Leading agent
Enterprise wins PPA community service award
The Clarendon Enterprise received nine awards as well as a community service award at the 111th annual Panhandle Press Association Convention in Amarillo last Saturday, July 24.
Competing in Division One for weekly newspapers, Benjamin Estlack picked up First Place for the Enterprise for Humorous Columns.
The Enterprise won second place honors for Best Sports Photos by Elaina Estlack and Benjamin Estlack, Spot News Photos by Elaina Estlack and Roger Estlack, Advertising Initiative for work by Ashlee Estlack and Roger Estlack, News Writing by Roger Estlack, Best Society & Lifestyles, and Best Feature Stories.
The newspaper also received third place for Headline Writing and Special Sections.
In addition, the Enterprise received the Ken Towery Community Service Award for its comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its use of social media and online reporting to inform the public about that disease and for the impact of the Donley County Social Hour during that time – a weekly Facebook Live featuring Editor Roger Estlack and Donley County Attorney Landon Lambert.
General Excellence in Division One this year went to the Canadian Record.
Former Texas Spur owners Grady and Jo Ann Harrison were inducted into the PPA Hall of Fame.
This year’s convention also included a Past Presidents Reunion which attracted about 18 former PPA presidents and secretaries. Convention attendees also this year enjoyed an Amarillo Sod Poodles game at Hodgetown in addition to the regular camaraderie and work sessions.
The PPA was led this year by Fritch publisher Tara Huff, who will remain on the board as the Immediate Past President. Other board members include President Jeff Blackmon of Hereford, Vice President Tim Ritter of Canyon, and Secretary/Treasurer Roger Estlack of Clarendon along with directors Mary Dudley of Perryton, Michael Wright of Dumas, Mary Smithee of Canadian, and Shane Lance of Quanah
Attending this year’s annual Panhandle Press Association convention from Clarendon were Roger, Ashlee, Benjamin, and Elaina Estlack and Tara and Mason Allred along with Doug, Nancy, Aaron, Amy, Gage, and Paden Kidd and Michael, Anndria, Matthew, and Monroe Newhouse.
Milton Matthew Mann
Milton Matthew Mann, 80, of Clarendon died Wednesday, July 21, 2021, at his home in Clarendon.
Graveside services were held July 24, 2021, at Citizens Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Milton was born October 25, 1940, in Clarendon to Chester” Doc” and Mary Slater Mann. He married Donna Maupin in Lubbock on November 18, 1961.
Milton was an Ag teacher for 40 plus years in Boys Ranch, Clarendon and Higgins. He led many of his students to leadership contest often to the state level. After his retirement, Milton continued to help with the Donley County Livestock show in Clarendon each year as the swine superintendent and numerous other duties. He also enjoyed his grandchildren, great grandchildren, his farm and cattle raising.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Chester Mann and sister Mary Williams.
He is survived by his wife, Donna; son, Matt Mann and wife Judy of Canadian; daughters, Starla Mann of Arlington and Susan Anders and husband Jay of Pampa; five grandchildren, Dustin Willyard and wife Brittany, Cierra Burks and husband Wade, Charles Michael III and wife Sunny, Sarah Mitchell and husband Seth and Wilson Anders; seven great grandchildren, Emma, Conner, Colton, Cannon, Landon, Levi, McKinzie and Grayson; sister, Wilma Lindley and husband Harold and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
The family request memorials be sent to Donley County Activity Center or Donley County Jr. Livestock Association PO Box 661 Clarendon, Tx 79226.
Mike Lee Smith
Mike Lee Smith, 89, of Clarendon passed July 21, 2021.
He was born in Donley County to Paul and Francis Smith on October 28, 1931. He grew up on the family farm East of Clarendon with three brothers and two sisters.
After graduating Clarendon High School, he joined the Navy and served during the Korean War. After his service, he returned home and entered Clarendon College, then transferred on to West Texas State University. During that time, he met the love of his life, Margaret Gayle Cushing and they were wed August 22, 1959. Two years later, after a brief time in Borger, they returned to the area they loved and moved onto the Cushing Ranch in Briscoe and Hall counties where he worked, owned and lived until the day he died. During these years, he served many of them on the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association board and was a member of the Silverton United Methodist Church.
He was pre-deceased by his parents; his wife, Margaret; brothers, Harold, Joe, and Jimmie Smith; nephews, Joe & Kim Smith, Mike Nelson, and Jeff Tyra; and numerous close friends.
