Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 12 July 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; Sunday, July 12, 1998, 9:35 AM Amarillo Ruthelma Koller Kone Ruthelma Koller Kone, 85, of Amarillo, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be 1 p.m Tuesday in St. Peter's Episcopal Church with retired Bishop George Quarterman as celebrant. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mrs. Kone was born in Ponca City, Okla. She attended Oklahoma A&M University where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. In 1951, she moved to Amarillo from Tulsa, Okla. She and her husband established James S. Kone and Co. Mrs. Kone was a member of the Junior Antique Club, Junior Travel Club, European Club, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and its Altar Guild. She married James S. Kone in 1946 at Greenwich, Conn. He died in 1996. Survivors include a son, James S. Kone Jr.; and two grandchildren. The family will be at 3816 Linda. They request memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, Texas, 79176-0001. Harry Reed Harry Reed, 89, a former Amarillo resident, died Thursday, July 9, 1998, in Lubbock. Graveside services were at 1 p.m. Saturday in Llano Cemetery followed by chapel services at 2 p.m. in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, Bell Ave. Chapel, 5400 Bell St., with the Rev. Kay Reed and Joe Marshall officiating. Mr. Reed was born in Sayre, Okla., and moved to Amarillo in 1913. He retired from sales with AgChemical. He was a Baptist. He married Tommie Flake Wilbanks in 1928 at Amarillo. She died in 1985. He also was preceded in death by a son, George Reed, in 1991. Survivors include Carl Reed of Amarillo; two daughters, Tommie Ruth Haines of Lubbock and Carolyn Reed Wright of Amarillo; 10 grandchildren; and 10 greatgrandchildren. The family requests memorials be to National Arthritis Foundation, Amarillo Chapter or Fort Worth Chapter; or High Plains Children's Home and Family Services, P.O. Box 7448, Amarillo, Texas, 79114. Harry Henson Harry Henson, 77, of Amarillo, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd., with the Rev. M.O. Garner, retired Baptist minister, and the Rev. Gordon Cox of Grace Baptist Church in Canyon officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Henson was born in Keo, Ark. He served in World War II with the Coast Guard in the South Pacific. From 1958 until the time of his death, he owned Henson Drywall and was the first drywall contractor in the Amarillo area. Mr. Henson had been an Amarillo resident for 52 years. He was a member of Central Baptist Church, Elks Lodge No. 923 of Amarillo and a lifetime member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1475 and Disabled American Veterans. He married Mary Frances Burch in 1944 at Canyon. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Sharon Burney of Amarillo; two sons, Van Henson of Amarillo and Jim Henson of Farmersville; three brothers, Royce Henson of Little Rock, Ark., Patrick Henson of Royal, Ark., and Wayne Henson of Oil Through, Ark.; three sisters, Dorothy Lovett of Little Rock and Luann Ferris and Mildred Allen, both of Conway, Ark.; six grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. The family requests memorials be to American Cancer Society or Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. Chloe Branch Chloe Branch, 87, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, July 8, 1998. Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Mount Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Henry Crawford, pastor of New Zion Primitive Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Golden Gate Mortuary, 1416 N. Hughes St. Mrs. Branch was born in Montgomery and was an Amarillo resident for nearly 70 years. She was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church for 68 years, serving with the Morning Star Circle. She was employed for many years by the Allen Dawson family. She married Luther Branch. He died in 1986. Survivors include two nieces, Evelyn Moore of Amarillo and Evelyn Thomas of Detroit; and a nephew, P.H. Gipson of Lawton, Okla. The family will be at 601 Boston Place. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Mabel L. Powell Mabel L. Powell, 72, of Amarillo, died Thursday, July 9, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40, with the Rev. Tom Powell of Living Waters Worship Center officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Powell was born in Amarillo. In 1979, she returned to Amarillo from Whittier, Calif. Survivors include a sister, Christine Milward of Amarillo; and a grandson, Benjamin Jackson of Amarillo. