Saunders George Saunders died July 21, 2005 at Lubbock, TX at the age of 82. Mr. Saunders was born November 7, 1922 in Panhandle, Texas, to Guy Cecil and Ora Viola Robertson Saunders. He graduated from Pampa High School and attended Abilene Christian College. He married Laverne Roberts on January 28, 1945 in Pampa. In his early life, he was a registered Angus rancher in McLean, TX. He served the Forgan Church of Christ in Forgan for over 30 years as minister of the Gospel. He was a member and past president of the McLean Lions Club, a board member of the McLean Branch of the Lovett Memorial Library, a member of the Texas and American Angus Associations, and served on the Lubbock Christian University Board of Trustees from 1964-2004. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Barney, and his sister Louella. Survivors include his wife Laverne Saunders of the home; three daughters Janice Wright and husband Loyd of Flower Mound, TX; Joyce Foster & husband Jim, and Judy Organ and husband Joe, all of Lubbock; six grandchildren Jeff Foster and wife Melanie of Cortez, Colorado, Laura Wright of Irving, Julie Bollinger and husband Joe of Amarillo, Alan Wright and wife Julie of Spring, Jase Foster and wife Tosha, and Jeana Culbert and husband Mark, all of Lubbock; and nine great-grandchildren. Burial was in the Fairview Cemetery in Pampa, TX on Monday, July 25, 2005. Memorials may be sent to In Search of the Lord’s Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, Oklahoma 73083-9901, or Lubbock Christian University, 5601 W. 19 th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79407.Oswald Janice Carol Oswald died Friday morning the seventeenth day of June, two thousand and five, surrounded by her family at Integris Bass Baptist Hospital in Enid after a short illness. She was born October 23, 1938 in Gate to Charles Levi and Anna Rebecca Maphet. She was welcomed into the family by her ten brothers and sisters. Janice grew up in Gate except for the short time they lived in Wichita, KS during the war. After the war ended they returned to Gate where she then attended Gate Public Schools. While growing up Janice learned to play the piano and basketball, both of which she loved, providing her with many fond memories. On October 8, 1955, Janice was wed to Everett B. Oswald in Clayton, NM. They then raised three children. Early she was a homemaker and later worked in the Beaver Public Schools for many years. After working at the school she returned home to spend more time with her family. And later to become a grandmother, her true calling. Janice was preceded in death by her parents Charlie and Anna; brothers Gene, Don, Garland, and Leon, and sisters Ruby, Opal, and Janette. She is survived by her husband, Everett, her children Donald and his wife Cindy; daughter LaDonna Klinkerman and her husband Steve, and daughter, Randa Eiler and husband Gary. Survivors also include the center of her world, her six grandchildren; Nick, Johnathon, Ben, Blake, Blaine, and Nathan; three sisters, Belva, Alma, and Merlene; sister-in-law Nadine and her husband Alvin, and many nieces and nephews, many of which she possessed a special bond with. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., June 20, 2005 at the First Christian Church in Beaver. Interment was at the Gate Cemetery. Savely Steven Kyle Savely was born October 26, 1984 in Childress, TX to Kevin L. and Susan (Speir) Savely. The family moved to Turpin in 1988, where he attended and graduated from Turpin Independent School District. While attending Turpin Schools, he participated in many activities, including football, basketball, baseball, track and the Quiz Bowl Team. He graduated with the Class of 2003. While attending Oklahoma Panhandle State University, he played football and basketball. Steven also attended Southwest Kansas Technical School. He will be remembered by his family and friends for many things including his many sports accomplishments. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Don Savely and Lloyd Boyd. Steven died July 15, 2005 from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. He is survived by his parents, Kevin and Susan Savely; his sister, Jennifer Savely; grandparents, Kathleen (Colvin) Boyd, Tulsa, William and Melba Speir, Childress, TX; Carolyn Savely, Dumas, TX; great-grandmother, Eula Kenneck, Sugarland, TX; uncle Steve Savely and wife, Belinda, Tyler and Shelby, Liberal, KS; Aunt Donita Granado and husband, Paul, Eric, and Alex, Richmond, IN; aunt Lisha Steele and husband Billy, Shayla, Derrick, Dakota, and Hunter, Dumas, TX; uncle Roger Speir and Cyndi, Lori and Angela, Amarillo, TX; uncle Gregory Speir and wife, Marcella, Nicholas and Jordan, Cedar Park, TX; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and a host of friends. Funeral services were held Monday, July 18, 2005 in the Turpin Baptist Church with Jimmy Reed and Stan Lehnert officiating. Interment was in the Liberal Cemetery. June 30, 2005 Gardner Hazel Elizabeth Gardner was born on July 31, 1912, on a farm northwest of Knowles, the daughter of William and Mary Roberts. She attended school at Knowles, graduating with the class of 1931. She married Earl Gardner of Clearlake on April 19, 1939 at Laverne. Earl was the father of two small daughters, Doris and Barbara. On May 24, 1943, they became proud parents of another daughter, Karen Sue. In the fall of 1943, they moved to Beaver. On November 24, 1945, they welcomed their son, Rodney Earl into a family of girls. Hazel was a long time member of the Nazarene Church. Her parents and her husband preceded her in death. Hazel died in the Beaver County Nursing Home on June 24, 2005 at the age of 92. Hazel is survived by her son, Rodney Gardner of Tucson, AZ, her daughters, Doris Ham of El Centro, CA, Barbara Myers of Great Bend, KS, Karen Leisher of Beaver; 8 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends. Services were held Monday, June 27, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Clark Funeral Service with David Glascock officiating. Interment was in the Pioneer Cemetery. Palmer Chester Eugene Palmer was born May 11, 1935 in Beaver to Loren Alonzo Palmer and Jerusha Inez (McCune) Palmer. Chester attended Beaver High School and graduated in 1953. He then attended Oklahoma State University. He married his high school sweetheart, Edna Earlene Phelps, and they were married over 50 years. They had three children: Craig Eugene, Edna Carol, and Christine Inez. Chester worked in the oilfields most of his life, starting at the age of 16 as a roughneck in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. He also worked with his father Loren, on the family farm. Because of his vast and varied experience in all phases of the oil industry, he eventually became a consulting drilling and completions superintendent and worked for oil companies all around the world. He spent the last 25 years of his professional career working for Penzoil, overseeing their offshore operations in the North Sea. He finally retired in 1998 after a long, successful, and fulfilling career. Over the years, Chester and Earlene made their home in Norway, Holland, Woodward, and Beaver. In 1989, they built a home on the Palmer family homestead in Logan and moved to the country permanently, where they lived until the time of his death. They were proud of the fact that their farm had been in the Palmer family for over seventy years. Chester and Earlene worked together to expand their ranching and farming operations. They enjoyed time spent on their farm and traveling. A favorite vacation destination was Santa Fe, New Mexico. Chester is survived by his wife Earlene Palmer at their home in Logan; his children Craig Palmer of Houston, TX; Carol Dodd and husband Robert Dodd of Houston, and Christine Fanning of Woodward; his eight grandchildren Lauren Palmer, Whitley Palmer, Colby Palmer, Michelle Dodd, Nick Dodd, Sarah Fanning, Carson Fanning and Susan Fanning; his sister Merlene Sharp of Beaver; his uncle and aunts Ralph and Margery McCune of Logan and DeAlva Clark of Kiowa, KS, his brothers- and sisters-in-law Bobby and Vernetta Phelps of Liberal, KS, Phyllis and Johnny Filbeck of Gillette, WY, Billy and Vernona Durham of El Dorado, MO, Shirley Fuller of Liberal, KS, and Nina and Don Filbeck of Branson, MO; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and many, many friends from all around the world. He is preceded in death by his parents Loren and Jerusha Palmer; his brother-in-law Bobby Sharp, son-in-law Max Fanning, uncles Raymond McCune and Reese Clark. Services were June 29, 2005 at the Beaver First Christian Church with Rick Main officiating. Interment was in the Pioneer Cemetery. June 23, 2005 Strom William D. (Bill) Strom 77, of Stillwater, died June 8, 2005. Mr. Strom was born May 5, 1928 in Perry, OK to Timothy and Hannah Nelson Strom. He was married to Earline Carpenter on July 16, 1950 in Erick, OK. She survives. Strom graduated from Perry High School in 1945. He attended OSU and graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science, in 1958 with a Masters of Science degree in Rural Education, and in 1966 with a Doctor of Education. He and his wife, Earline, were married over 54 years. He was a ranch manager at Coldwater, KS for several years; then served as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army during the Korean War. Later he was a County Extension Agent at Fairview and Beaver. He then transferred to become a Program Specialist for the Oklahoma State 4-H department where he remained until his retirement in 1983. Survivors include his wife Earline, two sons Morris Strom, Tulsa; Mark Strom, Stillwater; one daughter Kaye Strom, Stillwater; seven grandchildren; one brother; one sister; and a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews. Rock Helen Marie Williams was born to Elmer Eastman and Hulda Mae (Higgins) Williams on May 10, 1922 at Helena, Oklahoma at the home of her grandparents S.B. Williams. She died on Sunday, May 29, 2005 at the age of 83 years and 19 days. Helen attended schools in Helena, Liberal, Keyes, and Hooker before graduating from Beaver High School in 1940 where she served as a Senior class officer. After attending almost a year of college at Helena, she married her high school sweetheart Logan Dean Rock on April 27, 1941 at the United Methodist Church in Beaver. Dean and Helen had just recently celebrated sixty-four wonderful years of marriage together. To this union three children were born: Daniel Dean, Debra Ann, and Deitra Sue. Helen was baptized and joined the United Methodist Church at a very young age. She served as President of WSCS and a Scout Leader for her children for several years. Helen loved to sew and was especially talented in creating new and different garments out of old ones, and making clothes without a pattern. She dearly loved her precious family, including her twenty grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren. Helen and Dean owned and operated the Cities Service Station and Wholesale Business for thirteen years. After selling the station, Helen was a Stanley dealer for four years before accepting the position of Deputy County Clerk for Beaver County Commissioners for eighteen years. Helen was a faithfully devoted wife who loved to help with the cattle ranch southwest of Beaver. She enjoyed her many friends by playing bingo with them and participating in league bowling and tournaments. She was a member for many years of WIBC and ABC. A week before her death, she had just returned from attending the National Bowling Tournament in Baton Rouge, LA with her family. Preceding her in death besides her parents were her brothers Wilbur Williams and Kenneth Williams, and her sisters Leota Hall and Geneva Sensabaugh. Surviving Mrs. Rock are her husband Dean Rock, Beaver, a son and wife, Dan and Sherry Rock, Alva; two daughters Debbie and Clifton Willeford, Perryton, TX; and Deitra Rock and fiance John Graves, Liberal, KS. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren are: Cory and Michelle Rock, Denver, CO, Ryan and Michelle Rock and Isabella, Wichita, KS, Lezlie and Brent Miles, Kaylan and Tristen, ElDorado, KS, Lisa and Cory Baker, Jake and Aidan, Omaha, NE; Dr. Kelly and Andrea Shrum, Clayton, Brooklyn, Grace, and Heather, Pine Bluff, AR, Kayla and Paul Bingel, Katie Beth and Kami, Perryton, TX, Terry and Becky Willeford, Alyssa and Brittany, Electra, TX, Tina Branch, Hayden and Alayna, Electra, TX; DaLana and Jason Hawkins, Jaden and Daylan, Blackwell, Darby Brooks and friend Jana Major and Rocky Taylor, all of Kingfisher, and RaLyssa Taylor, Liberal. Also surviving is a sister, Mary Beleele, Porter, TX, and a sister-in-law, Loubelle Campbell, Beaver. A celebration of life was held on June 2, 2005 at the United Methodist Church in Beaver. June 16, 2005 Peak Margaret Ellen Peak died Tuesday, June 7, 2005 in her home at Cisco, TX at the age of 81 years and 27 days. She was the daughter of Clarence and Mollie Jo (Pierce) Hopkins, born on May 10, 1924 at Maybell, CO. As a young girl, the family moved to the Woodward area where she attended the Sharon schools graduating with the class of 1942. Margaret married Leon Chase in 1942 at Woodward and she was blessed with two daughters, Leona Marie and Mary Jane. Later she married Curtis Peak and she was blessed with two more daughters, Charlene Ellen and Carla Marlene. She lived in Amarillo, TX for nearly forty years and worked as a ward clerk at Saint Anthony’s Hospital in Amarillo before she moved to Cisco, TX. Margaret loved being with her family and she always enjoyed watching her favorite old movies and game shows. She was preceded in death by her parents Clarence and Mollie Jo, her brother Arthur Hopkins; and a sister Johanna Ditwiler. Margaret is survived by four daughters Leona Perry and husband Bill of Beaver; Mary Jane Steinbrecher and husband John of Aladdin, WY; Sherry Hennington and husband Vance of Cisco, TX; Carla Adams and husband Jerry of Cleburne, TX; one brother Bob Hopkins of Woodward; 11 grandchildren David Perry and wife Tammy, Becky Painter, Steve Perry and wife Stacey, Kody Steinbrecher, Monte Steinbrecher, Lee Hennington, Leisa Barcelo and husband Christopher, Lindsey Hennington, Reed Adams, Rion Adams and Jessica Adams; 10 great grandchildren; and other relatives and many friends. Funeral services were held June 11, 2005. VanDeburgh Opal VanDeburgh, 81, former Beaver resident, died Sunday, June 12, 2005 in Perryton, TX. She was born in Booker, TX on November 27, 1923 and lived in the Beaver area her whole life before moving to Perryton in 2001. She married Lem VanDeburgh on August 16, 1942 in Beaver. Lem died in 1993. Mrs. VanDeburgh was a member of the Nazarene Church in Beaver and played the organ for all the churches she attended. She was a homemaker. She is survived by two daughters, Nina Beth Hargrove and husband Lanny of Perryton, Judy Savely and husband Bill of Trinity, TX; sister Lilly Robinson formerly of Liberal, KS; 5 grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents George and Julia Ottinger; husband Lem VanDeburgh; brothers Elmer Ottinger and Alfred Ottinger; and sister Georgia Maxwell. Services were Wednesday, June 15, 2005 at the First Christian Church in Perryton, TX. June 9, 2005 Williams Paul Williams, age 86, died Sunday June 5, 2005 at the Country Club Nursing Home, Amarillo, TX. He was born May 16, 1919 at Cawood, Kentucky, the son of Henry and Rene (Allen) Williams. On March 10, 1944, he married Betty Marie Fisher at Liberal, KS. She survives. He served in the US Army Air Corp from 1941 to 1946. He had worked as a warehouseman for Ideal Foods for 38 years, retiring in 1984. He was an avid sports fan. He is survived by three sons: Jerry Williams of Stinnett, TX, Leon and wife Deanna Williams of Forgan, Fred and wife Robin Williams of Long Beach, WA; brother Clifford Williams of Dayton, Ohio; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two brothers and three sisters.
