Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 20 May 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, May 20, 1999, 6:32 AM Area Oralou Y. Lymburner SKELLYTOWN - Oralou Y. Lymburner, 55, died Monday, May 17, 1999. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in Panhandle Cemetery in Panhandle. Memorial services will be at 11:15 a.m. today in Cornerstone Church in Borger. Arrangements are by Colonial Funeral Chapel, 1010 W. Ninth, Amarillo. Mrs. Lymburner was born in Midland, Mich. She was a homemaker and member of Cornerstone Church in Borger. She married Mark Lymburner in 1962 at Midland. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Susan Lymburner. Survivors include her husband; two sons, Timothy Lymburner of Borger and Phillip Lymburner of Skellytown; five daughters, Yvonne Lymburner of Pampa, Debra Epperson and Eunice Lymburner, both of Skellytown, Cindy Torio of Borger and Angela Lymburner of Houston; a brother, Johnny Suderman of Midland; four sisters, Anna Butterfield of Lapier, Mich., Helen Davis and Marilyn Adams, both of Midland, and Ella Weber of Sanford, Mich.; and eight grandchildren. Olan Elam DALHART - Olan Elam, 94, died Monday, May 17, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Grenville Cemetery in Grenville, N.M., with the Rev. Billy Rammage of First Baptist Church of Clayton, N.M., officiating. Arrangements are by Hass Funeral Home Inc. Mr. Elam was born in Cleburne and moved to New Mexico in 1914. They lived near Mount Dora before moving west of Clayton, where he attended school. For 55 years, he was a Mount Dora resident where he farmed, raised cattle and sheep and sold eggs. His first marriage was to Vera Neff in 1925 at Clayton. She died in 1942. He married Lena Wiseman in 1944 at Mosquero, N.M. Survivors include his wife; seven sons, Calvin Elam of Manassa, Colo., Virgil Elam of California, Buck Elam of Santa Fe, N.M., Olan "O.J." Elam and Henry Elam, both of Dalhart, and Herman Elam and Bruce Elam, both of Guymon, Okla.; five daughters, Betty Ritthaler and Martha Spence, both of Teague, Bessie Beeson of Florida, Bonnie Cabrel of Grass Valley, Calif., and Bertha Badillo of Amarillo; a brother, Jake Elam of Taylor; 22 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. Melba Goettsche Bruce PAMPA - Melba Goettsche Bruce, 89, died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel with Larry Brown, associate minister of the Mary Ellen & Harvester Church of Christ, and the Rev. Lonny Robbins of Trinity Fellowship Church officiating. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Higgins Cemetery at Higgins. Mrs. Bruce was born in Higgins and had been a resident of Pampa since 1941. She was a member of the Mary Ellen & Harvester Church of Christ, and the Pampa Chapter 65 Order of Eastern Star. She married Thomas Glen Bruce in 1932 at Higgins. He died in 1978. Survivors include a son, Jerry Bruce of Pampa; a daughter, Sally Lehrmann of Amarillo; three grandchildren; six greatgrandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter. The family requests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice of Amarillo, or Trinity Fellowship Harvest House of Pampa. W.B. Wade BORGER - W.B. "Bill" Wade, 90, died Thursday, May 6, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Brown Funeral Directors Chapel of the Fountains with the Rev. Leonard Forsythe, pastor of Bible Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Cemetery at Stinnett. Mr. Wade was born in Atoka, Okla., and had been a Stinnett-Borger area resident for 62 years. He was a retired maintenance supervisor for Phillips Petroleum Co. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Dailey Wade, in 1981. Survivors include a brother, Ben Wade of Shidler, Okla. The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson St., Amarillo, TX 79101. Betty Bockmon PAMPA - Betty Bockmon, 65, died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Memory Gardens Cemetery with the Rev. John Collis, pastor of First Baptist Church of White Deer, officiating. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mrs. Bockmon was born in Portales, N.M., and moved to Pampa in 1963 from Clovis. In 1996, she retired after 30 years as a certified nursing assistant at Coronado Nursing Center. She was a Baptist. She married Gene Bockmon in 1953 at Clovis, N.M. He died in 1987. Survivors include a daughter, Susie West of White Deer; a son, Rickey Bockmon of Lubbock; a sister, Violet Dobbins of Clovis; a brother, Leon Depuy of Lovington, N.M.; eight grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. The family suggests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice, Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79176. Harold A. Hodges MEMPHIS - Harold A. Hodges, 94, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Travis Baptist Church of Memphis with the Rev. O.K. Bowen and the Rev. Phillip Shelton officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery by Memphis Funeral Home. Mr. Hodges was born in Leon, Okla., which was then Indian Territory. When he was four, he and his mother moved to Hall County, on a farm near Plaska. He owned and operated the farm until his