church. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Rebecca Velasquez, and a son, Ernest Velasquez, both in 1997. He married Aurora Gonzalez in 1981 in Manteca, Calif. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Daniel Velasquez of Amarillo, and Elias Velasquez Jr. of Modesto, Calif.; two daughters, Patsy Garza of Edinburg and Sandra Velasquez of Modesto; two brothers, Lorenzo of Chicago and Gilbert of Edinburg; two sisters, Martha Ortiz of Austin and Rebecca Fasia of Houston; and 18 grandchildren. Amarillo Sandy Long Sandy Long, 58, of 4401 W. 3rd St., died Friday, Dec. 26, 1997. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Blackburn Shaw Chapel with Dr. Wylie "Buff" Hearn of St. Paul United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be at Llano Cemetery by Blackburn Shaw Funeral Directors, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Mrs. Long was born and raised in Iowa. She moved to Amarillo from Carmel, Calif., in 1983. She owned Alex's 66 Antique Mall for the past 2 1/2 years. She married Dick Long in 1958 in Iowa. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Julie Pine of Amarillo; two sons, Jason Long and Dick Long, both of Amarillo; and a sister, Alice Tillerson of Amarillo; and six grandchildren. The family will be at 4401 W. 3rd. Street. Sally Ruth Carroll Sally Ruth Carroll, 65, died Saturday, Dec. 27, 1997. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Rector Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Windell Taylor, chaplain of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, officiating. Burial will be at Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Carroll was born in Plainview and moved to Amarillo in 1958. She was employed as a bookkeeper for Pantex for more than five years and for the Chasewood Apartments for more than 12 years. She was a member of the Church of Christ. Survivors include a son, Dirk Carroll of Amarillo; and three sisters, Ollie Mae Reece and Emma Huffine, both of Amarillo, and Flora Lou Johnson of Albuquerque. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, 200 NW 7th, Amarillo, Texas 79107. The family will be at 4204 S. Parker. Davis Summitt Davis Summitt, 87, formerly of Amarillo, died Thursday, Dec. 25, 1997 in Indio, Calif. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mr. Davis was born in Cook County. He lived in Amarillo until 1966 when he and his wife moved to California. He was a mechanical welder. He was a member of West Amarillo Christian Church. He married Othella Brown in 1936 at Amarillo. He was preceded in death by a son, Terry Summitt, in 1953. Survivors include his wife of Indio, Calif.; a daughter, Dena Bayne of La Quinta, Calif.; a sister, Sara Jane Tipps of Whitesboro; and two grandchildren. The family will be at the Fairfield Inn, 6600 I-40 West and requests memorials be to Coachella Valley Christian Church, P.O. Drawer 000, Indio, Calif., 92202, or a favorite charity. Dollie A. Cozad Dollie A. Cozad, 85, died Sunday, Dec. 28, 1997. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Llano Cemetery with the Rev. J.L."Jim" Bozeman, retired Baptist minister, officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mrs. Cozad was born in Oklahoma and had lived in Pocatello, Idaho, 50 years. She moved to Amarillo a year ago. She was employed in retail sales until her retirement. She was a member of the Gate City Southern Baptist Church in Pocatello. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ivan Cozad, in 1953. Survivors include two sons, Darryl Cozad of Kalispell, Mont., and Calvin Cozad of Angola, Ind.; two daughters, Sue Devenber of Pocatello, Glenice Thompson of Amarillo; a brother, Neal Pendley of Cortez, Colo.; 14 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 4301 West Hills Trail. Floyd B. Hardin Floyd B. Hardin, 64, formerly of Liberal, Kan., died Sunday, Dec. 28, 1997. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Miller Chapel with the Rev. Robert Bennet of Amarillo officiating. Burial will be in Forgan Cemetery in Forgan, Okla., by Miller Mortuary of Liberal, Kan. Mr. Hardin was born in Fannshaw, Okla., and moved to Liberal in 1953. He was employed by the Light Mill and Grain and was a milk delivery person for Meadow Gold Dairy for eight years. He retired as order filler for Nash-Finch Warehouse in 1983. He moved to Amarillo in 1995. He married Frankie Conrad in 1951 at Lawton, Okla. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Curtis Hardin and Doug Hardin, both of Liberal; a daughter, Cindy Henness of Amarillo; a brother, Hiram Mills of McAllister, Okla.; two sisters, Ruth Franks of Mansfield and Betty Emery of Childress; five grandchildren; and four greatgrandchildren. Friends may call at the Miller Mortuary from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.