Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 12 June 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; Friday, June 12, 1998, 7:00 AM Area John J. Archer LEFORS - John J. Archer, 79, died Wednesday, June 10, 1998, at Pampa. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors Colonial Chapel with the Rev. Lewis Ellis, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Heights Cemetery by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mr. Archer was born in Tulsa County, Okla. He was a mechanic, repairman and pumper for Texaco for 37 years before retiring. He was a member and a past governor of the Pampa Moose Lodge and was a member and past president of the Lefors Lions Club. He began the Lefors Volunteer Fire Department and was a past mayor of Lefors. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and was an Army veteran, serving for five years during World War II. He married Abbie F. Turner in 1946 at Pampa. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Barbara Ince of Alvord and Sherry Roberts of Lefors; three brothers, Howard Archer of Lefors, Joe Archer of Spearman and Richard Archer of Buchanan Dam; a sister, Maxine Bland of Buchanan Dam; 11 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Hospice of the Panhandle, Box 2795, Pampa, Texas 79066-2795 or the Lefors Volunteer Fire Department. Frances Hopkins Threatt PAMPA - Frances Hopkins Threatt, 92, died Thursday, June 11, 1998, at Panhandle. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors Colonial Chapel with the Rev. Todd Dyess, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Pampa, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. Mrs. Threatt was born in Pampa where she was a lifelong resident. She was a 1923 graduate of Pampa High School. She was a member of First United Methodist Church and of several local bridge clubs. She was a homemaker and had worked as a Realtor for several years. She married Ewing Williams in 1923. He died in 1966. She later married Howard Threatt, who preceded her in death in 1974. Survivors include a daughter, Marge Jolly of Pampa; a son, Chuck Williams of San Antonio; special friend, Roberta Pugh of Pampa; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at the funeral home. Elmer John Britten CLAUDE - Elmer John "E.J." Britten, 78, died Wednesday, June 10, 1998. Rosary will be at 7 p.m. today. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church of Groom with the Rev. Neal Dee officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Groom by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors of Borger. Mr. Britten was born in Groom and was a lifelong resident of Groom and Claude. He was an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He was retired from the restaurant business. Mr. Britten was a past Boss Lion in Groom, past post commander of American Legion and past county chairman of the Democratic Party. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and St. Theresa Catholic Church of Panhandle. He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise, in 1993. Survivors include a son, Douglas Britten of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; a daughter, Virginia Williams of Fort Worth; four brothers, Ralph Britten and Bill Britten, both of Amarillo, Art Britten of Groom and Norman Britten of Traverse City, Mich.; two sisters, Dora Jean Homen of Amarillo and Sister Mary Louise of Panhandle; and seven grandchildren. Viewing will be until 5 p.m. today at the funeral home in Panhandle. Pete Davis CHILDRESS - Pete Davis, 84, died Wednesday, June 10, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in Childress Cemetery with the Rev. Johnny Robertson of First Methodist Church officiating. Arrangements are by Johnson Funeral Home of Childress. Mr. Davis was born in Hall County. He was a farmer and rancher. He had served on the school board in Estelline and was a road commissioner. Mr. Davis was a member of First Methodist Church of Childress, a member of the Scottish Rite since 1949 and was a 32nd Degree Mason. He was preceded in death by his wife, Billie, in 1991. Survivors include a son, Smokey Davis of Childress; a daughter, Bobbie Fowler of Memphis; a brother, W.H. Tippet of Tell; six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Amarillo HEREDIA John Estrada Heredia John Estrada Heredia, 58, of Amarillo, died Thursday, June 11, 1998. Vigil service will be at 7 p.m. today in Schooler Funeral Home, Brentwood Chapel, 4100 S. Georgia St. Funeral mass will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church with the Rev. Hector J. Madrigal officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Heredia was a lifelong resident of Amarillo. He was employed as a foreman for highway construction for many years. He was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church He married Virginia Rogers in 1958 at Amarillo. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Reginia Heredia of Amarillo; a son, Robert Heredia of Amarillo; six sisters, Carol Liebseh, Pat Alonzo, Mary Ramirez and Isabel Heredia, all of Amarillo, and Pauline Cruz and Angela Reyes, both of Shafter, Calif.; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Leona Bersbach Leona "Lee" Bersbach, 53, of Amarillo, died Thursday, June 4, 1998. