Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 10 March 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, March 10, 1999, 6:20 AM Amarillo Deborah Bridges Terry Deborah Bridges Terry, 45, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Llano Cemetery with the Rev. Jeff Quinlin of Trinity Fellowship officiating. Arrangements are by Colonial Funeral Chapel, 1010 W. Ninth Ave. Ms. Terry was born in Amarillo. She graduated from Amarillo High School and attended Amarillo College and West Texas A&M University. Prior to a disability in 1989, she had worked in the insurance business. She was a Baptist. Survivors include two brothers, Robert Bridges and Raymond Bridges, both of Canyon; two sisters, Molly Bridges of Canyon and Phyllis Bridges of Denton; and her father, Robert Howard Bridges of Amarillo. James E. Washburn Jr. James E. "Ed" Washburn Jr., 79, of Amarillo, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, 315 E. Fifth Ave., with the Rev. Royce Elms of Jubilee Apostolic Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano East Cemetery. Mr. Washburn was born in Mingus and moved to Amarillo 32 years ago. He was an Army veteran of World War II and worked as a machinist for Trico Industries. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Jubilee Apostolic Church. He married Mary Dunlap in 1955 at Tucumcari, N.M. Survivors include is wife; a son, Terry Jay Washburn of Amarillo; two daughters, Linda Sue Barton of Amarillo and Sharon Lynn Shultz of Simpsonville, Ky.; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family will be at 7310 Calumet. Elton Lloyd Isham Elton Lloyd Isham, 89, of Amarillo, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Coulter Road Baptist Church, 4108 Coulter Road, with Dr. Larry Payne, pastor, and the Rev. Travis LaDuke, retired minister, officiating. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Comanche Cemetery in Comanche with Jess Hightower, son-in-law, officiating. Arrangements are by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St. Mr. Isham was born in Comanche and moved to Amarillo in 1983 from Fort Worth. He was employed for 13 years as a baker at Leonard's in Fort Worth and retired as a railway mail clerk for the U.S. Postal Service. He was a member of Coulter Road Baptist Church. He married Wyna Cameron in 1928 at Comanche. He was preceded in death by a son, Harold Isham, and an infant daughter. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mazelle Hightower of Amarillo; a sister, Rebecca Monroe of Grand Prairie; three grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Commission for the Blind or Coulter Road Baptist Church. Virginia Petty Sexton Virginia Petty Sexton, 77, of Amarillo, died Sunday, March 7, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, Bell Avenue Chapel, 5400 Bell St., with Dan McCain, minister, officiating. Entombment will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Mrs. Sexton was born in Hollis, Okla. She was employed as an account executive for a stock brokerage company. She was a member of St. Stephen United Methodist Church and Beta Sigma Phi sorority. She married Carl Sexton in 1947 at Hollis. He died in 1996. Survivors include a son, Bruce Jones Sexton of Amarillo; a daughter, Karla Kay Sexton of Watertown, Pa.; a sister, Margaret Johnson of Mangum, Okla.; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family will be at 5405 Westgate Dr. They suggest memorials be to High Plains Children's Home of Amarillo or Westview Boys' Home of Hollis. Opal H. Lee Opal H. Lee, 81, of Amarillo, died Saturday, March 6, 1999. Memorial services are planned for a later date. Arrangements are by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St. Mrs. Lee was born in Immokalee, Fla., and moved to Amarillo from Palatka, Fla. She attended schools in Fort Pierce, Fla., and Good Samaritan Nursing School in West Palm Beach, Fla. She was a nurse for the Fort Pierce School System. Mrs. Lee retired as a public health nurse for Putnam County after 23 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Palatka, Palatka Women's Club and was a lifetime member of the Over-Fifty Club of Palatka. She married Oscar W. Lee in 1941. He died in 1976. Survivors include a son, Larry Wilson Lee of Daytona Beach Shores, Fla.; a daughter, Sharon L. Goggins of Amarillo; a sister, Freida May Colvin of Pensacola, Fla.; and three grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center of Amarillo or to a favorite charity. Mary Beth Kirkpatrick Mary Beth Kirkpatrick, 82, of Amarillo, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, Ivy Chapel, 2820 Virginia Circle, with Dr. David Evans, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in Ochiltree Cemetery. Mrs. Kirkpatrick was born in Haskell and raised in Perryton. In 1939, she graduated from Hardin-Simmons University with a bachelor of arts degree. She taught school at several area schools. Mrs. Kirkpatrick was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and did volunteer work at the hospital in Perryton. In 1988, she moved to Amarillo where she was a member of Trinity Baptist Church. She married Ralph Pierce Kirkpatrick in 1947. He died in 1972. She is survived by a son, Mark Kirkpatrick of Amarillo, and three grandsons. Howell Doyal Christie Howell Doyal Christie, 66, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Graveside services with Masonic rites will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with the Rev. Truman Ledbetter, pastor of First Baptist Church of Clarendon, officiating. Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Home of Clarendon. Mr. Christie was born in Lelia Lake and was an Amarillo resident for most of his life. In 1991, he retired as truck driver for TOX Trucking. He was a Marine Corps veteran and member of the San Jacinto Masonic Lodge No. 1330 in Amarillo. Survivors include a daughter, Teresa A. Ponikvar of Leadville, Colo.; three sons, Danny L. Phillips of Lubbock, Steve W. Christie of Firestone, Colo., and Lanny Christie of Round Mountain, Nev.; 10 grandchildren; and 10 greatgrandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Citizens Cemetery Association in Clarendon or Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice in Amarillo. Louie C. Black Louie C. Black, 86, of Amarillo, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in San Jacinto Assembly of God with Melvin Suttle, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Mr. Black moved to Amarillo in 1960 from Colorado. In 1985, he retired as a self-employed truck driver. He was a member of San Jacinto Assembly of God Church. He married Mary Ailene Hutchinson in 1932 at Soper, Okla. She died in 1992. Survivors include three daughters, Mary Burkhalter of Fort Worth, Sandra Tiller of San Antonio and Sherry Wilkin of Amarillo; three sons, Louie C. Black Jr., of Mobile, Ala., Neal Black of Loveland, Colo., and Ben Black of Amarillo; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. The family will be at 2225 E. 21st. They suggest memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson, Amarillo, TX 79101. Canyon Leola House Porter Leola House Porter, 85, of Canyon, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Brooks Funeral Directors Chapel with Doug Moore of Austin officiating. Burial will be in Dreamland Cemetery. Mrs. Porter was born in Pampa. After graduation from high school, she attended Abilene Christian College. She worked at the Jack Jenning Dress Shop in Canyon for several years and was a Church of Christ member. She married Wayne Porter in 1933 in Amarillo. He died in 1990. Survivors include a son, Larry Porter of Canyon; two grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to a favorite charity. Elsewhere Charlotte Ernestine Hudgins FORT WORTH - Charlotte Ernestine Hudgins, 64, a former Amarillo resident, died Sunday, Feb. 28, 1999. Memorial services were at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth with Dr. William F. Gailbraith officiating. Miss Hudgins was born in Amarillo. She graduated from Amarillo High School and Amarillo College and attended West Texas State University. She completed her training as a medical technologist at Terrell Laboratories of Fort Worth in 1958. Two years later, she became a missionary in Mexico. Her first assignment was to set up a laboratory and to train nurses in lab testing in a hospital at Ometepec. She traveled with missionaries into small towns and taught Bible stories to children. She later moved to Morelia and a Larger Presbyterian hospital, where she worked in the medical lab and was a dorm mother to the nursing students. While there, she translated all the lab procedures into Spanish. After five years, she returned to Fort Worth and joined the staff of John Peter Smith Hospital. She retired in 1997. Miss Hudgins became a member of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in 1958 and was longtime member of the Sanctuary Choir and the Adult Handbell Guild. She served as a lay-reader, taught in the church school and held various positions in Presbyterian Women. An elder on the session, she served as its clerk and on many committees. She had been a member of the church's AIDS Care Team and on the Board of Deacons. At the time of her death, she was on Grace Presbytery's Council and would have been a delegate to the denomination's General Assembly in June. She also had been a member of Grace Presbytery's Church Support and Development Committee. Survivors include two sisters, Jean Hollingsworth of Panhandle and Mabel Implom of Wilmington, N.C. The family requests memorials be to Presbyterian Night Shelter; Tarrant County Food Bank; Community Hospice of Fort Worth; Women's Haven; or a favorite charity. Ava C. Crump MATADOR - Ava C. Crump, 79, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. No services are planned at this time. Cremation and arrangements are by Seigler Funeral Home of Matador. Mrs. Crump was born in Matador and lived in Brownwood, Crockett, Pyote and Corsicana before returning to Matador in 1982. She retired as youth supervisor from the Texas Department of Corrections. Survivors include a special friend, John W. Clower of Matador; a son, Gary Dale Whittle of Canyon; a sister, Jonita Freeman of Grand Prairie; two half-sisters; two grandchildren; and four greatgrandchildren. New Mexico James Harvey Wallis QUAY, N.M. - James Harvey "Jim" Wallis, 78, died Monday, March 8, 1999, at Abilene, Texas. