Potter Co. TX - Obits from Amarillo Online Newspapers 22 Aug 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; Sunday, August 22, 1999, 3:10 AM Area Tommy Dean Elliff TULIA - Tommy Dean Elliff, 60, a former resident of Tulia, died Friday, Aug. 20, 1999, in Rockwall. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Wallace Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Charles Davenport, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery by Wallace Funeral Home. Mr. Elliff was born in Rotan and moved to Tulia when he was a boy. While in Tulia, he attended schools, worked at the Mid-Plains Body Shop and served in the National Guard and the Army Reserves. In 1982 he moved to Rockwall, where he owned and operated the Carousel Collision Center and was a member of the First Baptist Church. He married Regina Geraldine Wiess, his former wife, in 1963. Survivors include a daughter, Stacy Hansen of Sunrise Beach, Mo.; a son, Kent Elliff of Lucas; a half brother, H. Don Elliff of Midlothian; a half sister, Joyce Deal of Midlothian; and three grandchildren. Dorothy Kay Gray TURKEY - Dorothy Kay Gray, 56, of Navasota, died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999. Graveside services were at 2 p.m. Saturday in Dreamland Cemetery with the Rev. Melvin Clinton, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements were by Myers-Long Funeral Directors of Turkey. Mrs. Gray was born in Garnet, Kan. and moved to Texas 25 years ago. She married Don Gray in 1979 at Houston. Survivors include her husband; a son, Doug Terry of Lewisburg, Kan.; a daughter, Shala Graeve of Omaha, Neb.; a sister, Joan Howard of Splendora; two brothers, James Kenneth Dykes of Olathe, Kan. and Howard Dykes of Joplin, Mo.; and six grandchildren. Gertrude Smith DALHART - Gertrude Smith, 89, died Friday, Aug. 20, 1999. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Anthony's Catholic Church with the Rev. Jim McGhee, pastor, as celebrant. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery by Hass Funeral Home. Mrs. Smith was born in Council Grove, Kan., moved to Dalhart when she was a young girl. She was a 1928 graduate of Dalhart High School. She was a member of Senior Citizens Association. She married O.L. Smith Jr. in 1947. He died in 1972. Survivors include a son, Richard Smith of Elsa; two daughters, Patricia Seal of Cee Vee and Mary Jo Marshall of Dalhart; two sisters, Mary Ellen Henry of Dalhart and Lucille Duncan of Oregon; a brother, John Cessnun of Hot Springs, Ark.; seven grandchildren; and a grandchild. Elizabeth R. Hermesmeyer GROOM - Elizabeth R. "Betty" Hermesmeyer, 57, died Friday, Aug. 20, 1999. Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Monday in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church with the Rev. Neal Dee as celebrant. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St., of Amarillo. Mrs. Hermesmeyer was born in Donley County. She was a homemaker and a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. She married Martin E. Hermesmeyer in 1969 at Groom. Survivors include her husband; two sons, Bobby White of San Antonio and Gary White of Amarillo; two brothers, Allen Graham of Panhandle and J.R. Graham of Ashtola. The family will be at 710 N. Wilkerson in Groom and suggests, in lieu of flowers, memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice, 200 N.W. Seventh, Amarillo, TX 79101; or a favorite charity. Oleeta Smith HEREFORD - Oleeta Smith, 88, died Friday, Aug. 20, 1999. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. MDT Monday in Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Clovis, N.M. Arrangements are by Parkside Chapel Funeral Home. Mrs. Smith was born in Mangum, Okla. She graduated from Clovis High School in 1930. In Clovis, she was the co-owner and operator of Barry Hardware Store from 1942 until 1972 and was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Women's Society of Christian Service. She moved to Hereford 15 years ago. She married Frank M. Smith in 1938 at Fort Sumner, N.M. He died in 1987. Survivors include two sons, Craig Smith of Hereford and Armand Smith of Clovis; a sister, Norma Johnson of Clovis; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Guadalupe Casias Moreno HEREFORD - Guadalupe Casias Moreno, 64, died Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Iglesia de San Jose Catholic Church with the Rev. Domingo Castillo officiating. Burial will be in St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery by Rix Funeral Directors. Mrs. Moreno was born in Pleasanton and attended schools there. She moved to Hereford 45 years ago from Lorenzo and was a security guard for Holly Sugar for many years. She was a member of Iglesia de San Jose Catholic Church and a volunteer for the Guadalupana Catholic women's organization. Survivors include two sons, Ricky Moreno of Grand Prairie and Jimmy Adam Moreno of Arlington; five daughters, Lucinda Moreno and Sally Moreno, both of Hereford, Diana Moreno and Deana Flores, both of Grand Prairie and Norma Guajardo of McKinney; her mother, Dominga Casias of Lubbock; five sisters; a brother; and seven grandchildren. Michael G. Loner GROOM - Michael G. Loner, 42, died Friday, Aug. 20, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in First Baptist Church with the Revs. Jimmy and Ronald Sinyard officiating. Burial will be in Groom Cemetery by Schooler Funeral Home, Armstrong Chapel, of Claude. Mr. Loner was born in Austell, Ga. He married Nancy Lorraine Loner in 1976 at Marietta, Ga. Survivors include his wife; a son, Jeremy Loner of Groom; three daughters, Cindy Loner, Marcia Ball and Anna Loner, all of Groom; his mother, Margaret Loner of Groom; three brothers, Robin Loner of Groom, Randy Loner of Franklin, Ga., and Carl Silvey of Amarillo; three sisters, Joan Ratterree and Tammy Robinson, both of Groom and Bonnie Maugh of Bridgeport, Ill. Visitation will be from noon until 6 p.m. today at the funeral home. Viewing will be from 10 a.m. until service time Monday at the church. The family suggests memorials be to Feed the Children. Helen F. Kline DUMAS - Helen F. Kline, 80, died Friday, Aug. 20, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Bible Baptist Church with Jerry Clark, minister of Bible Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Dumas Cemetery by Morrison Funeral Directors. Mrs. Kline was born in Excelsior Springs, Mo. and had lived in Dumas since 1947. She was a homemaker and a member of Bible Baptist Church. She married Wilbur E. Kline in 1945. He died in 1979. Survivors include a daughter, Linda Benge of Dumas; a brother, William Monroe of Wichita, Kan.; a sister, Faye Mardock of San Diego; and two grandchildren. The family will be at 123 Mulberry and suggests memorials be to a favorite charity. Altha Towry Turner MULESHOE - Altha Towry Turner, 98, died Saturday, Aug. 21, 1999. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Ellis Funeral Home with Curtis Shelburne of Muleshoe officiating. Burial will be in Muleshoe Memorial Park. Mrs. Turner was born in Vandervoort, Ark., and moved to Muleshoe in 1929 from Odell. She was a homemaker and a member of Primitive Baptist Church. She married Tom Turner in 1922 at Odell. He died in 1975. Her son, Richard, died in 1977, and her daughter, Mae Shearer, in 1991. Survivors include a daughter, Mary Wise of Muleshoe; a sister, Lois Camp of Palestine; a brother, Adrian Towry of Kearny, Ariz.; 14 grandchildren; 21 greatgrandchildren; and seven great-greatgrandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Meals on Wheels in Muleshoe. Julian Rojas Acevedo Sr. DIMMITT - Julian Rojoas Acevedo Sr., 71, died Friday, Aug. 20, 1999. Vigil services will be at 8 p.m. both today and Monday in Immaculate Conception Church. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the Rev. Fern Couture officiating. Burial will be in Castro Memorial Gardens by Foskey-LilleyMcGill Funeral Home. Mr. Acevedo was born in Bartram and moved to Dimmitt in 1956 from Georgetown. He owned A&F Welding and built gins in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Association and was Cursillista. He married Edith Rollins in 1947 at Rio Grande City. She died in 1995. Survivors include two daughters, Mary Helen Flores and Maria Fuller, both of Dimmitt; four sons, Julian Acevedo Jr., of San Antonio, Robert Acevedo of Levelland, Ace Acevedo of Pampa and Albert Acevedo of Dimmitt; three brothers, Mike Acevedo of Earth, Sabastian Acevedo of Dimmitt and Feliciano Acevedo of Donna; four sisters, Micaela Sandoval of Donna, Catarina Torres of McAllen, Maria Flores of Austin and Juanita Riojas of Georgetown; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Joe Poff MORTON - Joe Poff, 75, died Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in First Missionary Baptist Church with John Hancock of Morton and Gary McCarrin of San Antonio officiating. Burial will be in Morton Memorial Cemetery by Ellis Funeral Home. Mr. Poff was born in Roby and moved to Morton in 1982 from Crockett, Calif. He served with the Army during World War II. He was an engineer for Dowell Chemical and a member of First Missionary Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Nancy Jo Griffin. He married Martha Kellerman in 1943 at West Los Angeles. Survivors include his wife; a son, Jerry Wayne Poff of Roseville, Calif.; a daughter, Martha Ann Fletcher of Alvin; several half sisters; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Amarillo Phalba L. Smith Phalba L. Smith, 84, of Amarillo, died Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999. Services were at 3 p.m. Saturday in Polk Street United Methodist Church with the Rev. James Garrett officiating. Burial was in Panhandle Cemetery at Panhandle by Minton/Chatwell Funeral Directors of Panhandle. Mrs. Smith was born in Howe. In 1939, she moved to Panhandle, where she was a member of the Erudite Club. In 1963, she moved to Amarillo, where she was a member of Polk Street United Methodist Church and the Gleaners Sunday school class. From 1985 until 1987 she served as president of High Plains Baptist Hospital Auxiliary, where she was a volunteer. She married J.P. Smith in 1938 at Claude. Survivors include her husband; two sons, John Phillip Smith Jr. of Panhandle and George William "Bill" Smith of Amarillo; a brother, George Knox Carnes of Corpus Christi; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Health