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Wanda Land Wanda Land, 68, of Amarillo, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Memorial Park Funeral Home Chapel of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40, with the Rev. Dana Moore of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Land was born in Ninnekah, Okla. In the early 1950s she came to Amarillo from Quanah. She was a homemaker. She married Orvil Land in 1947 in California. Survivors include a son, Robert Steven Land of Amarillo; two daughters, Debra Wheeler of Canadian and Karen White of Amarillo; two brothers, Tom Miller of Terrell and Bill Miller of Fort Worth; two sisters, Velma Burges of Rush Springs, Okla., and Edith Williams of Bakersfield, Calif.; 17 grandchildren; and one greatgrandchild. The family requests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice or the American Cancer Society. Marcus M. Ford Marcus M. Ford, 91, of Amarillo, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, Bell Avenue Chapel, 5400 Bell St., with Glen Walton and Paul Sneed officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mr. Ford was born in Wise County and moved to Amarillo in 1983 from Lubbock. He was a retired manager. He was a member of Bell Avenue Church of Christ, the Dumas Masonic Lodge where he was a master Mason, and past worthy patron of Order of Eastern Star in Dumas. He married Stella M. Strange in 1980 at Tulia. Survivors include his wife; a son, Chris Ford of Harrisburg, Pa.; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, Texas, 79176-0001.. Area Ruby S. Free SHAMROCK - Ruby S. Free, 90, died Thursday, July 9, 1998. Graveside services were 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Shamrock Cemetery with the Rev. Joe G. Jernigan, pastor of Calvary Christian Fellowship Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Wright Funeral Directors. Mrs. Free was born in Ardmore, Okla. She moved to Shamrock in 1936 where she was a motel manager. In 1996, she moved to Pampa. She was a member of First Baptist Church. She married O.C. Free in 1926 at Childress. He died in 1972. Survivors include two sons, Ray Free and Everett Free, both of Pampa; a daughter, Beatrice Furgerson of Lefors; seven grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren. Henry Lee Shaller CLARENDON - Henry Lee Shaller, 94, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at First United Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Smiley Johnson, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Citizens Cemetery by Robertson Funeral Directors. Mr. Shaller was born and raised in Canadian. He moved to Clarendon in 1949 from Jericho. He was a farmer and rancher. He had held various offices with the Donley County Farm Bureau and was recipient of the Texas Farm Bureau Pioneer Award. Mr. Shaller was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church where he had served as an elder, church secretary and moderator session chairman. He married Bradis Carter Ballew in 1990 at Clarendon. His first marriage was to Sarah May Shaw in 1937 at Canyon. She died in February 1990. Survivors include his wife; a son, Ted Shaller of Clarendon; a sister, Fleda Studer of Lubbock; two grandsons; and a great-granddaughter. Billy John Roberts FRITCH - Billy John Roberts, 69, died Wednesday, July 8, 1998. Memorial services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bible Baptist Church with the Rev. Leonard Forsythe, pastor, officiating. Arrangements were by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors. Mr. Roberts was born in Borger. He had been a Fritch resident for the past 20 years, moving to the area from San Jose, Calif. He was a Baptist and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Mr. Roberts married Leona Moore in 1976 at San Jose. Survivors include his wife; six sons, Thomas Parrett of Milpitas, Calif., Geneva Nix of Fritch and Ferol Hardy of Kenefick; three brothers, Sam Roberts of Amarillo, R.C. "Dode" Roberts of Elephant Butte, N.M., and William T. McDonald of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; four sisters, Ann Smith of Old Hickory, Tenn., Sue Roberts of Fritch, Bobbie Garlinton of Sanford and Haddy Church of Oregon; 17 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Inez Stone CLARENDON - Inez Stone, 72, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Howardwick Baptist Church in Howardwick with the Rev. Jim Powell, pastor, officiating. Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Arrangements are by BlackburnShaw Memorial Chapel of Amarillo. Mrs. Stone was born in Cumby. She was a member of Howardwick Baptist Church and was a homemaker. She married Kenneth Stone in 1946 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Becky Bills of Conroe; a brother, Buck Sargent of Amarillo; two sisters, Alice Melton and Pearl Gibson, both of Amarillo; and one grandchild. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center. Leon Alcozer PLAINVIEW - Leon Alcozer, 75, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Agusdin Cantu, deacon, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Cemetery by Lemons Funeral Home. Mr. Alcozer was born and raised in the Temple and Belton areas. In 1945, he moved to Plainview, where he was employed in the city Parks and Recreation Department. He married Juanita S. Alcozer in 1942 at Belton. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Frances Galvan of Plainview and Ofelia Llanes of Arlington; a son, Shorty Alcozer of Arlington; 18 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren. Willard Jess Copeland Sr. CHILDRESS - Willard Jess Copeland Sr., 83, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim McCurley, pastor, and the Rev. Lemy Pike, retired minister of Childress, officiating. Burial will be in Childress Cemetery by Johnson Funeral Home. Mr. Copeland was born in Northfield and was a longtime community resident. He was an Army veteran where he was a flying sergeant. He retired as a state livestock inspector with the Texas Animal Health Commission and was a farmer and rancher. Mr. Copeland was a 32nd degree Mason of the Childress Masonic Lodge, and a 50-year member of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Texas and the Order of the Eastern Star. In 1955, he and his wife were Childress County Old Settlers King and Queen. He married Emma Louise Hitt in 1939 at Hollis, Okla. Survivors include his wife; a son, W.J. Copeland Jr., of Palestine; a daughter, Beverly Sue Hover of Las Vegas; two sisters, Daisy Benham of Childress and Lottie Cross of Arkansas; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Oklahoma Ricky Duane Jordan OKLAHOMA CITY - Ricky Duane Jordan, 32, a former Amarillo resident, died Sunday, June 21, 1998. Memorial services were held Friday, June 26, 1998 in Oklahoma City. His body was donated to Oklahoma Health Science Center for medical research and will be cremated later. Arrangements by Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home. Mr. Jordan was born in Portsmouth, Va. He lived in Amarillo in the 1980s before moving to Oklahoma City. Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Jill O. and Wiley Rogers of Amarillo; his father, Jack C. Jordan of Oklahoma City; a brother, Darryl Jordan of Tacoma, Wash.; a sister, Kristie Clark of Bedford; and his grandmother, Mildred Thompson of Arkansas City, Kan. The family requests memorials be to the National Kidney Foundation of West Texas, 3801 19th St., Lubbock, Texas, 79410. Hilda Elizabeth Honeman HOOKER, Okla. - Hilda Elizabeth Honeman, 90, died Thursday, July 9, 1998, in Liberal, Kan. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in St. John's Lutheran Church in Hooker with the Rev. J. Robert Herrod officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery by Roberts Brothers Funeral Home. Mrs. Honeman was born and raised in Lowry City, Mo. She graduated from high school in Pittsburg, Kan., and received a teacher's certificate from Central Missouri State University. She taught school in her home district until moving to a farm near Optima after her marriage. In 1950, she moved to Hooker and was a homemaker. She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church and Lutheran Women's Missionary League, taught Sunday School and held church offices at both the zone and Oklahoma district levels. She was a member of the Sunshine and Sew and Sew Clubs. She married August H. Honeman in 1935. He died in 1990. She also was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Suzanne, in 1937. Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Little of Tucson, Ariz.; three sons, Ray Honeman of New Ulm, Minn., Van Grant Honeman of Tucson and Douglas Honeman of Hooker; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the Lutheran Hour-Russian Ministry, the LWML or the Hooker Firefighters Association. Memorials may be left in care of the Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Oklahoma, 73945. Thelma Arnetta Rodgers BEAVER, Okla. - Thelma Arnetta Rodgers, 89, died Wednesday, July 8, 1998. Services were at 10 a.m. Saturday in Clark Funeral Service Chapel in Beaver with Bill Moore officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery in Enid. Mrs. Rodgers was born in Kremlin. She moved to Beaver County when she was 2-years old and attended school until ninth grade. She married Joseph Aldeen Rodgers in 1933 at Beaver. He died in 1969. Survivors include a daughter, Marilyn Alma Anderson of Balko; a son, Royce Rodgers of Balko; a sister, Helen Beck of Beaver; four grandchildren; four greatgrandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Clarence Howard Sparks NORMAN, Okla. - Clarence Howard "Sparky" Sparks, 94, died Saturday, July 11, 1998. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Havenbrook Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Mike Nicholson officiating. Mr. Sparks was born in Hewitt, Indian Territory. He was employed by Phillips Petroleum Co. from 1926 until his retirement in 1968. While in Phillips, Texas, he was a member of the Lions Club, Phillips and Fritch Methodist churches, and served as a Demolay dad and Boy Scout troop leader. Mr. Sparks was a lifetime member of Knights Templar of Texas and Ponca City York Rite Masonic Lodge. In 1990, he and his wife moved to Norman. He married Violet Marie McCormick in 1932. She preceded him in death in March. Survivors include his daughter, Anita Bednar Enterline of Norman; and two brothers, Emmons Church of Palo Alto, Calif., and George Church of Alhambra, Calif. New Mexico Howard H. Billingsley CLOVIS, N.M. - Howard H. Billingsley, 83, of Texico, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. CDT Tuesday in Sunset Terrace Cemetery, Farwell, Texas, with Condy Billingsley and Jimmy McGuire officiating. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home of Clovis. Mr. Billingsley was born in Alba, Texas. He lived in Texico for 45 years, moving there from Muleshoe, Texas. He retired after 14 years as a municipal judge in Texico. Mr. Billingsley was a member of First Baptist Church in Texico and the Texico Volunteer Fire Department. He married Francis Hardage in 1935 at Clovis. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Betty Jeanette Dosher. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Howard Dwayne Billingsley of Logan, Jackie Earl Billingsley and Danny Ray Billingsley, both of Texico; a daughter, Glenda Mosier of Texico; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Wallace L. Lockmiller CLOVIS, N.M. - Wallace L. Lockmiller, 85, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Kingswood Methodist Church with Dr. Mark Scott and Dr. Herbert Bergstrom officiating. Burial will be at Plains Sanctuary Mausoleum, Mission Garden of Memories, by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Mr. Lockmiller was born in Clovis. He was raised in the Ranchvale community, where he farmed and ranched. He served on the Ranchvale school board, county school board and the Clovis school board and was a member of the advisory committee for Eastern New Mexico University, Clovis campus. He donated land for the Lockwood School. Mr. Lockmiller served with the New Mexico Correctional Department. He was a a board member of the Federal Land Bank and an original board member of First National Bank. Mr. Lockmiller served on the 4-H Youth Development Foundation, and belonged to the Rotary Club and Kingswood Methodist Church. He was a member and officeholder in the International Flying Farmers starting in 1946. He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn, in 1994, and by a son, Dwaine Lockmiller. Survivors include a son, Gary Lockmiller; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. The family requests in lieu of flowers memorials be to Kingswood Methodist Church, Box 1126, Clovis, N.M. 88101; or to New Mexico Boys Ranch, Clovis Hospice or a favorite charity. Gilbert J. Kwasigroch CLOVIS, N.M. - Gilbert J. Kwasigroch, 73, died Thursday, July 9, 1998. Services will be at 9 a.m. Monday in Steed-Todd Funeral Home Chapel with Juan Rodriguez officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday in the National Cemetery at Santa Fe with Carlos Pacheco officiating. Mr. Kwasigroch was born in Milwaukee. During World War II, he served in the Navy as an airplane mechanic. A retired lithographer, he moved to Clovis 12 years ago. Mr. Kwasigroch married Fern Peronto in 1948 at Dubuque, Iowa. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Conrad Kwasigroch and Kermit Kwasigroch, both of Clovis; and two grandchildren. Elsewhere C.C. Wagley LITTLEFIELD - C.C. Wagley, 79, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. MDT today in Forrest Community Church in Forrest, N.M., with the Rev. Fred Caton officiating. Burial will be in Beevers Cemetery in Forrest by Hammons Funeral Home of Littlefield. Mr. Wagley was born in Quay County, N.M. For 50 years, he farmed and ranched near Forrest before moving to Littlefield in 1980. He was a member of Melrose Baptist Church. He married Lyneve Bryan in 1945 at Clovis, N.M. She died in 1991. Survivors include a daughter, Carlin Gates of Bledsoe; four sons, James Wagley, Buzz Wagley and Scott Wagley, all of Forrest, and John Wagley of Littlefield; a brother, Leon Wagley of Las Cruces, N.M.; two sisters, Marie Hull of Las Cruces and Pearl Journigan of Clovis; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Beevers Cemetery, c/o Dorothy Beevers, Quay Road AF, Melrose, N.M., 88124. Viewing will be from 11:30 a.m. MDT until time of service Sunday in Forrest Community Church. Ruby L. Holcomb ROARING SPRINGS - Ruby L. Holcomb, 89, died Friday, July 10, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Roaring Springs Church of Christ with Michael Crowley, local minister, and Ted Kingery of Silverton officiating. Burial will be in Roaring Springs Cemetery by Seigler Funeral Home of Matador. Mrs. Holcomb was born in Melrose, N.M., and had been a resident of Motley County since 1911. She was a member of the Church of Christ. She married E.H. Holcomb in 1925 at Dickens County. He died in 1977. She also was preceded in death by two daughters, Gladys Keele, in 1964, and Mavis Parks in 1989. Survivors include three sons, Melvin Holcomb of Lockney, Wayne Holcomb of Buffalo, Mo., and Ray Holcomb of Floydada; 11 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Russian Ministry Fund, c/o Matador Church of Christ, P.O. Box 238, Matador, Texas, 79244.