Archives for October 2015
Little Broncos
Editorial: Reaching a milestone
They say time flies when you’re having fun, and it certainly appears to be the case as your editor marks 20 years on the job this month.
Two decades is a milestone to be sure. Some folks might say that’s a good point to shift directions. In my case, it puts me just under half-way to my great uncle George Wayne Estlack’s mark as having the longest tenure in our paper’s history.
To say that a lot has changed since 1995 would be a vast understatement. Clarendon has changed, the newspaper business has changed, and Lord knows our world has changed. Some things we could see coming, and many things have caught us by surprise.
My position gives me some advance notice of things to come from time to time. For instance, I learned four weeks ago from a press release that there is “A strong likelihood that October 7, 2015, will be the End of the World!” This column is being written October 6, so I’m assuming you’re going to be around to read it. If you’re not, well, I guess I just missed the biggest news event of my career and I apologize in advance for not forewarning you last month. I just didn’t want you to panic.
If I thought tomorrow really was “the end,” I’d write a more appropriate column for our final issue. But honestly, the world has ended, the anti-christ has come, and the country has gone to hell many times since October 1995.
We do our best to deal in the facts as best we can discern them and leave the prophecy and nail-biting to others.
Surprises have been in abundance. If you had brought two fifth graders and a pre-Kindergarten student into my office that first week I was on the job and told me that I would be married to one and the others would largely run the paper by 2015, I’m sure I would not have believed that. And yet here we are… and with a Cub Reporter and a Cub Photographer learning the ropes to hopefully follow their old man someday.
My professors at Texas Tech prepared my generation of journalism students for what they thought the digital revolution would bring to the newspaper business. They weren’t far off with how our paper is now read on electronic devices, but I don’t think anyone expected how totally dependent people would become on their “telephones.”
We can disseminate information now quicker and to a wider audience than we could in 1995 when we were bound strictly to the printed newspaper. But our obligation – my obligation – remains unchanged… to bring you the most accurate information we can, to connect our readers with the stories they care about, and to do what we can to improve our community.
This year’s National Newspaper Week theme is “Power of the Press.” That power or influence is derived from the trust that you, the reader, places in your local newspaper. Your faith in us and our advertisers’ support of us allows us the privilege of keeping you abreast of everything you need to know about life in Clarendon and Donley County. From what your city council is doing to what’s going on with this exciting waterpark opportunity to how the Broncos, Owls, and Bulldogs are doing to who has the best sales this week, it is our honor to serve you.
Thank you all for your support these last 20 years. Your confidence has meant the world to me and my family, and we look forward to continuing to serve this great community.
Thomas Byron “Tom” Shults
Thomas Byron “Tom” Shults, 93, died on Saturday, October 3, 2015, in Memphis.
Services were held on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, in the First Baptist Church in Clarendon with Rev. Lance Wood, officiating.
Burial followed at Becton Cemetery in Becton, Lubbock County, Texas.
Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Tom was born January 24, 1922, in Childress to William and Sarah Elizabeth Shults. He married Cleta Bell Becton on May 1, 1950, in Carlsbad. He grew up in Hedley and had been a resident of Clarendon since 1976. He cared about people and enjoyed visiting people in the nursing home. He also loved visiting Clarendon and Hedley Sr. Citizens where he played dominoes. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Clarendon.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife in 2007; a son, Tommy Mack Shults in 1956; 4 brothers; 2 sisters; and a grandson.
He is survived by a daughter, Kathy Bateman and husband John of Arlington; a granddaughter, Emily Ellis of Amarillo; a granddaughter in law, Jill Bateman of Grand Prairie; and 3 great grandchildren, Autumn and Amanda Ellis, and Sophie Bateman.
The family request memorials be sent to the Donley County Sr. Citizens in Clarendon or the Hedley Sr. Citizens.
Willie Lou Morris
Willie Lou Morris, 83, died Monday, September 28, 2015, in McLean.
Services were held on Thursday, October 1, 2015, in the Cowboy Church in McLean with Casey Carter, officiating.
Burial followed at Hillcrest Cemetery in McLean.
Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of McLean.
Willie Lou was born September 11, 1932, in Mason County, Texas to Oliver and Sarah Cromeans. She had been a resident of McLean since 1965 and was a nurse’s aide prior to her retirement. She volunteered for several years every Wednesday at the Trinity Church, and also at the nursing home even after her retirement. She loved cooking, sewing, crocheting, crosswords, and reading. She was a member of the Cowboy Church in McLean.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a daughter, Wilma Steward; 3 brothers, Roy, Orville, and Jay Cromeans; a granddaughter, Brandy June Morris; and a great great granddaughter, Holleigh Christopher.
She is survived by four daughters, Juanice Christopher of Clarendon, Connie Fricks, Carol Wyant, and Joann West all of McLean; a brother, Earl Cromeans of Glen Rose; 23 grandchildren; and numerous great and great great grandchildren.
The family request memorials be sent to a favorite charity.
Melvin Russell Guinn
Melvin Russell Guinn, 57, Saturday, October 3, 2015, in Memphis.
Memorial services were held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2015, in the First Assembly of God Church in Memphis with Ronnie Lambert, officiating.
Burial followed in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley.
Cremation & arrangements are under the directions of Robertson Funeral Directors of Memphis.
