Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 8 Jan 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; Thursday, January 8, 1998, 6:52 AM Area John Robert Ballard VEGA - John Robert "Wassy" Ballard, 68, of Baton Rouge, La., a former Vega resident, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 1998. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Vega United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mark Phillips, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery by Vega Funeral Home. Mr. Ballard was born in Vega. He was a retired employee relations manager for Texaco Inc. At the time of his death, he was employed by Casino Rouge. He married Barbara Wiseman 43 years ago. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Menda Jane "M.J." Ballard of Baton Rouge, Julie Blauser of Phoenix and Sandra Anne Ballard of Las Vegas; a son, Burt Ballard of Gonzales, La.; and six grandchildren. The family will receive friends at the church Friday from 9 a.m. until service time. They request memorials be to the Greater Amarillo Chapter of the American Red Cross, 1800 S. Harrison, Amarillo, Texas, 79102. Ray Jack James PLAINVIEW - Ray Jack James, 78, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the First Baptist Church sanctuary with Dr. Travis Hart, pastor, and Dr. Roy McClung, president emeritus of Wayland Baptist University, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park by Lemons Funeral Home. Mr. James was born in Stratford, Okla., and grew up in Grandview and Littlefield. He moved to Littlefield in 1924 and graduated from Littlefield High School. He was engaged in farming. Mr. James served in the Navy in 1945. In 1949, he moved to Plainview and continued to farm until 1983. He had been co-owner of Larson Turner Implement Co. since 1964. He served on the Central Plains Regional Hospital Board from 1968 until 1977. He was a member of First Baptist Church and the Formby Sunday School class. He married Lillian Carpenter in 1938 at Roswell, N.M. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Judy Evans and Kay Shannon, both of Plainview; three sons, Jerry James, Rickey James and Tommy James, all of Plainview; a brother, J.D. James of Plainview; four sisters, Mary McCarty of Edmonson, and Helen Pair, Joyce McBride and Faye Gaston, all of Plainview; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the First Baptist Church building fund. Mac Carter DUMAS - Mac Carter, 84, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Scott Willingham, pastor, officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in Goodnight Cemetery in Goodnight by Morrison Funeral Directors. Mr. Carter was born in Fisher County. He had been a resident of Dumas and Moore County since 1937. He retired as superintendent of the gas department of Diamond Shamrock. He was a member of First Baptist Church and the Dumas Noon Lions Club. He married Belva Harrison in 1934 at Goodnight. She preceded him in death in 1997. Survivors include a son, Charles Douglas "Doug" Carter of Bedford; two sisters, Elsie Airington of El Paso and Vernie Carter of Roscoe; a granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren. The family will be at 717 Mills. They requests memorials be to Goodnight Cemetery, c/o Verna Massie, Rt. 1 Box 36, Claude, Texas 79109; or to the North Plains Babe Ruth League, Box 1123, Dumas, Texas 79029. Roy Dale Hall SHAMROCK - Roy Dale Hall, 49, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today at the First United Methodist Church with Red Dukes of Allison and the Rev. Mark Thomas of Shamrock officiating. Burial will be in Shamrock Cemetery by Wright Funeral Directors. Mr. Hall was born in Cordell, Okla. He lived and went to school in Allison until moving to Shamrock in 1968. At the time of his death, he was employed as a supervisor for Turner Transportation of Elk City, Okla. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church. He married Linda Bradstreet in 1969 at Shamrock. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Kim Shortnacy of Shamrock and Kerri Hall of Amarillo; two brothers, Jerry Hall of Wichita, Kan., and Charles Hall of Pampa; a half-brother, Max Hall of Morrilton, Ark.; and a grandchild. Faye Belle Marlin Curry PLAINVIEW - Faye Belle Marlin Curry, 97, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in the First Baptist Church Family Life Chapel with Dr. Travis Hart, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park by Lemons Funeral Home. Mrs. Curry was born in Quanah of one of the pioneer families of Hale County. She first attended school in the East Mound community then Central School in Plainview. She attended West Texas State Normal School in 1917. She was a 73year member of First Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school in the primary department for almost 