retirement in 1972. He married Viola Marks in 1923. She died in 1995. Survivors include a daughter, Dorothy Boren of Memphis; a son, Robert Allen Hodges of Memphis; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. The family will be at 121 N. 13th St., in Memphis. They suggest memorials be to a favorite charity. Shirley Farmer MULESHOE - Shirley Farmer, 61, of Lubbock, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Muleshoe Memorial Park Cemetery in Muleshoe with Ray Perryman of Shallowater officiating. Arrangements are by Ellis Funeral Home of Muleshoe. Mrs. Farmer was born in Lamesa. For many years, she was involved in Bailey County 4-H and FFA Boosters. She was a homemaker and worked for James Glaze Insurance and Muleshoe Journal. She married Charles Farmer in 1958 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include her husband; a son, Casey Farmer of Slaton; two daughters, Sharla Lang of Abilene and Kim Bownds of Shallowater; a sister, Janelle Calcote of Brownwood; and eight grandchildren. Bill Taylor Jr. MULESHOE - Bill "Crip" Taylor Jr., 72, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with Dr. Stacy Conner, pastor, officiating. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Fairlawn Cemetery in Amherst by Ellis Funeral Home of Muleshoe. Mr. Taylor was born in Kansas City, Kan., and was a 1943 graduate of Amherst High School. He attended Texas Tech University then graduated with a bachelor's and a master's degree in business administration from West Texas State University. Mr. Taylor was a Navy veteran of World War II. He coached at Kress before coaching in Muleshoe from 1954 until 1963. He taught DECA from 1963 until 1964 then was principal of Mary Deshazo Elementary until 1986. He married Margrethe Sorenson in 1950 at Clovis, N.M. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Bucky Taylor of Mesquite and Ken Taylor of Denver; and three grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to American Cancer Society or a favorite charity. Kenneth James Knight CANADIAN - Kenneth James Knight, 72, died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Rosary will be at 5 p.m. today in Stickley-Hill Chapel. Funeral mass will be at 3 p.m. Friday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church with the Rev. Guillermo Morales, pastor, and the Rev. Mert Cooper of Canadian officiating. Additional services will be May 26 in St. Augustine Catholic Church in Richmond, Mich., with burial in St. Michaels Cemetery. Michigan arrangements are by Arthur Bobcean Funeral Home. Mr. Knight was born in Brownstown, Mich., and graduated from high school in Trenton, Mich. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. The Knights lived in Indonesia for six years then lived in Monahans before moving to Canadian in 1986. For 39 years, Mr. Knight was employed by Mobil Oil Corp. He owned and operated Knights Nursery in Canadian. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1808 in Trenton and formerly served as secretary/treasurer for the Rotary Club of Canadian. He was a Paul Harris Fellow. He married Barbara Yelencich in 1973 at Detroit. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Juliana Ellen Forlenza of Traverse City, Mich., and Kathryn Marie Knight of Canadian; a son, Kenneth M. Knight of Pampa; four brothers, Hal Knight of Taylor, Mich., Mark Knight of Flat Rock, Mich., Ross Knight of Saline, Mich., and Robert Knight of Romulus, Mich.; three sisters, Kathleen Oestrike of Roscommon, Mich., Christine Foster of Woodhaven, Mich., and Charlotte Stoll of Greensboro, N.C.; and four grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 3 until 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. They suggest memorials be to St. Jude's Children's Hospital or a favorite charity. Kathryn Louise Brillhart Fuson CANADIAN - Kathryn Louise Brillhart Fuson, 58, died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery with Dr. Lewis Holland, pastor of First United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Stickley-Hill Funeral Directors of Canadian. Mrs. Fuson was born in Perryton, raised in Spearman and moved to Canadian in 1959 from Canyon. She graduated from Canyon High School. She was an active participant in the March of Dimes organization. Mrs. Fuson was an adult leader for the Hemphill County 4-H and the Tri-State Rodeo Association. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women. She married Chalk Fuson in 1959 at Canyon. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Robin Lynn Fuson, in 1963. Survivors include her husband; three daughters, Lizabeth Fuson Valentine and Chris Jackson, both of Canadian, and Leslie Fuson of Amarillo; her mother, Ruth Ann Brillhart of Canyon; two sisters, Bess Brillhart of Canyon and Shelly Emery of Lubbock; two brothers, Sam Brillhart of Perryton and Grover Brillhart of Wylie; and three grandchildren. The body will not be available for viewing. The family suggests memorials be to Hemphill County Hospice or Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Program. Amarillo Earl Howard Earl Howard, 83, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Memorial Park Funeral Home, Chapel of Memories, 6969 E. Interstate 40, with Kenneth Avaritt officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mr. Howard was born in Wilmeth and moved to Amarillo in 1952 from Wingate. In 1976, he retired from ASARCO. He also owned and operated Earl's Barber Shop in Amarillo. He was a member of the Sixth Street Church of Christ in Canyon. He married Murl Howard in 1933 at Ballinger. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1997 and by a son, Carlos Don Howard, in 1955. Survivors include three sons, Dewayne Howard of Dewey, Okla., Eudean Howard of Austin and Alvin Howard of Amarillo; a daughter, Betsy Benson of Amarillo; a brother, Carl Howard of Abilene; a sister, Faye Hanes of Lubbock; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. today and the family will receive friends from 7 until 9 p.m. at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice. Sherry Burgess Sherry Burgess, 56, of Amarillo, died Monday, May 17, 1999. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Memory Gardens Cemetery with Mark Cattau, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, officiating. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mrs. Burgess was born in Clarendon and had been an Amarillo resident for 40 years. She worked at the Don and Sybil Harrington Cancer Center. From 1982 until 1990, she was an interior decorator for Burgess Builders. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She married Bill Burgess in 1981. He died in 1993. Survivors include a daughter, Katheryn Tralee Hagler of Las Vegas; a son, Russ Cannon of Boulder, Colo.; her mother, Johnnie Polk of Amarillo; and a sister, Sheila Brown of Amarillo. The family will be at 3605 Hancock. They suggest memorials be to Lupus Foundation of America. Sara Mann Sara Mann, 84, of Amarillo, died Monday, May 17, 1999. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Friday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce St., with Ray Clark, a Christian Science reader, officiating. Mrs. Mann was born in Uniontown, Ky., and graduated from Gulf Park College in Mississippi in 1936. In 1954, she moved to Amarillo where she and her husband owned and operated J.C. Hamilton Co. Mrs. Mann was a member of the Ladies Golf Association of the Amarillo Country Club. She won more than 10 tournaments, including the U.M. Oliver in 1959, and was rated in the top 10 amateur players of the Panhandle. She married Edwin A. Mann in 1936. Survivors include her husband; two sons, Edwin A. Mann Jr., of Germantown, Tenn., and James D. Mann of Amarillo; a brother, Edward L. Hamilton of Oklahoma City; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. The body will not be available for viewing. The family suggests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson, Amarillo, TX 79101. Gary Lewayne London Gary Lewayne London, 44, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Llano Mausoleum Chapel with Dr. David Evans of Trinity Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia. Mr. London was born in Amarillo and attended Wills Elementary, Sam Houston Junior High School and Tascosa High School, where he graduated in 1973. At Tascosa, he was a member of the JROTC and the rifle team. He lived in Waco for three years while he attended McClendon Community College. A lifelong Amarillo resident, Mr. London worked for Western Plaza Shopping Center, Bell Helicopter, Seaborn Inc., Dynair Technical Services, Peoples Restaurant and Sutphen's Cafe Ritz. He was a member of Trinity Fellowship Church. Survivors include his parents, Martha and Robert Summers and Ollie Wayne London, all of Amarillo; his brother, David Allen London of Amarillo; and two nieces. The family suggests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79176-0001; Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Wellborn, Dallas, TX 75219-3993; or a favorite charity. New Mexico Opal F. Farrar Self CLOVIS - Opal F. Farrar Self, 88, died Monday, May 17, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in the Melrose Cemetery at Melrose with Sean Andrews officiating. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Mrs. Self was born in Dunn, Texas. She graduated in 1928 from high school at Wellington, Texas. She received her bachelor's degree from Texas Tech and a master's degree from Eastern New Mexico University. She taught in public schools in Melrose, House and Clovis for 25 years. She was a member of the 16th and Pile Church of Christ, the Retired Teachers Association, Texas Tech Alumni Association and Eastern New Mexico University Alumni Association. She married Steve Self in 1946. Survivors include her husband. Jewell Thomas FARWELL - Jewell Thomas, 85, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Richard Laverty officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Terrace at Farwell by Steed-Todd Funeral Home of Clovis, N.M. Mrs. Thomas was born in Elk City, Okla. She was a member of Farwell First Baptist Church and had worked in the nursery at First Baptist Church more than 25 years. Survivors include a daughter, Linda Bender of Clovis; five sons, Billy Thomas of San Diego, Calif., Kenneth Thomas and Keith Thomas, both of Granbury, Ronnie Thomas of Arlington, and