Obituaries

Memorial services for George Wilson Smith, MD, age 85, of Marlin, Texas, were held at First Christian Church in Marlin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 29, 2004, with Rev. Jimmy Phillips officiating.  Interment was held at Houston National Cemetery under the direction of Adams Funeral Home.

Dr. Smith died at his home on Friday, February 27, 2004.  He was born in Chico, Texas, on December 24, 1918, to John Henderson Smith and Katie Skaggs Smith.  Upon graduation from Memphis High School, he earned a BA degree in 1940 from Texas A&M, where he was Editor-In-Chief of the yearbook and a proud member of the Aggie Band.  Other honors at A&M include Distinguished Student, Scholarship Honor Society, President of Press Club, and Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.  During World War II he served as field grade officer, Artillery, retiring after 54 months as a Lieutenant Colonel. 

George was married to his college sweetheart, LeVerne Simmons of Sherman, Texas, for 47 years until her death in 1988.  He was associated with Aetna Casualty and Surety Company after college and was owner/manager of General Insurance Agency in Sherman until 1951.  During those years he was a Director of the Sherman Chamber of Commerce and an officer of the Sherman Rotary Club. 

George received an M.D. Degree from University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School in 1955, where he was president of his class each of four years.  He was a family physician in Clarendon from 1956 to 1973, where he also served as Administrator of Adair Hospital, and County Health Officer.  He took an abandoned physical plant, built in 1910, in a town which had no hospital for many years, and brought it into compliance with all state and federal regulatory agencies, including Medicare, and then established a fully accredited school of vocational nursing.  He was president of the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce, president of Donley County Industrial Foundation, and president and chairman of the Building Committee of Clarendon Country Club.

After 17 years of family practice in Donley County, Dr. Smith was recruited to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Amarillo by the Texas Tech University School of Medicine.  He was the driving force in establishing the Amarillo VA as the primary site for Texas Tech’s clinical rotations.  His presence in organized medicine at local, state, and national levels served the VA well, as he was the Chief of Staff of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Amarillo, El Paso, and Marlin, Texas, where he retired in 1994.

Dr. Smith served in the Texas Delegation to the American Medical Association from 1983 to 1995.  Professional credentials include Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice; and Fellow, American Academy of Family Physician.  A long-time member of the House of Delegates of the Texas Medical Association, he was elected to the Council on Member Services, 1982-1994.

Survivors include his wife, Bettye Norris Smith; son, Charles Vernon Smith and daughter-in-law Cheryl of Houston; daughters, Sharon and son-in-law George Reynolds of Houston; Janis and son-in-law Jerry Elmore of Houston; Laurie and son-in-law Walter Becker of New Orleans; seven grandchildren, Melissa Leigh Reynolds, Scott Henderson Elmore, Jefferson Fontayne Elmore, Lindsey Le Becker, Hailey Simmons Becker, Andrew Marshall Smith, and Matthew Jordon Smith; one brother, Harold Winston Smith and wife Bettye of Memphis, Texas, and their children Karyn Nicolaou, Russell Smith, and Matthew Smith.  Also mourning his loss are the family of his wife, John Norris of Dallas; Natalie and John DeFrees, daughter Taylor of Pflugerville; Elaline and Randy Wilhelm, daughter Julie and son Jeffrey of Houston.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a charity of your choice.

Funeral services for Kenneth Dale Booth, age 61, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2004, in Robertson Chapel of Memories with Rev. Calvin Burrow, Pastor of Jesus Name Apostolic Church in Clarendon, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Booth died Sunday, February 29, 2004, in Amarillo.  He was born March 5, 1942, in Lesley, Hall County, Texas, and had been a Clarendon resident most of his life.  He married Shirley Marie Holman on February 6, 1959, in Clarendon.  He was a mechanic at Chamberlain Motor Company for 32 years and had been employed in the Maintenance Department at Clarendon College since 1994.  He attended the Clarendon Church of the Nazarene.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley, on October 19, 2002; a son, Bobby Dale Booth, on May 14, 1994; his father, B.B. Booth; and two infant sons, Dale Ray Booth and Terry Booth.