Clarke Mr. Harlan Ralph Clarke, 95, of Amarillo, TX died June 2, 2005. Graveside services will be held at the Sophia Cemetery in Beaver County on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 with Rev. Jack Cornell of Midway Community Church officiating. Harlan was the fifth of ten children born to Alva and Nettie Walters Clarke. He was born on March 24, 1910 in a sod house on the Clarke homestead in Beaver County. He graduated from Booker, Texas High School in 1929 where he was captain of the first BHS basketball team and was high point man at the ’29 Lipscomb County Track meet. He married Olive Bridges of Beaver on December 25, 1930. She preceded him in death after 67 years of marriage. He was employed by Groendyke Transport Company in 1936. He came to Amarillo in 1944 to establish a Groendyke terminal and remained with Groendyke operations until 1952. He was then employed by Hearne and later by Navajo Freight Lines. He was the Chaplain for the local Teamsters Union and retired in 1972. After retirement, he satisfied a 50 years dream by attending Bible College and became an ordained minister in 1982. Survivors include: two sons, Marvin G. Clarke and wife Kathy of Amarillo, A. Leroy and wife Linda of Santa Fe, NM. Six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. The family would like memorials to be Gideons International, P.O. Box 2304, Amarillo, TX 79105 June 2, 2005 Zeeb Helen Albin Zeeb was born at Balko, March 8, 1919. She died April 29, 2005 in Mesa, AZ. She was the daughter of Bob and Bertha Albin of Elmwood. Helen was preceded in death by parents, a baby sister, Bertha Annita, brothers, Jim, Robert, Melvin, and R.L.; and sister-in-law, Opal Albin. She is survived by sister and brother-in-law Bessie Mae and Julius Hanusosky, sister-in-law, Ruth Albin; nieces, Bertha Ritterhouse, Beverly (Don) Pearce, Cree (Charles) Abbott, Beanie (Dr. William) Wright; nephews, Jerry (Martha) Albin, Bobby (Donna) Albin, Larry (Connie) Albin, and David (Dianne) Bryan. Helen worked for Firestone Rubber Co. for over 30 years as assistant office manager in time keeping. After retiring in 1990, she moved to Mesa, AZ, to be close to family. Helen was a kind and caring person who was always so willing to help others. Funeral services were held in Mesa, AZ on May 3, 2005. May 19, 2005 Rose Funeral services for Edna Lucille Rose, 86, were held Thursday, April 21, 2005, at the First Baptist Church in Beaver with Oscar Ragan officiating. Interment was in the Pioneer Cemetery of Beaver. Mrs. Rose died April 17, 2005 in Dumas Memorial Hospital of Dumas, TX. Born January 13, 1919, in Wichita, Kansas to Samuel Ross and Goldie Pearl (Brown) McNabb, she was a homemaker and had been a long-time Beaver resident. She married Jack Rose on September 21, 1940. He preceded her in death on April 1, 1992. Survivors include one son, Larry Wolf of Wichita; two daughters, Tonda Pope and Kathaleen Savely, both of Dumas; a sister, Arvella Kirkhart of Gate; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Ezra LeRoy Scott, 82, Turpin, died Thursday morning, May 12, at the Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, KS. He was born April 3, 1923 in Texas County, OK, the son of Walter and Maggie Christy Scott. He graduated from the Eureka High School in Baker in 1941. He was a veteran of World War II, serving as a Corporal in the First Division in the U.S. Marines. He farmed the family homestead until 1970. He also worked for construction companies as a carpenter and was later employed at Seward County Community College in the maintenance department for twelve years. He retired in June 1992. He was a member of Bethel Church of God in Forgan, the American Legion in Hooker, and a member of the Carpenters Union-Lodge #1724 in Liberal. On October 27, 1946, he married Lillian V. Hughes at Garden City, KS, she survives. In addition to his wife Lillian; he is
survived by one son, Jerry Scott and wife Karen, Elkhart, KS;
two daughters, Brenda Strickland and husband David, Turpin, OK;
Beverly Steers and husband Tom, Liberal, KS; six grandchildren,
Jared Scott, T. J. Steers, Elizabeth Steers, Maggie Cowan He was preceded in death by his parents, one
daughter Funeral services were conducted 2:00 p.m. on Monday at the Turpin United Methodist Church with Rev. Stanley Lehnert presiding. Coats Nina C. Major Coats died March 19, 2005 at Salem, Arkansas. She was born June 5, 1939 in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. Services were March 24, 2004 in Thayer, Missouri.
May 12, 2005 Gray Turl E. Gray, 84, died on May 6, 2005. He was the eldest child of William and Nellie (Evans) Gray and was born July 12, 1920 in his parents sod home near Elmwood. Turl attended Garrett Grade School, and Beaver High School where he graduated in 1938. In the fall of 1938 he enrolled in Panhandle A & M college in Goodwell where he attended for 1 1/2 years and majored in Animal Husbandry. In 1941 he and his brother Herbert, attended the Airplane Mechanic School in Muskogee and worked for Egan Manufacturing Co. He married Dorothy Jean (Bussey) of Muskogee on August 19, 1942. Two children were born of this union, Linda Joan and Randall Evan Gray. They made their home in Beaver County, where Turl farmed and ranched as his main occupation. He always worked two jobs to provide the best possible way for his family, some of which were ASCS and Beaver Co. Assessor’s office, both in Beaver. His hobby was cabinet building and his free time was spent working with wood. They were members of First Baptist Church in Beaver. He is survived by his wife Dorothy; his children Linda Miller and husband Keith, of Liberal, KS, and Randy Gray and wife Ling, of Jacksonville, FL; three grandchildren, Kurtis Miller of Liberal and Kevin Miller of Overland Park, KS and Vanessa (Gray) Stamps of Amarillo, TX; and one great grandchild, Caden Miller; two step-grandchildren Edward and Tommy Looney; 5 step-great grandchildren, Thomas, Emily, David, Erin, and Noland Looney. Turl was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Herbert, Bernard, Marvin, and Ronald Gray and one sister, Lois (Gray) Campbell. Services were at the First Baptist Church in Beaver on Tuesday, May 10 with burial in the Pioneer Cemetery in Beaver. Lee Peggy Jean Lee of Beaver was born on May 18, 1926, fifteen miles east of Liberal, KS to L.A. and Pearl Perry. She graduated from Liberal High School in 1944 and attended Chillicothe Business School in Chillicothe, MO. She married John D. Lee on April 7, 1946 in Liberal. She worked as a bookkeeper for Hunt Motor Company and Pomeroy Irrigation Company in Liberal before starting her family, after which she was a full time mother and grandmother until her death. She was a member of the Beaver United Methodist Church. Peggy was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, a second mother to her children’s friends, and an enthusiastic supporter of Beaver’s education, sports, and music programs. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, on March 30, 1992; an infant son, John Perry Lee; her parents, three sisters, Amie Ford, Arlene Brightup, LaFaune Armstead and one brother, Clark Perry. Peggy died Tuesday morning, May 3, 2005 at the Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, KS. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Jon Patrick and Lynette Lee of Liberal; a daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Randy Campbell of Beaver; her grandchildren, Christi, Michele, and Michael Lee, Amy and Jason Nall and one great-grandchild, Brady Nall. Peggy has one surviving sister, Kaye Kaberlein of Summit, Mississippi and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. The family requests memorials be sent to the Beaver Nutrition Site, Beaver, or the Beaver City Transit, P.O. Box 698, Beaver, Oklahoma 73932. Funeral services were Friday, May 6, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. from the Beaver United Methodist Church with Ken Willard of Liberal, KS officiating. Interment was in the Pioneer Cemetery. Taylor Sarah Louise Taylor, 73, died Monday May 2, 2005 at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, KS. She was born December 12, 1931 at Beaver County, the daughter of Elmer Clois and Elise Fay (Claybrook) Campbell. She has been a lifetime resident of the Beaver County area. She was a homemaker. She was member of the First Christian Church and the American Legion Auxillary, all of Beaver. She also was very active in helping with organizing Teen and Senior Citizen dances in Beaver. On September 20, 1952 she married Robert Taylor at Perryton, Texas. He died January 19, 2005. Survivors include: three daughters, Maxine Mattson, East Moline, IL, Mickie Trondson, North Branch, MN, Dawn Taylor, Forgan; two brothers, Benton C. Campbell Amarillo, TX, James T. Campbell, Astoria, OR; one sister, Gayle Sykoria, Amarillo, TX; seven grandchildren; and six great grandchildren . She was preceded in death by one brother, Willard A. Campbell. A memorial service was Monday at the First Christian Church of Beaver with Pastor Rick Main presiding. Inurnment was at the Gate Cemetery. Dixon Kenneth Wayne Dixon died Wednesday, May 4, 2005 in the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, KS at the age of 43 years, 2 months, and 23 days. He was the son of Gary Wayne and Letha Elizabeth (Staten) Dixon born at Oklahoma City on February 11, 1962. Wayne lived at Bethany where he attended Lake Park Elementary School from 1967 to 1974. He was saved and baptized on April 21, 1971 at the Windsor Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. In 1974, the family moved to the Forgan area. Wayne attended junior high and high school at Forgan where he graduated from High School with the class of 1980. Wayne was very active in football and track and was a member of the school band. Wayne selected a career in the oil and gas industry and was employed by Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company from 1980 to 1987. While working at Panhandle Eastern, he met Evelyn Lorraine Shuck and on Valentine’s Day in 1983, they were united in marriage at the United Methodist Church in Forgan. They made their home in Forgan. They were blessed with two sons: James Allen and Zackariha Dayne. Wayne and Evelyn were not only partners for life, but were sole partners and founders of "Dixon Contract Pumping." In 1996, they moved to Gate. Wayne loved his work and enjoyed working side by side with his wife Evelyn. At an early age he learned to care for cattle from his parents. This love of nature continued into adulthood. He spent many hours working with his horses and cattle. He also appreciated and worked hard in the family yard. He enjoyed planting over 300 trees, numerous rose bushes and many shrubs. In his time of leisure, Wayne loved to spend time with his family and friends, riding 4-wheelers, motorcycles or just visiting with them. His kindness and concern extended and he was always willing to help friends, neighbors, or anyone in need. Wayne was not only a husband and father, but he was also a friend to Evelyn, Jimmy, and Zack. His powerful and loving presence will be missed by all. Wayne was a member of the United Methodist Church of Forgan. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Kenneth and Gladys Dixon and James and Dora Staten. Wayne leaves as his survivors his wife Evelyn of the home in Gate; son Jimmy of Woodward; and Zack of the Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point New York; parents Gary and Letha Dixon of Knowles; a sister Pam Kirkpatrick and husband Richard; niece Sarah and nephew Ryan, all of Jenks, OK; other relatives and many friends. Services were Monday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m. at the Friends Church in Gate with Rev. Timothy Heemstra and Rev. David Mercer officiating. Interment was at the Dixon Family Cemetery south of Knowles.
