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Archives for May 2011

Broncos end season with 19-3 record

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A great year ended on a sorrowful note this past weekend, as the Bronco baseball team was defeated in the playoffs by a good Stamford team.

The first game of the possible three-game series was played Friday night in Lubbock at Westerner Field. Stamford won that game 18-8 and the Broncos ended their season at 19-3.

“(It was) not the way we wanted to go out, but we had an outstanding season,” said coach Brad Elam. “In both games we had a lead, but we were unable to hold it.
“We had some errors that hurt us but we also had some innings where we really played well. I thought it was fitting that Caleb (Mitchell) made the final three outs in game two.”

The Broncos lost the second game 3-8 after holding a two-run lead after four innings.
The fifth inning was torturous for the Broncos as Stamford put five runs on the board and then added two in the sixth.

Despite the exit from the playoffs, Elam has nothing but praise for his team as players and as young men.

“We had a great season and many contributed to the victories,” Elam said.

“But I was more proud of some of the things that the players did off the field. The team really came together after the death of Caleb’s dad and attended the funeral together as a team in support of Caleb and his family.
“The team also was able to help a couple of students in need at the school. These actions show you the quality and character of these players.

“I know we were looking for a different outcome in the playoffs, but these players and managers have been outstanding all season and should be able to hang their heads high on everything they have accomplished.”

Margaret Ann Pettit

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Margaret Ann Pettit, 84, died Tuesday, May 17, 2011, in Amarillo.

Services were held Friday, May 20, 2011, in Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon with Rev. Anthony Knowles, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Estelline, officiating. Interment was held at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Order of the Eastern Star Rites by Clarendon Order of the Eastern Star Chapter #6. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

Margaret was born January 29, 1927, in Taylor, Texas, the eldest of four children born to the late Albert Emil & Maude Edna Tate Carlson. Margaret is also well known as Me Maw of Clarendon, Donley County. She married Clarence Irving “Peck“ Pettit on April 23, 1949, in Round Rock. Mrs. Pettit worked for Bell Telephone Company in Amarillo for many years. Margaret served as a Cub Scout leader for three years and Girl Scout leader for six years in Amarillo.

They retired and moved to Howardwick in 1980 where they continued to rear their granddaughter, Larinda Pettit Brown and were very active in both the Howardwick and Clarendon communities. She was a member of the Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon. Both Peck and Margaret served on the Board of Directors of the Panhandle Ski Club in the 1950s.

She served three years as Alderman and three years as Mayor of Howardwick. She was a very active member of the Rebekah Lodge beginning in 1983 having served as Noble Grand five times and held many, many offices. She was a member of Clarendon Order of the Eastern Star Chapter # 6 since 1985 and served in many offices including Worthy Matron four years and Worthy Patron with Peck two years and two years with Billy Powell. She also served on the Donley County Appraisal District Review Board for nine years.

Margaret was awarded Donley County Pioneer Woman of the Year by the Clarendon/Donley County Chamber of Commerce in 2007. In January 2010 after suffering a massive stroke and heart attack, Mrs. Pettit resided in Amarillo with her son and daughter in law, since that time. She was truly loved by all and will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on June 23, 2005; two brothers; and a sister.

Survivors include her son, Larry Albert Pettit and wife Phyllis of Amarillo; her three grandchildren, Larinda Pettit Brown of Clarendon, Timothy Pettit of Tyler, and Marteka Pettit of Clovis, New Mexico; five great-grandchildren, Audrey Jones, Hadley Jones, Shaydee Brown, Erin Pettit, and Emma Pettit.

The family suggest memorials be to a favorite charity.

Sign our online guest book at www.RobertsonFuneral.com.

Billy Morgan Salmon, Jr.

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Billy Morgan Salmon, Jr., 80, died Sunday, May 22, 2011, in Lakeview.

Services were held Tuesday, May 24, in the Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon with Leonard Holt, officiating. Interment was held at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, in Memphis.

