Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 9 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; Saturday, May 9, 1998, 7:40 AM Area Velma L. Little TULIA - Velma L. Little, 85, died Thursday, May 7, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jesse Hodge, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery by Wallace Funeral Home. Mrs. Little was born in O'Donnell and raised in Brownfield. She moved to Tulia in 1943 from California. She attended West Texas State University and received her bachelor's degree in 1964. She began teaching in Wellman at the age of 17. She also taught in the Tulia schools before retiring in 1978. She attended First United Methodist Church. She married Robert "Toby" Little in 1939 at Yuma, Ariz. He died in 1989. She also was preceded in death by a son, R.L. Little, in 1992. Survivors include a niece, Gladene Woodside of Canadian. The family requests memorials be to Swisher County Senior Citizens; First United Methodist Church; or the Abraham Memorial Home, 803 Birch, Canadian, Texas 79014. Ida Scott VEGA - Ida Scott, 87, died Thursday, May 7, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in Vega Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Mark Phillips, pastor of Vega United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd., in Amarillo. Mrs. Scott was born at Hopkins County and had been a resident of Vega for 69 years. She was a homemaker and a member of Vega United Methodist Church. She married John Henry Scott in 1930 at Tucumcari, N.M. He died in 1991. Survivors include a son, James H. Scott of Vega; and two daughters, Jerry Jane Betts of Clarendon and Dorthy Nell Atkins of Skellytown. The family requests memorials be to Vega United Methodist Church or Vega Memorial Park Cemetery. Ruth Norman DODSON - Ruth Norman, 73, died Thursday, May 7, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First United Methodist Church in Wellington with the Rev. Joe Jernigan, pastor of Calvary Christian Fellowship in Shamrock, and the Rev. Keith Beverly, pastor of New Abundant Life Fellowship in Wellington, officiating. Burial will be in Dodson Cemetery by Adams Funeral Home of Wellington. Mrs. Norman was born in Pleasanton. She graduated from Quail High School at Quail. She earned a bachelor's degree from West Texas State University and a master's degree in education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. She was a public school teacher for many years before retiring in 1989. She taught at Dodson, Wellington, Arnett, Bethany, Okla., Northfield and Quail. Mrs. Norman also was a minister from 1989 to 1997 at New Abundant Life Fellowship, where she also was a member. She did missionary work in South Africa, Russia and England. She married Bynum Hightower in 1947. He died in 1959. She married Clinton Norman in 1967 at Shamrock. Survivors include her husband; a son, John Hightower of Plainview; a daughter, Cynthia Rowe of Dodson; a stepson, Kenneth Wade Norman of Hollis, Okla.; a stepdaughter, Kay Mead of Wellington; four sisters, Eloise Kucera of Wellington, Cleo McQueary of Amarillo, Ann Holman of Liberal, Kan., and Lyda Bussey of Rapid City, S.D.; a brother, John Aaron Jr. of Houston; two grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren; and eight stepgreat-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to New Abundant Life Fellowship. Bill Ritter HART - Bill Ritter, 63, died Friday, May 8, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Foskey-Lilley-McGill Funeral Home Ivey Chapel with the Rev. Randy Gressett, youth minister of First Baptist Church of Dimmitt, officiating. Burial will be in Hart Cemetery. Mr. Ritter was born in Canute, Okla. He attended school in Elk City, Okla., and Plainview. He lived in Dumas before moving to Hart 26 years ago. He served on the Hart City Council in 1980 and 1981. He served as mayor and municipal judge from 1981 until 1985. He was a past member of the Lions Club in Hart. He worked for Affiliated Foods of Amarillo for 11 years. Mr. Ritter married Betty Flies in 1952 at Canute. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Patrick Ritter of Kingsville, Billy Joe Ritter Jr. of Gonzales and Brett Ritter of Hart; five daughters, Sheri Borghardt of Kingsville, Jenifer Taylor of Big Spring, Belinda Hill and Jacque Ritter, both of Dimmitt, and Heather Martinez of Weatherford; his father, Leonard Ritter of Plainview; three brothers, Don Ritter of Oklahoma City, Jim Ritter of Tye and Danny Traugott of Los Angeles; a sister, Lorena Shreck of Canute; 16 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. The family requests memorials be to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 929, Dimmitt, Texas 79027; or the Hart Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 329, Hart, Texas 79043. Amarillo James D. Everett James D. "Buck" Everett, 70, of Amarillo, died Thursday, May 7, 1998. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. today in Claude Cemetery at Claude. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. today in St. Paul United Methodist Church with Dr. Norman Grisby, interim senior minister, and the Rev. Dan Usiak, associate minister, officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mr. Everett was born in Hedley. He graduated from Hedley High School and from McMurray University in 1949. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War. He was a Realtor with Coldwell Banker First Equity Realtors. He was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church and was active in the sanctuary choir and Friendship Bible Class. Mr. Everett married Mildred Swann in 1950 at Amarillo. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Tracy Everett Summer of Dallas; and a sister, Doris Foster of Amarillo. The family will be at 3803 Lenwood Drive. They suggest memorials be to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 4717 W. Interstate 40; or Amarillo College Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 447, Amarillo, Texas 79178. Aurora C. Valle Aurora C. Valle, 69, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, May 6, 1998. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Sunday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd., by Deacon Leo Ramos. Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Monday in St. Laurence Cathedral by the Rev. Patrick Hoffman. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Valle was born in Austin. She moved from Odessa to Amarillo in 1987. She married Jesus Valle in 1960 at Hidalgo, Colo. Survivors include her husband; four daughters, Dalia Sandoval and Josie V. Najera, both of Amarillo, Marlene Berlanga of Odessa and Gloria Alaniz of Hereford; three sons, Jose Luis Lopez of Hereford, Jesse Valle of Amarillo and Juan Manuel Ortiz of San Diego; a sister, Josephine Obregon of Mission; and a brother, Lupe Covarubia of Florida. The family will be at 4116 Van Buren St. They request memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice. Juanita Hope Burns Juanita Hope Burns, 80, of Amarillo, died Thursday, May 7, 1998. Services will be at 11 a.m. today in Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home Chapel in Paris, Texas, with Dr. James E. Spencer and Robert Crockett officiating. Burial will be in Sylvan Cemetery at Sylvan. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Monday in Central Church of Christ in Amarillo with Dick Marcear, pastor, officiating. Local arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mrs. Burns was born in Sylvan, Lamar County. She had been an Amarillo resident for 11 months. She was employed with Southwestern Bell Telephone for 25 years. She was a member of the Southwestern Bell Pioneers Club and the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program in Paris. She was a former member of Bonham Street Church of Christ in Paris and a member of Central Church of Christ in Amarillo. She married Fred Alvie Burns in 1952. He died in 1986. Survivors include a son, Dr. Russell Burns of Amarillo; a sister, Doris V. Scales of Dallas; and three grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the A.D. Panhandle Chapter of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, 2200 W. Seventh Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79106. Elsewhere Ronny H. Ward NEWBERRY SPRINGS, Calif. - Ronny H. Ward, 52, a former Guymon, Okla., resident, died Sunday, May 3, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home Chapel at Guymon with the Rev. Jim Smith officiating. Burial will be in Elmhurst Cemetery at Guymon. Mr. Ward was born in Guymon. He was raised in the Guymon and Gruver, Texas, areas and graduated from Gruver High School. He was a member of the Church of Christ. He was semi-retired from Eagle Drilling, a water-well drilling company. He had operated in Utah, Washington and Wyoming. In 1985, he moved to Newberry Springs. He was preceded in death by a son, Ronny Ward Jr., in 1977. Survivors include his mother, Norine Ward of Optima, Okla.; two sons, Martin Ward of Meeteetse, Wyo., and Raymond Ward of Newberry Springs; a daughter, Robin Van Bastelaar of Mohave Valley, Ariz.; two sisters, Charlene Edwards of Littleton, Colo., and Cynthia Bellamy of Houston, Texas; a brother, Randy Ward of Rock Springs, Wyo.; grandmother, Dorothy Ward of Maple; and seven grandchildren. New Mexico Ima Widener FLOYD, N.M. - Ima Widener, 89, died Thursday, May 7, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Floyd Cemetery with Clarence Thompson officiating. Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales Inc. Ms. Widener was born in Mount Ida, Ark. Her family moved from Arkansas to Texas, where they lived for a while before moving to Roosevelt County. They settled on a farm in the Floyd community, where she continued to live until a few years ago. Ms. Widener finished high school in Floyd and attended college at Eastern New Mexico Junior College. Survivors include three sisters, Beulah Cox and Celia Widener, both of Portales, and Dorothy Russell of Floyd. Oklahoma Arthur L. Wood BALKO, Okla. - Arthur L. Wood, 84, died Thursday, May 7, 1998. Services will be at 11 a.m. today in Balko Baptist Church. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery by Clark Funeral Service of Beaver. Mr. Wood was born in Balko and graduated from Balko High School. He had farmed and ranched all his life. He had been a Baptist church member since 1925 and was most recently a member of First Baptist Church of Happy, Texas. Mr. Wood married Marie Epp in 1938 at Beaver. She died in 1994. He married Mary Sue Eakes in 1996 at Happy. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Susie Ann Gossett of Phoenix and Phoebe Cole of Amarillo; two sisters, Ruth Morris of Sandy, Ore., and Ollie Weakley of Scoggins, Texas; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.