Barby Fred J. Barby was born on July 14, 1922, the son of Fred and Lula Mae (Hickmon) Barby at the family home west of Knowles. He attended school at Knowles and graduated as Valedictorian of the class of 1941. At an early age, Fred learned the skills of care for the land and animals. He and his lifetime partner and brother, Paul, dedicated their life work to the development of an outstanding line of Hereford breeding stock and feeder cattle. Hard work and honesty in all matters were the hallmark of his moral character. He has been a lifetime member of the Knowles Nazarene Church where he served as treasurer and usher. He served his community as a board member of the Gate Coop and until his death, served as the Knowles Cemetery Director. In 1976, he married Mildred (Mickey) Bailey. Preceding him in death was his father and mother. Fred died in St. Mary’s Hospital in Enid on April 18, 2005. He leaves his wife Mildred, brother Paul Barby and his wife Mae; son Lonnie and his wife Cindy; grandchildren, Christopher Bailey, Erin Bailey, Micah Bailey, Shannon Bailey, Brenda Marin, and Kara Stewart; five great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. April 28, 2005 Clyburn Tommy Clyburn of League City, TX died April 9, 2005 in Houston, TX. Tommy was born in Hawley, TX on August 16, 1938, and was the youngest child of Ella and Lewis (Slim) Clyburn. He had seven brothers and sisters and is survived by his sister, Bobbi Barnes of Midland, TX, and numerous family and friends. Tommy graduated from Hawley High School in 1956 and joined the Army shortly after graduation. He was always involved in racing cars and motorcycles, then became a pilot and owned many airplanes over the years. His "baby" was a 1967 Mooney M-20E, which won numerous "Best of Show" awards in Kerrville, TX. The Mooney is now owned by his son-in-law David Caughell. Tommy had recently retired from a career in the petro-chemical industry as a project manager with jobs in the United States and in the Caribbean. Tommy is survived by his wife of 22 years, Vikki Clyburn, of the home in League City; a daughter, Tracye Caughell and her husband David,of Bartlesville; Vikki’s daughter, Allison Armstrong of League City; father-in-law Merlyn Robb of Forgan; brother and sister-in-law Chuck and Julie Lemieux, also of Forgan, and brother and sister-in-law Lee and Shawna Robb of Oklahoma City. He was so proud of his three granddaughters Caitlyn and Britney Caughell of Bartlesville, and Ashleigh Armstrong of League City. Memorial services were Wednesday, April 13, 2005 in League City, Texas.
Reed Nolan Virgil Reed was born on October 7, 1917 in Balko to Earnest L. and Martha Gane Reed. At an early age, Nolan went to live in Perryton, TX with his Grandmother Laura Jewel, whom he greatly admired. Nolan worked on pipeline construction for many years. He has spent the last twenty-nine years in Beaver. During these years he worked driving tractors for several farmers and working on houses. He enjoyed working with his aluminum cans and scrap iron and fully enjoyed working on his pickups. Nolan was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie Mae Bridges Reed, his parents, two half brothers, Paul Ferguson, and J.D. Ferguson; one grandchild; and two great grandchildren. He died on April 11, 2005 in the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice in Wichita, KS, at the age of 88. Nolan is survived by his three daughters, Barbara Mae Webster and husband, Frank of Blackwell; Joyce Lee Wright and husband, Robert of Bentonville, AR; E. Irene Clonts and husband, Melvin of Blackwell; his cousin, Elizabeth Taylor of Beaver; eleven grandchildren; twenty-eight great grandchildren; and six great great grandchildren. He is also survived by Elizabeth’s family, Carol and Robert Taylor, Logan; and their family Linda and Tuffy Taylor, Colby, KS; and their family; one little buddy, Hunter; two very important friends, Nila and Sugar Plum, and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services were held Thursday, April 14, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Clark Funeral Service with Jack Cornell officiating. Interment was in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Balko. April 14, 2005 Mahaffey Lester Leon Mahaffey was born May 9, 1911 in a sod house in Beaver County to Walter Clyde Mahaffey and Orial Jane Mateson Mahaffey. He died Thursday, April 7, 2005 at his home in Glencoe, Oklahoma at the age of 93. Lester was married to Mary Elizabeth Glidewell on November 11, 1932 in Beaver. She preceded him in death on March 30, 2005. As a young farmer he worked as a blacksmith and truck driver. He later made his living farming, sprigging and having fun with cattle, horses, and mules. He lived through the Dust Bowl and never lost faith in being a farmer. Through his career he earned two Soil Conservation awards. Lester was happiest outdoors and enjoyed teaching his grandchildren how to saddle up a horse or drive the pickup. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Glencoe, Oklahoma. He is survived by three children, Kenneth Leon Mahaffey of Omaha, NE, Aletha May Mahaffey of Kansas City, KS, Karen Kay Mahaffey of Tulsa; son-in-law, David Wayne Cole, Colorado Springs, CO; six grandchildren; nine great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren; two brothers, Roy Mahaffey and his wife Millie of Darrouzett, TX, Nyle Mahaffey of Beaver; sister, Veda Biggs of McKinney, TX; sister-in-law, Edith Staker and husband Fred of Sharon Springs, KS; and many nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors and Rascal. Services were Tuesday, April 12, at the First Baptist Church of Glencoe. Memorials may be made to Judith Karman Hospice, Inc. P.O. Box 818, Stillwater, OK 74076. McMillan Clara Mae Posl McMillan was born on the family farm in Floris on January 25, 1923 to Mathias and Lena Posl. This is her life story in her words: "After graduation from Greenough H.S., class of 1941, I worked in Wichita, KS and attended Wichita University with the idea of becoming an Air Hostess then changed my mind and attended business school. In 1948, I married Max McMillan who was in the Air Force. Our first home was in El Paso, TX, then San Antonio. Not too long after, Max was sent to Korea for 14 months. I could not go there at the time, but was able to join him in Japan. I made the trip by ship and enjoyed it very much. We were stationed near Tokyo and have many fond memories of the country and the Japanese people. From there we were stationed at Travis Air Base northeast of San Francisco. Max decided to leave the Air Force and we settled in Little Rock. While there I attended beauty school. However, before I completed my training we returned to the Air Force and were sent to French Morocco in North Africa for two years. We enjoyed the wonderful climate and strange but fascinating country. We returned to the U.S. to Offutt Air Base in Omaha, then another overseas tour took us to sunny Spain for 3 years. We enjoyed living in Madrid and were able to take trips to Europe from there, covering 7,950 miles in two years in a Volkswagen bug. Our first trip was to Portugal and the Rock of Gibraltar. Next we drove to France, Liechtenstein, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Luxembourg. While we were in Switzerland we visited some of Max’s family, then some of mine in Germany. The next summer we went to France again, then England, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Sweden. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery, castles, cathedrals, and many other attractions. After traveling in these countries, it makes it seem like a small world. After 22 years in the service, Max retired and we spent the next 8 years in Denver, CO, decided the climate was too cold and moved to Oklahoma City" From there, Clara and Max settled in Sun City, AZ for the remainder of their retirement years. Clara died on February 21, 2005, and Max on March 23, 2005. They were buried in the McMillan family plot in Randall, KS. Leatherman Norma Lee (Mann) Leatherman was born February 15, 1931 in Baca County, Colorado to Forest and Wilda (Davison) Mann and died March 29, 2005 at Vici. Soon after her birth the family moved to Beaver County where she spent a good part of her life. She grew up during the Depression and dirt storms, receiving most of her elementary education in a one-room school house west of Beaver. She then graduated from Beaver High School in 1948. Norma married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth Leatherman, on February 15, 1948 at Perryton, Texas. This union lasted 57 years and was blessed with three children, Connie Lou, Vicki Ann, and Kenneth Craig (K.C.). Norma was baptized into the Church of the Firstborn on July 30, 1961. She was a stay-at-home mom and enjoyed sewing, crocheting, painting, and baking goodies for her family, especially the grandkids. It goes without saying that her children and grandchildren were a great joy to her. She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Billy, and a special son-in-law, Cecil Randall. Norma is survived by her husband, Kenneth; daughters Connie Randall of Vici; Vickie Duncan and husband Johnny of Morris, Oklahoma; and son K.C. and wife Carol Leatherman of Vici; eleven grandchildren, Eddie Randall and wife Deborah of Ponca City; Brian Randall and wife Kristal of Fairview, Donya Percival and husband Spencer of Valley Center, Kansas, Cheri Dixon and husband Floyd of Ft. Gibson, Aaron Randall and wife Tonya of Burlington, Ronnie Duncan and wife Tracy of Bixby, Craig Duncan and wife Lori of Ft. Gibson, Kenneth Duncan and wife Laura of Tahlequah, Cody Leatherman of Vici, Amy Hughen and husband Michael of Vici, and Holly Weber and husband Brian of Weatherford; thirteen great-grandchildren; brothers, Bob Mann and Don Mann and wife Judy, all of Vici; numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, brethren and friends. Services were held Saturday, April 2, 2005 in the Church of the Firstborn in Vici. McVay Coach Tom McVay died Wednesday, March 30, 2005 in Edmond. He was born December 7, 1920 in Wildsville, LA to C.H. and Essie McVay. He graduated from Stuttgart High School in Stuttgart, Arkansas in 1939. He was a four-sport letterman and was named to the All-State football team and was honored as a member of the All-Time Ricebird Football team. Tom accepted a football and basketball scholarship to the University of Arkansas, but his career was interrupted by military service in World War II. He married the love of his life, Helen Boals, on February 2, 1941. He enrolled in Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant in 1947 and was a 3-sport letterman in football, basketball, and track. He played semi-pro baseball for the Sherman-Denison Twins and the Ardmore Indians. Coach McVay began his 30-year coaching career at Antlers High School in 1949, where he spent two years. His team won a District Championship in 1950. He began a six-year career at Maysville High School in 1951. His teams captured state football championships in 1953 and 1954. Maysville won five consecutive District Championships in football and his track teams won six straight Regional Championships. The track team was state runner-up in 1953 and was third in the state in 1954. He moved to Wetumka for one season and his 1958 track team captured the Regional Championship. After leaving Wetumka, Coach McVay spent 15 seasons at Beaver High School. His football teams won State Championships in 1959, 1960, and 1962, and captured 12 District titles. His track teams won the Regional Championships in 1962 and 1968. After winning the state championship at Beaver in 1960, he was selected to coach the Oil Bowl football game.