System, Baptist Auxiliary, c/o Virginia Reynolds, 1600 Wallace Blvd., Amarillo, TX 79106. Anna C. Pico Anna C. Pico, 77, of Amarillo, died Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999. Services were at 2 p.m. Saturday in Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors Bell Ave. Chapel, 5400 Bell St. Burial was in Memory Gardens. Mrs. Pico was born in Canton, Ohio and moved to Amarillo in 1984 from Mobile, Ala. She was a professional wrestler and instrumental in starting women in the profession 61 years ago. Her professional name was Ann Lavern. Mrs. Pico was a Catholic. She married Robert L. Pico in 1950 at Florida. He died in 1989. Survivors include a son, Bobby Pico of Amarillo; two daughters, Mary Nelson and Roberta DeLeon, both of Amarillo; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. The family suggests memorials be to Olivia's Angels. Juathenia Allred Merrill McLaughlin Juathenia Allred Merrill McLaughlin, 45, of Amarillo, died Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Gateway Baptist Church with the Rev. Tunis Schuurman, pastor, and the Rev. Scott Wallace, assisting. Burial will be in The Garden of Good Shepherd at Westlawn Memorial Park by Minton/Chatwell Funeral Directors of Borger. Mrs. McLaughlin was born in Wichita Falls and had lived in Amarillo for 16 years. She was a Baptist. Survivors include three sons, Mark Daniel Patterson of 29 Palms, Calif., Clint Howell Roberts of Amarillo and Heath McLaughlin of Stinnett; her parents, Gailon and LaWanda Merrill of Borger; two brothers, Brett Merrill of Royse City and Gary Merrill of Athens; three sisters, Pamela McBride of Choctaw, Okla., Renee Keeton of Athens and Trenea Williams of Canton; and her grandmother, Kay Wynn of Harrah, Okla. Elizabeth Ann Hood Elizabeth Ann Hood, 40, of Amarillo, died Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1999. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Johnson Chapel, A.M.E. Church, with the Rev. Howard Romaine, pastor of New Zion Baptist Church in Borger, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by WarfordWalker Mortuary, 509 N. Hughes St. Ms. Hood was a lifelong resident of Amarillo. She attended Tascosa High School and was employed by Days Inn. Survivors include her parents, James and Rosie Hood of Amarillo; five sisters, Bernice Jenkins of Lubbock, Betty Hood, Delois Jones and Debra Hood, all of Amarillo and Senobia Hood of Slaton; six brothers, Horace Hood of Lubbock, Charles Hood, James Hood Jr., Tony Hood and Robert Hood, all of Amarillo and Dennis Hood of Houston. The family will be at 2506 Thorne. Honora J. Rhyne Honora J. "Billie" Rhyne, 75, of Amarillo, died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs & Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Ms. Rhyne was born in Tazewell, Tenn., and had lived in Amarillo for 49 years. She was a butcher for 30 years and was a Baptist. She is survived by a brother, C.H. Rhyne Jr., of Amarillo. The family will be at 2120 S. Taylor. New Mexico Alma Ward TUCUMCARI, N.M. - Alma Ward, 80, died Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1999. Services were at 11 a.m. Saturday in Dunn Funeral Home Memorial Chapel with Elder Wayne Venable of Clovis and the Rev. Cliff Miller of Logan, N.M., officiating. Burial was in the family plot of the Tucumcari Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Ward was born in Post, Texas, and had lived in Tucumcari since 1922. In Tucumcari, she attended schools, was a school bus driver for the Tucumcari Public School System and, with her family, owned and operated the Ward Sand and Gravel Co. She was a member of Primitive Baptist Church and was active in the Tabosa Extension Club. Survivors include a son, Wayne Ward of Ruidoso; two daughters, Doris Ward of Albuquerque and Evelyn Mayfield of Lucadia, Calif.; a sister, Ruth Miller of Tucumcari; a brother, Bill Tatum of New Kirk; six grandchildren; and four greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben, in 1977 and two sons, Jerry Ward and Art Ward. Garner Sorge TUCUMCARI, N.M. - Garner Sorger, 97, a former longtime Tucumcari resident, died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999, in Mineola, Texas. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari with the Rev. Herb Roever, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the family plot of the Tucumcari Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are by Dunn Funeral Home. Mr. Sorge was born in Winnsboro, Texas, and was a longtime resident of Tucumcari before moving to Mineola several years ago. In Tucumcari, he was the owner and operator of the Morning Glory Grocery Store for many years, and was a member of the Immanuel Baptist Church and Masonic Lodge AF&AM Post 27. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Willie Mae, and by a son, Joe H. Sorge. Survivors include his wife, Fay; a son, Jack Sorge of Mill Creek, Wash.; a brother, Bruce Sorge of Orange, Texas; two sisters, Buna Rogers and Ruby Caldwell, both of Winnsboro, Texas; and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. The body will be available for viewing at Dunn Funeral Home from Monday evening until services time Tuesday at the church.