Mr. Salmon was born on November 25, 1930, in Ely, Texas to Estelline Smith and Billy Morgan Salmon, Sr. He was a US Army veteran serving in the Korean War. He married Martha Pearl Davenport on December 25, 1950 in Lakeview. She preceded him in death on February 17, 1993. He later met his soul mate, Doris Salmon. He had been a lifetime resident of Hall County. He was a Baptist. He loved fishing, hunting, and also enjoyed going to casino’s with friends. He was a man among men. He always believed that when you gave your word to anyone, that you should keep it, and he always did.
He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his soul mate, Doris of Lakeview; he had no children, but he loved all of Doris‘s children, grandkids, and great grandchildren, and was good to all of them. In turn they all loved him.

The family request memorials be to the Citizens Cemetery Association or a favorite charity.

Sign our online guest book at www.RobertsonFuneral.com.

Amanda Sue Strange

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Amanda Sue Strange, 70, died Sunday, May 22, 2011, in Amarillo.

Services were held Thursday, May 26, in First Baptist Church in Claude with Rev. Delbert Serratt & Rev. Jim Brown, officiating. A Private Family Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon prior to services. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Armstrong Chapel of Claude.

Sue was born June 3, 1940, in Childress, Texas, to W.M. and Norma Lorance Corgill. She married Charles Dwain “Bud” Strange on February 3, 1962, in Tulia. She had been a resident of Claude since 1968 and was an active and devoted member of the First Baptist Church in Claude. Her life centered around family. She nurtured and guided them with faith and love. She adored and cherished her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, W.L. Corgill; and a sister, Louise
Hood.

Survivors include her husband, Bud of Claude; a son, Bryan Strange of Amarillo; two daughters, Karen Latta and husband Tommy of Amarillo and Connie Wood and husband Lance of Clarendon; three grandchildren, Courtney, Cody and Colt Wood; three brothers, Ray Corgill of Tulsa, OK, Eugene Corgill and wife Sharon of Midland, Jerry Corgill and wife Mary of Levelland; twenty nieces and nephews and many extended family and friends.

The family suggest memorials be to the Olivia‘s Angels c/o BSA Hospice in Amarillo or First Baptist Church in Claude.

Bronnie Frank McNabb, Jr.

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Bronnie Frank McNabb, Jr., Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Claremont School of Theology, in Claremont, California, died peacefully at Midland Memorial Hospital in Midland, Texas on Tuesday, May 17, 2011. Immediate members of his family were at his bedside continually before his death.

He was born in Corsicana, Texas on August 3, 1951, and is the son of Bronnie F. and JoAnn Nagy McNabb. He graduated from Coriscana High School in 1969 and attended Baylor University where he received a BS from Hankamer School of Business. He holds a graduate degree from Southern Methodist University Graduate School of Banking as well as a Master of Divinity degree from Duke University.

He was employed by First Bank and Trust in Clarendon, Texas for eighteen years, where he served as President and Chairman for eleven years.

He sat on numerous boards, including The Texas Bankers Association, The American Bankers Association, The Don and Cybil Harrington Cancer Center in Amarillo, Texas, and The Federal Reserve. He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church of Clarendon, where he served in many leadership capacities.

After obtaining his degree in Theology, he was ordained into the Methodist Ministry in the Western North Carolina Conference in 1997 and served as President of the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina before acting as the Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California for the last nine years. Bronnie was an avid runner and reader and an active and devoted member of the United Methodist Church. His generosity and wisdom touched so many lives and his sense of humor and magnetic
personality will be truly missed by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his father, Bronnie Frank McNabb, Sr. and survived by Anna Beth Simmons McNabb; daughter, Margaret Anna McNabb; son, James Madison McNabb, all of Charlotte, North Carolina; mother, JoAnn Nagy McNabb, of Corsicana and Midland, Texas; sister, Nancy McNabb Graf of Vernon, Texas; and nephews, John Kenneth Graf of Dallas, Texas and Christopher McNabb Graf of Houston, Texas. He is also survived by Linda and Autry Stephens, and Joe and Lou Nagy of Midland, Texas, and Billy McNabb of Corsicana.

Mr. McNabb fought a courageous battle against glioblastoma multi-form, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, for over three years before the disease eventually took his life.

He received treatment at Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA where he participated in several clinical trials before finding one drug that he responded well to, Avastin. Bronnie was a key contributor in Avastin’s approval for brain cancer treatment by the FDA and in the last years of his life he worked to promote research for treatment of brain cancer so others diagnosed with this disease could benefit from successful treatment options. Memorial contributions can be made to UCLA Neuro Cancer Center, Glioblastoma Cancer Research Fund, attention: Timothy Cloughesy, MD, Los Angeles, California.