In 1962, he was the Oklahoma Coaches Association Coach of the Year and coached the All-State football game. He was chosen as the District 5 Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 1968 and 1978. The football stadium at Beaver was named Tom McVay Stadium in 1996. McVay spent three years at Durant High School at the helm of the Lions, and closed his career by coaching two years at Dickson High School from 1977-1979. Coach McVay posted a career record of 213-89-9. His teams won 19 District Championships, 7 Regional titles, and 5 State Championships. He produced 12 Oklahoma All-State football players and 5 High School Prep All-Americans. He had more than 50 former players who became high school coaches. McVay became a member of the Oklahoma Coaches Association in 1951. He served on the Board of Directors in 1965-66, was vice-president in 1966-67, and was President of the association in 1967-78. He served on the Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame Committee since 1996. He was on the Board of Directors and vice-president of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 1970-71 and was the President of this association in 1971-72. He became a lifetime member in 1971 and served on the Executive Committee. In 1968, Coach McVay was given the Distinguished Service Award by the Oklahoma Coaches Association, and elected to the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame in 1978. He received a Special Achievement Award from the Panhandle Hall of Fame in 1973, and was inducted into the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame in 1996. In June 2001, McVay was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Coach McVay was honored with many awards and honors throughout his life but his proudest achievement was his family. He was also proud of his "second family," the many former athletes and students who continued to be a part of his life. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 59 years, Helen, and son-in-law, Ike Groce. He is survived by six children: daughter Carolyn Groce of Stillwater/Lewisville, TX; son Tommy and wife Chele of Lubbock, TX; son Donnie and wife Leslie of Edmond; daughter Sharon Dunham and husband James of Durant; son Mike and wife Nancy of Beaver; daughter Pam Young and husband Robert of Edmond; 13 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren; brothers Larry McVay of Metairie, LA and Jiggs McVay of Little Rock, AR; sisters Dorothy Perez and Martha Monrose of Baton Rouge, LA; and numerous nieces and nephews. Services were held in Edmond on Saturday, April 2, 2005. Interment was in the Macedonia Cemetery in Holly Grove, AR on Sunday, April 3, 2005. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Tom and Helen McVay Memorial Scholarship Fund at Beaver High School. March 24, 2005 Jett Funeral services for Winton Wayne Jett, 82 year-old Logan resident were Monday, March 14, 2005, at the Midway Country Church near Logan. The Reverend M.D. "Doc" Methvin, and the Reverend Jack Cornell officiated. Interment followed in the Fairview Cemetery near Clearlake. Winton Wayne Jett was born June 21, 1922 in Follett, Texas to Dudley Jett and Minnie (Adams) Jett. When Winton was 15 years old he was severely injured in a combine accident that would change his life forever. He was injured so severely that the doctors that treated him warned his mother that her son had only 72 hours to live. Years later, Winton would tell the story a little differently, in adding that he had almost lived 72 years. It was important to Winton to make it through this tragic part of his life, for he had promised his mother that he would get better so he could be there to help her raise his younger brothers. He was a graduate from Follett High School, where he played various sports, including placing as State Runner-up in tennis during his junior and senior years. Winton went on to play as a pitcher for various town baseball teams. On October 14, 1951, he was married to Billie Lou Gardner, and together they made their home north of Logan. Their life together was a classic love story. "Dubya Dubya and Honey-pot" were inseparable throughout their 52 years of marriage. They were engaged in farming and ranching their entire lives and in 1992 they were named the Beaver County Farm Bureau, "Farm Family of the Year." Winton was known for his ability to drive a nail with the use of only one hand faster than anyone with two. The area is still filled with the custom homes that stand as tribute to work he has done as a skilled carpenter. Mr. Jett was a faithful member of the Midway Country Church, where he served on the Missionary Board and was a member of the Gideons International. He was especially proud of his children’s educational success and careers. Winton loved his family and enjoyed being with his children and grandchildren. He always had things for them to do, like going to feed the cattle and taking them riding on their horse "Licorice." He was a vocal supporter of them in sporting events, especially vocal when the referees were not calling in their favor. Winton loved bird hunting and fishing and was known as an avid Sooner fan. Mr. Jett died Thursday, March 10, 2005 at Woodward Regional Hospital. Winton was preceded in death by his wife Billie, his parents, and brothers, J.D., and Douglas. Survivors include his sons, Dr. Stan Jett and his wife Amy of Estaboga, Alabama; Dr. W.D. Jett and friend Shelley Walker of Seminole; a daughter Cathy Arnall and her husband Steve of Follett, Texas; sisters-in-law, Virginia Jett of Clearlake; Beth Dillon and husband Merlin of Monte Vista, Colorado; Donna Jett of Springfield, Colorado; and Gloria Gardner of Goodwell; 14 grandchildren, Katie, Matt, Dan, Ben, Elizabeth, Jacob, Lydia, Issac, Rachael and Cullen Jett, Stephanie and Coby Cook, and Lindsey and Ashley Arnall; two great-grandchildren, Logan and Jerah Cook; and other relatives. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to The Filling Station Youth Center, P.O. Box 447, Follett, Texas. Bond Charles E. Bond was born on April 5, 1923 on the family farm northeast of Knowles. He attended Knowles Schools and graduated in 1942. Charles died March 17, 2005. Charles left for Denver that summer to work in the Rocky Mountain arsenal to complement the war effort. After attending welding school in Denver, Charles returned to Knowles and on September 19, 1942 married May Belle Luscombe. Soon after, the couple left for San Francisco, California where Charles was employed in the shipyards welding Liberty class battle ships until February of 1943. Following a case of pneumonia, Charles returned to Oklahoma to assist his father on the family farm. During this period of time, Charles and several men from the Knowles community farmed in southeastern Colorado in Baca County. Charles and May Belle had their first child, Bonnie Kay, on January 5, 1944. Two years later on August 5, 1946, their second child Butch, was born. The family built a home across the road from Charles’ parents on the farm. In 1948, in addition to farming, Charles took a job with the state of Oklahoma hauling gravel to build the road north of Boise City to the Colorado state line. Charles branched into the booming oilfield business in 1956 working as a derrick hand on a Unit Company drilling rig. Charles continued to work on the drilling rig for the next three years. In August of 1958, he acquired his first gas well, the Everett State, which he pumped until he retired in the summer of 1999. During that time, his pumping business grew reaching a total of 98 wells. Charles trained many people who became very successful in the oil and gas business. Many of who are still in the business today. In 1959, Charles and May Belle moved the family to Forgan so Butch and Bonnie could attend Forgan Schools. Following their children’s graduation, Charles and May Belle moved to Beaver. Charles was a man with a love of the land, be it crops, new calves, or oil from her depths. Never one to sit, he continued to pump wells, farm and hunt quail as long as his health would allow it. Charles taught all his grandchildren the joy of hunting quail, which was a family ritual on Thanksgiving Day. Grandad would insist that we celebrate his life and joys and not mourn his passing. Charles was preceded in death by his parents Charles Joseph and Edith (Berends); his wife May Belle; his daughter Bonnie Clapp, one brother Merle Bond; four sisters, Bernice Bond, Viva Keyworth, Ines Brown, and Elvira Bennett. He is survived by his son, Butch and wife Diane of Laverne; son-in-law Larry Clapp of Tulsa; six grandchildren, Brent Clapp and wife Deirdre of Perryton, TX; Jennifer Whitworth and husband Bill of Broken Arrow; David Clapp of Tulsa; Sheila Price and husband Koby of Holton, KS; Marcus Newby and wife Katie of Guthrie, and Darren Bond of Selman. Ten great grandchildren, Rider, Rangle, and Range Clapp, Bailey and Harrison Whitworth, Hunter, Tyler, and Malcah Price, Hanna and Benjamin Newby. Graveside services were held in the Knowles Cemetery on Monday, March 21 with Minister Ray Holman officiating. Kennedy Rae Kennedy was born on September 23, 1914 in Josphine, Texas near Dallas. She was the fourth child of eight children in the family of Coke and Mitty Hinton. Rae loved school and going to dances. It was at a dance that she met Guy Kennedy. They married in October 1936 and made their home near Claremore, where he farmed and was in the cattle raising business. Life was good, and then her husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died in 1952. It was with the realization that Rae had to make a living that led to a decision to move to Wichita and go to Nursing School. She later moved back to Claremore and Tulsa, where she worked at St. John’s in Tulsa for nineteen years as a LVN. Twenty six years ago she moved to Beaver to be close to her daughter Lemoyne Shook and family. During the years in Beaver she was active volunteering and serving others through her church. She was a member of the Beaver Baptist Church. Rae is survived by two daughters Lemoyne (Sheldon) Shook, Amarillo, TX, and Ruth (Jim) Cain, Centennial, CO. She is also survived by her five loving grandchildren Guyla Rae (Rick) Fleming, Amarillo, Sheldon Stanley (Chris) Shook, Katy, TX, Verna Ruth (Danny) Goodin, Amarillo, Michael (Ellen) Cain, Highlands Ranch, CO, Robert (Michele) Cain, Highlands Ranch, and eight great grandchildren. Rae was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and all her brothers and sisters. March 17, 2005 Green Funeral services for Lucy Leone Green, 91 year-old Beaver County resident were March 11, 2005 at the Booker Church of Christ with Minister Bob Taylor officiating. Lucy Leone Green was born December 17, 1913 to William "Watt" and Lorena Jane Speyers, pioneer homesteaders in Beaver County. She graduated from Booker high school in 1932 and married Raymond Green on December 9, 1936 in Arnett. Together they made their home on Raymond’s family farm in Beaver County where she was a homemaker and a devoted wife and mother. Lucy died Tuesday, March 8, 2005 at the Senior Village Nursing Center in Perryton, TX. Her parents, a sister, Helen Bowdle; and an infant sister, Mabel, preceded her in death. Survivors include her husband Raymond of the home; daughter ArLene Dearing and husband Max of Branson, MO; son Ben Green and wife Bonnie of Amarillo, TX; two sisters Hazel Watson of Darrouzett, TX; and Dorothy Armstrong of Perryton, TX; a brother Mike Speyers, also of Perryton; three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. March 10, 2005 Kygar Dorothy Irene Brooks Kygar, 86, formerly of Beaver, died Friday, February 11, 2005. Services were at the First Baptist Church in Beaver with speakers Oscar Ragan, Waylon Kygar, and the Rev. Jim Parker, pastor, officiating. Burial was in the Beaver Pioneer Cemetery. Mrs. Kygar was born February 22, 1918, in Fentress County, Tennessee. She was a resident of Beaver for 44 years. Dorothy married Clint Kygar on May 20, 1936, at Bentonville, AR. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1978 and a grandson, Teddy Alexander in 2004. Survivors include nine children Montray Mercer of McAllen, TX, Ned Kygar of Beaver, Beatrice Heinsohn, Carolyn Feltner, Jud Kygar, and Roy Kygar, all of Dumas, TX; Linda Dumler of Russell, KS, Ronnie Kygar of Edmond, and Rocky Kygar of Dallas, OR; two sisters, Alice and Christina, of Sun City, AZ; a brother Billy Brooks of Dallas, OR; thirty-two grandchildren; forty seven great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren. Cambpell Emma Lou Campbell, 82, died on December 24, 2004, in Tucson, AZ of heart disease. She was born Emma Lou Karnes on February 18, 1922 in Beaver and was the last surviving of seven children of former Oklahoma State Senator George Howard Karnes (D - Beaver County) and Lola Beauchamp Karnes. She graduated from Beaver High School in 1940. Beginning with nursing school in Cleveland, OH, her diverse professional career spanned real estate, sales and publishing and took her from Oklahoma City to Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Ft. Worth, Boston and finally retirement in Tucson. She was active in community affairs in New York and Boston, where her compassion and outspoken voice was an asset to many civic causes. Later in life she attended Massachusetts College of Art, and had gallery shows in Boston of her watercolors. She is survived by her three children, Bonnie Campbell, John Alan Campbell and K Sherbetdjian. In accordance with her wishes, a memorial stone has been placed in The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA and the family plans to scatter her ashes privately at the Grand Canyon. Calhoon
