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Morgan Wheatly

Kenneth Graves

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Kenneth Graves, 81, died Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in Memphis, Texas.

Graveside Services were held Monday, July 2, 2012, in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley with Rev. Anthony Knowles, officiating. Inurnment at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley. Cremation and Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

Kenneth was born August 8, 1930, in Winchester, Missouri to William and Ada Carrol Graves. He had been a resident of Amarillo prior to moving to Hedley 2 years ago, he was a carpenter, and was a Baptist.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a son, Mickey Graves.

He is survived by a daughter, Kathy Turner of Hedley; a granddaughter, Angie Turner of Hedley; 2 grandsons, James Turner of Memphis and Troy Turner of Lubbock; 3 great grandchildren, Fayde, Paris, and Presley Turner.

The family request memorials be sent to a favorite charity.

Opinions:Independence celebrates sacrifice

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I loved standing in front of Henson’s, watching the horses prance by, two by two, their riders proudly carrying American and Texas flags. Rodeo queens, decked out in their colorful finery, came next. An ancient fire truck, with siren wailing and firemen gently tossing candy through the warm July air, followed closely behind. We had to be careful when scrambling to grab the candy scattered among the horse apples. The Fourth of July parade remains one of my finest memories of growing up in Clarendon.

Fred Gray.

After the parade we would congregate on the courthouse lawn for the Independence Day barbecue. The line would snake along the shaded areas of the sidewalk as we slowly made our way through the line, helping ourselves to heaping portions of barbecue and all the fixings. While eating, we would listen to the adults converse about patriotic aspects of our history.

That evening, as the July heat slowly ebbed, everyone would head out to the rodeo grounds for the rodeo, the finest entertainment of the year. The last event, bull riding, was the apex of the show, and was the stuff of dreams when our heads finally hit our pillows that night.

As I grew older, I began to think more of our founding fathers and the sacrifices made while founding this great country. Independence Day has, for me, become a time to reflect on the enormous cost of keeping this great republic free.

Our freedom was purchased with the blood and suffering of countless soldiers, sailors, and their families. Throughout the ensuing years our freedom has come at a terrible cost, in the blood and lives of our military men and women, many of whom continue to suffer from grievous wounds to body and soul.

I’m eternally grateful that I was born an American citizen and have the opportunity to live my life with the full blessings that American citizenship offers. Even so, I feel a strong obligation to pay homage to those who have gone before me and sacrificed their blood and lives so that I may enjoy the benefits of living in the greatest nation in history.

It’s my hope that we will not despoil our American citizenship by sharing it too freely with people from other lands, people who choose to illegally enter this great land and steal the freedoms and benefits paid with the blood, sweat, and tears of those who have gone before, and those who will come later.

This Independence Day, I will celebrate the founding of the United States of America and I will do so with a special appreciation for the sacrifices made by American servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives in order to preserve our freedom. I’m grateful for our veterans and for those who now serve in our military.

While we may rightfully disagree politically, all Americans have an obligation to treat our military personnel with respect and dignity. I still remember how dishonorably our Viet Nam veterans were treated back in the 1960s and 1970s, by a small segment of our population. Their treatment was inexcusable.

Another wonderful attribute of the American experience is freedom to disagree politically. For example, the recent Supreme Court ruling has definitely added fireworks to the national debate about health care. Earlier this year, when the Court announced that it would consider the Affordable Care Act, I told Roger that I felt like the Supreme Court would, in fact, affirm Obamacare. Roger was, and is, of the opinion that it is unconstitutional.

I based my opinion on reports that I had read about Chief Justice Roberts when he was going through the confirmation process. Anyway, I predicted that the Court would affirm the Affordable Care Act six to three.

When the Court announced its decision Roger was absolutely apoplectic. Rather than trying to explain his disappointment I encourage our readers to read his column in this week’s edition of the paper. His position is well thought-out and cogently presented.

The Supreme Court’s decision will most assuredly add some much-needed fireworks to the elections of 2012, perhaps the most important elections in our lifetime. The decision may just be the catalyst needed to get Mitt Romney elected president.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Independence Day. We live in a truly magnificent country, a country worthy of our respect. Let’s not forget those who sacrificed so much to keep her free.

Roberta “MiMi” Pittman

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Roberta “MiMi” Pittman, 98, died Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Clarendon.

Roberta "MiMi" Pittman

Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 23, 2012, in the First Christian Church in Clarendon with Jim McElroy and Rev. Darrell Burton, officiating. Interment followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon, Texas. Arrangements were made by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

Roberta “MiMi” Pittman was born in Flower Mound, Texas to Thomas R. and Dora Simmons Adkins. She attended Martin and Clarendon Schools as well as Clarendon College. She married Carl M. Pittman on November 29, 1930 in Hollis, Oklahoma. She was owner/operator of the Dry Cleaners in Clarendon. As a diehard Republican, Roberta served as Campaign Chairman of the Republican Party for Donley County. She was involved in Clarendon High School Band Boosters and the PTA; was a Daughter of the American Revolution; the first woman in Donley County to ride in an airplane; and a former recipient of the Donley County Pioneer Woman of the Year Award. Roberta spent most of her life in Clarendon where she was a life-long member of the First Christian Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl M. Pittman, in 1988; her son, Alfred Keith Pittman; her daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Billy Jack Jordan; 4 brothers, Jake Adkins, T.R. Adkins, Glenn Adkins, and Byrd Adkins; and her sister, Ola Mae Adkins.

