Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 3 June 1999 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, June 3, 1999, 7:57 AM Area Marie Plumlee BORGER - Marie Plumlee, 72, died Monday, May 31, 1999. Services will be at 3 p.m. today in Brown Funeral Directors Chapel of the Fountains. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery. Mrs. Plumlee was born in Hollis, Okla., and had been a Borger resident for 42 years. She was a former owner of ByPass Cleaners. She was preceded in death by her husband, Truman Plumlee, in 1993. Survivors include three sons, Reggie Barnett of Amarillo, Kenny Barnett of Borger and Mike Plumlee of Houston; three half sisters, Rachel Brisco, Hazel Brisco and Una Rippetoe; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Gene Wayne Helton CANADIAN - Gene Wayne Helton, 66, died Wednesday, June 2, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery with the Rev. Alberta Helton, pastor of Reydon Community Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Stickley-Hill Funeral Directors of Canadian. Mr. Helton was born in Wheeler County and moved to Hemphill County in 1955. He was employed as a truck driver for 27 years by Ward Oil Co. He then worked for Turner 3 until his retirement in 1996. He married Frankie Fuller in 1955 at Hemphill County. Survivors include his wife; a son, Mike Helton of Pampa; two daughters, Peggy Helton of Amarillo and Joe Dean Helton of Joy; and five grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Abraham Memorial Home. Henry Britton Merrick Henry Britton Merrick, 92, of Carrollton and a former Groom resident, died Wednesday, June 2, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Groom Church of Christ with Dale Meadows, minister, and Kent Watson, minister of Church of Christ in Claude, officiating. Burial will be in Groom Cemetery by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St., Amarillo. Mr. Merrick was born in Indian Territory at Range, Okla. He was a World War II veteran with the 11th Army Air Corps. He was instrumental in placing a historical marker for Boydstun Cemetery on Highway 70 near Old Jericho in memory of his grandparents, who homesteaded in Boydstun in 1889. Mr. Merrick was a farmer and rancher in Groom until his retirement in 1974. He was a member of the Groom Church of Christ, where he served as elder and member and past president of the Groom School Board. In 1956, he married Lucille Stephenson. His first marriage was in 1943 to Lora Wilkins, who died in 1954. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Marlys Melton of Frisco; two stepdaughters, Maxine Kelso of Clovis, N.M., and Carolyn May of Fritch; a stepson, Dr. Steve Stephenson of Canyon; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials be to Groom Ambulance Fund or High Plains Children's Home. Katherine Sjogren PLAINVIEW - Katherine Sjogren, 77, died Wednesday, June 2, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Plainview with the Rev. David Mueller, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Kress Cemetery in Kress by Lemons Funeral Home of Plainview. Mrs. Sjogren was born near Olton and attended Olton schools where she graduated from high school in 1940. She then attended Lipperts Business College. She worked for a dentist, Dr. F.W. Wekrheim, in Plainview until he left for World War II. Mrs. Sjogren worked for Retail Merchants Credit Bureau until 1956 when she worked for Dr. Curtis Baldwin. After her marriage, she moved to Kress where she was active in her children's school activities. She was president of the band. In 1983, Mrs. Sjogren moved to Olton. She was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church. She married Charles Stanford Sjogren in 1947 at Plainview. Survivors include her husband; two sons, Carl A. Sjogren of Kress and Kenneth A. Sjogren of Plainview; and five grandchildren. Bonita Graham PLAINVIEW - Bonita Graham, 94, died Wednesday, June 2, 1999. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Lemons Funeral Home Memorial Chapel with the Rev. H.W. Bartlett, pastor of Temple Baptist Church of Hereford, officiating. Burial will be in Parklawn Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Graham was born in Indian Territory and was raised in Caddo. Later, she moved to Tucson, then to Turkey where she taught school in the Parnell area. She lived in Seagraves for a year, moved to Floydada in 1937 then to Kress in 1941 and to Plainview in 1947. Mrs. Graham had her broker's license and sold real estate in the 1950s and 1960s. She also worked at Masso's and sat with the elderly. She was a Methodist. She was married in 1923 at Estelline. Survivors include a daughter, Freda Jane Damron of Hereford; a son, Gerry "Rusty" Graham of Longview; a sister, Nanimae Moutrey of San Antonio; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Amarillo Ada Gruhlkey Ada Gruhlkey, 90, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, June 1, 1999. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Llano Cemetery with the Rev. Sammie Rainey, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Mrs. Gruhlkey was born in Dayton, N.M., and had lived in Amarillo since 1927. For more than 30 years, she was a sales clerk for Sears. Mrs. Gruhlkey was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and was a life member of the Order of Eastern Star. She married Albert A. Gruhlkey in 1928. He died in 1973. Survivors include a son, Lee Gruhlkey of Austin; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3400 S. Jackson, Amarillo, TX 79109. Massie Donley Massie Donley, 92, of Amarillo, died Sunday, May 30, 1999. Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in St. James ME Church in Teague with the Rev. Roger Hunter, officiating. Burial will be in Antioch Cemetery in Teague by Warford-Walker Mortuary Inc., 509 N. Hughes St. Mr. Donley was born in Oakwood and moved to Amarillo in 1947 from Lawton, Okla. In 1978, he retired as a brick cooker for Crowe-Guldy Cement. He was a Methodist. He was preceded in death by his wife, Myrtle Donley, in 1978. Survivors include a daughter, Bulah L. Donley of Amarillo; a stepson, Alfred Richards Jr. of Amarillo; a stepdaughter, Earnestine Smith of Houston; a sister, Artice Lee Biggers of Teague; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1005 N. Adams in Amarillo. Viewing will be today at Warford-Walker Mortuary, 509 N. Hughes. Canyon Jennie Frances Cook Meier Jennie Frances Cook Meier, 83, died Tuesday, June 1, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First United Methodist Church in Arnett, Okla., with the Rev. Stewart officiating. Burial will be in Debolt Cemetery in Arnett by Brooks Funeral Directors of Canyon. Mrs. Meier was born in Arnett, moved to Guthrie, Okla., then returned to Arnett in a covered wagon when she was five. She attended the Teal Country School and graduated grade school and high school from Arnett schools. After her marriage, Mrs. Meier carried a mail route from Arnett to Peak. The family moved to Panhandle in 1959. She later moved to Enid, Okla., where she was a sales lady and home nurse. Mrs. Meier was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Arnett, AARP, RSVP, Golden Agers of Enid and a Wheatheart Nutrition volunteer. She married Ernest Meier in 1936 at Oklahoma. He died in 1963 followed by the death of their daughter, Wilma Jean, in 1966. Survivors include a son, Ray Meier of Canyon; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Garfield County Hospice Fund. Frances B. Reynolds Frances B. Reynolds, 74, of Canyon, died Monday, May 31, 1999. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in First Christian Church of Canyon with the Rev. Paul Land officiating. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery by Brooks Funeral Directors. Mrs. Reynolds was born in Chickasha, Okla., and attended high school in Carnegie, Okla. In 1943, she moved to Canyon. She was a member of First Christian Church of Canyon, Canyon Senior Citizens and Canyon Cares. She married Chester Reynolds in 1943 at Canyon. He died in 1982. Survivors include two sons, Ronnie Reynolds of Canyon and Bill Reynolds of Strasbourg, France; two brothers, Archie Rhodes of Fritch and J.V. Rhodes of Carnegie; two sisters, Gerthie Arnett of Pampa and Elsie Hughes of Wheeler; three granddaughters; and two great-granddaughters. The family suggests memorials be to First Christian Church Building Fund, 2011 Fourth Ave., Canyon, TX 79015. Elsewhere Elma Laverne Read HATFIELD, Ark. - Elma Laverne Read, 73, died Saturday, May 29, 1999, in Austin. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. today in Cook-Walden Forest Oaks Funeral Home in Austin, with the Rev. Nancy McCranie officiating. Survivors include her husband, James C.; a daughter, Carolyn Gutierrez of Austin; two brothers, Bill Badgett of Key West, Fla., and Emory Badgett of Hatfield; two grandchildren; and a greatgrandson. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice-Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78759-8660. Kansas Helen Anne Hall LIBERAL, Kan. - Helen Anne Hall, 82, died Tuesday, June 1, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Kitch Funeral Home with the Rev. Phil Shull officiating. Cremation will follow services. Mrs. Hall was born in Minneapolis, Minn., and moved to Liberal two years ago from Leavenworth. She was an executive secretary for Houston Natural Gas Co. in Houston, retiring after 20 years. She also was a member of the Episcopal Church. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Ann Loury Hall. Survivors include a son, Tim Hall of Liberal; a brother; and a granddaughter. There will be private family visitation. The family requests memorials be to the Leukemia Society of America in care of the funeral home. New Mexico Bernice McAda TUCUMCARI, N.M. - Bernice McAda, 83, of Artesia, died Tuesday, June 1, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Dunn Funeral Home Memorial Chapel with Dr. Bobby Renfro, minister of First Baptist Church of Roswell, officiating. Burial will be in the family plot in Tucumcari Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. McAda was born in Clarksville, Tenn., and moved to Tucumcari in 1937. She later moved to Artesia. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church of Tucumcari, Women's Missionary Union and the Tucumcari Garden Club. She was preceded in death by her husband, Grady McAda, in 1987. Survivors include two sons, Bobby McAda of Niceville, Fla., and Jimmy McAda of Chama; a daughter, Shirley Scott of Roswell; and six grandchildren. Viewing will be from today until time of services Friday in the funeral home. The family suggests memorials be to Alzheimer's Association, 1330 San Pedro NE, Suite 205, Albuquerque, NM 87110.