Ed Latta Calhoon, a native of Beaver and long-time physician, rancher, and political activist, died Sunday, February 27, 2005 at his home. He was the fourth child born at home to Walter Lee Calhoon, a farmer and rancher, and Wina Rae Latta Calhoon, a pioneering teacher and eventual Methodist minister, on the family’s small farm. He grew up during the "dirty thirties" of the Dust Bowl, developing a strong work ethic lightened by a lifelong fascination with nature. Ed frequently sneaked off to visit "Uncle" Tom Chilcott, a kindly old neighbor who lived in a dugout and taught the youngster about the outdoors. Dr. Calhoon loved Oklahoma’s prairie grasses and upland game birds as much as he loved the enterprising, independent spirit of its people. Fond memories of his small, one-room school house, and the high standards of his mother led Ed Calhoon to pursue his formal education with vigor. He graduated as valedictorian of Beaver High School in 1940 before attending Northwestern State Teacher’s College at Alva, where he devoted energies to his considerable talents in math and science. He worked as a fry-cook at night in Coffman’s Cafe, occasionally slipping "accidentally prepared" extra food to poor or hungry friends studying at Alva during the war. The shock of Pearl Harbor propelled Ed and a group of friends to join the U.S. Army one year to the day after the attack. Upon completion of his military service and after helping again on the family farm, he graduated from college and entered The University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, from which he earned the M.D. degree in 1951. He completed an internship and general surgery residency at Hillcrest Hospital in Tulsa, before responding to the recruitment efforts of a group of Beaver community leaders. They sought Ed to be the young physician who could help strengthen the new Beaver County Memorial Hospital in the fall of 1953. The commitment he accepted grew into a loyal passion leading him to serve on the staff of the hospital for an unprecedented 51 years. His fervent desire for his private medical practice, which was across the street from the hospital, was to help and heal people. This arose from the death of a favorite childhood teacher during childbirth. He employed the lesson of the sad loss to motivate scores of young medical students whose rural rotations led them to study family medicine alongside him during his long-standing role as Preceptor Professor for the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center. Sometimes, he supplemented their medical education with lessons on how to ride horses, fix fence, feed cattle, and change flat tires while on late-night housecalls. For his many years of service, the Beaver County Hospital Authority recognized Dr. Calhoon at a banquet in his honor in the fall of 2003. The Oklahoma State Medical Association profiled Dr. Calhoon in 1995, calling him "a rare breed." The title referred to his long distance vision for fast moving jackrabbits, deer, and coyotes on his ranch, as well as his acute eye for medical policymaking. He cut his teeth on Republican Party grassroots work in the 1960’s, moving from work in Beaver County to state co-chairmanship of the Reagan/Bush Campaign in 1980 and 1984. Dr. Calhoon focused his political skills on needs in the health care arena, as well. Following years of active involvement, he served as President both of the OU Medical School Alumni Association and the Oklahoma State Medical Association. Notably, he was among the longest serving delegates in history to the American Medical Association, which he delighted in for twenty-five years. Ignoring a warning that medical politics would cost him the equivalent of one steer each month, he traveled and studied the health care system in the UK and then strategized how to strengthen medical care in America. The most pressing failure of UK nationalized health insurance, he realized, was its destruction of the crucial doctor-patient relationship. His patients meant everything to him and were among his best friends. He risked angering them on many occasions, however, as he pleaded with them to stop smoking. A former smoker, he campaigned fervently for anti-smoking programs because of the deaths of two brothers who were smokers, as well as the lung cancer deaths of many patients. For his efforts, Dr. Calhoon was named to the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health and received a Presidential Appointment by President Reagan to the prestigious National Cancer Advisory Board in 1984 for a term of six years. Dr. Calhoon’s mother instilled in him an unswerving commitment to education, which he promoted at every turn. Once remarking, "I’m not Mr. Academia, but I have a lot of common sense," Dr. Calhoon was appointed by Governor Henry Bellmon and confirmed by the state Senate in 1989 to serve on the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, rising to its chairmanship in 1994. During his six year term, he played an integral leadership role in the realization of a dream, the building of a $5 million Family Medicine Center to further the training of family physicians at the OU Health Sciences Center Oklahoma City campus. No stranger to lobbying, he organized medical colleagues from across the state to testify in favor of the initiative and then bulldogged the project until the statewide higher education bond issue was passed. Awards for his accomplishments in medical service, leadership contributions to the furthering of medical education and family medical practice, and unswerving commitment to numerous other medical causes brought Dr. Calhoon scores of other awards. Each one only led him to press forward into another area of need or opportunity. Participating in active and vital organizations that honored and promoted his beloved state of Oklahoma was a singular passion that drove Ed Calhoon, literally. Over the course of his career, trips from the sparsely populated Oklahoma Panhandle to meetings in Oklahoma City led his family to put well over one million miles on a succession of vehicles. In the 1980’s, Dr. Calhoon became active in the Oklahoma Heritage Association because his friend, Oklahoma astronaut-emeritus, Gen. Tom Stafford, recommended it. Following his election to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1988, Dr. Calhoon served as President of the association, which knew him as an individual who ran a tightly focused meeting and was a commanding presence. Another dream was realized by Dr. Calhoon when he was elected to serve as a Director of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum. Long a supporter of the preservation of western tradition and lore, he relished the opportunity to promote and encourage understanding of the ways of the Old West. Toward that end, he supported the establishment in the museum of a recreated pioneer doctor’s office, which today is called Dr. Calhoon’s office. Dr. Calhoon served his profession, community, state, and nation in many ways. Ever looking towards new challenges, his retirement came only with his death. The multitude of awards recognizing his contributions in many arenas were not, however, the driving forces behind his need to achieve. The simple pleasures of small town life, patient relationships, outdoor avocations, and love of all types of animals underscored his zest for living. Dr. Ed Calhoon is survived by his wife of 55 years, Felice; son Dr. Scott Calhoon and daughter-in-law Alison of Oklahoma City; grandsons Clay Calhoon, Holt Calhoon, and Reid Calhoon; daughter Lane Dolly of Alexandria, VA; brother Dr. Harold Calhoon of Tulsa; brother Dr. Jim Calhoon of Austin, TX; nephews Stephen Funk, Todd Calhoon, Dr. John Calhoon, Tom Calhoon, Robert Calhoon, Edward Calhoon; nieces Lea Helmerich, Dr. Beth Calhoon and Sumner Hargrove; the extended family of his late brother, Dean, as well as a numberless cadre of revered friends, colleagues, and lovers of the west. Services were 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, 2005 at the Beaver United Methodist Church. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Beaver United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 309, Beaver, OK 73932. Paasch Martin Paasch, 60, died February 22, 2005 at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, California after a brief illness. Martin had resided in Los Angeles for a number of years. He was the son of Parker and Sylvia Paasch and was born at the Beaver Hospital, October 19, 1944. He resided in Gate for a time. He was preceded in death by his parents and one infant brother. He is survived by a daughter, Shannon, and a
grandson of Las Vegas, NV, three brothers: Jerry of Springdale,
AR, David A graveside memorial service is planned for Saturday, March 12, 11:00 AM at the Zelma Cemetery in Gate.
February 24, 2005 Peterson Christi Ann Peterson, 43, of Protection, KS died February 8, 2005. Funeral services were held Friday, February 11 at the United Methodist Church in Protection with Rev. Dennis Carter officiating. Burial was in Protection Cemetery, under the direction of Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home in Coldwater, KS. She was born November 20, 1961 in Ashland, KS, and graduated from Protection High School in 1980. She graduated from Dodge City Community College in 1982. She married Theron Peterson of Perryton on April 18, 2004 in Protection. She was the manager of C-Plus Convenience Store for many years in Protection and Coldwater, and was also a Mary Kay beauty consultant. She was a member of the Protection United Methodist Church, and the CTTC County Youth Rally Committee. She is survived by her husband, Theron, of Protection; her parents, Marvin and Betty Jo Maris of Protection; one brother, Michael Maris and wife Frankie, of St. Charles, MO; two sisters, Tammy Sanders and husband Mike; and Marva Jo Mosshart and husband Karl, all of Protection. She is also survived by one niece, Chelsie Humble of Winfield, KS; four nephews, Michael and Samuel Mosshart and Jordan Sanders all of Protection, and Aaron Walker of St. Charles, MO; one great niece, Tory Christine Maris of Winfield. She is survived by her mother and father-in-law; Rodney and Cheryl Cates of Elmwood/Beaver and her brothers-in-law, Matthew Cates and Billy Cates of Beaver and Bill’s wife; Dawn and also sister-in-law; Sheila Lusk and husband Greg of Noble, OK; three nieces, Larissa Cates of Beaver and Angel Cates and Amanda Jesse of Noble and one nephew of Beaver, Christian Cates. The family suggests memorials to the Protection United Methodist Church or the oncology department at Pratt Regional Medical Center, in care of Hatfield-Prusa Funeral Home, Box 417, Coldwater, KS 67029. Zimmerman Charlie Ben Zimmerman, age 97, passed from this life on Friday, February 18, 2005. He was born December 16, 1907, at Arnett, Oklahoma, to Benjamin Paul Zimmerman and Phebe Davis Zimmerman. Charlie’s family lived in Arnett, Willow Springs, Missouri, and Arcadia, Florida, before coming to Beaver County in 1915. When Charlie was seven years old, the family moved to Beaver County and rented land four miles east of Balko. Two years later they bought land four miles north and three miles east of Balko. After his father’s death, Charlie and his mother continued to live at this location. Charlie attended school at Olive School and was in the first graduating class from Balko in 1928. He followed his father’s trade and did carpentry along with farming. On August 20, 1932, he married Edna Frances Wood at Balko. They had three sons. The eldest son, Ben Paul, preceded his father in death. Ben Paul’s widow, Marilyn Scott Zimmerman, lives in Beaver. Charlie’s son, Dean Calvin, married Vera Booksh and they live in Merritt Island, Florida. His son, Joe Earl, married Edna Mae Buechner. They make their home in Huntsville, AL. Charlie and Edna were very proud of the fact that all three of their sons graduated from Oklahoma State University. Charlie was president of the Olive School Board when the school district consolidated with Balko. He was an active member of the Balko Baptist Church where he had served as Superintendent of the Sunday School for fifteen years. During high school Charlie enjoyed playing basketball. He continued to enjoy watching his sons and grandchildren play sports. He and Edna also enjoyed attending livestock shows. In his later years, he enjoyed the Beaver Senior Center. When his health failed four years ago, he moved into the Beaver County Nursing Home. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Beaver County Nursing Home for the loving care shown to Charlie during his time there. Charlie is preceded in death by his parents, an infant brother, his wife and his eldest son. Besides his sons and daughters-in-law, he is survived by nine grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren, and five great great grandchildren. Any memorials may be made to the Pleasant Hill Cemetery Fence Fund, the Balko Education Scholarship Fund or a charity of your choice. February 17, 2005 Devers Funeral services for Melissa "Ann" Devers, 85 year old Beaver County resident, were Friday, February 11, 2005 in Booker. Melissa "Ann" Devers was born August 7, 1919 in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma to William O. Haven and Clara (Hagert) Haven. She came to Ochiltree County, Huntoon Community in the early 30’s to work through the harvest. On June 13, 1945, she married Arnold Devers in Perryton and they made their home in rural Ochiltree County. They later moved to Booker and in 1952 they moved to their present home south of Balko. In June of this year, her family was planning for her and Arnold a very special 60th anniversary celebration. Mrs. Devers attended the First Baptist Church in Booker and Balko. Ann was born with a very tough and resilient nature and enjoyed farming, ranching, and gardening. She raised a large garden and fruit trees and was always giving away fruits and vegetables to her friends and family. She enjoyed reading and quilting. She especially loved working with the baby calves. Mrs. Devers died Wednesday, February 9, 2005 at her home. Her parents, two brothers, and three sisters preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, Arnold of the home; several nieces, nephews; and other family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be sent to the First Baptist Church of Booker, or the Perry Memorial Library in Perryton.
February 10, 2005 Keith Williams, 66, Football Coach and Character Keith Austin Williams, born June 17, 1938 in
Beaver, Oklahoma He was a retired teacher, football coach,
wheat farmer, oilfield He lettered in several sports, married his
high school sweetheart, He married Wendy Barber in 1975 after first
receiving the blessing He was preceded in death by his father Austin, mother Vida,
brother Gregg Dr. Damon D. Gregg, 74, died February 5, 2005 in Tulsa. He was born April 22, 1930 in Beaver to Luke and Pearl (Wagner) Gregg. Dr. Gregg joined the Navy during the Korean War. While stationed in Pearl Harbor, he married Marie L. Van Keuren on July 26, 1952. After receiving his discharge, he returned to Oklahoma to continue his education. He drove a milk truck at night and attended school during the day at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford where he completed his undergraduate studies. He was accepted into medical school at the University of Oklahoma where he graduated as a medical doctor in 1959. He completed his residency from St. John’s Hospital in 1960 and returned to the Panhandle and set up his general practice in Spearman, TX and practiced there for thirteen years. He returned to Tulsa to pursue more education and began to study pathology at St. John’s Hospital. In 1976, he began his career in Pathology at Midwest City Hospital in Midwest City, and retired after 39 years of medicine. During his retirement he enjoyed golfing, good conversation with his friends and interacting with his grandchildren. He received recognition as a physician from the American Medical Association, was a member of the Aerospace Medical Association, listed in Who’s Who in Texas in 1968 due to his never misdiagnosing a case and received a life membership from the Oklahoma State Medical Association in recognition of distinguished service in the practice of medicine. He is survived by his wife, Marie; sisters, Theda Cox, Greta Lowry; brother, Irtle Joe Gregg; daughters, Diane McLain, Debbie Donica, Susie Bachman, Dawne Gregg; son, Damon Gregg, II; 11 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren. Graveside services are scheduled for 11:30 a.m., Friday at Beaver Cemetery and a Rosary is scheduled for 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 11, 2005 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spearman. February 3, 2005 Bowers Charles Donovan Bowers died on Sunday, January 23, 2005, at Woodward Memorial Hospital at the age of 90 years, 2 months, and 15 days. Charles was born on November 8, 1914, on the family farm east of Gate to Paul Jonas Bowers and Delphia Merle Turner. Delphia died from kidney failure when Charles was 2 weeks old. His grandparents, Charles and Lena Bowers, raised him for 2 years along with his 12 and 14 year old aunts, Goldie and Ruby. Paul Jonas married Iva Nichols on August 17, 1915. Charles became a big brother to Merle, Jack, Marge, Anna Belle, and Ruby. Charles attended Rosston Elementary and High School and graduated at the age of 17. Charles began to travel around this time, and his first car was a Chevy Coupe that cost $84.00. He traveled during the Depression and he traveled until his money ran out. He would then stop to earn money doing odd jobs such as picking fruit and working in the wheat fields. He sometimes traveled with Paul Hickman and Roy