30 years and was a member of the choir. She served as president of the ParentTeachers Association of Lamar School and Plainview High School. She was a Boy Scout den mother and charter member of Plainview's Women's Club and a charter member of Hale County Historical Commission. She was a member of the Beta Delphin Study Club, Chapter CZ PEO, Community Concert, Hi-Plains Genealogical Society, and Plains Arts Association. She was a founding member of the Plainview Symphony Guild and a member of Women's Division of Plainview Chamber of Commerce. Historical societies Mrs. Curry belonged to included Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Daughters of American Colonists, Colonial Dames of Seventh Century XVII, and the Hereditary Order of First Families of Massachusetts. The Plains Arts Association presented her with a Life Membership for her support. Mrs. Curry received the 1977 Crumbacher Award of Merit for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts and a citation for distinguished service from the Texas Historical Commission for several years. She married Samuel Eric Curry in 1923 at Plainview. He died in 1970. She was also preceded in death by a son, John William Curry, in 1995. Survivors include a daughter, Ramona Roberts of Plainview; three sisters, Naomi Matlock of Houston, Mozelle Slaton and Bea Oswald, both of Plainview; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Pauline T. Henderson HEREFORD - Pauline T. Henderson, 99, of Walsh, Colo., and a former resident of Hereford, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in the Rose Chapel of Gililland Watson Funeral Home. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in St. Anthony's Catholic Church with Msgr. Orville Blum officiating. Burial will be in St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery. Mrs. Henderson moved to Deaf Smith County from Amarillo in 1946. She moved to Walsh in 1993. She was a homemaker and member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church. She married Johnny Henderson in 1927 at Amarillo. He died in 1973. Survivors include a son, James W. Henderson of Walsh; a daughter, Marilyn Pierce of Stillwater, Okla.; 10 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Amarillo Elias Leo Rodriquez Elias Leo Rodriquez, 51, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 1998, at Oklahoma City. Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. today in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday in Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church by the Rev. Hector J. Madrigal. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Rodriquez was born in Corpus Christi and had been a resident of Amarillo since the late 1950s. He was active as a coach for Kids, Inc. as well as a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. He married Frances Montoya in 1963 in Amarillo. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Zacarias A. Rodriquez, Orlando P. Rodriquez and Philip A. Rodriquez, all of Amarillo; a daughter, Krystal N. Rodriquez of Amarillo; a sister, Josie Moreno of Amarillo; a stepbrother, C. Junior Perieda of Amarillo; and five grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. They will be at 2806 Ricks St. Kent Michael Durham Kent Michael Durham, 42, of Lubbock, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Llano Cemetery in Amarillo with Kenneth Cartwright, chaplain of Lubbock State School, officiating. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd., in Amarillo. Mr. Durham was born in Memphis, Tenn. He had been an active resident of Lubbock State School most of his life. Survivors include his father, Johnny William Durham of Savanna, Tenn.; his mother, Hattie May Hudgens of Amarillo; and two brothers, J.R. Davis of Amarillo and Roger Davis of Oklahoma City. The family will be at 2013 Walker. Ruby Marylou Whittington Ruby Marylou Whittington, 80, of San Antonio, a former Amarillo resident, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998. Graveside services will be at 2:15 p.m. Friday in Memorial Park Cemetery in Amarillo with the Rev. Claud Tugwell officiating. Arrangements are by Porter Loring Mortuary North in San Antonio. Mrs. Whittington was born in Dundee. She was a longtime resident of Amarillo before moving to San Antonio in 1986. She was a member of Parkhills Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Williard "Whit" Whittington, in 1979. Survivors include two sons, Joe and David, both of San Antonio; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. The family will receive friends from noon until 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home in Amarillo. Juana Guerrero Juana Guerrero, 38, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998. Rosary will be recited at 6 p.m. today in Colonial Funeral Home Chapel, 1010 W. Ninth Ave. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Memorial Park Cemetery with Father Pat Hoffman of St. Laurence Cathedral officiating. Mrs. Guerrero moved to Amarillo 21/2 years ago from El Paso. She was a homemaker. She married Benjamin Guerrero in 1979 at El Paso. Survivors include her husband; three sons, Benjamin Jr., Eric and Hector Guerrero, all of Amarillo; a daughter, Maria Isabel of El Paso; her father, Antonio Ruiz of Juarez, Mexico; her mother, Delfina Mendez of El Paso; a sister, Gloria Rodriquez of El Paso; and a grandchild. The family will be at 3503 E. 14th. Joe C. Hudspeth Joe C. Hudspeth, 95, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Llano Cemetery with Chester O'Brien, retired Baptist minister, officiating. Arrangements are by BlackburnShaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Mr. Hudspeth was born in Stratford and had been an Amarillo resident since 1940. He retired after 44 years from Burlington Northern Railroad. He was a member of the Oddfellows, the Retired Veterans Organization Burlington Northern Railroad and First Baptist Church. In 1934, he married Carrie Leo Houser at Clovis, N.M. She died in 1990. Survivors include a daughter, Celista Hudspeth of Red River, N.M. The family will be at 1522 S. Parker St. They request memorials be to First Baptist Church Building Fund, Red River, N.M. 87558. Oklahoma Grace Elizabeth Yates TEXHOMA, Okla. - Grace Elizabeth Yates, 88, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Terry Davidson, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Texhoma Cemetery by Dawson-Welch Funeral Home. Mrs. Yates was born in Joliet, Ill., and moved to Texhoma in 1971 from Ruidosa, Calif. She married George Artell Yates in California. He died in 1967. Survivors include her daughter, Mary Coffey of Texhoma; a brother, Arthur Schultz of Iowa; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Texhoma Ambulance Fund, Texhoma, Okla. 73949. They also will be accepted at Dawson-Welch Funeral Home, 715 W. Main at Texhoma. Sandra Kay Thompson BEAVER, Okla. - Sandra Kay Thompson, 47, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Beaver United Methodist Church with Charles Watson officiating. Burial will be in Pioneer Cemetery by Clark Funeral Service. Mrs. Thompson was born in Clayton, N.M. She graduated from high school and attended one year of college. She was employed as an assistant cashier and computer operations manager by the Bank of Beaver City. She married Larry Thompson in 1968 at Boise City, Okla. Survivors include her husband; a son, Ryan Thompson of Beaver; a daughter, Krista Rae Thompson of Woodward; her mother, Dorothy Walker of Boise City; three brothers, Donald Walker of Rosebud, N.M., and twins Dale Walker of Pauls Valley and Gale Walker of Boise City; a sister, Shirley Powers of Boise City; and two grandchildren. Elsewhere Billy B. Hanna SUDAN - Billy B. Hanna, 73, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998. Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Cliff Hargrove, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Sudan Cemetery by Ellis Funeral Home. Mr. Hanna was born in Davidson, Okla., and had lived in the Sudan community since 1947. He was a Scoutmaster for the Sudan Boy Scouts and coached Little / Pony League baseball. He had been employed by Lubbock State School for more than 19 years. He married Myrtle Legg in 1950 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Larry Hanna of Monahans and Matt Hanna of Lubbock; a daughter, Frances Gray of Haskell; three sisters, Joy Garvin of Albany, Patsy Kent of Sudan and Mary Beth Hanna of Paradise, Calif.; four brothers, Jerry Hanna of Elk Creek, Calif., Dickie Hanna and Eddie Joe Hanna, both of Warrenton, Ore., and Dusty Hanna of Houston; seven grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to the Sudan Fire Department or First Baptist Church of Sudan. John Wesley Humphreys AMHERST - John Wesley Humphreys, 75, of Sudan, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Aaron Reed and the Rev. Cliff Hargrove, pastors of the First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Fairlawn Cemetery by Hammons Funeral Home of Littlefield. Mr. Humphreys was born in Wingate. He was a farmer and member of the Sudan Masonic Lodge. He served on the board of the Amherst Producers Co-op for nine years. He married Edith Nicholson in 1943 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Randy G. Humphreys of Tucumcari, N.M., Rick L. Humphreys and Kevin J. Humphreys, both of Sudan; three brothers, Jim Humphreys and Raymond Humphreys, both of Amherst, and Carl Humphreys of San Antonio; two sisters, Dorothy Franklin of Clovis, N.M., and Ruby Barrett of Lubbock; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. The family requests memorials be to Sudan or Amherst EMS.