Melvin was born November 15, 1957, in Clarendon to Eugene and Cora Marie Guinn. He married Debra Ann Roehr on February 5, 1999, in Memphis. He had been a resident of Clarendon and Memphis most of his life. He was a member of the First Assembly of God in Memphis.
He is preceded in death by his father, Gene Guinn; his daddy, R.L. Norton; 2 brothers, Raymond Norton and Jerry Guinn; and a grandson, Phillip Buhler.
He is survived by his mother, Cora Marie Norton of Brownwood; his wife, Debra Guinn of Memphis; 2 sons, Russell Kain and wife Jeanette of Memphis and Russell Guinn and wife Taylee of Clarendon; 3 daughters, Chris Henson and husband Jeff of Clarendon, Brandy Rivers and husband John of Canadian, and Sarah Moon of Fritch; a step son, Jason Turner and wife Lisa of Silverton; a step daughter, Amy Busch and husband Jason of Abilene; a brother, Jimmy Guinn of Brownfield; 3 sisters, Carla Guinn of California, Deborah Criddle and husband Ron, and Jody York; his step mother, Ruby Guinn of Brownfield; and 18 grandchildren.
The family request memorials be sent to the Memphis Vol. Fire Department or the Hall County EMS.
William Harold Browning Jr.
William Harold Browning Jr. died in Amarillo on October 4, 2015, at the age of 66. Services were held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2015, in the Vega Church of Christ with Brad Thompson officiating. Graveside service will be at 1:00 p.m. in Clarendon at Citizens Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
William Harold Browning Jr. (Bill), the fourth child and first son of Harold and Naveta Browning, was born December 28, 1948. Bill grew up on a farm west of Vega. As soon as he was old enough to do farm work, he worked for his dad doing the many chores associated with farm life. Bill attended school in Vega all 12 years and graduated from Vega High School in 1967. He was an outstanding football player in high school. As a senior, Bill played on Vega’s first regional championship team. (This was the equivalent of today’s state championship). Bill was also very active in Future Farmers of America and received the American Farmer Degree which is the highest award given by the FFA. He was the first student at Vega High School to receive this award.
After high school graduation Bill went to Amarillo Junior College and then Cooke County Junior College in Gainesville, Texas. He then transferred to West Texas State University in Canyon.
He married Susan Simmons on December 20, 1969. After their marriage, they lived in Bushland where they farmed. Bill and Susan moved to Frederick, OK in 1980 were they continued to farm until 1994. In 1986, Susan started Show String, which was a monogramming business. After Bill quit farming, he spent more time helping with the monogramming business. Bill and Susan traveled all over the country with the Show String Monogramming Company. In 2004 Bill and Susan moved back to Bushland. Bill worked for Robinson Construction, a contractor in Amarillo, until he suffered a heart attack in 2007. They moved to Amarillo in 2008 where he has resided until his death. Bill was a member of the Vega Church of Christ.
Bill was a man who loved John Wayne and The Dallas Cowboys. He valued hard work and was a source of support and encouragement to his family and friends. He was a master of orneriness. He loved a good joke and playing jokes on people. Bill had the most joyful laugh: deep and boisterous. Above all he had an intense love for family. He instilled in his family a determination and desire to love those around them. He survived a massive heart attack for eight years because he was a fighter. That fight ended with the ultimate peace. He left this earth to be with Jesus.
He is survived by his wife Susan Carol Browning and three children, William Harold Browning III (Trace) and wife Cindy, Julie Suzanne Stone and husband Jeb and John David Browning and wife Dina; eight grandchildren, Brooke Browning, William Harold Browning IV, Levi Browning, Sasha Stone, Kayla Browning, Abbigail Browning, Jayson Browning, and Henry Browning; and four siblings, Sue Thompson, Patty Browning, Tippy Browning and Sam Browning and his wife Linda; by brothers-in-law David Simmons and wife Tamyra and Chris Simmons and wife Lynda, and sister-in-law Dana Herrell and husband John. He is also survived by a multitude of nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.
His parents, Harold and Naveta Browning, brother-in-law, Marvin Thompson, nephew Lynn Thompson and his wife’s parents, John and Sara Simmons, precede him in death.
The family suggests memorials to The Hali Project and BSA Hospice.
Stephen “Steve” Vaughan
Stephen “Steve” Vaughan, 62, of Amarillo, died Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.
Memorial services were held on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, at Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.
Steve was born Sept. 5, 1953, in Clarendon, to Kenneth and Melba Vaughan. He graduated from Clarendon High School and West Texas State University. Steve married Jennie Ledbetter on Feb. 3, 1990, in Amarillo. He was a Christian.
Steve owned Steve’s Paint and Body Shop and then he became an insurance appraiser with Texas Farm Bureau, finishing his career as an appraiser with Moss Body Shop. He was fond of muscle cars and fly-fishing.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Jennie Vaughan, of the home; a son, Nicholas Lightfoot of Amarillo; a daughter, Kimberley Vaughan Baker and husband Kevin, of Amarillo; a sister, Linda Vaughan of Ft. Worth; his stepmother, Billie Vaughan; four stepbrothers; and 4 grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be to City Church of Amarillo, 205 S Polk St, Amarillo, TX 79101or Clarendon College, P.O. Box 968, Clarendon, TX 79226
Goodnight Gathering 2015
Reader Comments