Roots in his dad’s Dodge touring car. Charles married Mabel Ann Hickman on January 6, 1937, at the Buffalo Courthouse when he was 23 and she was 19. He always said he picked Mabel out of 100 girls. Their witnesses were Clifford "Pud" and Merle Wolf. Their wedding cost $2 which was 2 days wages for Charles. Charles and Mabel’s first vehicle was a 1929 Model A Ford. Their first home was east of Gate where they helped his dad and sold cream and eggs. Delores Jean was born at the farm on December 13, 1937. The family moved to the Hickman homestead north of Rosston a year later where Judith Joan was born on July 15, 1939, and Donovan Paul was born on December 21, 1940. Charles made a living planting wind break trees for the government. Some of these tree rows still remain near Gate and Rosston. The family moved southwest of Gate and then moved to Laverne where Iva Lou was born on November 29, 1944. Charles worked at Rogers Grocery as a butcher. In 1945, they rented a farm west of Laverne from his dad, Paul Bowers, until they purchased it from him in 1954. During that time, Betty Sue was born on May 8, 1947, and Frances Charlene on December 12, 1949. Charles and Mabel always had cattle and chickens, and sometimes turkeys. They still sold eggs and cream to supplement their farming income. Charles became a bus driver for Laverne Schools in 1950 and 1951. When he was a bus driver for Laverne Schools, the children heard all about who was good or ornery of his riders, who included his own children. He then began working for Beaver County, where he worked for the next 27 years. He held the positions of grader operator, foreman and mechanic. He also acted as county commissioner for a period of time. He enjoyed working for Jim Brown, Benny Oswald, Hazelton Richards, and Charles Green. Charles had a great pride in doing a hard day’s work, and a day was considered to be from sunup to sundown. As a county road grader operator, he would work the roads after a rain regardless of the day of the week in order to get the road in its best condition. Jackie Lee was born on October 31, 1956, and Denise Lynette was born on October 12, 1963, and were the only children born in hospitals. Charles was an ornery man with a wonderful sense of humor. At one time or another, most everyone in the family has quoted his sayings, choosing from a "G" rated one or a "PG" rated one. He had a quick wit and loved to tease and make people laugh, but honesty and integrity was very important to Charles. Charles loved all sports and enjoyed playing basketball, football, baseball, and tennis in high school. He also would umpire basketball games at Rosston. Some said he never would call his soon-to-be wife Mabel for a foul or traveling with the ball. Charles coached the Slapout Women’s Softball team in the 1960’s along with Bernard Nine. He enjoyed remembering the area women and his daughters playing on the Slapout team against Logan, Clearlake, Gate, and Kiowa. His daughters have many wonderful memories of times that he would come home from a full day’s work, eat supper, and play catch. He also helped umpire the men’s games that followed the women’s. For many years Charles could be found in the crowd cheering his Laverne Tigers and Tigerettes on. He had fond memories of Donovan and Jackie playing football. He enjoyed watching all of his daughters play basketball. He would sit against the wall in the old pinewood basketball gym in Laverne near the north basketball goal with other dads. Charles and Mabel got to watch Jackie and Denise play basketball in the new gym. Charles and Mabel had children and grandchildren in the Laverne School system for 55 consecutive years. Music was a big part of Charles’ life. He sang in a quartet, and he played the harmonica. He loved to listen to Old Time Gospel Music, the Grand Ole Opry, Bob Wills and the Playboys, and all of the old country and western songs. Charles also loved to read. He read to his children at home. Mabel especially remembers how he would discipline a child and the next minute he would have them on his lap hugging and reading to them. He took his children to the library every Saturday to check out books. He loved history and read many books on that subject. You could ask him a geography or math question and he would know the answer. As his eyesight diminished, he would receive books on tape from the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and listened to them every day. After his retirement, Charles got acquainted with the sport of golf. His son-in-laws Cleve and John also loved golf, but Charles always had some sort of work lined out for them on the weekends when they came to visit. Charles enjoyed golfing for many years and told entertaining stories about his golfing buddies. He enjoyed playing in tournaments with his son-in-laws and grandsons. In later years, Charles volunteered at the golf course and enjoyed collecting green fees and giving people a hard time. He really enjoyed being around people and being outside in the fresh air. Charles was honored that a golf tournament was established in his name at the Laverne Golf and Country Club. Every Valentine’s Day Charles always bought Mabel a dozen red roses and would sign the card, "From Your Secret Admirer." Charles was asked in the hospital what his two greatest sources of pride were and he said his Kids and Mabel. Family meant everything to Charles. He would call each child at their home on their birthday and call K101 radio station to sing "Happy Birthday" to them on the air. His entire family always felt special. He would say, "You are one of my favorite sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, or grandkids" depending on whom he was talking to. He would also say, "I have the hungriest son-in-laws" or "You might not be my best son-in-law, but you’re biggest, or shortest, etc.., depending on which one he was talking to. He loved Mabel and his family dearly. God has always been a part of Charles’ life. His Dad, Mom, and family would attend church services held by a traveling preacher in Rosston and Gate community homes. After Charles and Mabel married they attended the Christian church in Rosston. Charles professed Christ as his Savior, was baptized, and became a member of the Fairview Methodist Church near Slapout on February 25, 1968. In later years, Charles would watch the 700 Club and Billy Graham Crusades on TV. Charles rededicated his life to Christ while watching a Graham Crusade in late 2001. He loved to generously donate to area churches, youth groups or any cause he felt was worthy. Charles leaves his loving wife of 68 years, Mabel, of the home in Laverne; his children Delores Jean Currier of Ulysses, Kansas; Judith Joan and husband Harold McGuire of Slapout; Donovan Paul and wife Betty Bowers of Stillwater; Iva Lou and husband John Dunn of Macksville, Kansas; Betty Sue and husband Lowell Eilers of Mooreland; Frances Charlene and husband Karl Jett of Slapout; Jackie Lee and wife Carol Bowers of Cherokee; and Denise Lynette and husband Steve Gabel of Beaver; twenty-six grandchildren, and twenty-one great-grandchildren; his sisters Marjorie and husband Jess Henderson of Buffalo; Anna Belle Cartmill of Edmond; and Ruby Newby of Gate; and a host of other relatives and many friends. Charles was preceded in death by his father, Paul Jonas Bowers; his mother Delphia Merle Turner Bowers; stepmother Iva Nichols Bowers; stillborn son Charles Donovan Bowers, Jr.; brother Jack Bowers; sister Merle Bowers Wolf; son-in-law Cleve Currier; and brothers-in-law Clifford "Pud" Wolf, John Cartmill, and Edgar Newby. Charles was honored with a service at the First United Methodist Church in Laverne, on Wednesday, January 26, 2005, at 2:00 p.m. with Wesley Peterman, Charles Denman, and Carol Reich officiating. Pallbearers were his ten grandsons, Clifford Currier, Lonnie Currier, James McGuire, Troy Bowers, Jay Dunn, Jeremy Eilers, Justin Eilers, Ryan Jett, Brent Bowers, and Kalen Gabel. Honorary pallbearers were Bill Walcher, Clyde E. Wyand, Fred Kraft, Gilbert Kirkhart, Russ Wyand, Junior Woods, Roy Hoch, Leon Weibert, Jess Henderson, and C.J. Breon. Christy Eilers, granddaughter, sang "Seasons of Life," an original song written and played by Betty Sue Eilers, daughter. Cynthia, Priscilla, and Melanie McGuire, granddaughters, sang "In the Garden." A taped selection entitled "Some Day" was played. The congregational hymn was "Jesus Loves Me" accompanied by organist Margarette Hendricks and pianist Marita Reichenberger. Burial was at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery with Myatt-Seeger Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements. Memorials can be made to the Laverne Public Library or the Laverne Golf and Country Club in care of Myatt-Seeger, P.O. Box 909, Laverne, OK 73848. January 27, 2005 Martin Richard Ryan Martin was born July 21, 1979 in Ft. Worth, TX. He died January 18, 2005 at the age of 25 years, 6 months, and 26 days in Turpin. Ryan grew up in the area of Bryan’s Corner and in Texas. He attended schools in Balko and N. Richland Hills, TX. He earned his high school equivalency certificate while attending Vo-tech school in Tulsa and at the same time learning auto mechanics and welding. He was an avid fan of auto racing and as a youth enjoyed going to auctions and swap meets. At the time of his death, Ryan was employed in the maintenance department of National Beef Packers in Liberal, KS. Ryan is survived by his wife, Margaret Lynn and three year old daughter Cheyenne Laurette of Irving, TX; his father and mother, Doug and Cindy Lanier of Turpin; his biological father, Richard Martin of Texas; a brother, Douglas Lanier, Jr. of Turpin; a sister, Christy Lanier of Del City, OK; three uncles; three aunts; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Wayne Lanier, and his maternal grandmother, Josephine White. Ryan will be sadly missed by his family and all who knew him. Foreman Leroy Foreman was born February 19, 1928 in his home on the family farm in Beaver County to Charles Bruce and Elizabeth Getz Foreman. As a child, Leroy grew up on the farm and helped with the farming and cattle operation. As a young man, Leroy worked on the Santa Fe railroad, where he operated a hand cart. He later went to work at Marquis Photography Studio in Enid, where he would travel around to area schools and take pictures. On May 3, 1952, Leroy married Norma Jean Judd. To this union two children were born, Charles Lee and Nancy Ann. They made their home on the original Foreman homestead in Beaver, where they continued with the family farming and cattle operation. Leroy also worked nights at the Northern Natural Plant. Later, Leroy took a job for the Garrett school system as a janitor and an all around handyman. He worked there for some years until he moved on to be a rural route mail carrier, and then, went to work for the city of Beaver, where he stayed until retirement. Soon, however, he found that retirement did not suit him, and so he went back to work as a supervisor for Melvin Chaloupek Construction Co. In 1993, Leroy retired for the second time so that he and Jean could move to Forgan where Jean had just gotten a job as Postmaster. But this retirement by no means made him idle, he continued work with his cattle and his other exotic animals and also spent much of his time in town taking care of the post office yard for Jean. Later, he became quite revered for his excellence in gardening. After Jean’s retirement in 1999, they moved to Shattuck, so that they might be closer to their children. Leroy loved to spend time with his great grandchildren. Abby and Sydnie would sit for hours on Granddad’s lap, while he read to them or watched the birds and squirrels out of the picture window overlooking his beautiful back yard. Leroy died at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 23 in his home and will be dearly missed by all that knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bruce and Elizabeth Foreman, one granddaughter Carrie Ann Lookingbill, his father-in-law, Lee Judd, and three brothers -in-law, Tex Lynch, Stanley Walden, and Ronnie Lawson. He is survived by his wife Jean Foreman and their children Charles Foreman and his wife Linda of Shattuck; Nancy Brookshire and her husband, Ronnie of Woodward; six grandchildren, DeLyn Colby and her husband Lonnie of Gage; Melissa Guadarrama and her husband Manuel of Key West, FL; Dustin Lookingbill and his wife Duronda of Shattuck; Darrell Lookingbill, who is currently serving his country aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln; Morgan Brookshire of Oklahoma City and Robby Brookshire of Oklahoma City. Seven great grandchildren, Carrie and Dalton Brewer, Abagail Colby, Sydnie and Ethan Lookingbill, Marc and Adrian Guadarrama. His mother-in-law Mae Judd of Shattuck; two sisters, Emma Ruth Lynch of Campo, CO, and Gladys Walton and her husband Guy, of Vera Beach, FL. He is also survived by other numerous nieces, nephews, family, and friends. Funeral services were conducted Wednesday, January 26, 2005 at 1:30 p.m. at the Mason Funeral Home Chapel in Shattuck. Interment was in the Mountain View Cemetery, Beaver County. Taylor Robert L. Taylor, 84, died Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at the Beaver County Memorial Hospital. He was born October 30, 1920 at Gate, the son of Oliver and Nellie (Parker) Taylor. His mother died when he was very young and he was raised by his aunt Viola Johannsen. He has been a longtime resident of Beaver. He worked as a truck driver for Grondyke Transport and did ranch work for Barby Cattle Co., and later was the head custodian and activity bus driver for Beaver High School. He was a member of the First Christian Church, American Legion and VFW of Beaver. He was also a member of the Beaver Night Owls. He loved to cook, and loved football and baseball. He served in WWII with the U.S. Army from 1940 to 1945. On September 20, 1952, he married Sarah Louise Campbell at Perryton, TX. She survives. Other survivors include: three daughters, Maxine Mattson, East Moline, IL, Mickie Trondson, North Branch, MN, Dawn Taylor, Forgan; two sisters, Eloise Collins, Vancouver, WA, Mary Yeater, Colorado Springs, CO; five grandchildren; and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one sister, Maxine Taylor. Memorial services were held at 2:00 p.m. Friday at the First Christian Church in Beaver with Pastor Rick Main presiding. Breen Clorean (Rean) Breen, 91, of Raton, New Mexico, and a former Liberal, Kansas area resident, died January 20, 2005 at Miners’ Colfax Medical Center in Raton. Rean was born September 21, 1913 at her childhood home in the Floris area to Sidney and Mamie Sharp. She married Charles (Chuck) Breen, December 23, 1935, and they enjoyed 57 years of devotion, love, and laughter together. Rean graduated from Phillips University in Enid with a Language degree in English, Spanish, and French, and she could still correct others’ grammar to the end. She taught at the Greenough School northwest of Forgan, where Chuck also taught. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Jim Cooper of Raton; brother, William R. Sharp and wife, Joanie of the Houston, TX area; granddaughter, Alisa Cooper of New York City and grandson, Timothy Cooper of Dallas, TX; nephews; nieces; several great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Dennis Michael, and her husband, Chuck, in 1993. There will be a family graveside service at the Floris Cemetery at a later date. Because of Rean’s life-long commitment to education, in lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that memorials be given to the Dennis Breen Memorial Fund, Seward County Community College Development Foundation, P.O. Box 1137, Liberal, KS 67905.
