Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 25 August 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; Tuesday, August 25, 1998, 6:34 AM Amarillo Willomay F. Wicker Willomay F. Wicker, 82, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 2615 Paramount Blvd., with the Rev. Bud Kidwell officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Wicker was born in Roswell, N.M., and had lived in the Amarillo community all of her life. She worked for the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Helium Field Operations over 12 years, retiring in 1962. She was a member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha and a charter member of Eta Epsilon sorority in Amarillo since it received its charter in 1950. She held offices on the local, district and state levels. She also was active in women's bowling leagues. She had been a member of First Baptist Church of Amarillo since 1950. She married Herman T. Wicker in 1932. He died in 1985. Survivors include two sons, Robert D. Wicker of Houston and Tom R. Wicker of Borger; eight grandchildren; and 12 greatgrandchildren. The family requests memorials be to St. Jude Children's Hospital or Scottish Rite Cripple Children's Hospital at Dallas. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Elsie McDaniel Elsie McDaniel, 83, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Polk Street United Methodist Church with Dr. James Garrett officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by BlackburnShaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Mrs. McDaniel was born in Clayton, N.M. She was a homemaker who was a member of Polk Street United Methodist Church and the 50-50 Sunday School Class. She was a Sunday school teacher, a volunteer in the church library and a volunteer at Northwest Texas Hospital Auxiliary. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe B. McDaniel, in 1997. Survivors include a daughter, Myra McDaniel McClenny of Greenville; a son, Jack McDaniel of Alexandria, Va.; and a sister, Audra Keirn of Rialto, Calif.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. New Mexico James M. Sursa LOGAN, N.M. - James M. "Jim" Sursa, 78, died Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Hansford Cemetery at Spearman, Texas, with the Rev. Gary Gumfory officiating. Arrangements in New Mexico were by Dunn Funeral Home of Tucumcari. Texas arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors of Spearman. Mr. Sursa was born in Meridian, Texas, and had lived in Logan for the past 34 years. He was a retired rancher and an Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of the Guadalupe Ramirez American Legion Post 77 in Logan and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. He received the Purple Heart during his service in World War II. He and his wife, Joyce, had been married for 52 years. Survivors include his wife; a son, Rick Sursa of Logan; two daughters, Lanell Sursa of Logan and Sherilyn Bullock of Stratford, Texas; two brothers, Johnny Sursa of Stinnett, Texas, and Marvin Sursa of Enid, Okla.; two sisters, Reba Hunter of Gruver, and Charlene Dozier of Stinnett; 11 grandchildren; and 10 greatgrandchildren. Cobby Dee Vanous CLOVIS, N.M. - Cobby Dee Vanous, 58, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. James Episcopal Church in Clovis with the Rev. Leonard Mitchell officiating. Cremation and other arrangements are by Muffley Funeral Home. Mrs. Vanous was born in San Angelo, Texas. In Clovis, she was an active member of the St. James Episcopal Church and the Republican Party. She was a national Republican delegate in 1976 and 1980. She was married for 15 years to William "Bill" Vanous III. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Layne Rae McKinney, in 1976. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, March Fincher of Albuquerque; two sons, Colt McKinney of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Cash McKinney of Clovis; her mother, Reva Perkins of Houston; two sisters, Lynne Lilley of Plano, Texas, and Mia Parker of San Diego; and three grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to American Arthritis Foundation, New Mexico Chapter, 124 Olvarado S.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108; or Lupus Foundation of America. Elsewhere Donah Louise Lucore KAMAY - Donah Louise Lucore, 70, died Friday, Aug. 21, 1998. Graveside services were at 3:30 p.m. Monday in Albany Cemetery at Albay with the Rev. John Tunnell officiating. Arrangements were by Dutton Funeral Home of Iowa Park. Mrs. Lucore was born in Mineral Wells and moved to Kamay 30 years ago from Dundee. For 20 years, she worked as a supervisor for the Wichita Falls State Hospital tailoring shop. She married R.B. Lucore in 1951 at Archer City. Survivors include her husband; a son, Jack Lucore of Kamay; two daughters, Debbie Lucore of Wichita Falls and Karen Lucore of Kamay; a sister, Mary A. Spoon of El Paso; three brothers, Bobbie Waldon of Seminole, Donald Waldon of Amarillo and Homer L. Waldon of Haskell; and two grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to the American Heart Association. Canyon Fay Hufnagle Fay Hufnagle, 