Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 11 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; Thursday, March 11, 1999, 6:26 AM Area Grady W. Dorn CHILDRESS - Grady W. Dorn, 92, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Johnson Funeral Home Chapel with Lance Morisett of Childress Church of Christ officiating. Burial will be in Childress Cemetery. Mr. Dorn was born in Shattuck, Okla., and was a longtime Childress resident. He was a farmer and employed by the U.S. Postal Service for 18 years. He was a member of the Church of Christ. Survivors include two daughters, Dorette Dorn of Sedalia, Mo., and Sharon Murfield of Austin; a son, Bobby Dorn of Fort Worth; and three brothers, Wesley Dorn of Aubrey, Paul Dorn of Madera, Calif., and Leonard Dorn of Riverdale, Calif. Ruby Tubman DALHART - Ruby Tubman, 85, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Memorial Park Cemetery at Dalhart with the Rev. Rusty Hancock, pastor of Lincoln Street Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Hass Funeral Home. Mrs. Tubman was born in Thomas, Okla., and was raised in Oklahoma. After high school, she attended nursing school, receiving her nursing license in 1958. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Tubman, and two daughters, Thelma Howell and Margaret Valdez. Survivors include two daughters, Mildred Hugley and Mavine Johnson, both of Plainview; a grandson, Tracy Howell of Dalhart; a granddaughter, Trena Howell of Dalhart; and numerous other grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Zelma A. McDannel PERRYTON - Zelma A. McDannel, 89, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 3 p.m. today in Laverne Community Church at Laverne, Okla., with the Rev. Bob Taylor officiating. Burial will be in Laverne Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home of Perryton. Miss McDannel was born in Gate, Okla., and moved to the Perryton area in 1992 from Laverne. She was a baker at The Mulligan Bakery and was a motel clerk at K&W Motel. She was a member of Laverne Community Church. Survivors include three nieces Mary Bell Carnes of Perryton and Patsy Kerrwood and Alene Steele, both of Elkhart, Ind.; and two nephews, Dean Carnes of Booker and Harold Carnes of Wichita, Kan. Lois Irene Risner WHEELER - Lois Irene Risner, 87, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First Baptist Church in Wheeler with the Rev. Robert Fields, pastor of Southeast Baptist Church in Amarillo, officiating. Burial will be in Wheeler Cemetery by Wright Funeral Home of Wheeler. Mrs. Risner was born in Caddo Gap, Ark. Shortly after her marriage, she moved to Wheeler where she was a homemaker. She was a member of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church. She married Frank Risner in 1932 at Mountainburg, Ark. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1985 and by a son, Ernest Dale Risner, in 1957. Survivors include a daughter, Donna Cunningham of Amarillo; two sons, Bobby Dean Risner of Wheeler and Charles Risner of Perryton; a brother, Gilbert Jones of Tulsa; a sister, Maxine Mills of Hampton, Va.; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson St., Amarillo. Ruby Latta GROOM - Ruby Latta, 76, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in First Baptist Church of Groom with the Rev. Byron Williamson of the church officiating. Burial will be in Groom Cemetery by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia, Amarillo. Mrs. Latta was born in Carson County and grew up in the Groom area where she and her husband farmed and ranched. For many years, she was bookkeeper for Mobil Oil Co. She was a member of the First Baptist Church. She married Stanley Latta in 1960 at Potter County. He died in 1992. Survivors include two great nieces and cousins. Viewing will be today in the funeral home in Amarillo and from 9 a.m. until service time Friday at the church. The family suggests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson, Amarillo, TX 79101; or Groom Ambulance Service. W.E. Phillips DUMAS - W.E. "Etheridge" Phillips, 89, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in First Baptist Church in Dumas with the Rev. Dan Turner, minister of music, officiating. Burial will be in Northlawn Memorial Gardens by Morrison Funeral Directors. Mr. Phillips was born in Celina and had lived in Dumas since 1945. For more than 50 years, he was an insurance agent in Moore County. He had been a member of the Dumas Noon Lions for 52 years. In 1996, Mr. Phillips was named "Old Timer of the Year" at the Dumas Dogie Days Celebration. He married Ina Smith in 1937 at Dallas. She died in 1996. Survivors include a son, Ron Phillips of Sugar Land; two daughters, Doris Tapper of Longview and Wynelle Hermesmeyer of Dumas; a sister, Vallie York of Garland; a brother, Oris Lee Phillips of Celina; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family will be at 206 Bailey. They suggest memorials be to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 715 S. Lamar, Amarillo, TX 79106; or Alzheimer's Association Panhandle Chapter, 2200 W. Seventh, Amarillo, TX 79106. Ramon Herrera BORGER - Ramon Herrera, 81, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Primera Iglesia Bautista with the Rev. Ricardo Garzon, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery by Brown Funeral Directors. A native of Sierra Blanca, Mr. Herrera was a Borger resident for 25 years. He was employed as a welder and was a member of Primera Iglesia Bautista. He married Carmen Hernandez in 1983. Survivors include his wife; four sons, Ismael Herrera of Odessa, and Ramon Herrera, Jesse Herrera and Manuel Herrera, all of Carlsbad, N.M.; four daughters, Yolanda Herrera of Fritch, Margie Moreno of Hobbs, N.M., and Mary Maes and Denise Herrera, both of Borger; two brothers, Arcadio Herrera of Eunice, N.M., and Gilberto Herrera of Portales, N.M.; and two sisters, Alma Ortega of Mexico and Licha Ramirez of Odessa. Juanita Blackstock MORTON - Juanita Blackstock, 78, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in First Missionary Baptist Church of Morton with the Rev. Harold Harrison, pastor of First Baptist Church of Whiteface, officiating. Burial will be in Morton Memorial Cemetery by Ellis Funeral Home. Mrs. Blackstock was born in Nugent. In 1948, she moved to Morton from Lamesa. She was a homemaker and member of the First Missionary Baptist Church of Morton. She married Tolbert Harold Blackstock in 1937 at Lamesa. He died in 1997. Survivors include two sons, Harold Blackstock of Morton and Maurice Blackstock of Wolforth; two daughters, Brenda Enos and Linda Hatter, both of Morton; four sisters, Lois Sanders of Gainesville, Margie Lee Wyatt of Colorado City, Almetta Buchanan of Denver and Mary Beth Mayhue of Stamford; a brother, J.T. Wyatt of Stamford; 10 grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and seven stepgreat-grandchildren. Gary Gene Buchanan PAMPA - Gary Gene "Buck" Buchanan, 42, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Memory Gardens Cemetery with the Rev. Dale Moreland, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mr. Buchanan was born in Dallas and was a longtime resident of Pampa where he graduated from high school. A Baptist, he was a construction worker for several Pampa businesses and also worked in the oil field. Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Maxine and Richard Morgan of Pampa; a brother, Steve Buchanan of Amarillo; and two stepbrothers, Steve Morgan of New Braunfels and Tim Morgan of Aurora, Colo. The family suggests memorials be to Pampa Senior Citizens Center. Ella Louise Gunter PLAINVIEW - Ella Louise Gunter, 72, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in First Baptist Church Family Life Chapel with Dr. Travis Hart, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Cemetery by Wood-Dunning Funeral Home. Mrs. Gunter was born in Carson County. She moved from Groom to Olton in 1952 and then moved to Plainview in 1970. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, Travel Study Club, past president of Women's Missionary Union and Texas Historical Society. She wrote the play, "Patch-Work," which was performed at Wayland Baptist University. She married W.C. Gunter in 1947 at Amarillo. He died in 1995. Survivors include two daughters, Gayle Southern of Phoenix and Lucy Roth of Austin; a son, Carey C. Gunter of Austin; her mother, Minnie Sibold of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two brothers, Keith Crawford of Channing and Alvin Crawford of Kansas; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Murlene Edwards PLAINVIEW - Murlene Edwards, 77, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Wood-Dunning Funeral Home Colonial Chapel with Dr. Travis Hart of First Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Plainview Memorial Park. Mrs. Edwards was born in Hillsboro and moved to Plainview in 1939 from Portales, N.M. For 20 years, she was a teacher's aide for the Plainview Independent School District. She was a member of First Baptist Church and active with Meals on Wheels. She married Garland Edwards in 1940 at Plainview. He died in 1987. She also was preceded in death by a son. Survivors include two daughters, Linda Starnes of Pampa and Shirley Leach of Canyon; a son, Jerry Edwards of Lubbock; a sister, Ruth Sherrod of Portales; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to American Cancer Society. New Mexico Elga Shafer MELROSE, N.M. - Elga "Elgia" Shafer died Monday, March 8, 1999, at Gunter, Texas. Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Melrose Cemetery at Melrose. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home of Clovis. Mrs. Shafer had been a resident of Melrose for 65 years before moving to Murphy, Texas, eight years ago. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Melrose. She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Chalmers Shafer, in 1985. Survivors include three daughters, June Kerr of Clovis, Jean Russell of Murphy, and Elaine Burdine of Buckeye, Ariz.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. todayat the funeral home. Oklahoma Janet Maureen McDuff CHICKASHA, Okla. - Janet Maureen McDuff, 53, a former Amarillo resident, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. today in the Ferguson Funeral Home Chapel with Esten Leonard officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery in Amarillo. Miss McDuff was born in Oklahoma City and moved to Amarillo with her family as a child. She moved to Chickasha in 1981 from Amarillo and had been a resident of Shannon Springs Nursing Home since that time. She was a member of the Epworth United Methodist Church. Survivors include a brother, Bill McDuff of Chickasha. SUB OBIT Amarillo Joseph Newton Riggs Jr. Joseph Newton Riggs Jr., 92, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Vigil services will be at 7 p.m. today in the Chapel of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church with Monsignor Francis A. Smyer officiating. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in St. Thomas the Apostle. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St. Mr. Riggs was born in Longview and moved to Amarillo in 1908. He graduated from Amarillo High School and in 1928 from Texas Christian University with a degree in business. He then did further studies in history. In 1929, he began working as a traveling salesman and later as head of the purchasing department and vice president for Amarillo Hardware. He retired from Amarillo Hardware. He was a volunteer for many years at St. Anthony's Hospital with St. Anthony's Auxiliary. He set up the library at St. Anthony's Hospital. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church. He married Mary Catherine Willett in 1937 at Santa Fe, N.M. Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Martha Patricia Riggs Flathouse of Austin, Elizabeth Anne Riggs Zesiger of Deer Park, and Ellajean Riggs Martin Snyder of Dallas; a son, Joseph Newton Riggs III of Albuquerque, N.M.; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospital Auxiliary, St. Anthony's Campus, 200 N.W. Seventh Ave., Amarillo, TX 79107; or St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 4100 S. Coulter, Amarillo, TX 79109. Virginia Mae Folkner Virginia Mae Folkner, 74, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Memorial Park Cemetery by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Mrs. Folkner was born in Floydada. She graduated from Buckner Children's Home. She was a homemaker and a member of San Jacinto Baptist Church and Washington Avenue Christian Church. She married Forest Folkner in 1947 at Lubbock. He died in 1984. Survivors include two sons, Charles Dale Folkner and Dwight Earl Folkner, both of Amarillo; and two grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice or the American Cancer Society. Carolina Soto Carolina Soto, 43, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Burial will be in Ejido Benito Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Local arrangements were by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, 315 E. Fifth Ave. Ms. Soto was born in Mexico and moved to Amarillo eight years ago. She was a homemaker and attended St. Laurence Cathedral. Survivors include her parents, Alberto and Ofelia Sofia of Chihuahua; six brothers, Pedro Soto and Pablo Soto, both of Amarillo, Alfredo Soto and Alberto Soto, both of Farwell, and Juan Soto and Lorenzo Soto, both of Chihuahua; four sisters, Maria Soto, Irene Soto, Blanco Soto and Ramona Soto, all of Chihuahua. The family will be at 2403 Darrell. Nadine Powell Nadine Powell, 85, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. today in Claude Cemetery at Claude with the Rev. Larry Crumpton and the Rev. Carol Crumpton, both of Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church, officiating. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. in Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mrs. Powell was born at Bee, Okla. She married Ernest Powell in 1934 at Claude. She was a homemaker and had been a member of Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church for 52 years. She also was a musician at the church for several years. She was preceded in death by a son, Lacy Wade, in 1937. Survivors include her husband, Ernest Powell of Amarillo; a daughter, Doris Maxwell of Fort Worth; two sons, George Powell of Panhandle and the Rev. Jim Powell of Prague, Okla.; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church. Susan Renee Gardner Susan Renee Gardner, 30, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Gary Kellison, pastor of Bethel Assembly Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Rector Funeral Home, 2800 S. Osage. Mrs. Gardner was born and raised in Amarillo where she attended Palo Duro High School. She had been employed by Star's Drive In and was a member of Bethel Assembly Church. Survivors include her son, Michael Curtis Turley of Poolville; her father, Eddie Wayne Gardner of Amarillo; two sisters, Kimberly Lynn Coles of Plano and Crystal Gale Gardner of Amarillo; a brother, Eddie Wayne Gardner Jr. of Amarillo; and her grandparents, Dale and Lorraine Black Irby of Clovis, N.M., and Jay and Cora Gardner Durham of Amarillo. The family will be at 3700 E. 11th. They suggest memorials be to the American Diabetes Association, Potter and Randal Chapter. J.C. Sheriff J.C. "Jim" Sheriff, 83, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Friday in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with Dr. Howard K. Batson officiating. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mr. Sheriff was born in Louis, Okla. A World War II veteran, he served with the Coast Guard for 31/2 years. He moved to Amarillo in 1945 where he was a conductor for Santa Fe Railroad. In 1981, he retired after 44 years of service. Mr. Sheriff was a member of First Baptist Church and the United Transportation Union. Throughout the years, he was active with Kids, Inc. and the Boy Scouts of America. He married Wanda Lee Good in 1943 at Oklahoma City. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Sue McCarty of Amarillo; a son, Jimmy Sheriff of Amarillo; a sister, Myldred Shell of Oklahoma City; two brothers, Thomas W. Sheriff of Sapulpa, Okla., and Jerry Sheriff of Oklahoma City; and three grandchildren. The family will be at 2300 Larry. The family suggests memorials be to First Baptist Church Building Fund, 1208 S. Tyler St., Amarillo, TX 79101; or the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3505 Olsen Blvd., No. 203, Amarillo, TX 79109. Bessie M. Beach Bessie M. Beach, 88, of Amarillo, died Monday, March 8, 1999. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in New Jerusalem Baptist Church with the Rev. Jack Johnson, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Warford-Walker Mortuary Inc., 509 N. Hughes St. Ms. Beach was born in Ardmore, Okla., and had been an Amarillo resident for 25 years. She was a member of the New Jerusalem Baptist Church and was a domestic worker. Survivors include several nieces and nephews of Amarillo. The family will be at 3210 Sequoia St. Sister Dorothy Hobson Sister Dorothy Hobson, 88, of Amarillo and Panhandle, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Wake services will be at 7 p.m. today in St. Hyacinth's Catholic Church with Bishop Leroy Matthiesen, bishop emeritus, officiating. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Hyacinth's Catholic Church with Bishop John Yanta officiating. Burial will be in Llano East Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle. Sister Hobson was born Margaret Agnes Hobson in Rising River, Calif. The second woman in the nation to earn an agriculture degree, she received her degree in agricultural dairy industry from the University of California in 1933. She received her master's degree in education from Our Lady of the Lake College in 1957. Sister Hobson entered the convent in Amarillo as a postulant in 1934. She became a novice in 1935 and took her first vows in 1937 at St. Francis Convent. She took her perpetual vows in 1940. Her teaching ministry began in 1937 in Colon, Republic of Panama, and continued in Pasto, Colombia, South America, in 1938. Sister Hobson's teaching assignments took her to Dixon, N.M., Long Beach, Calif., the Canal Zone, Los Angeles, Amarillo, Lubbock and Snyder. She taught English as a second language, science, remedial classes and gardening for all grades. She also did pastoral work with social services. Her silver jubilee was celebrated at St. Francis Convent in Amarillo in 1962. She entered the experimental group at the convent in 1981 where she was known as an expert organic gardener. In 1987, she celebrated her golden jubilee at St. Hyacinth's. Faye Childs Boyles Faye Childs Boyles, 79, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Trinity United Methodist Church, 3402 S. Jackson, with the Rev. Sammie Ellis Rainey, pastor, and Dr. Stan Coffey of San Jacinto Baptist Church officiating. Entombment will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 Bell St. Mrs. Boyles was born in Blue Grove and moved to Amarillo in 1963 from Henrietta. She was a homemaker and member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She married J.C. Boyles in 1939 at Henrietta. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1996 and by two sons, Mike Boyles in 1971 and Jim Boyles in 1995. She is survived by a son, Gary Boyles of Amarillo; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Make A Wish Foundation or a favorite charity. Robert H. Barnett Robert H. Barnett, 75, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999. Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. today in Quail Creek Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses with Pat Mills of the church officiating. Arrangements are by Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E. Interstate 40. Mr. Barnett was born in Clara, Okla., and moved to Amarillo in 1991 from Plainview. He was a carpenter in construction and was a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses. He married Nadine E. Hill in 1942 at Plainview. Survivors include his wife; a son, Rickey Harold Barnett of Garden City, Kan.; two daughters, Carol Dean Tandy of Claremore, Okla., and Carissa Renae Kirchhoff of Plainview; two brothers, Jack Barnett of Amarillo and W.Y. Barnett near Amarillo; many other brothers and sisters; seven grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Elsewhere Ruby V. Jouett VERNON - Ruby V. Jouett, 88, died Tuesday, March 9, 1999, at Burleson. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in the Eastview Cemetery with the Rev. Jack Gilliland officiating. Arrangements are by Sullivan Funeral Home. Mrs. Jouett was born in Indian Territory. She had been a resident of the Chillicothe and Vernon areas for many years. She was a member of Second Baptist Church of Vernon. She married Joe "Jake" Jouett in 1941 at Altus, Okla. He died in 1991. She also was preceded in death by a son, Larry Kent Jouett, in 1990. Survivors include a son, Joe Bob Jouett of Burleson; two sisters, Lena Towry of Vernon and Nettie Dudley of Amarillo; a brother, Arthur Agan of Euless; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.