Clifford Thomas of Ocean Springs, Miss.; a sister, Doris Johnson of Farwell; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The family requests memorials be to First Baptist Church, Box 129, Farwell, TX 79325. The family will be at the home of Doris Johnson, 902 Fourth St., Farwell. Roy Lee Ashley CLOVIS, N.M. - Roy Lee Ashley, 67, died Wednesday, May 19, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Church of Christ at Melrose. Burial will be in Melrose Cemetery at Melrose, N.M. Arrangements are by Steed-Todd Funeral Home. Mr. Ashley was born near Melrose. He attended school in Melrose, then he joined the Navy. He was a welder for many years, working on fishing boats near Port O' Connor, Texas, and Belise, Honduras. Survivors include a son, Roy Lee Ashley Jr.; two sisters, Lois Lesley of Clovis and Velma Reed of San Antonio, Texas; a brother, George Ashley; and two grandchildren. Clyde Oreon Galbreath CLAYTON, N.M. - Clyde Oreon Galbreath, 93, died Saturday, May 8, 1999 in Lake Stevens, Wash. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. today in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery with the Rev. David Hestand, pastor of the Texline United Methodist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Hass Funeral Directors Inc. of Clayton, N.M. Mr. Galbreath was born in Williamsburg, Ind. He moved with his family to Ontario/Upland, Calif., when he was 5years old. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1932, and also was a graduate of the Perkins School of Theology Correspondence School in Dallas. Mr. Galbreath was a lifelong member of the Methodist church. He preached his first sermon in the Presbyterian church in Ontario, Calif., while he was a senior in high school. His ministry included Arizona, New Mexico and the Colorado and Yellowstone Conferences. After 43 years in full-time ministry, he retired in 1975. He was a member of Rotary International and the Lion's Club. He also served as Cub Master and Scout Master during the 1940s. In 1976 he moved to Lake Stevens, Wash. He married Donna Palmer in 1936 in New Mexico. She died in 1990. Survivors include a daughter, Joyce Rasmussen of Lake Stevens; a son, Philip Galbreath of Enid, Okla; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Oklahoma Maye Harrison GUYMON, Okla. - Maye Harrison, 87, of Rockford, Ill., and a former Adams resident, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. John Goss of the Adams Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Elmhurst Cemetery. Illinois services were held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Fitzgerald and Associates Funeral Home, Mulford Chapel in Rockford, with the Rev. Jack Perrine of the River Valley Church officiating. Mrs. Harrison was born in Oregon. She retired after 17 years as a cook for the Adams School District. She was a member of the Adams Baptist Church and attended River Valley Church in Rockford. She married Jack Harrison in 1940. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1974 and two sons, Darrell Lee in 1979 and Everett Ray in 1994. Survivors include a daughter, Marcielle "Marcie" Owen Briles; three brothers, Haley Trent of Sun Valley, Nev., Harold Trent of Guymon and Barsie Trent of Woodward, Okla.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. R.C. Jones HARDESTY, Okla. - R.C. "Whitey" Jones, 83, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Apostolic Faith Church in Hardesty with the Rev. Ron Brenning, pastor, and the Rev. M.D. Methvin, of Rockdale Apostolic Church of Rockdale, Texas, officiating. Burial will be in Elmhurst Cemetery in Guymon by Henson-Novak Funeral Directors of Guymon. Mr. Jones was born in Texas County and made his home near Hardesty where he farmed and ranched. A longtime member of the Texas County Farm Bureau, the Jones family was named Family of the Year in 1978. He was a member of the Apostolic Faith Church where he served on various boards and served as board member of the Laverne Camp Ground. He married Mary Magdlene Mason in 1940 at Guymon. Survivors include his wife; a son, Owen Jones of Great Bend, Kan.; three sisters, Earlene Wiles of Bentonville, Ark., Oneta Evans of Vidor, Texas, and Oletha Smith of Booker, Texas; a brother, Owen "Preach" Jones of Guymon; five grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. A Whitey Jones Memorial has been established for the Hardesty Senior Citizens Center. Memorials will be accepted at Henson-Novak Funeral Home, Box 1306, Guymon, OK 73942. Elsewhere Abbie A. Kehoe WOLFE CITY - Abbie A. Kehoe, 92, died Tuesday, May 18, 1999. Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in First Baptist Church of Texline with the Rev. Billy Ramage officiating. Burial will be in Texline Cemetery by R.W. Owens and Son Funeral Home of Wolfe City. Mrs. Kehoe was born in Wellington. She was a retired school employee and a member of the First Baptist Church of Texline. She married Fred E. Kehoe, who died in 1948. She also was preceded in death by two sons. Survivors include a daughter, Helen Clayton of Wolfe City; a son, Billy Kehoe of Midland; a sister, Thelma Nightengale of Carrollton; 11 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.