She is survived by her son, Bill C. Pittman and wife Vivian, of San Antonio; 2 daughters, Jeanie Johnson and husband Roy, of Clarendon, and Judy Burlin of Clarendon; 10 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren, and 6 great-great grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church in Clarendon or to Citizens Cemetery Association, PO Box 983, Clarendon, Texas 79226.

Harold R. Darby

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Harold R. Darby, 85, passed away Tuesday, June 19, 2012.

The funeral was held at 3 p.m. Friday in Laurel Land Chapel of Chimes. Interment was at Laurel Land Memorial Park.

Harold R. Darby

Harold was born June 7, 1927, in Cale, Ark., to Ross and Bradis Darby. He grew up in the Texas Panhandle, graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in electrical engineering. He retired from Lockheed Martin in 1984 and continued as a consultant for several years. As a hobby, he enjoyed boating and working on family genealogy. Harold was preceded in death by his first wife, Dorothy Kemp Darby.

He was survived by his wife of 28 years, Billie Hodnett Darby; son, Harold Craig Darby and wife, Jan; granddaughter, Tami VanGompel and husband, Jeff; great-grandchildren, Tyler and Brooklyn VanGompel; stepchildren, Susan Everitt and husband, Herb, Rick Bulman and wife, Sheila, and Dale Bulman and wife, Anna.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Community Hospice of Texas or to a charity of choice.

James Bruce Ariola

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James Bruce Ariola, 74, of Clarendon, died Monday, June 18, 2012, in Amarillo.

James Bruce Ariola

Services were held on Friday, June 22, 2012, at the Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon on the JA Highway with John R. Hall and Larry Harvey, officiating. Burial followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Arrangements were made by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.

Mr. Ariola was born Jan. 31, 1938, in Vernon to Gaylon and Gertie Ariola. He married Katherine Sanders on Dec. 20, 1958 in Memphis. He was a farmer.

He was preceded in death by a son, James Allen Ariola; a daughter, Kathy Linnae Ariola; and a sister, Shirley Ann Hodges.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Katherine Ariola, of the home; two daughters, Janice Harvey and husband Larry of Amarillo and Sulynn Mester and husband Randy of Childress; two sisters, Ella Mae Gillespie of Durant, OK and Lajuana Sue Tucker of Amarillo; three brothers-in-law, Leonard Sanders and wife Edna of Topeka, KS, Kenneth Hugh Sanders and wife Lois of Iola, KS and Larry Earl Sanders of Ft. Worth; three grandsons, Matt Brandes of Amarillo, Josh Brandes of Ft. Worth and Kris Ariola of Austin; three great-grandsons, Ky Brandes, Zach Brandes and Hannon Brandes; and numerous cousins including Norman Gann and wife Alice of Brice.

Clarendon prepares to welcome visitors

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Clarendon is getting ready to roll out the red carpet for visitors to the 135th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration, which will be held next week July 4, 6, and 7.

Downtown will be the site of the first activities this year with all the happenings on Wednesday, July 4, at the Courthouse Square. The Craft Fair begins at 9 a.m. with the Kids Bicycle Parade starting at 10 a.m. followed by the Shriners’ Barbecue at 11 a.m.

The afternoon of the Fourth will see the Western Parade at 2 p.m. and the Lions Club’s Cow Patty Bingo.

That night the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association will hold its junior ranch rodeo at 7:30 p.m. with a dance to follow on the slap at 9 p.m. with Trevor Leeper providing the music.

The Ranch Rodeo will be held Friday and Saturday, July 6 and 7, with rough stock provided by Bill Hext and Ed Montana announcing. Chris Clerihew & The West Coast Turnarounds will provide music for the dance on Friday and Buster Bledsoe Band will open for Tommy Gallagher & Brimstone on Saturday.

Other celebration favorites, including the Downtown Depression Luncheon and the Henson’s Turtle Race will be held on Friday this year.

Watch next week’s Clarendon Enterprise for more information about the celebration. For a booth on the square, contact the County Extension office at 874-2141, and for parade entries, call the Chamber at 874-2421.

Local attractions offer fun close to home

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This summer may be the perfect time for local folks to take an exciting vacation in… Donley County!

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High gas prices and tight family budgets across the nation have many people looking for alternatives to the traditional summer vacation by looking for activities close to home, and Donley County and the surrounding area offer plenty of opportunities for families to have fun without breaking the bank.