January 13, 2005 Smith Earl J. Smith, 96, died Sunday, January 9 in Borger, TX. Mr. Smith was born on April 27, 1908 in Knowles to William B. and Rose Cognion Smith, who homesteaded in Oklahoma in 1904. He attended Knowles School, married Gertrude L. Carpenter on July 18, 1931 and farmed in the Knowles community until moving to California in 1942 to work in the defense plants. He later moved to Mariposa County and was employed as a lumberjack. In 1945, the family returned to Knowles where he made his living building houses and doing carpenter work throughout the panhandle until 1966 when he moved to Hooker to operate a motel. He retired to Fritch in 1975 to be near a lake where he could pursue his favorite hobby of fishing. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Roberta Colleen Smith and son-in-law, Melvin R. Smith of Fritch. He is survived by his wife, Gertrude of the home, son, Ted Smith and his wife, Karen of Biloxi, MS; five grandchildren; and twelve great grandchildren. Vanazia Rachel M. Vanazia, age 72, died early Thursday morning, January 6, 2005, at Western Plains Medical Complex in Dodge City, KS. She was born July 11, 1932, at Meade, KS, the daughter of Benjamin McWithey and Rhoda Anna Schnellbacher. A Meade County resident for many years, she was a homemaker. On February 4, 1973, she married Chester Leroy Vanazia at Dodge City. He died February 6, 2001. She is survived by four sons, Richard "Rick" Price of Forgan, Arron "Buzzie" Price of Meade, KS, Lester Price, Jr. of Dodge City, Jerry Price of Irrigon, OR; three daughters, Agnes Sharp of Apache Junction, AZ, Wanda Price of Mesa, AZ, Carla L. Ellis of Columbus, OH; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were January 9, 2005, at Graceland Cemetery, Meade, KS. Ferguson Funeral services for Kay Ferguson, 75 year old Perryton resident, were Friday, January 7, 2005 at the Booker Friends Church in Booker, Texas. Nellie Kay Ferguson was born December 27, 1929 in Shattuck to Otis K. and Evelyn (Taylor) Kizziar. Her first school was a one room country school and she then attended Canadian, Waka, Spearman, and Perryton, where she graduated in 1946. She was married to DuWayne Thurman in 1947 and they made their home in Perryton. To this union was born Waylan, Marolan, Darrell, and Leanna. Subsequently, in 1974 she was married to Wendell Ferguson, thereby acquiring three stepchildren, Anesia, Eric, and T. O’Leen. The family made their home in Balko. Mrs. Ferguson died January 4, 2005 at the Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Helen (who died at birth); a great-grandson, Hadley Harp; a son-in-law, Junior Smith, and one step-son-in-law, Dean Shores. She is survived by her husband Wendell of the home; two sons and their wives, Waylan and Kathryn Thurman of Liberal, KS; Darrell and Vickie Thurman of Perryton, TX; two daughters, Marolan Smith of Perryton, and Leanna Swenhaugen and her husband Chuck of Booker, TX; a stepson and his wife, Eric and Shannon Ferguson of Balko; two stepdaughters, O’Leen Bennett and her husband, Todd, of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and Anesia Shores of Goodwell; one sister, Carmen Garrett of Weatherford, Texas; twenty-four grandchildren; and twenty great-grandchildren. Kay is also survived by many memories and much love, by and for her family. January 6, 2005 Judy Fannie Grace Judy, 99, died Thursday, December 23, 2004 at the Beaver County Nursing Home. She was born on September 4, 1905 to Grace and Will Schmoker in northern Beaver County. She attended school in Kansas and graduated from Meade High School in 1922. In 1928 she graduated with a B.A. degree from the University of Kansas. On May 23, 1928 she married Thomas A. Judy in Liberal, Kansas and they settled to ranch life north of Mocane, Oklahoma. She was a homemaker and taught at a country school for 5 years. They had two children, Ronald Judy of Gate, Oklahoma and Carol Johnson of Highlands Ranch, Colorado. She was a member of both the American Legion and VFW auxiliaries. She enjoyed the Beaver Senior Citizens Center and was a charter member of the Beaver County Historical Society, where she devoted a great deal of time and effort. Survivors include son Ronald and his wife Nancy, daughter Carol, grandchildren Greg and Diane Judy of Arlington, Texas, Stephanie Payne of Grand Junction, Colorado and Alan and Linda Judy of Beaver, Oklahoma, great-grandchildren Larissa Judy and Nathan Judy of Arlington, Texas, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Tom, and her sister, Imogene Meyers. The family requests that memorials be set to the Beaver County Historical Society, the Beaver County Senior Citizen Center or the Beaver County Nursing Home. December 2004 Clifford, Ralph Born October 17, 1915 at a ranch in Custer County, Nebraska, a circumstance that would later require affidavits from his mother, the mid-wife and three aged ranch hands of bad repute when Ralph sought a passport in the 1950s. He spent his formative years growing up in No-Man’s Land attending schools in the towns of Knowles, Keyes, and Forgan in present day Oklahoma. In 1925 Ralph and his brother Harry gained notoriety by accidentally starting a fire that burned through half of the town of Forgan. In spite of this and other such antics, Ralph enjoyed the enthusiastic support of most of his teachers while at school. When it was discovered that he hadn’t learned to read but was instead memorizing his older brother Bill’s books there was talk of holding him back a year. Two of his teachers, Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Ratcliff, took matters into their own hands and barricaded the teacher who made the suggestion in the school until it was recanted. Ralph was allowed to pass to the next grade and the prisoner was released. Ralph and his family spent the dust bowl years "cropping dust." Like so many others, the Cliffords pulled up stakes and headed for California in 1929, but their car broke down irreparably in Colorado. They worked as migrant laborers for a year, picking berries. It was many years before any member of the family could even look at a strawberry. They next moved to Nebraska and built what may have been the last sod house constructed in the state. Little rain and less profit again brought the family back to Forgan. Ralph’s father found work with the later-instituted WPA, his mother cleaned the courthouse in Beaver and taught Sunday school in the Baptist Church. The hardships of returning to an area most people had abandoned were many. It was during this difficult time that Ralph’s brother Bruce died from a shot-put injury at school. After Bruce’s death, Ralph’s agnostic father became religious and the entire family’s faith was strengthened. Ralph would remain throughout his life a Southern Baptist. During Ralph’s senior year in 1932-3 his high school teacher, Letha Mitz (now Elizabeth Baker, the renown nutritionist) encouraged him to go to Alva’s Oklahoma Southwest Teacher’s College. Her parents gave Ralph work on their nearby farm, a place to sleep, and food. Mrs. Caffkey, owner of the last surviving bank in western Oklahoma, personally loaned him money for tuition and books, a suit, a pair of shoes, two shirts, and a one-way bus ticket to Alva. The Mitz family took him in after offering him a job where he had his choice of either being treated as a son or receiving an hourly wage. He took being treated as a son and always felt like he had made the best choice. In addition to milking for the Mitz family farm, Ralph worked at various NYA (National Youth Administration) jobs and ultimately became the campus administrator of the program. He also had a job in a local funeral home where he was paid to "sit up" with the deceased. During the summers, Ralph’s uncle Fred set him up boxing small town bouts in Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado. One such fight resulted in the pair descending Pike’s Peak on gravel roads in the back of a truck with no brakes and a sleeping driver. They decided, after the resulting accident, to concentrate on towns with railroad lines and rode the rails. Several adventures with uncle Fred (including being held for murder along with 31 other men in Colorado and then participating in the largest jail break in that state’s history) led Ralph to abandon prizefighting. Fred and Ralph turned to holding revival meetings with Ralph preaching the sermon and passing the hat inside, while Fred ran a poker game and sold moonshine behind the old circus tent. They continued this trade until a Colorado sheriff confiscated their tent. Though summers were colorful, Ralph’s primary focus was his academic studies. He took an interest in politics and the law. By the end of his college career, Ralph was one of the leaders of the state’s Young Democrats. Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged him to attend law school in Washington, D.C., which he did, but returned to complete his studies at Oklahoma University’s law school. During his attendance at OU, he participated in a mock trial where he met his future wife, Mary Faye Grantham, who was acting the part of a witness. During law school, he decided to enter the then rapidly expanding administrative law opportunities in the federal government and returned to Washington to work for the National Labor Relations Board. He lived with several other Oklahomans in D.C., a number of whom were later revealed to be Soviet spies. This resulted in a periodic association between Ralph and the FBI. Soon after arriving in Washington, he married the red-headed witness from the mock trial. Because he fainted during the attempt to perform a blood test, they had to be married in Virginia, which required no such test. Some months later, upon meeting the new groom, Mary Faye’s mother gave her a revolver, which Mary Faye kept by her side of the bed for the rest of her life. In spite of her mother’s reservations their marriage continued without bloodshed until her death by natural causes in 1989. After working for the National Labor Relations Board first in Washington and then Atlanta, Ralph began working in the NLRB’s Fort Worth office. During WWII he left to work in labor relations at Douglass Aircraft’s Fort Worth plant. As the war neared its end, he and Jim Toohey started a labor consulting firm on the side, but Jim was hired away by Deere & Company. Ralph was introduced by Toohey to several Deere officers and was himself hired by the company. Deere was committed to dealing with its employees the same way it dealt with farmers and dealers — honestly and for the long term. Ralph helped initiate Deere’s quiet revolution of seeking company wide uniformity in pay practices, incentive plans and bargaining. He would continue in that commitment through 1974, when he retired from John Deere as Director of Industrial Relations. Not long after retirement, Ralph and Jim Toohey opened their long-delayed labor consulting firm along with Ralph’s son, John, using offices provided by Fred Peterson of Peterson Construction. In 1981 Ralph again retired, moving to Arkansas where he cleared and farmed 400 acres. During those years his wife, who considered the retirement a second honeymoon, immersed herself in genealogical studies, confirming to her mind that most of Ralph’s ancestors justified her mother’s original wedding gift. In 1990, after Mary Faye passed away, Ralph moved to Oklahoma City. Ralph also opened a law office there, but soon closed it, clients not being as fun as in his early days. Ralph and long time friends who lived nearby formed the Oklahoma City Tuesday Club, the principal activity of which was to meet on Tuesdays to eat while discussing politics, current events, and how to set the world to rights. In 1994 Ralph married Kathryn Bradshaw, but their respective infirmities eventually led to Ralph coming north to be cared for by his daughter Margaret while Kathryn stayed in Oklahoma under the care of her daughter Kay. Ralph’s death came quietly and without suffering on Christmas Eve, after a day filled with laughter and the happy company of family and friends. After cremation, he is to be buried next to Mary Faye on Memorial Day, 2005 in his childhood home of Forgan. Ralph is preceded in death by his brothers Charles, Bruce, Bill, and Roy. He is survived by brothers Harry and Sylvester ("Corky"), sister Hazel Giles, daughters Margaret Ristau and F. Carole Franque, son John, nine grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Misericordia Home, 630 N. Ridge, Chicago, IL, 60660 or the Forgan Golden Agers, PO Box 127, Forgan, OK 73938. Reddick Lloyd Thomas Reddick was born to Allen Laven and Martha Clemmentine Reddick on November 4, 1913, on the family farm southwest of Beaver. Lloyd died Thursday, December 16, 2004 at the age of 91 years. Lloyd was the fifth child in a family of fourteen. He attended grade school at Union Star and high school in Beaver, where he graduated. When his father became unable, Lloyd worked at odd jobs to keep the family together. He and a friend hopped a train in Liberal and went to Idaho where he worked in potato fields. A letter from his mother assured Lloyd that he could work for Thompson and Greer constructing Highway 3, so he returned home to work there. When Highway 3 was completed, Lloyd went with the company to work at Elk City. Lloyd’s next stop was Borger where he first worked at a Carbon Black plant operating a crane. Afterward, as a Phillips employee, Lloyd worked in uranium mines at Grant, New Mexico. He also worked in Kansas City to help clean up after a flood. As a construction engineer, Lloyd traveled all over America, Canada, and Alaska. Lloyd served in the United States Navy during the World War II campaign, and received an honorable discharge. His expertise was reading blueprints and supervising the resulting operations at Phillips. On January 17, 1948, Lloyd married Sadie Arvella Brannon, whom he affectionately called Jane. They established their home in Borger where Lloyd retired from Phillips. After Jane died, Lloyd moved to Beaver, where he resided at the time of his death. Lloyd was baptized at an early age in a creek. While in Borger he attended the Christian Church. Lloyd loved to listen to church services and Christian music. He was a great gardener. His specialty was raising tomatoes, green beans, and peppers. He enlisted his family to share