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Quay Cemetery with Randy Searight, Church of Christ minister, officiating. Arrangements are by Dunn Funeral Home of Tucumcari. Mr. Wallis was born in Quay where he was a lifetime resident. He had been a rancher in the area. He was a member of the Tucumcari Church of Christ. In 1997, he moved to Albany, Texas. He had been married to Clesta Jennings for 57 years. Survivors include his wife; a son, Stanley Wallis of Albany; a brother, Paul Wallis of Arizona; a sister, Jean Wallis of Albuquerque; and a granddaughter. The body will be available for viewing until noon Wednesday at Dunn Funeral Home. Oklahoma Oscar Harrison Montgomery FELT, Okla. - Oscar Harrison Montgomery, 78, died Sunday, March 7, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Felt Baptist Church with Jeff Bradley and Billy Rammage officiating. Burial will be in Bertrand Cemetery by Cimarron Mortuary of Boise City. Mr. Montgomery was born in Campo, Colo., and started school in Dalhart, Texas. He attended 13 schools before graduating from Olton, Texas, High School in 1938. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Corps at Chatham Field, Ga., San Diego, Wichita, Kan., and Arizona. Mr. Montgomery was a farmer and enjoyed carpentry. With his family, he lived in Olney Springs, Colo., Tulia, Texas, and Felt. He married Gladys Coots in 1946 at Rossville, Ga. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Elizabeth May. Survivors include his wife; a son, John Montgomery of Shattuck; a daughter, Susan Smith of Hugoton, Kan.; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch or to a favorite charity. Memorials may be left in care of the mortuary, P.O. Box 277, Boise City, OK 73933. Area Robert A. Story PAMPA - Robert A. "Bob" Story, 78, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dale Moreland and the Rev. John Glover, associate pastors, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mr. Story was born in Arlington and had lived in Pampa since 1963. He was a World War II veteran of the Coast Guard. He retired from Montgomery Ward after 11 years, then worked for Titan Industries, retiring in 1986. He married Florence Keeton in Roswell, N.M. He was preceded in death by a son, Tommy Earl Story, in 1982. Survivors include his wife; a son, Robert Erskine Story of League City; a daughter, Teresa Story of Amarillo; a sister, La Belle Wilson of El Paso; and three grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to First Baptist Church Mission Fund. Gilbert Vela Sr. MULESHOE - Gilbert Vela Sr., 41, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in Ellis Funeral Home Chapel in Muleshoe. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the Rev. Joseph Augustine, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Muleshoe Memorial Park Cemetery. Mr. Vela was born in Fort Worth. He lived most of his life in Muleshoe where he graduated from high school in 1975. He owned and operated Gil's Construction Company in Muleshoe, Morton and Dimmitt and was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. He married Rosalinda Sinfuentes in 1979 at Muleshoe. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Gilbert Vela Jr., and Chris Vela, both of Muleshoe; his mother and stepfather, Feliz and Soloman Carrion of Muleshoe; his father, Israel Vela of Fort Worth; a sister, Dianne Sears of Dallas; and five brothers, Mark and Daniel Vela of Dallas, Robert Rodriquez and Jessie Carrion, both of Lubbock, and Luis Carrion of Los Angeles. Dennis Ward MEMPHIS - Dennis Ward, 80, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in First United Methodist Church of Memphis with the Rev. Dale Sexton officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in Llano Cemetery in Amarillo by Memphis Funeral Home. Mr. Ward was born in Emory and was an Army veteran of World War II. For several years, he was employed as a car dealer in Memphis. Survivors include two sons, Barry Ward of Skellytown and Lynn Ward of Amarillo; three daughters, Penny Lee Lemons and Rebecca Ann Hudson, both of Amarillo, and Juli Ward of Euless; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Buckner Children and Family Services, 6000 W. Ninth, Amarillo, TX 79106. Elsie Snider-Chester WHEELER - Elsie Snider-Chester, 83, a former resident of Clinton, Okla., died Saturday, March 6, 1999, in Amarillo. Services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Chapel Hill Methodist Church east of Clinton with Patrick Peters officiating. Burial was in Chapel Hill Cemetery by Stanley-Lee Funeral Home of Clinton. Mrs. Snider-Chester was born in Washita County and was raised in Cordell where she attended a country school. She married Elmer Snider in 1933 at Clinton. They lived and farmed near the Washita River