Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 6 May 1998 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, May 6, 1998, 6:05 AM Area Mildred E. Head MULESHOE - Mildred E. Head, 91, died Sunday, May 3, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Brad Reeves, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Bailey County Memorial Park by Head Family Funeral Home of Levelland. Mrs. Head was born in Lincoln, Neb. She moved by train with her family from Nebraska to Texico, N.M., in 1908. They traveled by covered wagon to Muleshoe. She returned to Red Cloud, Neb., to graduate from high school. She moved back to Muleshoe and lived on a farm the rest of her life. She married Durward B. Head in 1929 at Muleshoe. Mrs. Head attended First United Methodist Church. She and her husband were active in the YL Community church and school. She taught Sunday school, was a youth sponsor and helped with the Women's Society of Christian Service. After the YL Church closed, she transferred her membership to Muleshoe. Her husband died in 1996. Survivors include three sons, Marshal Head of Muleshoe, Norman Head of Levelland and Glenn Head of Brownsville; a daughter, Irene Sudduth of Dry Prong, La.; 10 grandchildren; and 19 greatgrandchildren. Ida Viola Trammell QUANAH - Ida Viola Trammell, 90, died Tuesday, May 5, 1998. Graveside services were at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in Quanah Memorial Park with the Rev. John Spangler, minister of Trinity Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements were by Price-Jackson Funeral Home. Mrs. Trammell had lived in Quanah for 30 years. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church. She married Wilburn Clark Trammell in 1956 at Quanah. He died in 1981. She also was preceded in death by her first husband, Joe Thomas Gracy, in 1956. Survivors include a sister, Lillie Glenn of Quanah. Oliver W. Rafferty PAMPA - Oliver W. Rafferty, 79, died Tuesday, May 5, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church with the Rev. John Valdez, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mr. Rafferty was born in Arkansas City, Kan., and had lived in Pampa most of his life. He was an Army veteran, receiving the rank of sergeant. He served in Burma with the special group Merrill's Marauders. He worked for Atlantic Richfield about 35 years before retiring. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Mr. Rafferty married Maxine Selvidge in 1982 at Las Vegas. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Gary Jackson of Pampa and Michael Jackson of Wichita Falls; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Bill Pittillo OLTON - Bill Pittillo, 64, died Monday, May 4, 1998. Services will be at 3 p.m. today in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Kyle Streun, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Olton Cemetery by Foskey-LilleyMcGill Funeral Home. Mr. Pittillo was born in Fieldton and had been a lifetime Olton resident. He was a farmer and a member of First Baptist Church. He married Rachel Hoskins in 1954 at Portales, N.M. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Kent Pittillo of Plainview, Mickey Pittillo of Olton and Rodney Pittillo of Tulia; his mother, Odessa Holmes of Littlefield; and five grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Olton Ambulance Association, P.O. Drawer Q, Olton, Texas 79064; or the Olton Fire Department, Box 558, Olton, Texas 79064. Sam White Jr. MULESHOE - Sam White Jr., 92, of Lariat, died Monday, May 4, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Lariat Church of Christ with Sam Billingsley, minister, and Condy Billingsley, retired Church of Christ minister of Clovis, N.M., officiating. Burial will be in Muleshoe Memorial Park Cemetery by Ellis Funeral Home. Mr. White was born in Nemo. He moved from Nemo to the Oklahoma Lane community in 1938. He was a farmer and a member of Lariat Church of Christ. He married Juanita Armstrong in 1933 at Nemo. Survivors include his wife; a son, Duane White of Farwell; two daughters, Elanda McDowell of Kalispell, Mont., and Judy Gray of Tyler; a sister, Mildred Hewlett of Cleburne; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a greatgreat-granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to the New Mexico Christian Children's Home, 1356 New Mexico 236, Portales, N.M. 88130-9411. N.B. Nicholas OLTON - N.B. "Buck" Nicholas, 89, died Monday, May 4, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Kyle Streun, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Olton Cemetery by Foskey-LilleyMcGill Funeral Home. Mr. Nicholas was born in Roff, Okla., and attended school in New Hope, Okla. He moved to Olton in 1925. He was a farmer and a member of First Baptist Church. He married Martha Thurmond in 1932 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; a son, J.S. "Buster" Nicholas of Plainview; four daughters, Peggy Carson of Olton, Joyce Hardy of Midlothian, Sylvia Perkins of Amarillo and Gayle Nicholas of Allen; a sister, Faye Hunt of Bedford; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Olton Ambulance Association, Drawer Q, Olton, Texas 79064. Leanne Michelle Russell OLTON - Leanne Michelle