in and preserve his products. Lloyd was preceded in death by his wife Jane; his mother and father; eight brothers and one sister. He leaves loved ones to cherish his memory; two brothers Fred and wife Reba; Robert and wife Roberta; two sisters Wanda Pettersen and Evelyn Shadden; many nieces, nephews, and fine friends. Funeral services were Monday, December 20, 2004 from the Beaver First Christian Church with Jim Maynard officiating and Rick Main assisting. Interment was in the Pioneer Cemetery. Robins Lyndal Dean (LD) Robins was born November 14, 1932 to Virdie (Grady) and Lowell W. Robins. He died December 17, 2004 at Southwest Medical Center at the age of 72 years, 1 month, and 3 days. Lyndal started public school at the Pleasant Hill country school on land provided by his pioneer grandparents Maudie B. and A.E. Grady. He graduated from Forgan High School in the class of 1950. On August 12, 1951, he married Winona Faye Hodges. They were the parents of three children, Raymond E., Teresa Kay, and Lynnetta Faye. Lyndal was preceded in death by his Dad, Lowell W. Robins and mother Virdie (Grady) Mayo, and stepdad, Gene Mayo. Lyndal is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Faye, three children, Raymond Robins and wife Cindy; Kay Davis and husband Jeff; Lynnetta Stout and husband Bill; five grandchildren, Ryan and Reagan Robins, Jessica, Rachel, and David Stout, two sisters, Loubel (Robins) Dickens, and Roberta (Robins) Oldfield; and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services were Monday, December 20, 2004 at the First Christian Church in Forgan with Jim Sutherland officiating. Interment was in the Forgan Cemetery. Pallbearers were: Randy Dickens, Barney and Ronnie Oldfield, Joe Michael Hodges, Danny Looney, and Dwayne Heinson. Griffin Jimmie V. Griffin, 72, a resident of Rio Rancho, NM since 1996 and formerly of Farmington, NM, died on Monday, December 13, 2004 after a long illness. Jimmie was born March 1, 1932, the son of Sylvester Von and Flossie Hayes Griffin in Owensville, Indiana. He was a 46 year member of Plumbers Pipefitters Local Union 412. Jimmie served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge #15 and also a Life member of Elks Lodge 1747 of Farmington. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather; who would never refuse anyone help in a time of need. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends. Jimmie is survived by his wife Dana; son Craig; granddaughter Leslee; grandson Erik Griffin of Farmington; two brothers and four sisters; many nieces and nephews. Services were December 16, 2004 in the Chapel of Vista Verde Mortuary. Interment was in Beaver Cemetery. Drum Clifton Keith Drum died at his home in Beaver on December 17, 2004. Keith was born to Clifton K. and Ruth Drum at their home in their home in Beaver on January 1, 1916, an only child. He grew up in Beaver, attended Beaver Schools, and worked at his Uncle Harry Beegle’s drug store/soda fountain all through high school. He attended the University of Oklahoma Law School and practiced law in Beaver for over 60 years, beginning as the County Attorney and in practice with Charles Miles. Other valued partners were Merle Lansden, Jim Loepp, and Jerry Venable. Keith also served his country in World War II, being a part of a boat battalion in the South Pacific. He was proud of that service to his country. Keith also survived the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl and remained in Beaver County when most of his family moved from the area. Keith provided service to the citizens of Beaver County through his law practice and through his service to civic organizations such as the Rotary where he was a faithful member since 1946. In addition, he was a member of the Fraternal Order of the Masonic Lodge, on the Board of Directors for the Sheltered Workshop, and a leader of AA in Beaver for many years. Many of his good works have gone unnoticed except for those who benefited from them personally. Keith was proud of this pioneer heritage through the Drum and Weir families and shared their stories of hardship in settling a new land with family and friends, as well as with the Beaver County Historical Society. He is survived by his daughter Shannon Knapke, her husband Don and their son Caleb of Beaver; by his son Keith, Jr., his wife Sue of Yorba Linda, California; and by his granddaughter Simone, her husband Fabio and daughter Nicole of Milan, Italy; as well as his wife-in-heart, Pauline; and by cousins and friends of many years. He was preceded in death by his wife Phebe Jane (Bolin) Drum; by his wife Madeline (Colbert) Drum; and by his son Mike Drum. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on January 1 at the Christian Church in Beaver. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Beaver County Historical Society, Box 457, Beaver; or to the Glen Carrier Charitable Scholarship Trust, Box 1453, Beaver, which he helped found. Cowan Christopher "Chris" Lee Cowan was born on October 7, 1975 to Dannie and Nina Cowan in Liberal, KS. He attended Balko schools and was involved in basketball, football, track, and FFA. He graduated in 1994. He received his associate’s degree from Seward County Community College and also received his diesel mechanic certification from Liberal Area Vocational Technical School. Chris began working for Sam’s Packer Supply in 1994. Chris enjoyed his job with Sam’s Packer & Supply, but also continued to help his father at the farm every weekend. Chris married Carrie Hudson on September 26, 1998. On December 26, 1999, his daughter Claire Mackenna Cowan was born. He was a dedicated father and loved spending time with his Claire. He was also a member of the Presbyterian Church in Liberal, KS. Chris died a vehicle accident on Thursday, December 2, 2004. He was preceded in death by his grandpa, Everett Cowan. He is survived by his daughter, Claire Cowan of Liberal; his father, Dannie Cowan of Balko; his sister, Amy Cowan of Balko; his sister, Candie and her husband, Randy Pickett of Perryton, TX; and his grandmothers, Mildred Cowan of Balko; and Sara Nealy of Canadian; Jamie Jantz, a faithful friend and companion of Liberal; numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins. Funeral services for Chris were Monday, December 6, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. from the Balko Baptist Church with James Epp officiating and Troy Taylor and Steve Saville assisting. Interment was in the Bethany Cemetery. Elston Frances May Casteel was born May 7, 1920 to Robert L. (Bob) and Verna Ramseyer Casteel in Marshall, Oklahoma in Logan County. She died in the Beaver County Memorial Hospital at the age of 84 years, 7 months and 6 days. Frances and her sister, Alice, moved with their parents to Beaver County in 1923. They rented a farm in the old Ridgeway Community near Clearlake and stayed there until 1927 when they moved to the Logan Community. Frances attended Twin Mound and Sand Creek Schools. She lived with her Uncle Charlie and Gladys Casteel and attended school where Gladys taught. Times were very hard and Frances stated she never knew why she lived with them unless because of not having any money and her uncle and aunt didn’t have any children. She only had an eighth grade education. She worked out in the community cleaning houses and doing odd jobs. She also worked some in Darrouzett, Texas. One day she met a handsome young man with a bright red shirt on and fell in love with him. That was in 1939 when she met Leonard Elston. They were married on January 10, 1940 in Woodward. Leonard was working for Dr. Benjegerdes on his ranch. Leonard sold his horse for $20 so they would have enough money to get married on. They continued to work for Dr. Benjegerdes for a short time and then moved to a little house south of her parents and Betty was born in that little house. They moved shortly after that to Catesby, OK. Evelyn was born while they lived there. She was fortunate, she was born in Beaver Hospital. Leonard bought his dad’s farm in the Elmwood Community in 1946 where they lived until moving to Beaver in 1992. Frances worked very hard while living on the farm. There wasn’t a job that she wouldn’t tackle. She drove the wheat truck a lot and her grandkids loved to tell the story how Grandma always had to back the old truck up no matter how large of an area she had to turn around in. One day when the combine bin was full, here came Grandma and suddenly the truck wouldn’t go any further and she couldn’t figure out why. Sure enough she had backed into the combine. Denny was in another combine and saw what was going to happen but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. Needless to say, Grandpa wasn’t very happy. She drove the tractor out in the hot sun without a shade or cab, milked cows, cleaned house, and was a great cook. She had a lot of Pioneer Spirit. Money was hard to come by but she would always spend it on the girls rather than to buy herself anything new. She always thought of others first. She loved her family dearly and there was nothing more precious to her than her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved to play Rummy with them and was always hard to beat. She accepted Christ as Lord of her life in 1949 at the Midway Country Church when Bro. Marcus Adair was pastor. They attended church there faithfully. Every time the church doors were opened they were there until their health permitted them not to do so. After Leonard passed away she would drive out there to church. When she could no longer drive out there she attended the First Baptist Church in Beaver. They moved to Beaver in 1992, but not because Frances wanted a new house or that she wanted to move to town. They would have moved a lot earlier but she did not want to leave the farm. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary January 10, 2000. Leonard died June 23, 2000. She moved to the Beaver Nursing Home in March, 2004. She truly enjoyed living there and enjoyed the caregivers and other residents. Frances was preceded in death by her parents, baby brother, sister Alice Johnston, husband Leonard, and son-in-law, Frank Klotz. She is survived by her daughter Betty and husband Roy Williams; daughter Evelyn and husband Denny Nelson; granddaughter Danna and husband Kevin; great grandsons Ryan and Zachary; grandson Darren Nelson and wife Rebecca; great granddaughter Elizabeth; granddaughter Frana and husband Chad Walcker; great grandson Casey; great granddaughters Erin and Allyson; step grandson Roy Williams, Jr. and wife Amber; step grandchildren Harrison, Ragan, and Hannah; many nieces, nephews; and other relatives and friends. Frances leaves a great legacy to her family of Love for God, family and friends. She had a great love for her Saviour and served Him faithfully until she was called home. Funeral Services were Wednesday, December 8, 2004 from the Midway Country Church with Lowell Long officiating and Jack Cornell Assisting. Interment was in the Pioneer Cemetery, Beaver. Engard Lola Bea Engard died November 14, 2004. She was born in Beaver. She met and married Rodney J. Engard while each served in the U.S. Army during WW II, she as an X-ray technician and he as a Medical NCO. They had three children, Connie Beth, Rodney Gary, and Craig Michael. The family moved from OK to TX in 1955 and then to AZ in 1962, where Rodney J. passed away in 1981 and Rodney Gary in 1990. Survivors include her sisters, Ruby Mellies, Vona Smith and her husband Bob; her brother, Emmett Bennett and his wife Jan; her daughter Connie; son Craig and his wife Rita, grandchildren Sean Engard and wife Sandra, Lisa Branch and husband Kelly, and Guy Engard. A private celebration of her life and her reunion with the husband and son she has missed for so long was held in Scottsdale, AZ. Adelman Keith Adelman died at Creede, Colorado, on November 30, at the age of 87. He was a lifelong resident of Beaver County, with a summer cabin in Creede. A family graveside service was held at Sophia Cemetery on Saturday, December 4, 2004. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation be sent to a memorial of your choice. Villareal Concepcion Castillo Villareal, age 71, died Saturday, November 27, 2004 at Beaver County Memorial Hospital in Beaver. She was born October 10, 1933 at Ocampo Chih, Mexico, the daughter of Jesus Castillo Leon and Marcelina Villareal Giron. She was married to J. Isaac Reynoso Orozco. He survives. She is also survived by five sons; Antonio Reynoso Castillo, Chihuahua, Mexico; Eduardo Reynoso Castillo, Beaver; Martin Reynoso Castillo, Beaver; Jaime Reynoso Castillo, San Diego, CA; Juan F. Lopez Castillo, Weatherford; three daughters, Socorro Reynoso Castillo, Chihuahua, Mexico; Ofelia Reynoso Castillo, Forgan; Griselda Reynoso Castillo, Chihuahua, Mexico; four brothers; nine sisters; and twenty-three grandchildren. Services were Thursday, December 2, 2004 at Kitch-Brenneman Funeral Home in Liberal, Kansas. Bowker Claude Arnold Bowker died on Thursday, November 25, 2004 in the Beaver County Memorial Hospital at the age of 89 years, 4 months, and 18 days. He was born on July 7, 1915 on the family farm east of Rosston, one of ten children born to Charles A. and Josie (Gowens) Bowker. Arnold was united in marriage to Edith Smith on September 14, 1932 at Buffalo. They became parents of Charles A., Billy Wayne, James A., Ramona Jean, and Ronald Dean. Arnold worked at VanMeters Auto as a mechanic where he became very skilled in this profession. He later opened his own shop, "Bowkers Motors," in 1952 and spent many years in that field. He was a long time member of the First Baptist Church in Laverne. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Edith, on April 28, 1998, two sons, Billy Wayne Bowker and Ronald Dean Bowker; six brothers; two sisters; two granddaughters; and a great granddaughter. Survivors include two sons, C.A. "Chuck" Bowker and wife, Dorine of Beaver, James "Jimmy" A. Bowker and wife Sula of Laverne; one daughter, Ramona Jean Coats and husband Ron of Bethany; a sister, Esta Edmonds of Buffalo; 21 grandchildren; 39 great grandchildren; and 12 great-great grandchildren; many other loving relatives and numerous friends. Services were held Sunday, November 28, 2004 at the First Baptist Church in Laverne with Rev. Ray Christian and Rev. Wes Peterman officiating.
November 2004 |