Survivors include one daughter, Sheryl Carter of Erick, Oklahoma; his mother, Eula Booth of Memphis; four brothers: Don Booth of Childress, Bobby Booth and Jimmy Booth, both of Memphis; and Alan Booth of Amarillo; one sister, Mary Middleton; a special friend, Tina Johnson; grandchildren, Tony and Randi Carter, Kim and Gary Carter, Kyle Carter, Mary and Kenny Booth, and Josh Allred; and great grandchildren, Caleb Carter, Emberlyn Carter, and Dylan Booth.

Funeral services for Freddie Garland Reck, age 65, were held at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March, 3, 2004, in the First United Methodist Church in Claude with Rev. Janet Edwards, Pastor, and Dr. Roger A. Hubbard, Pastor of Lake Tanglewood Community Church, officiating.  Burial was held in Claude Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Reck died Monday, March 1, 2004, in Amarillo.  He was born July 25, 1938, in Claude and had lived in Armstrong County much of his life.  He graduated from Clarendon High School and attended Sul Ross University.  He married Colleen Mathus DeVore on June 30, 2000, at Tucumcari, New Mexico.  He was employed in various positions with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company throughout his 32 year career.  He was based out of Pampa and then Amarillo before his retirement.  Throughout his career, he maintained his involvement in the family farming and cattle ranching business in Armstrong County.  After his retirement, he continued full time in the family farming and ranching business as a third generation owner of land in Armstrong County, holding land that was homesteaded and has always been owned only by the Reck family.

He was preceded in death by his father, John P. Reck.

Survivors include his wife, Colleen Reck of Claude; his mother, Frances Chauveaux Reck of Claude; two daughters, Cheri Reck Mann and husband Gary of Lake Tanglewood and D’Lene Reck Sandleback and husband Brian of Coppell; three grandchildren, Preston Mann of Lake Tanglewood, and Beau Sandleback and Cody Sandleback, both of Coppell; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Funeral services for Alfred Eugene Bowling of Fort Worth were held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2004, at Shannon North Funeral Chapel in Fort Worth.  Graveside services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2004, at Citizen Cemetery in Clarendon.  Arrangements were under the direction of Shannon North Funeral Chapel in Fort Worth.

Mr. Bowling died Monday, February 23, 2004.  He was born September 15, 1920, in Hedley. He was raised in the Windy Valley community in Donley County. Alfred was a veteran of World War II. He moved to Fort Worth in 1950 to work at Convair. He retired from Westronics in 1984.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Sandra Jean Bowling. 

Survivors include one son, Gary L. Bowling of Granbury; one daughter, Vicki Taylor of Amarillo; grandchildren, Byron Taylor of Edgewood, Crystal Cosby, Becky Brown of Godley, Douglas Taylor and Torra Wood all of Amarillo, and Gary L. Bowling II of Granbury; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Sam P. Braswell of Kerrville, passed away Sunday, February 8, 2004, at his residence.

Mr. Braswell was born March 17, 1910, in Dallas.  He moved to Clarendon during World War I where his father, Sam M. Braswell, published a newspaper for many years.  After graduating from high school, he attended Clarendon College and the University of Texas.  At the University of Texas, he played collegiate baseball and tennis.  One of the most memorable baseball games was a scrimmage against Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees.

On August 10, 1930, Sam P. married Cecelia Atteberry.  Their son Sam Harben Braswell was born July 16, 1931, in Pampa.  In the fall of 1936, the Braswell family moved to Kerrville and joined the production staff at the Kerrville Mountain Sun, owned by Mrs. W.A. Salter.  Sam P. was employed in Kerrville until 1941.