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Saturday in Schooler Funeral Home Inc., Brentwood Chapel, 4100 S. Georgia St., with Marion Gion of Plainview Church of Christ officiating. Mrs. Bersback was born in Colorado Springs, Colo., and attended Plainview High School. She was in the child care business for many years, having served as a nanny. Survivors include a daughter, Christi Nance Borden of Houston; a son, Tracy Lynn Edwards of Amarillo; a brother, Kenny Gilmer of Colorado; and four grandchildren. The family will be at 2500 11th Ave., in Canyon. The family requests memorials be to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, Panhandle Chapter, 2200 W. Seventh, Amarillo, Texas, 79106. The body will not be available for viewing. HEWITT Ronnie Dawn Hewitt Ronnie Dawn "Kitten" Hewitt, 37, of Amarillo, died Monday, June 8, 1998. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Llano East Cemetery with the Rev. Robert Field of Southeast Baptist Church officiating. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Ms. Hewitt was born in Odessa and had been an Amarillo resident for 10 years. She had been employed as a bartender at Club 26 and was a waitress for the Caravan for seven years. Survivors include her daughter, Nikita Hewitt of Amarillo; and her fiance, Tac Buchanan of Amarillo. The family will be at 2718 Mockingbird. The body will not be available for viewing. STEWART Bertie Lee Stewart Bertie Lee Stewart, 93, of Amarillo died Monday, June 8, 1998, in Phoenix. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. MST today in Mission Garden of Memories Cemetery in Clovis, N.M., with Jerry Lawless of Southwest Church of Christ officiating. Arrangements are by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Mrs. Stewart was born in Fife. She graduated from London High School and Abilene Christian College. She was a homemaker who lived in Amarillo for 14 years. She was a member of Southwest Church of Christ in Amarillo and the Indoor/Outdoor Sports Club. She married Benjamine Lucian Stewart in 1931 at Clovis. He died in 1968. She also was preceded in death by a son, Forest L. Stewart, in 1994. Survivors include two sons, Jimmy Stewart of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Glenn Stewart of Canadian; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to High Plains Children's Home. BUNN M.L. Bunn Jr. M.L. Bunn Jr., 72, of Amarillo, died Thursday, June 11, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street, with Mervin Pugh officiating. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Kirkland Cemetery in Kirkland. Mr. Bunn moved to Amarillo in 1963 from Odessa. He was the owner of Southland Battery from 1969 until his retirement in 1988. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and UCT. He married Helen Sandefer in 1947 at Morton. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Joy Boyd of Amarillo and Darlene Click of Spring; a son, Milburn Bunn of Amarillo; his stepmother, Clara Sullivan of Pueblo, Colo.; four brothers, Floyd Bunn of Vega, Troy Bunn of San Antonio, James Bunn of Colorado and Martin Bunn of Illinois; and eight grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson, Amarillo, Texas, 79101. Gertrude Runyon Gertrude "Trudy" Runyon, 80, of Amarillo, died Thursday, June 11, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church with Monsignor Joseph Tash, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mrs. Runyon was born and raised in Groom where she attended school. She was a Women's Army Corps veteran of World War II, handling shipments of Army troops to the Pacific theater. She had lived in Amarillo for 20 years. Mrs. Runyon was an accountant for the original Albertson's stores. With her husband, she owned the Time-Star in Middletown, Calif., for several years before moving to Washington, D.C. She married Donald Runyon in 1945 at Carson City, Nev. Survivors include her husband; a son, Bill Runyon of Amarillo; a brother, Bob Britten of Amarillo; a sister, Dorothy Gasway of El Paso; three grandsons; and a great-granddaughter. New Mexico Bernice Jones PORTALES, N.M. - Bernice Jones, 73, died Monday, June 8, 1998. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Portales Cemetery with the Rev. Bob Bell officiating. Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales Inc. Mrs. Jones was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and moved to Clovis when she was a year old. She lived in Clovis until 1958 when she moved to Portales. During World War II, she worked as "Rosie the Riveter" at the Boeing Aircraft plant in Seattle, Wash. She worked as a library technician at Cannon Air Force Base for 131/2 years. She attended the Assembly of God. Survivors include a son, David Jones of Lubbock, Texas; three daughters, Sherry Watson of Sutherlin, Ore., Teresa Smith of Springfield, Ore., and Glenda Reynolds of Weatherford, Texas; three sisters, Dorothy Watkins and Lillian Bell, both of Clovis and Doris Woolley of Portales; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Alene Parker CLOVIS, N.M - Alene Parker, 71, died Wednesday, June 10, 1998. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Texico Cemetery at Texico with Gordon Christiansen officiating. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Mrs. Parker was born in Arkansas. Survivors include a son, Johnny Parker of Clovis; two daughters, Elaine Kruckaberg and Sharon Parker, both of Clovis; two sisters, Leona Drake of Clovis and Fern McLaughlin of Arkansas; and seven grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Trinity Lutheran Church Building Fund, 1705 W. 21st St. in Clovis or the American Cancer Society. Oren Tison Bates CLAYTON, N.M. - Oren Tison Bates, 87, died Wednesday, June 10, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Clayton Church of Christ with Doug Austin, minister, and the Rev. Billy Rammage, pastor of First Baptist Church of Clayton, officiating. Burial will be in Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton. Mr. Bates was born in Asher, Okla., At the age of 2, he moved with his family to the Perico community in New Mexico where he attended school. With his wife, he farmed and operated a trucking business until 1944. Mr. Bates purchased a ranch south of Clayton in 1944. In 1971, he and his wife purchased the Sands Motel, which they operated for 20 years before their retirement. He was a member of the Clayton Church of Christ. He married Vivian Leona Black in 1932 at Raton. She died in February. He also was preceded in death by an infant son, Alton Dale Bates, in 1933. Survivors include a son, Tommy Bates of Whitney, Neb.; a daughter, Barbara Green of Clayton; two brothers, Ernest Bates of Taylorville, Ill., and Lonnie Bates of Sunnyside, Wash.; a sister, Bertha Curfman of Sunnyside; five grandsons; 10 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson. The family requests memorials be to Clayton Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 187, Clayton, N.M., 88415. Glen H. Lester ARTESIA, N.M. - Glen H. Lester, 84, died Thursday, June 11, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Trinity Temple Assembly of God with Bobby Argo, pastor, and Donald Price officiating. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. CDT Monday in Zybach Cemetery in Wheeler County, Texas, with the Rev. B.A. Wyatt officiating. Arrangements are by Terpening & Son Mortuary of Artesia. Mr. Lester was born in Paducah, Texas. He was a minister for 50 years, serving as an evangelist and pastor of churches in Texas and Tennessee. He pioneered Bethel Assembly of God in Dumas, Texas. He was a member of Trinity Temple Assembly of God in Artesia. His first marriage was to Edna Helton in 1934 at Sayre, Okla. She died in 1981. He also was preceded in death by a son, Gary Lester. He married Lucille Pior in 1982 at Plainview. They moved to Artesia in 1985 from Briscoe, Texas. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Carolyn Coburn of Corinth, Texas, and Beverly Cranston of Athens, Texas; a stepson, Dwayne Pettit of Dallas; a stepdaughter, Gaylene Burgess of Artesia; two brothers, Claude Lester of Lubbock, Texas, and Ernest Lester of Wheeler, Texas; three sisters, Alma Mitchell of Mineral Wells, Texas, Velma VanStratten of Dumas and Buena Crafton of Victoria, Texas; and several grandchildren. Visitation will be Sunday at Wright Funeral Home in Wheeler. Elsewhere David White OKLAHOMA LANE - David White, 62, died Wednesday, June 10, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Lariat Church of Christ in Lariat with Sam Billingsley, minister, officiating. Burial will be in Oklahoma Lane Cemetery in Oklahoma Lane by Ellis Funeral Home of Muleshoe. Mr. White was born in Bailey County and had been a resident of Oklahoma Lane all of his life. He was a member of Lariat Church of Christ and a farmer. He married Sherry Stinebock in 1955 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Kenny White and Gary White, both of Farwell; a daughter, Kathy Curtis of Farwell; two sisters, Johnnie Jenkins of Altus, Okla., and Ann Hunt of Hamilton, Mont.; a brother, Robert White of Farwell; and six grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to New Mexico Christian Children's Home, HC69, Box 48, Portales, N.M., 88130. Oklahoma Sarah Frances McBroom KEYES, Okla. - Sarah Frances McBroom, 82, died Saturday, May 16, 1998, in Elkhart, Kan. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in Keyes United Methodist Church with Del Watkins officiating. Arrangements are by Cimarron Mortuary of Boise City. Mr. McBroom was born and raised in Cimarron County. She attended school at Willowbar and graduated from Keyes High School. She was a member of the Keyes United Methodist Church and a past member of the Rebekah Lodge. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles McBroom. Survivors include two daughters, Mary Ann Blackwell of Idaho Springs, Colo., and Betty Lou Shermer of Modesto, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Multiple Sclerosis Society and may be left in care of the mortuary.