Potter Co. TX - Obits from the Amarillo newspapers 21 October 2002 Thanks to http://www.amarillonet.com/ for permission to upload their obits to the USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved. Amarillo Globe-News http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ------------------------------------------------------ All Obits - Text Only Area Jack McWhirter SPEARMAN - Jack McWhirter, 79, died Friday, Oct. 18, 2002. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Ken Cole officiating. Burial will be in Hansford Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors of Spearman. Mr. McWhirter was born in Claude on Nov. 13, 1923. He married Dolly Shedeck in 1943 in Spearman. He was a farmer and a member of First United Methodist Church. He was a charter member of the Spearman Rotary Club and Hansford Hospice. He was a 1947 graduate of West Texas State University and was an Air Force veteran of World War II. He moved to Spearman in 1947 and began farming. He was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter, Taylor Renee Johnston. Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Cynthia Copp of Spearman and Marla Jo Booth of Grand Terrace, Calif.; a son, Lloyd McWhirter of Idaho Springs, Colo.; a brother, Bill McWhirter of Amarillo; grandchildren, Meli and Wade Burgess of Spearman, Kellie and Travis Frances of Montgomery, Dana and Kevin Johnston and Terrill Booth, all of Riverside, Calif., and Cheston Booth of Redding, Calif.; great-grandchildren, Canning and Blake Burgess of Spearman, Scott and Delaney Johnston of Riverside and Lauren Avery Frances of Montgomery; and adopted family members, Geir Berge Overland and Ajith Fernando. The family suggests memorials be to First United Methodist Church, Hansford Hospice or Hansford Cemetery. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Lowell D. Keifer BORGER - Lowell D. Keifer, 80, died Friday, Oct. 18, 2002. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Minton-Chatwell Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, with the Rev. John Gran, of First Christ Christian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery. Mr. Keifer was in the Air Force during World War II where he was a bombardier. He retired from Phillips Petroleum where he was in instrumentation. Survivors include his wife, Pauline; a daughter, Debbie Melin of Arlington; a brother, Johnnie Keifer of Borger; and a grandson. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Orval E. Allen DUMAS - Orval E. Allen, 84, died Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in First United Methodist Church of Dumas with the Rev. John Wagoner, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Northlawn Memorial Gardens by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors of Dumas. Mr. Allen was born in Craig, Colo., and had been a resident of Dumas. He had been the manager of North Plains Ground Water Conservation District. He had also taught sixth-grade science at Sunset Elementary. He was a veteran in the Navy serving in World War II. He was a member of the Noon Lions Club and First United Methodist Church. He was on the State of Texas Water Conservation Board and on the board of directors for the Palo Duro River Authority. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Frances Allen, in 1992. Survivors include his wife, Genevieve; five daughters, Kay Freeman of Hutchinson, Kan., Kathy Miller of Belton, Connie Mebane of Borger, Kerry Brooks of Farmington, N.M., and Kenna Moyers of Dumas; two sisters, Helen Hamilton of Long Beach, Calif., and Ina Beanblossom of Huntsville, Ark.; three brothers-in-law, Forrest Piatt and Don Piatt both of Dumas, George Piatt of St. Johns, Newfoundland; 16 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren. The family will be at 1203 N.E. Fourth. The family suggests memorials be to First United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund, 401 Binkley, Dumas, TX 79029; North Plains Ground Water Conservation Scholarship Fund, 702 E. First, Dumas, TX 79029; or to the Borger First United Methodist Scholarship Fund, 200 N. McGee, Borger, TX 79007. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Claude Lee Bagwell CLAUDE - Claude Lee Bagwell, 44, died Friday, Oct. 18, 2002. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in First United Methodist Church in Claude with the Rev. Janet Edwards, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Claude Cemetery by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon. Mr. Bagwell was born June 7, 1958, in Alamogordo, N.M., and was a Florida resident before moving to Claude in November 1996. He graduated from Nederland High School and Lamar University in Beaumont. He had been employed as an electrical engineer for Coca-Cola Foods in Leesburg, Fla. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. Casket bearers will be Emery Goodin, Wildon Hundley, Hayden Brunson, Toby Bagwell, Edward Stephenson and Al Phillips. Survivors include a daughter, Tammie Bagwell of Port Neches; a son, Robert Bagwell of Gap, Pa.; his parents, Milton and Earlene Bagwell of Claude; and a sister, Linda Phillips and husband, Al, of Dover, Ark. The family suggests memorials be to the Armstrong County Museum in Claude. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Ismael Y. Garcia Sr. HEREFORD - Ismael Y. Garcia Sr., 44, died Sunday, Oct. 20, 2002. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in St. Joseph's Catholic Church with Vicente Garcia, deacon of San Jose Church, officiating. Burial will be in St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery by Gililland-Watson Funeral Home. Mr. Garcia was a member of BCA Pool League of Amarillo. He was a former employee of CNL Parts and NAPA Parts and Supply. Survivors include his wife, Maria; three sons, Ismael Garcia Jr., Raul Garcia and Paul Garcia, all of Hereford; his mother, Josefina Garcia of Hereford; a brother, Joe Garcia Jr. of Levelland; two sisters, Angie Villarreal and Corina Nguyen, both of Hereford; and three grandchildren. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Harry F. "Mac" McDonald PAMPA - Harry F. "Mac" McDonald, 91, died Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in First Christian Church of Pampa with the Rev. Barry Loving, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Mr. McDonald was born Nov. 22, 1910, in Monroe, N.C. He was a member of First Christian Church in Pampa. Survivors include his wife, Virginia; two daughters, Linda Borden of Dallas and Gayle Casey of Hockley; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to First Christian Church of Pampa, 1633 N. Nelson, Pampa, TX 79065. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Amarillo Wanda Utsinger Wanda Utsinger, 80, of Amarillo died Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Bell Avenue Church of Christ with Mr. Glen Walton, of the church, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Mrs. Utsinger lived in Odessa for 38 years and was a member of the Parkview Church of Christ. She lived in Amarillo for 15 years and was a member of Bell Avenue Church of Christ. She taught ladies' Bible classes and enjoyed singing, reading and oil painting. She married Neal Utsinger on Dec. 28, 1941. Survivors include her husband; a son, Kelly Utsinger and wife, Kay, of Amarillo; a daughter, Jill Whitener of Amarillo; three sisters, Lola Jackson of Checotah, Okla., Wilma Hembree and husband, Alva, of Konawa, Okla., and Donna Casteel of Edmond, Okla.; grandchildren, Amy and Emily Utsinger, both of Amarillo, Michelle Baumgardner and husband, Paul, of Panhandle and Wade Whitener of Houston; and great-grandchildren, Ashlynn and Dustin Baumgardner, both of Panhandle. The family suggests memorials be to Bell Avenue Church of Christ for the "In Search" program. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Anicia Valdez Anicia Valdez, 96, of Amarillo died Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002. Rosary will be at 7 p.m. today in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors, Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Our Lady Guadalupe Catholic Church with Monsignor Rex Nicholl officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mrs. Valdez was a member of Our Lady Guadalupe Catholic Church. She was an active member of the Wesley Community Center. She was a loving mother and grandmother to her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Faustinio Valdez, in 1956; two children, Margaret Chavez and Eddie Valdez; and a granddaughter, Margie Solano. Survivors include two sons, Freddie Joe Valdez and Johnny C. Valdez, both of Amarillo; four daughters, Babe Reina of Amarillo, Virginia Price of Tampa, Fla., Mary Valdez of Dallas and Gloria Kiszkiel of Houston; four sisters, Maria, Katy, Eva and Marcella, all of California; a brother, Joe Mares of California; 19 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to the Wesley Community Center; or to Our Lady Guadalupe Catholic Church, 1210 E. 11th Ave. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Canyon Elaine Bridges CANYON - Elaine Bridges, 80, died Sunday, Oct. 20, 2002. Memorial services will be at a later date in El Paso. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St. Mrs. Bridges was a retired nurse and avid gardener. Survivors include a daughter, Kathy Cornett of Canyon; a son, John Bridges of Colorado Springs; four grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. The family suggests memorials be to BSA Hospice, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79176. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Elsewhere Billy C. Childers GREENVILLE - Billy C. Childers, 67, died Friday, Oct. 18, 2002. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in Coker-Mathews Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Joel Arnold and the Rev. Kenneth Ballard officiating. Burial will be in Memoryland Memorial Park. Mr. Childers was born in Jacobia on Jan. 29, 1935. He was a self-employed contractor and a member of the East Texas Music Association. Survivors include his wife, Jackie; three daughters, Sandra Duncan and Sherry Bratton, both of Greenville, and Barbara Pier of Wolfe City; two sons, Billy C. Childers Jr. and Larry Derryberry, both of Greenville; three brothers, Roy Childers and Darrol Childers, both of Amarillo, and Gaylon Childers of Canyon; and a sister, Sheryl Sims of Red Oak; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 Willie Mae Davidson LUBBOCK - Willie Mae Davidson, 87, died Friday, Oct. 18, 2002. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday in W.W. Rix Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Tim Winn officiating. Burial will be in City of Lubbock Cemetery. Mrs. Davidson was born June 16, 1915, in Ajax, La. She married Orville Davidson on July 27, 1966, in Amarillo. She moved from Amarillo to Lubbock in 1975. She was a homemaker and member of Oakwood Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband on Aug. 22, 1999. Survivors include a son, Dick Blackburn of Placerville, Calif.; two daughters, Juanita Elliott and Janice Rae Staggs of Schertz; seven sisters, Marie Williams of Leesville, La., Gloria Bryant of Natchitoches, La., Ivy Ford of Houston, Louise Taylor of Mitchell, La., Callie Williams of Coushatta, La., Ann Touchtow of Porter and Christina Tolar of Doucette; 11 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials be to the American Heart Association, 3403 73rd St., Lubbock, TX 79424. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 New Mexico Joyce Cowen CLAYTON, N.M. - Joyce Cowen, 84, died Saturday, Oct. 19, 2002. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in First Baptist Church of Clayton with the Rev. Billy Rammage, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors. Mrs. Cowen was born Sept. 7, 1918, in Collin County, Texas, to William B. Duckworth and Viola Edgington Duckworth. A lifetime resident of Union County, she lived in Sedan until 1977 when she moved to Clayton. Survivors include a daughter, Viola Reeves of Clayton; three sons, Maurice Cowen of Topeka, Kan., Alvin Cowen of Amarillo, Texas and Gayland Cowen of Portales; nine grandchildren, Janae Chamblee, Craig Reeves, Brian Cowen, Curtis Cowen, Karis Jesko, Kyle Cowen, Wesley Cowen, Kendra Alcott and Kayla Pipkin; eight great-grandchildren, Kaeli Cowen, McKenzie Cowen, Chelsea Cowen, Joshua Cowen, Ethan Cowen, Corey Schnaufer, Danae Reeves and Smith Christian Jesko; and two great-great-grandchildren, Makayla Schnaufer and Nash Schnaufer. Amarillo Globe-News, Oct. 21, 2002 This story printed from the Amarillo Globe-News Online at amarillonet.com: http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/102102/obi_ob102102-14.shtml