Potter Co. TX - Obits from the Amarillo newspapers 23 January 2003 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 Amarillo Charles "Squirrel" Arthur Charles "Squirrel" Arthur, 48, of Amarillo died Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Paramount Terrace Christian Church with Bill Wade, pastor of Buchanan Street United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery by Rector Funeral Home, 2800 S. Osage St. Mr. Arthur was born in Amarillo. He worked for Panhandle Gravel from 1975 to 1980, West Texas CAT from 1989 to 1992 and for North Amarillo Auto Parts from 1992 to 1998. In 1998, he began working for Tripp's Harley Davidson in the service department. At the time of his death he was service manager. He married Janis Carter on July 21, 1974, in Amarillo. He was a member of Amarillo HOG Chapter, Amarillo Micro Midget Association, Paramount Terrace Christian Church, and had been a member of Rolling Hills Riding Club. He was preceded in death by a brother, Billy Wayne Arthur in 1990. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Amy Arthur of Amarillo; two sisters, Mary Benningfield of Amarillo and Sandy Murphy of Dallas; and a brother, Jerry Arthur of Amarillo. The family suggests memorials be to Make-A-Wish of Amarillo, 2324 Lakeview Drive, Amarillo, TX 79109. The family will be at 4206 Mesa Circle and 6015 Hanson Road. The body will be available for viewing from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Sign our online guest book at www.rectorfuneralhome.com. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Peter Roe "Pete" Thompson Peter Roe "Pete" Thompson, 79, of Amarillo died Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Schooler Funeral Home Brentwood Chapel, 4100 S. Georgia St. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Thompson was born and raised in Hall County. He was a World War II veteran of the Army. He married Odell Anthony in 1941 at Hollis, Okla. He had been a resident of Amarillo since 1946. He was an instrument technician for Colorado Interstate Gas Co. for more than 25 years before retiring in 1985. He was a member of Pleasant Valley Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his son, Bailey Nathan Thompson in 1997. Survivors include his wife; a son, Tony Thompson of Atlanta; a daughter, Carolyn Joy Thompson of Austin; a brother, Leo Thompson of Amarillo; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to a favorite charity. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Mary Leola Drace Mary Leola Drace, 76, formerly of Amarillo, of Jackson's Gap, Ala., died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2003, in Jackson's Gap. Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Friday in Memory Gardens Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. William Austin of Lamount Baptist Church officiating. Mrs. Drace was born Nov. 11, 1926, in Hale Center. She was raised in Abernathy and graduated from Abernathy High School in 1944. Her family moved to Texico, N.M., where she met and married the love of her life, R.B. "Bob" Drace, on July 31, 1946. They were married 56 years. They moved to Abernathy 1949, where they raised their family. She was a Past Worthy Matron of Eastern Star and a seamstress. They moved to Amarillo in 1969. She worked for Region XVI Education Service Center as a secretary, retiring after 25 years in 1995. Mary and Bob retired to Jackson's Gap on Lake Martin in 1997. She loved Alabama and living on Lake Martin. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great friend. She will be greatly missed by everyone that her life touched, especially by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They will truly miss their "Ya-Ya." Survivors include her husband of Jackson's Gap; a daughter, Mona Davis and husband, Gary, of Amarillo; a son, Bill Drace and wife, Denise of Birmingham, Ala.; a sister, Mildred Burns of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; a brother, Jim Moore of Anaheim, Calif.; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Ronald McDonald House, 1501 Streit Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106. The family will be at 4206 Dodson Drive in Amarillo. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Helen M. Howard Turner Helen M. Howard Turner, 84, of Amarillo died Monday, Jan. 20, 2003, in Roswell, N.M. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Memory Gardens Cemetery with the Rev. Robert Field of Southeast Baptist Church officiating. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs and Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Mrs. Turner was born in Morgan, Okla., and raised in Ardmore, Okla. She married Louie Turner at Clovis, N.M., on Sept. 25, 1937. She worked at Zion Nursing Home in Zion, Ill., as a kitchen supervisor for 10 years. After her retirement, they moved to Amarillo in 1982 before moving to Artesia, N.M., in 1998. She was preceded in death by her husband in December 1988. Survivors include two daughters, Rita Tarbit of Artesia and Carla Flok of Wildwood, Ill.; two brothers, W.D. Howard of Texico, N.M., and Bob Howard of Clovis; a sister, Berniece Kennedy of Clovis; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to a favorite charity. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Rusty Warren Rivers Rusty Warren Rivers, 35, of Amarillo died Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003. Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church with Monsignor Joseph Tash officiating. Arrangements are by N.S. Griggs and Sons Funeral Directors, 2615 Paramount Blvd. Rusty has requested that his ashes be spread over the New Mexico ranch of his close friend Robert Carr Vincent. Mr. Rivers was born in Lamesa on March 9, 1967. Rusty graduated from Amarillo High School in 1985 and attended University of Arkansas, University of Texas at San Antonio and Cal State in San Diego Mr. Rivers spent six years in the Navy, including a tour in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm. Mr. Rivers worked the past several years in landscape design. He was involved in numerous volunteer endeavors including the Eveline Rivers Christmas Project. Rusty loved his family, friends, his beloved dogs, flowers and Eveline's project. Survivors include his parents, Wayne and Eveline Rivers; his partner, Kirby Curry; two brothers, Todd Rivers and wife, Dawn, and children, Lauren, Austin, and Rusty's godson Tanner; and Roy Sierra; eight sisters, Allison Rivers Floyd and husband, Quintin, and children, Quinci, Linzi, Logan and Braxton; Janie Lander and husband, Dave; Josephine Gomez and husband, Jesse, and children, Crisi and Anabel; Elaine Robison; Ofelia Martinez and husband, Joe; Benita Sierra; Rosa Linda Robison; and Alice Ebert and husband, Greg; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.K. Stanford of Conway, Ark. The family suggests memorials be to Eveline Rivers Christmas Project, 6104 Gainsborough St., Amarillo, TX 79106. The family will be at 6104 Gainsborough Road. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Area Phillip Dwayne Matthew PAMPA - Phillip Dwayne Matthew, 35, died Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors Colonial Chapel with the Rev. Ed Barker of New Life Four Square Church in Amarillo officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. Mr. Matthew was born April 17, 1967, in Pampa. He was employed by Universal Compression as a mechanic for 14 years. Survivors include his parents, Sue and Richard Matthew of Hooker, Okla.; and a sister, Tammy Clark of Pampa. The family suggests memorials be to Don and Sybil Harrington Cancer Center, 1500 Wallace Blvd., Amarillo, TX 79106; or a favorite charity. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Sebastian Vasquez OLTON - Sebastian Vasquez, 75, died Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003, in Lubbock. Rosary was at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Services will be at 2 p.m. today in St. Peters Catholic Church with the Rev. Reymundo Manriquez officiating. Burial will be in Olton Cemetery by Foskey-Lilley-McGill Funeral Home. Mr. Vasquez was born Jan. 27, 1927, in Ojinga, Mexico. He married Alicia Flores in 1968 in Mexico. Survivors include his wife; a son, Marco of Olton; three brothers, Juan Vasquez of Pecos, and Beto Vasquez and Jesus Vasquez, both of Carlsbad, N.M.; four sisters, Cruz Parra and Pabla Chavez, both of Loving, N.M., Alvadra Hernandez of California and Maria Baljardo of Carlsbad; and two grandchildren. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Alta M. Brown SHAMROCK - Alta M. Brown, 84, died Monday, Jan. 20, 2003, in Glen Rose. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Jeff Messer of Amarillo and the Rev. Don Conner of Shamrock officiating. Burial will be in Shamrock Cemetery by Wright Funeral Directors. Mrs. Brown was born to George D. and Lurlie Tarvin Davis on March 28, 1918, in Perryville, Ark. She moved with her family at age 10 to Mobeetie and a short time later moved to Shamrock. She married Beauford W. Brown on May 4, 1934, in Sayre, Okla. They owned and operated a farm east of Shamrock for many years. Mrs. Brown had worked for several years as a dispatcher in Shamrock and in retail sales. She was a member of Shamrock Eastern Star. She moved to Amarillo in 1974, where she also worked in retail sales, was a member of Southlawn Baptist Church, and a former member of Amarillo Senior Citizens. She was an avid bridge player, and was a member of several bridge clubs until her eyesight began to fail. Mrs. Brown loved gardening, especially working with flowers. She was preceded in death by her husband on July 18, 1974. Survivors include two daughters, Hazel Offield of Amarillo and Linda Hughes of Glen Rose; three grandchildren, Jan Beard of Amarillo, Mike Hughes of Burleson and Alan Hughes of Waverly; eight great-grandchildren; a brother, George W. Davis of Shamrock; and a sister, Alpha Brock of Roanoke. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 New Mexico Bonita M. Bohannan CLOVIS, N.M. - Bonita M. Bohannan, 84, died Monday, Jan. 20, 2003. Services will be at 1 p.m. today in The Chapel with the Rev. Shirley Sweat officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Latish Cemetery in Lawton, Okla., by Muffley Funeral Home. Mrs. Bohannan married V.C. Bohannan on July 19, 1946, in Clovis. She was a caretaker for her niece Billie Cox for many years. Survivors include two sons, Roy Hardegree of Clovis and Gene Bohannan of Belen; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 Elsewhere Jimmy Ray Lewis WICHITA FALLS - Jimmy Ray Lewis, 78, died Monday, Jan. 20, 2003. Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Owens & Brumley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Harvey E. McMurry, pastor of City View Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Crestview Memorial Park with military honors by the funeral detail honor guard of Fort Hood Army Base. Mr. Lewis was born April 15, 1924, the son of the late Virgil Lee and Mary Fay Forsythe Lewis, in Texola, Okla. He was raised in Childress and Wichita Falls. After graduation from Wichita Falls Senior High School, he followed in his father's footsteps by going to work for the then Fort Worth and Denver Railway. A short time later, he was called to serve with the Army during World War II, where he was in the 104th Infantry Division, the Timberwolves. He was in combat in Germany and France. He attended several annual conventions of the 104th and stayed in close contact with a number of his Army buddies. After the service, he returned to Wichita Falls to continue his work on the railroad, where he became a conductor. He was promoted to assistant trainmaster in 1974, and moved to Childress. The next year he was promoted to trainmaster in Amarillo where he was responsible for train operations from Houston to Trinidad, Colo. His last transfer was to Fort Worth as superintendent of Burlington Northern Railroad, where he served until retirement. After retirement he moved back to his hometown of Wichita Falls. Jimmy was a proud member of BN Veterans Association and served as their president for many years. He was a grand gentleman who loved his daily crossword puzzles, woodworking crafts and meeting his buddies for coffee. He had a great sense of humor, a legacy which he left to his family in the recent accounts of life in the Army and his early days on the railroad. The family is grateful to URHCS, Wichita Valley Rehabilitation Hospital and Hospice of Wichita Falls for their steadfast dedication and care of Jimmy. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Velta Lea Ross Lewis. Survivors include his wife, LaVerne; two sons, Michael Ross Lewis and wife, Vicki, of Dallas and Jimmy Randolph Lewis and wife, Kay, of Barrington, Ill.; a sister, Jean Cochran of Wichita Falls; seven grandchildren, Shelley, Michael, Shannon, Amanda, Sarah, Austin and Allison; and three great-grandchildren, Emma, Lilley and Grace. Pallbearers include Earl Bowlen, Clifford Carr, George Holl, Clayton Parker, Dan Roberts, Beryle Robertson and Dean Tackitt. The family suggests memorials be to Hospice of Wichita Falls. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 23, 2003 This story printed from the Amarillo Globe-News Online at amarillonet.com: http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/012303/obi_ob012303-12.shtml