He is survived by sons, Bill Smith and wife DeLane of Silverton, and Lee Smith of Clarendon; granddaughters, Ashley, Shayna, and Samantha Smith; sisters, Barbara Nelson of Wichita, KS, and Janie Tyra and husband Ronnie of Amarillo, TX; and numerous other nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews, as well as many many good friends.
Services were held on Monday, July 26th at United Methodist Church in Silverton. The family asks for donations to your local or closest Volunteer Fire Department or volunteer EMS in lieu of flowers.
Glenn “Papa” Judd
Glenn “Papa” Judd passed away on July 24, 2021, at the age of 76, in Georgetown, Texas.
Glenn wore many hats as a husband, father, grandfather, and veteran to name a few. He is survived by his wife, Claudette “Meme” Judd, and three children, Brandon Judd, Sherri Young, and Christal Judd, and their spouses, along with his 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
Glenn was known for his famous one-liners that include, but are not limited to, “Gah!” “36?!” ”Turkey??” and “What was it I liked, Claude??.” He graduated from Clarendon High School in ’63 where he played football, basketball, and ran track. He went on to graduate from Texas State in ’79 with a degree in Commercial Arts.
Glenn was a die-hard Dallas Cowboy, Texas Longhorn, East View Patriot, and Clarendon Bronco fan. Though there were many tense nights due to his unrequited love for the Cowboys (yes – even during their losing streaks), he filled his home with laughter, family, and chaos ‘round-the-clock.
Glenn was a highly decorated hero with honors including Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V, and two Purple Hearts among many others. He served in Public Affairs and helped facilitate the visit from Ronald Reagan when he gave his famous “tear down that wall” speech, as well as the spy exchange of Anatoly Shcharansky. While serving in Berlin, he was a press escort for Ralph Lauren, Bill Wallace, and Harrison Ford. He also served two tours in Vietnam. After 23 years of service in the Army, he retired as a Sergeant Major.
His final retirement in the civilian world was at Home Depot. Despite not receiving commissions, his competitive nature led him to be rewarded as the 2nd best appliance salesman in the nation while he was assigned to the Euless, Texas, store.
Glenn was loved and admired by anyone he met and will be missed greatly. “To know him was to love him.”
Family and Friends are invited to attend the graveside service that will be held on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon at 2:00 p.m.
J.R. Kennedy
J.R. Kennedy, 93, of Hedley died Sunday, July 25, 2021 at his residence.
Graveside services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley with Rev. Bruce Howard and Johnny Hoggatt, officiating. Burial will follow in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley.
Viewing will be Wednesday at the funeral home. Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
J.R. was born January 2, 1928, in Hall County to Elmo Pete and Willie Polask Kennedy. He married Gloria Lavon “Bonnie” Wilson on December 12, 1953, in Pampa. He had been a resident of Hedley since 1956 where he farmed and ranched. He had served on the Quail school board for several years, FSA Committee for a couple of years, and helped with the Hedley Volunteer Fire Department. J.R. was a member of the First Baptist Church of Hedley where he helped in the church where he was needed.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; 1 brother; and 4 sisters.
Survivors include his sons, Jimmy Kennedy and Bill Kennedy both of Hedley.
The family request memorials be sent to the Rowe Cemetery Association or Kindred Hospice.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
Susan McKee
Clarendon resident Susan McKee passed away peacefully in her home on July 16, 2021.
She lived three weeks after a breast cancer diagnosis, but always a pragmatist about death, she chose to live that time surrounded by family and friends.
“You can all do whatever kind of Celebration of Life you want to after I’m gone,” she told her family shortly after coming home from the hospital, “But I want to celebrate while I’m alive! I want to participate!” Family from coast to coast traveled to spend time with her, laugh, cook, and reminisce. It was a wonderful occasion for her. A wonderful occasion for us all.
Susan began working as a 911 dispatcher for the Donley County Sheriff’s Office in 1999 and retired in 2016. As the emergency dispatcher, she was the voice heard by the deputies, EMS, and firemen relaying information to them as they raced through the nights.
She liked to drop off anonymous boxes of candy and treats to her first responder friends, but it was an open secret. Everyone knew when a box arrived who it was from.
Susan will be remembered for her genuine kindness and a biting wit sense of humor. Born and raised in California, she was known by some as simply The Hippie.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Stanley and Miss Ellie McKee, both of Clarendon; and her sisters, Flindy and Rebecca.
