Potter Co. TX - Obits: January 1, 2005 ============================================================== 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 ============================================================== Amarillo Globe-News Obituaries Saturday, January 1, 2005 Amarillo Robert Leon Fielding Robert Leon Fielding, 88, of Amarillo died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004. Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street, with the Rev. Clifton A. Mann, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, officiating. Burial with military rites by DAV Chapter 26 will be in Llano Cemetery. Mr. Fielding was born Sept. 29, 1916, in Lubbock County to Robert Earnest Fielding and Estell Elmore Fielding. He graduated from Grovesville School in 1934 and enlisted in the Army Air Corps in January 1941. After completing pilot training in 1943, he was commissioned second lieutenant and served 18 months overseas in England, France, Italy and Germany. He participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, invasion of Southern France, Northern France, Belgium, Holland and the low countries of Germany at the Rhine River. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, six Bronze Stars and a Victory Medal. His group was the 442nd Troop Carrier, 304th Squadron. He also received two Presidential Unit Citations. He married Mary Joe Coe of Lubbock in 1945. He worked as a farm machinery salesperson for 27 years and retired in 1978. You are our hero, and you'll be greatly missed. Survivors include two sons, Tim Fielding of Austin and Larry Fielding of Amarillo; a daughter, Lori Adamson of Amarillo; and a grandson, Austin Fielding of Amarillo. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 1, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose Ford Rose Ford, 85, of Amarillo, formerly of Fresno, Calif., died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004 Rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns and Blair of Fresno. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Fresno with Monsignor Joseph Tash of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church of Amarillo officiating. Burial will be in Belmont Memorial Park Cemetery in Fresno. Local arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St. Mrs. Ford was born Sept. 18, 1919, in Fresno. She graduated from Edison High School in Fresno. She married Ernest Ford in Fresno on Sept. 16, 1951. She retired from the City of Fresno Police Department after many years of loyal service. She was a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Amarillo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Ford, in August 1998. Survivors include a sister, Mary Kearny of Amarillo; three nieces, Kelly Roberts of Amarillo, Mary Ann Renna of Fresno and Kathy Renna of Bay Area, Calif.; three nephews, Russell Renna, Tim Renna and Dennis Renna, all of Fresno; and many numerous great-nieces and nephews. The family suggests memorials be to Second Chance Foundation, 300 N.W. Seventh Ave., Amarillo, TX 79107; or St. Thomas Mosaic Fund, 4100 S. Coulter Road, Amarillo, TX 79109. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 1, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ruth Farris Nelms Ruth Farris Nelms, 87, of Amarillo died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004. Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday in Frederick Cemetery Chapel in Frederick, Okla., with Bob Evans officiating. Burial will be in Frederick Cemetery by Cox Funeral Home, 4180 Canyon Drive. Mrs. Nelms was born to John Edgar Farris and Astrea Farris in Frederick and raised in Tipton, Okla. She graduated from Tipton High School in 1937. She attended Oklahoma State A&M in Stillwater, Okla. She married Charles Hershel Nelms on Aug. 25, 1940, in Tipton. He died on Aug. 21, 1979. She was honored as Mother of the Year by the Kiwanis Club of Altus, Okla., in May 1988. She retired from Anthonys after 25 years as the alteration seamstress. She was a Sunday school teacher for the pre-school and elementary age department and served as secretary at First Baptist Church in Altus. Mrs. Nelms was past Worthy Matron of the Tipton Chapter of Eastern Star. She served as District Deputy in District 41, being appointed by the Worthy Grand Matron of Oklahoma. She was a member of Eastern Star since 1949 until moving to Amarillo in July 1990. She was a member of Coulter Road Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by four brothers; two sisters; two nephews; and two great-nephews. Survivors include a daughter, Dorismae Clymer and husband, Bill, of Amarillo; two granddaughters, Cyndi Vara and husband, Alex, of Amarillo and Tonya Lewis and husband, Vance John, of Red River, N.M.; four great-grandchildren, Kristin Vara, Shyla Curry, Hank Lewis and Tate Lewis; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family suggests memorials be to Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79176 or to Craig Methodist Alzheimer's Unit, 5500 W. Ninth Ave., Amarillo, TX 79106. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 1, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Area Thelma Lee Hughes QUANAH - Thelma Lee Hughes, 83, died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004, in Hollis, Okla. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Quanah Memorial Park with the Rev. Clinton Young, minister of First Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are by Smith Funeral Home. Ms. Hughes was born in Cooper on Nov. 22, 1921, to Walter Owen Hughes and Martha Ann Hooper Hughes. She was a member of First Baptist Church. Survivors include eight nephews, Billy R. Winchester of Quanah, Gene Allen, Dean Allen, Phil Allen, J.E. Hughes, Donald Hughes, Glendal Hughes and Tommy Hughes and three nieces, Pat Rumbo, Mary Oman and Betty Lou Hughes. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 1, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jerry Lynn Vassaur BORGER - Jerry Lynn Vassaur, 77, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004. No services are scheduled. Arrangements are by Minton/Chatwell Funeral Directors. Mr. Vassaur was born Oct. 18, 1927, in Louisiana. He was a retired farmer and rancher employed by George Gable. Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sisters, Juanita Morris of Fritch and Joyce Beavers of Dallas. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 1, 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arvel Lee "A.L." Black FRIONA - Arvel Lee "A.L." Black, 86, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Friona United Methodist Church with Leon Talley, Church of Christ minister, and the Rev. Steve Patterson, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Friona Cemetery by Blackwell Funeral Home. Mr. Black was born July 16, 1918, in Hollene, N.M. He married Clyde Alice Caroland on July 16, 1939, in Clovis, N.M. A farmer and cattle feeder, they moved to Parmer County in 1944. He was a leader of agribusiness on the high plains who farmed, fed cattle and was chairman of Friona Industries Inc. for 20 years. He was one of the original directors and developers of Friona Feed Yard, Paco Feed Yards and Hi-Pro Feeds, which all became part of Friona Industries. Black purchased Poarch Brothers, a steel fabrication plant, that built a high percentage of the feed mills in the cattle-feeding area. He owned it from 1982 to 1997 when he sold it the employees. He was director of the Parmer Soil and Water Conservation District for 32 years. He was president of the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts for three terms and was a national director for the organization for four years. He was given the Special Service Award of the National Association of Conservation Districts. Black was appointed to the Texas Water Development Board for a six-year term and served as chairman of the board. He was a former director of the West Texas-New Mexico Sugar Beet Growers and of the West Texas Water Institute. His key concern as a board member was utilizing and conserving water. He was a past president of Friona Lions Club and past president of the Friona Chamber of Commerce. He was chairman of the board of Friona State Bank and, along with Andy Hurst and Dr. Lloyd Shackleford, was instrumental in securing the Missouri Beef Packers business in Friona in 1963. In 1959, the Friona Chamber of Commerce named Black as its Man of the Year. The Texas Bank and Trust Company gave him the bank's award for outstanding supervisor. In 1966, Progressive Farmer magazine named him Farmer of the Year. In 1978, he was named the Panhandle's Man of the Year by the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce. He served nine years as a trustee at Hardin-Simmons University. Texas Agriculture, the Student Agriculture Council and the faculty of the college of Agricultural Sciences of Texas Tech University presented him with the Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturalist Award in 1975. He was presented the National Golden Spur Award in 1995, sponsored by National Cattlewomen Inc., American Paint Horse, American Quarter Horse Association, American Sheep Industry Association, National Cattleman's Association, National Livestock and Meat Board, Ranching and Heritage Association, Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association and Texas Sheep and Goat Association. On May 14, 2000, he was named by the Amarillo Globe-News as one of the Texas Panhandle's most influential citizens and one of the 100 top History Makers of the High Plains. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Danny Black of Friona and Keith Black of Lubbock; a daughter, Kitty Gallman of Friona; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorials be to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch. Amarillo Globe-News, Jan. 1, 2005 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------