Memorial contributions may also be made to the Bronnie F. McNabb, Jr. Theological Library Collection at First United Methodist Church, Clarendon, Texas, The Building Fund of First Baptist Church, Corsicana, Texas, or The Scholarship Fund of Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, California.

Memorial Services were held at First United Methodist Church of Corsicana on Saturday, May 21, with Rev. Terry Tamplen, Rev. B.F. Risinger, Jr. and Rev. Danny Reeves officiating. Burial was held at Dresden Cemetery on Saturday.

An online guestbook is available at www.corleyfuneralhome.com by selecting the Bronnie McNabb, Jr. obituary.

Thelma Griffin Hill

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Graveside services for Thelma Griffin Hill will be held Monday, May 30, 2011 at the Rowe Cemetery at 1:00 p.m.

Hill, age 93, a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama, and formerly of Hedley, died Thursday, September 30, 2010.

Survivors include two sons Joe Watson of Wetumpka, Alabama, Eddie Watson of Enterprise, Alabama; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and three Great Great-Grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Baptist Hospice of Montgomery, Alabama.

City Aldermen cut funds to Chamber

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The Clarendon Chamber of Commerce lost its major funding and its executive director last week, but chamber officials say they are still prepared to help host this summer’s July Fourth activities.

During their regular meeting last Tuesday, the Clarendon Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to terminate the city’s tourism services contract with the chamber. That contract provided the chamber with quarterly payments of $5,000 each – a total of
$20,000 a year – from the city’s Motel Bed Tax Fund to promote tourism.

City officials said they had expressed concerns to Chamber Executive Director Judy Burlin about how the organization accounts for the money it receives from the city, and in February the Board of Aldermen gave the chamber 90 days’ notice to change the way did business or risk losing funding. The city also asked for financial records for the last four years.

Burlin took a leave of absence about that same time and then submitted a letter of resignation to the chamber dated May 9, 2011, and sighting her mother’s health and other circumstances as her reasons for leaving.

Chamber President Charlie Smith and chamber board members Britton Hall and Carol Braddock attended Tuesday’s city meeting, where aldermen were presented with four plastic tubs containing receipts and bank statements for the last four years.

Smith said city funds were deposited into a separate account but then moved into the chamber’s general account, which city officials said was improper.

Looking through the receipts, City Secretary Machiel Covey told Braddock, “This is a phenomenal amount of work, but it doesn’t show me clearly where the money went.”
Mayor Larry Hicks also expressed his displeasure with the chamber.

“We’ve had happen just what we asked not to happen,” Hicks said of the boxes of financial records. “We asked that it not be brought to us at the last minute like this. I would like to ask that we discontinue funds until such time that we can sort through this or have it brought to us in a manner it can be understood.”

But Hicks also voiced his support for the chamber and said he thinks the city can come to a new agreement with the organization.

“The City of Clarendon wants to promote tourism, and I believe that the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce is the best vehicle for providing those services,” Hicks said in a statement to the press. “Our hope is that the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce will assess their situation and will return to us with a new proposal to provide promotion of tourism activities.”

Smith later told the Enterprise that the chamber has money available to get it through July Fourth.

“Do not worry,” he said. “We will have the parade and the Old Settlers Reunion and everything.”

Smith also said the chamber will be reassessing how it conducts its business and that it was not ready to take applications to replace Burlin.

In other city business last week, Aldermen approved $3,500 from the Motel Bed Tax Fund to support the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association’s efforts to promote the annual Saints’ Roost Celebration; approved using grant funds to purchase a used trash truck from the City of Canyon for the recycling department; and approved an agreement with City Secretary Machiel Covey agreeing to pay for certification classes and setting salary increases with each new level of certification.

CEDC awards bids for restoration of Mulkey marquee

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Signs of progress are beginning to be seen at the Mulkey Theatre after the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation accepted two bids to begin working on the theatre’s marquee.