In 1941, Sam and Cecelia moved to Winnsboro to operate the Winnsboro Weekly News in the absence of the publisher, who was called to serve our country during World War II.  In 1944, the Braswells had an opportunity to purchase the Coleman Democratic-Voice newspaper.  So they were on the move again.  In 1947, they converted the weekly paper to a daily newspaper.

Succumbing to the desire to return to the Hill Country in 1948, the Braswells purchased a co-ownership interest with G. Rankin Starkey in the Kerrville Times.  Three years later in March of 1951, the paper was converted from a weekly paper to a daily newspaper, going to the name it is known as today, The Kerrville Daily Times.  The Braswell interest in The Times was sold in 1955.

Sam P. Braswell became The Victoria Advocate’s (Texas’ second oldest newspaper) associate manager for the first five years.  During this time, his wife Cecelia served in the advertising department.

Returning to Kerrville in 1960, the family purchased the Fine Printing Co. from Haskell Fine and constructed a building on Junction Highway to house the expanding business.  The name was changed to Braswell Printing Company and now is known as ADCO Advertising and Printing owned by Sam H. and Betty Braswell.

In 1977, Sam enjoyed the next 12 years in Chas. Schreiner Bank in downtown Kerrville as their public relations representative while Cecelia was employed in the advertising department and helped with the Schreiner Ladies Club.

Sam enjoyed a minor role in politics when the late Texas Governor Allan Shivers appointed the elder Braswell to a seven-member task force to develop what is now known as the Texas Commission on Higher Education.  He was an associate to the former State Representative and Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Nugent as well as a Kerr County consultant and a friend of President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Cecelia Braswell; a son, Sam Harben Braswell and his wife Betty Jean of Kerrville; three grandchildren: Samuel Lynn Braswell and his wife Rebecca Ann of San Antonio/Kerrville; Carol Denise Bernhard and her husband Robert Carlton of Austin; and Robin Aileen Perrin and her husband John Eric of Birresdorf, Germany; a niece, Margaret Woods of Youngstown, Ohio; and six great grandchildren: Samuel Taylor Braswell, Andrew Phillip Braswell, Megan Leigh Brenhard, Ryan David Perrin, Ashton Elise Perrin, and Emma Renee Perrin.

Services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 12, 2004, at Grimes Funeral Chapels in Kerrville.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.

Funeral services for Jerry Don May, age 62, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2004, in Community Fellowship Church with Rev. Bryan Knowles, pastor, and Rev. Todd Dick, family member from Croatia, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mr. May died Monday, February 16, 2004, in Amarillo. He was born in Borger, Texas, and had been a Clarendon resident since 1979.  He married Kathy Louise Whitley on June 9, 1966, in Fritch.  He had served in the National Guard and was employed at Pantex for 34 years before his retirement.  He was a member of the Clarendon Hospital District Board of Directors and was a member of the Community Fellowship Church.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy of Clarendon; two daughters, Kathi Dawn Albracht of Panhandle and Kami Danay Veazey of Panhandle; one son, Jason William May of Lubbock; and eight grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Todd Dick Ministries, c/o Kathy May, PO Box 1054, Clarendon, TX 79226-1054.

Funeral services for David Carroll Peabody, age 79, of Lewisville, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2004, in the Dalton and Son Funeral Home Chapel in Lewisville.  Burial was held in Sangor Cemetery in Sanger under the direction of Dalton and Son Funeral Home of Lewisville.

Mr. Peabody died on Wednesday, February 18, 2004.  He was born in Clarendon on April 15, 1924, and had resided in Lewisville since 1959.  He served in the Marines during World War II in the Pacific theater.  He retired from Koehring Motor Cranes after 26 years of service.  He was a lifelong member of the Masonic Lodge.  David was a caring man who will be missed by his family and friends.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Frankye Peabody; one daughter, Patricia Faust and husband Jerry; three sons, Billy Peabody and wife Jeanie, Harry Peabody, and Larry Peabody and wife Gail; six grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

Long revered as a “good lawyer” and a “great man,” retired Federal Judge George Skelton, age 98, of Temple died early Friday, February 20, 2004, in a Temple hospital.