“Stay-cations” became popular between 2007 and 2010, and the term refers to individuals or families relaxing at home or taking day trips to local attractions instead of traveling great distances and spending large sums on extended vacations. The term became so common that it was added to the Merriam –Webster Collegiate Dictionary in 2009.

Staycationers create the feel of a traditional vacation by avoiding their usual routines and spending quality time at local parks, museums, and other attractions that local folks may not visit every day.

Clarendon’s Saints’ Roost Celebration next week – July 4, 6, and 7 – is one obvious opportunity for all kinds of family activities right here at home, but there are even more nearby places to take your staycation this summer that you may not have thought about.

Get out of the house for a night or two and book a room at the Best Western Red River Inn to enjoy a relaxing time with excellent accommodations. In addition to the indoor pool and spa, the Red River Inn offers Jacuzzi suites for private in-room relaxation, and breakfast is a snap with the complimentary deluxe continental breakfast. Pet friendly rooms are available, and the hotel also has its own exercise facility. Call 874-0160 for more information.

While you’re out for a night or two, be sure to visit one of the most unique entertainment experiences in the area by taking in a movie at the Sandell Drive-In. Showing the latest Hollywood attractions with its new digital projection system, the Sandell also boasts having the best hamburger in town at its concession stand, so make it a night under the stars in your car and have a blast! Check the Enterprise each week for the coming weekend attractions.

If you want a uniquely Western experience for your staycation, spend some time at the Bar H Dude Ranch three miles west of Clarendon. Go for an afternoon of horseback riding or an evening meal or take a couple of days and stay in one of the Bar H’s family bunkhouses for the complete experience. It’s all good clean fun, and a great way to experience Clarendon’s cowboy heritage. Call 874-2634 for reservations.

Close to home but far from stress is a relaxing stay at the Wedding Ranch southeast of Clarendon. In addition to being a great location for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and reunions, the Wedding Ranch is also a great place just to go relax for an evening at the Honeymoon Cottage. Take a dip in the hot tub and admire the tranquility of the scenic countryside. To find out more about enjoying the amenities of the Wedding Ranch, give them a call at 874-0136.

A rustic ranch house and nearly a hundred years of family history await visitors to the Finch Ranch Lodge south of Hedley. This beautiful West Texas bed and breakfast is the perfect place to get away from it all for a night or a weekend. Rest, relax, and enjoy bird watching, backpacking, and hiking in one of the most pleasing locations in Donley County. You’ll be glad you discovered this hidden gem. For more information, call 856-5930.

And if you just want to get out of town for a day with the kids, it’s hard to beat a trip to Wonderland Amusement Park in Amarillo. Rides for kids of all ages, putt putt golf, and all kinds of “fair food” await thrill-seekers at the end of a short drive into the city. For more information, call 383-0832.

Details and information about all of these staycation possibilities are available on the back page of this week’s Enterprise. And there are plenty of other enjoyable activities right in our own backyard this summer. Read the Enterprise each week to keep up with events coming your way.

Hearty donation

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Last Thursday, June 21, 2012 SWECO donated $500 to the Clarendon Fire Department. SWECO’s Customer Service Representative, Tony Barley (left), presented the check to Fire Chef Jeremy Powell and SWEPCO Service Tech Jason Messer. Both Jeremy and Jason are a part of the Volunteer Fire Department. Enterprise Photo / Morgan Wheatly

Down and dirty

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Ray Pena of Ralls, Texas, goes down the slip and slide last week. He was among the more than 350 FFA members who were on the Clarendon College campus last week for the Area I FFA Leadership Conference. The four-day event brings kids and sponsors from all over the region to Clarendon and is an excellent recruiting event for the college in addition to being an economic boost to the community. Enterprise Photo / Kari Lindsey

Enterprise brings home several awards from state

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The Clarendon Enterprisereceived two first place plaques last Saturday during the Texas Press Association’s Summer Convention in San Antonio.

Roger Estlack at the TPA convention. Enterprise Photo / ELLA Estlack

The Enterprise competed in Division 9 – Small-Medium Weeklies – this year, up from Division 10 last year, and also received three fourth place awards.

Editor Roger Estlack received first place in Feature Photos and also in Editorial Writing for his comments on the need for a strong, reorganized Chamber of Commerce and comments following the murder of Chance Jones.

News Photos by Kari Lindsey and Anndria Newhouse took fourth place. Judges said Lindsey’s picture from the 2011 Veterans Day service at Rowe Cemetery depicted the solemn tone of the occasion and said Newhouse’s picture of firefighters taking a break from battling a wildfire captured the heat of the day.

Judges awarded fourth place to the paper for News Writing and also gave the paper fourth place honors for its Back To School Special Section as a helpful tool for parents.

This year 169 newspapers submitted 1,703 entries in the Texas Better Newspaper Contest. The contest is broken down into 10 divisions in which newspapers compete against papers of similar circulation size. Twenty papers competed in Division 9.

Attending the convention and representing the Enterprise were Roger, Ashlee, Ben, and Ella Estlack

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