79, of Canyon, died Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in University Church of Christ with David Lough, minister, and Bob Shepherd, director of Church of Christ Student Center, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Brooks Funeral Directors. Mrs. Hufnagle was born in Canyon where she was a lifelong resident. She graduated from Canyon High School then West Texas Normal College in 1936. In 1937, she taught school for one year at Vaughn, N.M. Mrs. Hufnagle taught aircraft maintenance at Amarillo Air Force Base for four years. She also worked for the WPA in the early 1940s, setting up school lunchroom programs. She was a member of the University Church of Christ and the Texas Agricultural Extension Service's Family and Community Education Clubs since 1954. She married Blaine L. Hufnagle in 1946 at Canyon. She was preceded in death by a son, Ronald Blaine Hufnagle, in 1979. Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Kathy Hufnagle Volanty of Lubbock; a sister, Dora Mae Clanton of Dinuba, Calif.; two grandsons; and a great-granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to High Plains Children's Home, 11461 S. Western St., Amarillo, TX 79118 Delmer Lee Loven Delmer Lee "Pete" Loven, 73, of Canyon, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Grace Baptist Church with Gordon Cox, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery by Brooks Funeral Directors. Mr. Loven was born in Childress. He was employed at the physical plant of West Texas State University from 1960 until his retirement in 1988. He was a musician and member of Grace Baptist Church. He married Wilma Jo Lane in 1970 at Canyon. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Bonnie Sue Lewis of Red River, N.M., and Angela Martin of Watsonville, Calif.; two sons, Tommy Lynn Newkirk of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Mitchell Luther Newkirk Jr. of Red River; a brother, Floyd Dewey Loven of Hurst; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Grace Baptist Church, 2008 12th Ave., Canyon, TX 79015. Oklahoma Maurine Ann Warren GRIGGS, Okla. - Maurine Ann Warren, 51, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998, in Dumas, Texas. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in First United Methodist Church of Stratford with Mark Metzger and Fred Hughes, pastor, officiating. Arrangements are by Cimarron Mortuary of Boise City. Mrs. Warren was born in Auburn, N.Y., and moved to Guymon in 1951 where she graduated from school. She was active in band and church activities. After her marriage, she lived in Stillwater and graduated from Oklahoma State University. With her family, Mrs. Warren moved to Griggs where they farmed. She was a member of the Trinity Fellowship of Dumas and the Gideon Auxiliary. She taught a women's Bible study group and piano lessons. She married Ralph Warren of Griggs in 1966. Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Julie Cook and Jennifer Miller, both of Griggs; her father, Maurice V. Mott of Liberal, Kan.; a sister, Mary Jane Adams of Manhattan, Kan.; and a granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to Gideons, Trinity Fellowship Building Fund or a favorite charity. They may be left in care of Cimarron Mortuary, Box 277, Boise City, OK 73933. Area Kenneth M. Curlock Lieb SAYRE, Okla. - Kenneth M. Curlock Lieb, 70, died Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998. Services were at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Nazarene Church of Sayre with the Rev. Jack Abbott officiating. Burial was in Sayre-Doxey Cemetery by Martin Funeral Home. Mr. Lieb was born in Marietta, Okla., and moved with his family to Borger, Texas, at the age of five. They later moved to Gruver, Texas. He attended Canyon High School at Canyon to play football. During World War II he served in the Navy. Mr. Lieb was employed as an electrician on construction projects in various states, including the construction of nuclear plants in Nevada and Arizona. He also worked in foreign countries. He attended the Nazarene Church. Survivors include his wife, Dean; two daughters, Susan Stowers of Sayre and Debora Steinbach of Washington; a sister, Peggy Jo Perryman of Monahans; a brother, William "Bill" Lieb of Tampa, Fla.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren. Claude Elever Johnson HEREFORD - Claude Elever Johnson, 39, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998, near Hardesty, Okla. Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. today in the Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home Chapel at Guymon, Okla., with the Rev. James Jacobson, a Presbyterian pastor, officiating. Cremation will be by Western Kansas Crematory. Mr. Johnson was born in Incapuquio, Peru, and was raised in Hooker, Okla. He graduated from Hooker High School. He worked in oil fields a majority of his life. He had recently moved to Hereford from Liberal, Kan., and was employed in the maintenance department of a beef packing plant. Survivors include his parents, Claude and Billie Johnson of Hereford; a daughter, Christina Johnson of Kansas City, Kan.; six brothers and sisters, Linda Beltz of Oklahoma, Raymond Johnson of Fairfax, Okla., Pattie McOmie of Lander, Wyo., Bruce Johnson of Hereford, Wayne Johnson of Guymon, and John Johnson of Stillwater, Okla.; and two grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity c/o Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1112, Guymon, OK 73942. Rev. Charles Rufus Gates STRATFORD - The Rev. Charles Rufus "Pops" Gates, 87, died Friday, Aug. 21, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in First United Methodist Church at Maypearl. Burial will be at Maypearl Cemetery by Deer Park Funeral Home at Deer Park. The Rev. Gates was born in Gorman. He was a retired United Methodist minister and had served the Northwest Texas Conference for 37 years. Survivors include his wife, Coise; his children, Charles Wade Gates, Philip Don Gates and David Mark Gates; a sister, Jane Bandy of Colby, Kan.; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to the Alzheimer's Association; Golden Cross Fund; or the Parking Lot Building Fund at Deer Park United Methodist Church, 1300 13th St., Deer Park, TX 77936. Shyanne Brianna Dehls SKELLYTOWN - Shyanne Brianna Dehls, infant daughter of Chris and Lucinda Dehls, died Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in Fairview Cemetery at Pampa with the Rev. Fines Marchman, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors of Pampa. Shyanne was born Friday in Pampa. Survivors include her parents; a brother, Layne Dehls of the home; grandparents, Linda Harmon of Del Rio, Lewis Tollison of Skellytown and Marvin and Judy Dehls of Pampa; great-grandparents, Marie and Otis Hassler of Skellytown and Ollie Dehls of Pampa; and great-greatgrandmother, Margaret Kimbrell of Skellytown. Harold George Short CLARENDON - Harold George Short, 83, died Friday, Aug. 21, 1998. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. today in Highland Park Cemetery at Borger with Case Duggan of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses officiating. Burial will be in Roselawn Garden at Highland Park Cemetery by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors of Borger. Mr. Short was born in McKinney and moved to Clarendon in 1983 from Borger. He was an Army veteran of World War II. He retired from Phillips Petroleum Co. in 1979 as an instrument man. He was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Short, in 1988. Survivors include two daughters, Brenda Jennings of Borger and Judy Thomas of Houston; four brothers, Barney Short of Grand Prairie, Ray Short of Quanah, Earl Short of Kerrville and Benny Short of Kinsley, Kan.; four sisters, Ruth Ellen McBeath and Lana Rietmeyer, both of Crowell, Ruby Hunter of Snyder and Betty Ford of Goodlette; and two grandchildren. Charles R. Carter DIMMITT - Charles R. Carter, 69, died Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Rusty Dickerson, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Dimmitt by Foskey-LilleyMcGill Funeral Home. Mr. Carter was born in Big Spring where he graduated from high school. He moved to Dimmitt from Friona in 1975. In 1995, he retired after 20 years from Goodpasture, Inc. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church. He married Karen O'Brien in 1970 at Dimmitt. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Jennifer Howell of Dimmitt and Donna Grissom and Debbie Strickland, both of Lubbock; a son, Rusty Carter of Childress; and five grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to First United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund, 110 S.W. Third St., Dimmitt, TX 79027; or Rhodes Memorial Library, 105 S.W. Second St., Dimmitt, TX 79027. Johnny Henry Steinle HIGGINS - Johnny Henry Steinle, 73, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in First Baptist Church with Clifford Baze, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Higgins Cemetery by Mason Funeral Home of Shattuck, Okla., with concluding services by Higgins American Legion Post No. 59. Mr. Steinle was born in Higgins. He attended schools in Bishop and Higgins until he joined the Army in 1942 after his junior year. He was a lifelong farmer and member of First Baptist Church of Higgins where he served as an deacon for several years. He married Dollie Miller in 1979 at Guymon, Okla. His first marriage was to Virginia Faye Thompson in 1948. Survivors include his wife; three children, Jerry Steinle of Lafayette, La., Jim Steinle of Palestine and Carol Barton of Higgins; two stepchildren, Wanda Davidson of Guymon and Frank Miller of Arnett, Okla.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to First Baptist Church of Higgins, the Higgins Emergency Medical Systems or the Ellis County Emergency Service with the Mason Funeral Home acting as custodian. Loy Rue Frogge FRITCH - Loy Rue Frogge, 84, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Don White, pastor of New Beginnings Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Garden of Devotion by Minton / Chatwell Funeral Directors of Fritch. Mr. Frogge was born in Paden, Okla., of the Creek Nation. He moved to Fritch in 1980 from Phillips. He retired as a boilermaker from Phillips Petroleum Co. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Edith "Billie" Frogge in July. Survivors include his brother, Herbie Frogge of Lancaster, Calif.; and two grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony Hospice and Life Enrichment Center of Amarillo. Margaret Wimp PLAINVIEW - Margaret Wimp, 92, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Plainview Memorial Park Cemetery with Dr. R.L. Kirk of Amarillo, former pastor of First United Methodist Church of Plainview, officiating. Arrangements are by Wood-Dunning Funeral Home. Mrs. Wimp was born in Wichita, Kan., and grew up in Argonia, Kan. She returned to Wichita in 1923 and graduated from high school in 1924. She attended business college and worked for a wholesale food distribution company, then was employed by Southwestern Investment Co., in Plainview. She married Ernest Wimp in 1928 and moved to Swisher County. They farmed in the Whitfield community for more than 50 years. After his death in 1980, she returned to Plainview. Mrs. Wimp was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Kress Home Demonstration Club and Kress Bridge Club. For several years, she was an election judge. Survivors include two daughters, Charlotte Thurman of Plainview and Marguerite Richmond of Port Townsend, Wash.; a son, Ivan G. Wimp of Conroe; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Fine Arts Scholarship Fund, c/o Fine Arts Center, Bobbie Lee Farmer, 410 11th St., Plainview, TX 79072. Olvie Aubrey Neff FLOYDADA - Olvie Aubrey "Shorty" Neff, 79, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Services will be at 3 p.m. today in New Salem Primitive Baptist Church in Floydada with George Johnson, elder of Lubbock Primitive Baptist Church, and Don Martin, elder of Perryton Primitive Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Lakeview Cemetery by MooreRose-White Funeral Home of Floydada. Mr. Neff was born in Cotton County, Okla., and moved to Floyd County in 1923. He attended schools in Lakeview and Fairview communities. He served in the Army from 1942 until 1946 where he was a technical sergeant. During World War II, he was stationed in the Philippines. Mr. Neff was employed by Lighthouse Electric Co-Op from 1949 until his retirement in 1982. He was a member of New Salem Primitive Baptist Church. He married Leona Juanell West in 1946 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; a son, Aubrey Lynn Neff of Dalhart; two brothers, W.A. Neff of Amarillo and Ed Neff of Floydada; three sisters, Barbara Hauteen Woody of Lubbock, Pauline Eatherly of Prescott, Ariz., and Lela Fay Capshaw of Fayetteville, Ark.; and two grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to New Salem Primitive Baptist Church, c/o Gale McPherson, Rt. 1, Box 69, Lockney, TX 79241; or the American Heart Association, 3403 73rd St., Lubbock, TX 79410. George Lewis Austin PAMPA - George Lewis Austin, 71, died Friday, Aug. 21, 1998. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors Colonial Chapel with the Rev. I.L. Patrick, pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. Mr. Austin was born in Clarksville and grew up in Lawton, Okla., where he received his basic education and attended St. Elmo Missionary Baptist Church. In 1952, he joined the Marine Corps and served for four years. After his marriage to Effie Walker, he moved to Evanston, Ill., then retired to Pampa where he did mechanical work. Survivors include his wife; four sons, George Austin Jr., and John Wayne, both of Tacoma, Wash., and Frank Austin and Mark Austin, both of Chicago; five sisters, Hattie Mae Hutchinson of Lawton, Virginia Hallums of Fresno, Calif., Deretha Viney of Vallejo, Calif., Alma Brunson of Ladson, S.C., and Mary L. Dixon of San Francisco; and two brothers, Jesse Austin of Evanston, Ill., and Melvin Austin of Fort Worth. Rosa Lee Gallagher PLAINVIEW - Rosa Lee Gallagher, 80, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 1998. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Lemons Funeral Home Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Robert Roecker, associate pastor of College Heights Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery in Dimmitt. Mrs. Gallagher was born in Cuervo, N.M., and grew up in Albany, Okla., where she attended schools. She moved to Hereford in 1952 and to Dimmitt in 1954. She was in the first LVN class that graduated from Plains Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Gallagher was employed by Plains Memorial Hospital for many years. She moved to Plainview in 1979 where she was a member of College Heights Baptist Church and active in Plainview Senior Citizens. She married Clyde Gallagher in 1979 at Dimmitt. Her first marriage was to Earl Brown in 1935 at Albany. He died in 1975. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Dixie West, in 1996. Survivors include her husband; a son, Clayton Neal of Quinlan; a brother, David Lynn of Albuquerque, N.M.; two sisters, Evelyn Garrison of Panhandle and Hazel Burchell of Roosevelt, Utah; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to LVN scholarship fund at First United Bank of Dimmitt or Plains Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.