In called meeting last Thursday, the CEDC Board accepted a bid from Wellborn Sign Company in Amarillo to repair the porcelain enamel on the marquee and restore the neon lights on the front and letters of the marquee for a total of $12,940.

The board also accepted a bid from J.B. Covey of Hedley to repair the framing and
decking of the marquee overhang over the old barbershop for $445.

The marquee work approved by the CEDC board will be paid for by money donated to the Mulkey Advisory Committee’s “Bring Back the Mulkey Campaign.”

The CEDC also authorized the hiring of an electrician to run six new circuits to the marquee and discussed different options for repairing, updating, or replacing the marquee faces – the white glass areas where movable letters announce the current attractions. The board agreed to try to preserve the faces as close as possible to their original condition.

The CEDC also requested the city move forward with an agreement to provide power to the theatre as a step toward creating a visitors’ center in the old barbershop.

Next up on the repair agenda will be repairing the roof of the marquee overhang and clearing drains from that area as necessary steps before restoring neon underneath the marquee.

\Donations are still be accepted to help Bring Back the Mulkey. Donors who give $50 or more will be recognized inside the theatre, and donations can be made to Donley County Historical Commission, PO Box 905, Clarendon, TX 79226 and note “Mulkey” in the memo of your check.

Clarendon’s downtown merchants are also supporting the effort by selling paper light bulbs which can be purchased for $1 and are displayed in stores downtown.

For more information about how you can help “Bring Back the Mulkey,” visit www.ClarendonEDC.org or check out www.facebook.com/mulkeytheatre.

Make a run for it

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Clarendon’s Amber Keelin takes the baton from Marqueda Gaines at the midway point of the 800 meter relay Saturday at the state track and field meet in Austin. Enterprise Photo / Travis Harsch

Gaines brings home silver medals

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Clarendon’s Johnny Gaines competes in the Class 1A long jump Friday at the state track and field meet in Austin. Gaines finished second in the long jump with a best attempt of 22 feet, 3/4 inches. Enterprise Photo / Travis Harsch
Johnny Gaines is no ordinary person and certainly no ordinary athlete.

Gaines qualified for the State Track Meet in Austin last weekend in three events, and even though Gaines missed out on the gold, by a combined two and three-fourths inches in the two events, his performance in the meet was stellar.

Gaines jumped to two silver medals and ran for a seventh-place finish in the 300-meter
hurdles.

Gaines jumped a distance of 22’2 ¾” in the long jump for second place, which was only three-fourths of an inch behind the gold medalist.

He then put together a fantastic leap in the triple jump at 45’4” to tie the longest distance at the meet in class 1A. Because of the tie, the winner was determined on the young men’s second longest mark and Gaines fell short again, and this time it was two
inches.

“Forty-five feet four inches was his personal best,” coach Johnny Nino said. “And achieved that jump on his last jump in the finals. He tied for first, but his next jump of 45’1” was less than the other jumper.”

Gaines ran a time of 40:33 in the 300-meter hurdles for a seventh-place finish. The winner of that race ran the distance in a time of 38.37.

“This was Johnny’s third trip to Austin, which is quite an accomplishment,” Nino said. “This year he received his first two medals. I was proud of the way he
competed. Johnny has always represented himself and Clarendon very well. This year was no different. I was very happy for him to finally get a medal at the state meet and I will surely miss his competitive spirit and leadership.”

The Lady Bronco 800-meter relay also competed in the state meet and finished the race in a time of 1:48.85, which was good enough for 8th place. The 1A team from Snook won the gold at a time of 1:43.28. Members of the relay are Amber Keelin, Sarah Luttrell, Marqueda Gaines, and Glory Bryley. Coach Alton Gaines was pleased with the ladies’ performance at the state level.

“The state meet was a real reward on the year for coaches and girls,” Gaines said. “They really worked hard this year to get to that point in the season. I am so honored to be their coach. They put another clip on my highlight reel. Ladies, thank you.”

Gaines knows the girls that ran at state are young and the experience they gained in Austin was huge.

“The meet was pretty intimidating,” Gaines said. “They were able to see what it is going to take to get back to the state meet next year and the hard work they are going to have to invest in, in order to run with that type of competition. They ran really well and we got the experience we needed to repeat next year. Again, thanks for a heck of a year ladies.”

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