He was influential not only in Central Texas, but in the nation as well.  Skelton had been a longtime Democratic leader in Texas.  He worked on Lyndon B. Johnson’s Senate campaign in 1948, which sparked a long friendship.  Later in 1966, Johnson, president by then, appointed Skelton as an associate judge of the US Court of Claims.  He was the only federal judge from Bell County.  He retired from active service in May 1977 and retained senior judge status.  He continued as senior judge until he officially retired his judgeship in May 2003.

Mr. Skelton was a native of Groom and finished high school in Clarendon before entering Texas University at Austin.

Funeral services for Phebe Ann Buntin, age 82, were held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2004, in the First United Methodist Church with Rev. James Ivey Edwards, Pastor, officiating.  Memorial services followed graveside services that were held at 10:00 a.m. at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Miss Buntin died Saturday, February 21, 2004, in Amarillo.  She was born October 10, 1921, in Clarendon to Fred A. and Eunice Lenora Kutch Buntin and was a lifetime Clarendon resident. She attended Clarendon schools and received an AA Degree from West Texas State University in Canyon.  She later briefly attended North Texas College.  She was employed at the USDA office in Clarendon for several years before her retirement.  She had devoted much of her life to civic organizations.  She was instrumental in acquiring the Moore and McClellan Little League baseball fields.  She served on the Citizens Cemetery Board and was a member of the Friends of the Library.  Volunteering was a long time activity for her.  She was a volunteer at St. Anthony’s Hospital, BSA Hospital, and the VA Hospital in Amarillo. She was a member and regularly attended the First United Methodist Church.  She was a member of the Saints’ Roost Museum Board, Methodist Women, a bridge club, and the Clarendon College Alumni and Reunion Board.  Her grandfather, P.A. Buntin, established the first funeral home in the Panhandle in Clarendon.

Survivors include several cousins, Nancy and Doyle Hanbury, Ann and Bruce Hallmark, Ronnie Hanbury, Becky Younger, Mark Hanbury, Carren Raney, Cassie Weldon, Bullen Hallmark, Elizabeth Hallmark, Suzanna Hallmark, Jim Hallmark; also her beloved dogs Samantha and Jezebel, and many, many dear friends.

Funeral services for Maggie L. Morrow Stewart, age 61, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24, 2004, in Robertson Chapel of Memories with Rev. Jim Aveni, Pastor of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, officiating.  Burial was held at Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mrs. Stewart died Sunday, February 22, 2004, in Clarendon.  She was born April 15, 1942, in Goodnight, Armstrong County, Texas, and came to Clarendon in 1945.  She married Norman L. Stewart on November 18, 1968, in Amarillo.  She was a self-employed bookkeeper and tax preparer for several years and worked for The Clarendon News from 1988 to 1994, and part time for the school cafeteria from 1980 to 1989.  She was a member of the WIBC Bowling Congress, the 600 Bowling Club, and the First Baptist Church in Clarendon.

Survivors include her husband, Norman Stewart of Clarendon; one daughter, Cassandra Watson and husband Shane of Amarillo; one son, Jonathan Stewart and wife Crystal of Amarillo; four sisters, Lucy Torres of Memphis, Ina Blassingame of Mineral Wells, Mary Brown of Amarillo, and Rosey Meyer of Amarillo; three brothers: Ira Kenneth Morrow, Earl Morrow, and John Tom Morrow, all of Clarendon; four grandchildren: Roger Coby Braddock, Quinton Sean Stewart, Desirae Row, and Madison Nichole Stewart, all of Amarillo; and one great grandson, Kyson Braddock, also of Amarillo.

The family requests that memorials be to Citizens Cemetery Association of Clarendon or Crown of Texas Hospice in Amarillo.