Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 6 Oct 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; Wednesday, October 6, 1999, 6:05 AM Area Jose Rodriguez DUMAS - Jose "Lupe" Rodriguez, 79, of Cactus, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church of Dumas with the Rev. Darryl Birkenfeld, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church of Cactus, officiating. Burial will be in the Dumas Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors in Dumas. Mr. Rodriguez was born in Puerto DeLuna, N.M., and had lived in the Cactus area since 1974. He was a Catholic and veteran of World War II. He retired from the meat packing plant in Dumas. Mr. Rodriguez attended carpenter school in Santa Fe, N.M., and was a carpenter in the Cactus and Dumas areas. He also farmed most of his life. He married Carlota Gutierrez in 1946. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1984 and by a son, Perfecto Carlos Rodriguez, in 1982 and by a daughter, Isabel Rodriguez, in 1975. Survivors include four sons, Jose Rodriguez Jr., Luis Rodriguez and Jose Acosta, all of Dumas, and Lawrence Rodriguez of Hereford; three daughters, Lucia Madrid and Yvonne Mary Meraz, both of Dumas, and Donna Andrade of Storm Lake, Iowa; a brother, Gilbert Rodriguez of Santa Fe, N.M.; four sisters, Agetha Lovato of California, Victoria Rodriguez and Tillie Garcia, both of Santa Fe, and Maxine Rocks of Albuquerque, N.M.; 17 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 508 N. Cedar in Dumas. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Betty Wilde BOOKER - Betty Wilde, 68, formerly of Lipscomb County, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in the Follett Chapel with the Rev. Paul Morrison officiating. Burial will be in Fairmont Cemetery by Good Samaritan Funeral Service of Booker. Mrs. Wilde was born and raised in Beaver County, Okla. She attended Sunset County School and graduated from Darrouzett High School in 1949. She married Albert Stoughton in 1950 at Darrouzett and they lived in Cactus. She later moved to Arizona. Mrs. Wilde moved to Muskogee, Okla., where she was employed by the Swift Processing Plant. In 1992, she retired from Sola Optical. She was a member of the Muskogee Assembly of God Church. She and Bob Wilde were married at Muskogee. He preceded her in death. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Rebecca. Survivors include two sons, James Stoughton of Amarillo and Tommy Stoughton of Dumas; two brothers, Allen Ford of Ponca City, Okla., and Tom Ford of Woodward, Okla.; a sister, Vera Ruben of Montrose, Colo.; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Sostenez Martinez CHILDRESS - Sostenez Martinez, 51, died Saturday, Oct. 2, 1999. Mass will be recited at 3 p.m. today in Holy Angels Catholic Church by the Rev. Dennis Boylan. Burial will be in Childress Cemetery by Johnson Funeral Home of Childress. Mrs. Martinez was a homemaker and member of Holy Angels Catholic Church. Survivors include her husband, Vincente; her mother, Ricarda Martinez of Childress; nine sisters, Marie Esquivel of Vega, Juanita Hernandez of Pearsall, Guadalupe Garcia of Vernon, Norma Trejo of Memphis, and Elouisa Martinez, Martha Vitela, Gilda Modesta, Bertha Martinez and Irene Martinez, all of Childress; and three brothers, Jose Martinez, Isreal Martinez and Oscar Martinez, all of Childress. Amarillo Globe-Times Oct. 5, 1999 Alyne Lewellen Hooper PLAINVIEW - Alyne Lewellen Hooper, 96, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999, at Kerrville. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First Christian Church with the Rev. Dean McNamera, interim pastor of First Christian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park by Wood Dunning Funeral Home. Mrs. Hooper was born in Woodbury and moved to Plainview at the age of 3. She moved to Kerrville 51/2 years ago from Plainview. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Plainview. She married Chester William Hooper in 1924 at Plainview. He died in 1979. She also was preceded in death by a son, Lewellen Hooper. Survivors include a daughter, Carolyn Hooper Immel of Kerrville; a daughter-inlaw, Audrey Talley Hooper of Plainview; three grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Mary Eva Barry DUMAS - Mary Eva Barry, 80, died Monday, Oct. 4, 1999. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Dumas Cemetery with the Rev. Frank C. Elliott, retired pastor of Church of the Nazarene of Dumas, officiating. Arrangements are by Morrison Funeral Directors. Mrs. Barry was born in Mecklenburg, Va., and had lived in Dumas since 1946. She was a homemaker. She married Merle R. Barry in 1935 at McDowell County, N.C. He died in 1988. Survivors include a son, Franklin Barry of Perry, Okla.; two sisters, Pearl Helms and Dorothy McCaslin, both of North Carolina; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family will be at the Windsor Inn No. 223 in Dumas. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Reba Keahey Gilliland PAMPA - Reba Keahey Gilliland, 96, died Tuesday, Oct. 5, 1999. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in Groom Cemetery with the Rev. Byron Williamson, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Groom, officiating. Arrangements are by CarmichaelWhatley Funeral Directors of Pampa. Mrs. Gilliland was born in Indian Territory, Oklahoma. She lived in Crawford, Okla., for 40 years and moved to Pampa in 1992. She was one of the first telephone operators for GTE in the Texas Panhandle and was a Baptist. Her first marriage was to Doy Keahey in 1922 at Cheyenne, Okla. He died in 1951. In 1954, she married her second husband, Frank Gilliland, who died in 1985. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Nadine Black, in 1986. Survivors include two brothers, Claybirn Ross and Veril Ross, both of Fritch; three sisters, Sylvia Pool of Watson, Okla., Margaret Leech of Tacoma, Wash., and Juanita Leddy of California; five grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; and a son-in-law, Kenneth Black of Groom. The family will receive friends from 6 until 7 p.m. today at the funeral home. They suggest memorials be to the Groom Ambulance Service. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Amarillo A.V. Sandefer A.V. "Sandy" Sandefer, of Amarillo, died Monday, Oct. 4, 1999. Services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, 315 E. Fifth Ave., with Wendell Taylor, chaplain of Veteran's Administration Medical Center, officiating. Entombment will be in Llano Mausoleum. Mr. Sandefer was born in Bowie. During World War II, he served as a captain in the Army Air Corps. He saw action on Okinawa and was awarded the Purple Heart. For many years, he acted as advocate general for the Disabled American Veterans, working to obtain benefits for other disabled veterans in Amarillo. Mr. Sandefer moved to Amarillo in 1950. where he was a manager of General Mills, a teacher at Forest Hill Elementary School and a rancher. He was a member and longtime deacon of Trinity Baptist Church. In 1957, Mr. Sandefer was initiated into the Masons. He was a past master of San Jacinto Masonic Lodge No. 1330, a 32nd degree Mason and a recipient of the Golden Trowel award. He was a charter member of the Lubbock Scottish Rite, a member of the York Rite of Amarillo, the Khiva Temple of the Shrine and the A.E. Shirley Chapter 986 Order of Eastern Star. He was past commander of the DAV Chapter 26. Survivors include his wife, Ella Sandefer; a daughter, Debra Sandefer of Houston; four sisters, Nell Yokum of Amarillo, Faydean Davis of Glendale, Ariz., Audrey Newman of Burleson and Mozelle Collins of Milledgeville, Ga,; and four brothers, Richard Sandefer of Umbarger, Clovis Earick and Rex Earick, both of Roswell, N.M., and Kenneth Sandefer of Amarillo. The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, memorials be to Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Charlie F. Alexander Charlie F. Alexander, 95, of Amarillo, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Washington Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Jack Cox, retired minister, and the Rev. Jim Shelburne, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mr. Alexander was born in Giddings and first moved to Amarillo in 1927 then returned in 1947 from Raton, N.M. In 1966, he retired after 33 years as a driver for Southwestern Greyhound Lines. He was a founding member of Washington Avenue Christian Church. In 1987, he married Bobbie Appling at Amarillo. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Pauline "Tiny" Alexander, in 1986. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Joy Alexander Williams of Ventura, Calif.; a son, John Dale Alexander of Columbus; a brother, Leo Alexander of Giddings; three sisters, Lillie Durrenberger of Giddings, M.I. Gann of Lufkin and Dorothy Lehman of Ledbetter; four grandchildren; and a great-grandson. The family suggests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice or Washington Avenue Christian Church. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Canyon Frank A. Brooks CANYON - Frank A. Brooks, 81, of Canyon, died Monday, Oct. 4, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church of Canyon with the Rev. Strauss Atkinson, pastor emeritus, officiating. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery by Holley Funeral Home Inc. of Canyon. Mr. Brooks was born in Poteau, Okla., and had been a Canyon resident since 1951. During World War II, he served in the Army. Mr. Brooks was employed by Texas Body Shop in Canyon for 25 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church. He married Annette Rusk in 1953 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Brenda Brooks of Amarillo; a son, John Brooks of Canyon; and a grandchild. The family suggests memorials be to Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, P.O. Box 3024, Amarillo, TX 79116. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 New Mexico Conrrada Ramirez CLOVIS, N.M. - Conrrada Ramirez, 80, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today in Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church by the Rev. Carlos Chavez. Burial will be in Mission Garden of Memories by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Mrs. Ramirez had been a resident of Clovis for the past 40 years. She was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and was a homemaker. Survivors include a son, Paul Ramirez of Clovis; four daughters, Jan Barron, Calina Arellanes and Dominga Martinez, all of Clovis and Lupe Mendoza of Chicago; 22 grandchildren; and 44 great-grandchildren. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Elsewhere Robert C. Lerch TRINIDAD, Colo. - Robert C. Lerch, 70, of Weston, Colo., and a former Amarillo resident, died Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Memorial Park Cemetery in Amarillo. Services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5 at Rancho La Garita in Weston with Aaron Norton, pastor, officiating. Arrangements are by Mullare-Murphy Funeral Home of Trinidad. Mr. Lerch was born in Lithopolis, Ohio, where he graduated from high school. A veteran of the Navy, he was an entrepreneur with several business ventures. He retired as managing foreman of US Arco Copper Refinery and was owner of Twin Peaks Builders. He married Mary Alice Cordray in 1952 at Richmond, Ind. She preceded him in death. Survivors include three sons, Jeff Lerch of Los Angeles, David Lerch of Amarillo and Tom Lerch of Seattle; three sisters, Pat, Barbara and Gerry; and three grandchildren. The family will be at 19990 CR 30, Weston, CO. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999 Jacob William Milburn NEOSHO, Mo. - Jacob William "J.W." Milburn, 83, formerly of Amarillo, died Monday, Oct. 4, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Clark Funeral Home Chapel of Memories in Neosho with the Rev. Jeff White officiating. Burial will be in Burkhart Cemetery near Racine. Mr. Milburn was born in Louisville, Ky., and moved to Childress, Texas when he was 5. He grew up in Childress and moved to Amarillo when he was 41. He was a service station attendant in Childress and Amarillo. In 1970, Mr. Milburn moved to Neosho. From 1972 until 1980, he was the maintenance man at Neosho High School. He was a 50-year member and past president of the Knights of the Pythian Lodge No. 54 in Amarillo and a member of the Baptist Church. He married Lois Tyree in 1958 at Amarillo. Survivors include his wife; four stepdaughters, Beulah Moon, Delores Eads, Lois Fivecoats and Ruth Queim, all of Portland, Ore.; 19 step-grandchildren; 59 step-great-grandchildren; and 14 stepgreat-great-grandchildren. Viewing will be from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. today at the funeral home. Amarillo Daily News, Oct. 6, 1999