for a number of years. He preceded her in death. She married Bentley Chester in 1970 at Wheeler and they lived in Clinton. He died in 1988. She had been employed at the Kellwood Factory, Gibsons and the Booterie, retiring when the Booterie closed. She moved to Wheeler in 1997 and had been a resident of the Sunrise Care Center for the past six months. She was a member of the Chapel Hill Methodist Church. Survivors include a daughter, Ruby Lee McLaurin of Wheeler; two sons, Robert Snider of Amarillo and Jimmie Dale Snider of Paramount, Calif.; two sisters, Martha Bergen of California and Hilda Horn of Cordell; two brothers, C.H. Dalke Jr. of Cordell and August Dalke of Clinton; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Bill Harmon MULESHOE - Bill Harmon, 59, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Muleshoe Church of Christ with Gary Montgomery of Midland and Harry Riggs of the church officiating. Burial will be in Muleshoe Memorial Park Cemetery by Ellis Funeral Home of Muleshoe. He was born in Littlefield and was a lifetime resident of Muleshoe. He graduated from Muleshoe High School and attended Lubbock Christian College and Texas Tech. He was a farmer and a member of Muleshoe Church of Christ. Mr. Harmon was a farm implement and machinery salesman for Wooley-Hust and Dent Tractor dealerships. Since 1988, he was employed by C&H Equipment of Muleshoe. He supported FFA chapters, 4H clubs and Junior Livestock shows. He married Jo Bennett in 1959 at El Paso. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Ben Harmon of Lubbock and Jason Harmon of Amarillo; a daughter, Beth Jackson of Seminole; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Harmon of Muleshoe; a brother, Don Harmon of Ruidoso, N.M.; and five grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Bailey County Junior Livestock Show of Muleshoe or the Seminole or Muleshoe Church of Christ Mission Fund. Gladys Ashby PLAINVIEW - Gladys Ashby, 81, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Lemons Funeral Home Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Roger Foote, pastor of Northside Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Parklawn Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Ashby was born in Winnsboro and raised in Winnsboro and Chico where she attended schools. In 1945, she moved to Plainview where she worked for Plainview Laundry. She went to work for Lusters in 1954 and for Ideal Food in 1970. Mrs. Ashby retired in 1979. She was a Baptist. Her first marriage was in 1945 to A.J. Haverty at Plainview. He died in 1957. In 1959, she married William Ashby at Plainview. He died in 1968. Survivors include a daughter, Shirley Rogers of Plainview; four sisters, Mildred Pierce and Almeta Lovell, both of Plainview, Vera Williams of Lancaster and Jean Wells of Farmers Branch; a granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren. Lauman Mood Shelton CLARENDON - Lauman Mood Shelton, 94, of Spearman, died Saturday, March 6, 1999. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. today in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley with the Rev. Bryan Knowles, pastor of Martin Baptist Church in Clarendon, officiating. Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon. Mr. Shelton was born in Cleburne and lived in Corsicana before moving to Spearman five years ago. He was an Army veteran of World War II. After 50 years as a truck driver, he retired from ICX Truck Lines. He married Olena Hickerson in 1971 at Guymon, Okla. She died in 1993. He is survived by a sister, Jewell Shelton of Houston. The family suggests memorials be to Rowe Cemetery Association of Hedley, TX 79237. Vernon V. Ratzlaff PERRYTON - Vernon V. Ratzlaff, 84, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Balko Mennonite Brethren Church with the Rev. Dewayn Isaac officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in New Hopedale Mennonite Cemetery in Meno, Okla., by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home of Perryton. Mr. Ratzlaff was born in a sod house in Beaver County, Okla., where he lived for 70 years. He moved to Perryton in 1983. He was a member of the Balko Mennonite Brethren church. A farmer and rancher, Mr. Ratzlaff raised registered Hereford cattle. He was one of the 14 original cooperators in the Panhandle State University beef performance testing program, which started in 1952. He was the longest continually active member. For his 32 years as a member and foundation breeder, he received a plaque in 1985 from PSU. He was a member of the American Hereford Association and the Beaver Hereford Association. Since 1947, he was a member of the Gideons. He married Jewell Johnson in 1983 at Perryton. His first marriage was in 1936 to Irene Unruh, who died in 1976. Survivors include his wife; a son, Duane Ratzlaff of Mesa, Ariz.; three stepsons, Doyle Johnson of Dallas, David Johnson of Southlake and Craig Johnson of Buchanan Dam; and several grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to the Gideons, Ochiltree Senior Citizens or a favorite Charity.