Russell, 16, died Saturday, May 2, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church with Terry Connally, pastor of Church of the Nazarene, and the Rev. Kyle Streun, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park in Plainview by Wood-Dunning Funeral Home of Plainview. Miss Russell was born in Hale Center and had lived in Olton all her life. She attended Olton schools and also was homeschooled. She was a member of Church of the Nazarene. Survivors include her parents, Roger and Cindy Russell Jr. of Olton; two sisters, Keashla Russell and Chontell Russell, both of the home; a brother, Payton Russell of Olton; and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Russell Sr. of Olton, Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Williams of Wolfforth and Ona Bynum of Clovis, N.M. Oklahoma Norman L. Shropshire CHICKASHA, Okla. - Norman L. Shropshire, 72, a former Amarillo resident, died Sunday, May 3, 1998. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Amarillo. Arrangements are by Sevier's Funeral Home. Mr. Shropshire was born in Tonkawa. He moved to Amarillo in 1953 from Hutchinson, Kan. He moved to Chickasha in 1993 from Amarillo. He married Wanda Lee Benthusen in 1949 at Hutchinson. Mr. Shropshire had been a purchasing agent for GE Jones Electric. He served in the Navy from 1944 to 1946. He was a past Master of Amarillo Masonic Lodge 731 and a member of the York Rite Consistory. He was a past commander of Knight Templar of Texas 48 and Khiva Shrine Temple of Amarillo. He also was a past Patron of the Amarillo Chapter of Order of the Eastern Star 787. Mr. Shropshire was preceded in death by a son, Dennis Dean Shropshire, in 1980. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Frank Shropshire of Chickasha and Lyndall Shropshire of Omaha, Neb.; a brother, Lloyd Shropshire of Hutchinson; a sister, Carol Shropshire of Hutchinson; and six grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital or the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. The Shropshire family will be at the LaQuinta Inn at Interstate 40 and Coulter Street in Amarillo this evening. Elsewhere Mike Brooks BATESVILLE, Ark. - Mike Brooks, 67, a former Tyler, Texas, resident, died Sunday, May 3, 1998. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Oak Lawn Cemetery with Dr. Don Nall officiating. Arrangements are by Crouch Funeral Home. Mr. Brooks was born in Phillips, Texas. He was a graduate of Culver Military Academy and North Texas State University. He was a veteran of the Air Force. He was a retired respiratory therapist at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. Survivors include a son, Will Brooks of Little Rock; two daughters, Lynn Brooks Hargis of Hot Springs and Leigh Brooks Schmidt of Batesville; his mother, Mary M. Brooks of Borger, Texas; a sister, Mary Ann Ferguson of Whitesboro, Texas; and four grandchildren. Visitation will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday. William Michael Woodburn HOUSTON - William Michael Woodburn, 44, a former Amarillo resident, died Thursday, April 30, 1998, in Amarillo. Services were at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Trinity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Donald Black officiating. Foley's Academy student body had a rooftop balloon send-off at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Foley's Department Store in downtown Houston. Arrangements were by Earthman Funeral Directors, Bellaire Chapel. Mr. Woodburn was born in Amarillo. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from Concordia College at Seward, Neb., and a master's degree from Oklahoma State University. He was a faculty member at Concordia College in Seward from 1978 to 1987. He worked with the Houston Independent School District from 1987 to the present and at Houston Community College from 1988 to the present. Survivors include his wife, Tonya Joan; children, William Cooper III, Martin Joseph, Carl-David Mays and Tessa Irena; his father, Wm. Trousdal Woodburn; two sisters, Kathy Koch and Jan Watson; and three brothers, Paul, Drew and Dan. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Hearts for the Homeless at Trinity Lutheran Church; LCMS New Guinea Mission at St. Louis; the American Heart Association of Houston; Tell the Next Generation Campaign at Trinity Lutheran Church of Houston; or Luther College at Melbourne, Australia. New Mexico Daisy Burks Sandoval NARA VISA, N.M. - Daisy Burks Sandoval, 72, a former Nara Visa resident, died Monday, May 4, 1998, in Elkhart, Kan. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. (MST) Thursday in Nara Visa Cemetery. Arrangements are by Dunn Funeral Home of Tucumcari. Mrs. Sandoval was born in Sedan. For many years she helped her first husband, Tom Burks, at Tom's Grocery, the family grocery store, in Nara Visa. Mr. Burks died in 1969. Mrs. Sandoval had been living in Elkhart for about 11/2 years. Survivors include her husband, Charlie Sandoval; two daughters, Coy Moralez of Clovis and Janell Shultz of Elkhart; a son, Tony Burks of Raton; three stepchildren, Florence Sandoval of Phoenix, Carlos Sandoval of Plainview, Texas, and Yvonne Massey of Tucumcari; two brothers, Ted Lobb of Bosque Farms and Bill Lobb of Tucumcari; 17 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. The body will be available for viewing at the funeral home from 9 a.m. today until Thursday morning. Anne A. Gallegos CLOVIS, N.M. - Anne A. Gallegos, 73, died Monday, May 4, 1998. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in The Chapel. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday in Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Community by the Rev. Tobin Hitt. Burial will be in Mission Garden of Memories by Muffley Funeral Home. Ms. Gallegos was born in Matador, Texas, and had lived in Clovis most of her life. She was a homemaker and a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Community. She also was a member of Senior Companion and the Legion of Mary. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathy Gallegos Stroud, in 1991. Survivors include six sons, Freddie Gallegos of Hobbs, Bobbie Anaya, Steve Gallegos, Art Gallegos and Jimmy Gallegos, all of Clovis, and Charles Gallegos of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a daughter, Patsy Chavez of Clovis; two brothers, Gilbert Anaya and Raymond Anaya, both of Clovis; a sister, Helen Ortiz of Clovis; 15 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Amarillo Tristen Rae Gatlin Tristen Rae Gatlin, 2-year-old son of Larry Gatlin of Amarillo, died Saturday, May 2, 1998. Graveside services were at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery in Canadian with the Rev. Aaron Laverty, pastor of Gageby Baptist Church, and the Rev. Phil Randle, pastor of Johnson Chapel Church in Amarillo, officiating. Arrangements were by Stickley-Hill Funeral Directors of Canadian. Tristen was born and raised in Amarillo. Survivors include his father; his mother, Misty Wooten of Red Oak, Okla.; his grandparents, Dan and Kay Gatlin of Briscoe; and great-grandparents, LaFoy and Catherine Vise of Pampa, and Leta Mae Gatlin of Mobeetie. The family requests memorials be to Creative Care Daycare in Amarillo or the Briscoe Volunteer Fire Department. Delita Burk Woodard Delita Burk Woodard, 44, of Amarillo, died Sunday, May 3, 1998. Services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Colonial Funeral Chapel, 1010 W. Ninth Ave., with the Rev. Anthony Pennington officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Woodard was a lifelong resident of Amarillo. She graduated from Amarillo High School. She had been employed by Great Western Directories. She attended Northwest Baptist Church. She married Steven Woodard in 1995 at Amarillo. Survivors include her husband; two sons, David Spain and Cody Spain, both of Amarillo; three daughters, Heather Woodard, Brandy Nicole Richardson and Tina Marie Woodard, all of Amarillo; four brothers, Gary Burk, Hugh Burk, Bill Burk and Bob Burk, all of Amarillo; and a sister, Deloris Berry of Amarillo. Johnny L. Stewart Johnny L. Stewart, 76, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, May 5, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Christian Heritage Church with Pastor Gary Burd of the church, and Pastors Bobby Stewart and Damon Burrows, family members, officiating. Burial will be in Red Hill Cemetery in Hammon, Okla., by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St. Mr. Stewart was born in Lavon. He moved to Amarillo in 1957 from Hammon. He was a production technician at Pantex before retiring in 1986. He served with the Army from 1942 to 1945. He was a member of Christian Heritage Church and the Amarillo Chapter of the American Legion. Mr. Stewart married Neva Blount in 1946 at Hammon. He was preceded in death by a son, Edwin Lowry Stewart, in 1946. Survivors include his wife; a son, Daniel Stewart of Amarillo; two daughters, Linda Griffin of Amarillo and Kitty Milner of Virginia Beach, Va.; four sisters, Allie Smith of Elk City, Okla., Clellya Schroer of Seymour, Ind., Dessie Webb of Strong City, Okla., and Cleo Trobough of Hammon; and five grandchildren. Visitation will be at the funeral home today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The family requests memorials be to Christian Heritage Church, 900 S. Nelson, Amarillo, Texas. Gladys C. Jones Gladys C. Jones, 79, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, May 5, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40, with the Rev. Windell Taylor, chaplain at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Jones was born in Hackett, Ark. She moved to Amarillo in 1966 from Sonora, Calif. She worked as a manager in the restaurant industry. She was preceded in death by two husbands, John Blevins in 1944 and Bob Jones in 1989; and by a son, Jerry Blevins, in 1962. Survivors include three sons, George Blevins and Bobby Jones, both of Amarillo, and Johnny Blevins of Topaz, Nev.; three daughters, Margaret Rana of Ridgecrest, Calif., Betty Ladd of Fort Worth and Delores Dennis of Lexington, Ky.; a brother, Roy Blackman of Grove, Okla.; 13 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. Mart Clayton Mart Clayton, 83, of Amarillo, died Monday, May 4, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Martin Road Chapel, 1505 Martin Road, with Pastor Faye Roberts of River Road Fellowship and Pastor Troy Bohn of Dayspring Ministries officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Mr. Clayton was born in Plainview. He moved to Amarillo in 1929 from Washington. He opened Mart's Auto Glass in 1948 and owned and operated it until retiring in 1981. He then began the ministry for Faith City Mission at the Village of Hope and the Gospel Light. He also ministered at Bethesda Outreach Center for two years. He became a member of River Road Fellowship in 1993 and was an elder there. Mr. Clayton married his wife, Mona, in 1966 at Tucumcari, N.M. He was preceded in death by a son, Frankie Gordon Clayton. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Beth Lopez, Becky Salazar and Vicki Davidson, all of Amarillo; a sister, Myrza Tow of Amarillo; nine grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Cornerstone Outreach Ministries, 6418 River Road, Amarillo, Texas 79108. Robert E. Barfield Jr. Robert E. Barfield Jr., 35, of Amarillo, died Saturday, May 2, 1998. Services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday in St. Peter's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Frank Swindle of the church and the Rev. Doug Sangster of Reformed Episcopal Church of the Covenant officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery by Schooler Funeral Home Inc., 4100 S. Georgia St. Mr. Barfield was born in Macon, Ga. He lived in Lubbock, Boulder, Colo., Denton and Renton, Wash. He had lived in Amarillo for 20 years. He graduated from Tascosa High School in 1981 and attended Amarillo College. He was a newspaper carrier. He studied Luthiary while in Renton and he studied music at North Texas State University. He was a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. Survivors include his parents, Robert E. "Bob" and Marian Barfield of the home; and two sisters, Ellen Barfield Egbert of Baltimore and Susan Keophila of Amarillo. The family will be at 4311 W. Hills Trail. They suggest memorials be to the Amarillo Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or a favorite charity. Joe Bryan McKee Joe Bryan McKee, 70, of Amarillo, died Saturday, May 2, 1998. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in Llano Cemetery with the Rev. Ken Holmes, associate pastor of Arden Road Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mr. McKee was born in Amarillo and had lived in Amarillo for the past six years. He was a retired carpenter. He was an Army veteran and had received the Purple Heart during World War II. Survivors include a half brother, Billy Joe McKee of Amarillo. Mary Shirley Adams Mary Shirley Adams, 86, of 3617 N.E. 12th Ave., died Monday, May 4, 1998. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Rector Funeral Home Chapel, 2800 S. Osage St., with her husband Glen Adams, pastor of Parkview Christian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Adams was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She moved to Amarillo 43 years ago from Dalhart. She was a homemaker and was active at Parkview Christian Church. She married Glen A. Adams in 1944 at Long Beach, Calif. Survivors include her husband; two sons, John Frederick Adams and James Philip Adams, both of Amarillo; two grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters. The family will be at 3617 N.E. 12th Ave. Karla Johnson Karla Johnson, 57, of Dallas, a former Amarillo resident, died Monday, May 4, 1998. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Roy Kornegay officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mrs. Johnson was born in Amarillo and raised in Colorado. She returned to Amarillo in 1974. She was a graduate of Amarillo College. She was branch manager for Kelly Temporary Services in Amarillo for more than 12 years. She moved to Detroit in 1989 and to Dallas in 1991. At the time of her death, she was area manager for Kelly Temporary Services in Dallas. While in Amarillo, Mrs. Johnson was a longtime member of Panhandle Resource Association. She was active with the women's division of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce. She was a member of the Amarillo Women's Network and First Baptist Church of Amarillo, where she was a Sunday school teacher. She was a member of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. Survivors include a brother, Joe Phillips of Tulsa, Okla.; a stepdaughter, Christy Bruder of Michigan; and three stepgrandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the American Lung Association or Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. The family will receive friends at the funeral home today from 7 to 9 p.m. Truman P. Eubanks Truman P. Eubanks, 88, of Amarillo, died Monday, May 4, 1998. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in Llano Cemetery with Tommy Ewing of Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church officiating. Arrangements are by Colonial Funeral Chapel, 1010 W. Ninth Ave. Mr. Eubanks was born in Comanche and had lived in Amarillo most of his life. He served with the Army in 1943. He worked for the railroad and for several car lots, including Bowen Used Car Lot. Survivors include his wife, Blondell Eubanks. The body will be available for viewing from noon today until service time.