Susan is survived by her brother, Jeff McKee of Clarendon; sister, Diane (Frank) of Arizona; niece, Shirley (Paul) Deese of Dothan, AL; niece, Barbara Wilhite of Las Vegas, NV; Jeff (Lisa) Hedrick of Muscle Shoals, AL; niece, Amy (Danny) Halcomb and their daughters, Delany and Ruby, of Newcastle, CA; nephew, Tor (April) and their son, Owen, of Hanford, CA; grandniece, Wendi (Ana) Hurst-Juerrero and their daughter, Ellie, of Hanford, CA; grandniece, Mallory (Tim) and their children, Timothy and Elinor, of Summerville, SC; and Stoney (Jillian) and their son, Griffin, of Jacksonville, FL.
Susan’s family would like to express a heartfelt shout-out to some incredibly special people. Sis Bond of Kindred Hospice. Sis, you were our hero and our teacher. Thank you for everything. Anna, Heather, and the entire EMS team, thank you so much for the unwavering help you gave Susan. Butch, Cheryl, and Deana of the Donley County Sheriff’s Office, you were family. Thank you, all of her friends and acquaintances around town for your condolences as we passed on the street, it was comforting. Lastly, Kelly and Sonny. I guess we will never know.
An informal Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday morning, July 31 from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Come and go as you please, help yourself to some coffee, juice, and assorted breads and cakes. Listen to others and tell your own ‘Susan Story’. It will be held at her home at 721 W. 7th Street (SE corner of 7th and S. Allen) in Clarendon. Please feel free to stop in.
Howardwick enjoys 2021 Hoedown
Howardwick reports that its 2021 Hoedown was the best one so far after an estimated 250 people attended the event last Saturday, July 17.
“It was a great event, even better than the first one,” City Secretary Sandra Childress said. “I am so thankful for our community volunteers and was super pleasantly surprised at the turnout.”
Two days before the event, Childress had planned to have McMorries Memorial Park mowed by city employees for the event. But before the scheduled mowing could happen, a squadron of community volunteers showed up on riding lawnmowers and did the job without being asked.
Childress said food sold out for the Hoedown and said “The Twerks” did an excellent job providing music for the event.
“I’ll hire that band a hundred times,” she said. “They were so good and played a lot of different things.”
A water slide dubbed “The Big Kahuna” was a hit among kids, and a petting zoo and freedom train were also popular.
Raffle drawings throughout the day made winners of many people attending the Hoedown. Childress said prizes for the raffle kept being donated to the city right up through the last second.
Gene White was the winner of the John Boat, which was the big prize for the day.
The Hoedown, the second one since 2019, was scheduled to run through 6 p.m., but at about ten minutes until six, Childress said a storm hit with high wind and heavy rain.
“It ended with a bang,” Childress said, and she is already making plans for the future.
“My head is spinning for the next one,” she said. “I think it can be even better.”
Farm 2 Table
County to consider architect for courthouse repairs
Moving forward with repairs to the 1890 Courthouse will be among the agenda items Donley County Commissioners will consider when they meet Monday in a called session.
Donley County Judge John Howard said commissioners will consider qualification proposals from architects during the meeting. After an architect firm is scored and selected, the county will negotiate with that firm for services to oversee repairs to the water damage caused by February’s winter storm and ensure that the work is done to the standards expected by the Texas Historical Commission.
The judge said the damage is covered by the county’s insurance, but it is likely to be expensive because the cost of materials and labor has gone up.
Howard also said that in discussions with the THC, it is possible that county could be awarded more money for courthouse restoration work and that part of that work might be focused on the sandstone around the base of the building, which has had a problem with spalling.
Preservationists had hoped to address that problem almost 20 years ago when the courthouse was restored, but the work at the time was cost prohibitive.
Howard says it’s possible that technological advancements may now help the county permanently solve that problem.
The county will also be looking to replace the HVAC units in the attic, one of which was the source of the water leak that destroyed the county attorney’s office and caused damage throughout much of the building earlier this year.
In other county business, commissioners met in regular session July 12 and continued discussions on overtime pay and compensation for sheriff’s deputies and county jailers/dispatchers. Howard said county officials are still working out the details of those issues.
The county is developing a paid leave quarantine policy for those exposed to a communicable disease while on duty, which, Howard said, the county was doing in practice anyway. County officials are also considering revisions to its holiday pay policy.
Commissioners approved allowing the clerk’s office to charge a $10 records archive fee and approved allowing employees in the clerk’s office to attend election law training.
Special annual budgets for the district attorney’s office were approved, and the county voted to reappoint Judge Willis Smith to the Texas Panhandle Center Board of Trustees.
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