Obituaries

Funeral services for Melvin Morse Hayward, age 79, were held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2003, in Robertson Chapel of Memories in Clarendon with Brother Shane Whitten, Music Minister at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Amarillo, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Hayward died Sunday, December 7, 2003, in Amarillo.  He was born June 18, 1924, in Neosho, Cherokee County, Kansas.  He was a resident of Blue Jacket, Oklahoma, before moving to Amarillo 19 years ago.  He married Earl Dean “Jayne” Wilson on August 22, 1944, at Hays, Kansas.  She preceded him in death on November 24, 1999.  He was a US Army Air Corps Veteran of World War II.  He worked as an aircraft mechanic for American Airlines for 31 years before his retirement.  He was a member of Cliffside Baptist Church in Amarillo.

Survivors include two sons, Melvin Wilson Hayward of Lubbock and Walter Myrl Hayward of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; one brother, Jimmy Hayward of Vinita, Oklahoma; four grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren. Casket bearers were nephews of Mr. Hayward.

Funeral services for Gerald Weldon Blount, age 83, were held at 2:00 p.m.  on Saturday, November 29, 2003, in Robertson Chapel of Memories with Rev. Bryan Knowles, Pastor of the Fellowship Christian Church in Clarendon, officiating.  Burial was held at Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Blount died Monday, November 24, 2003, in Childress.  He was born February 22, 1920, in Golf, Texas, and was a resident of Memphis before moving to Hedley 23 years ago.  He married Margaret Edna Morris on September 13, 1946, in Fort Worth.  He was a US Army Veteran of World War II and a charter member of Clarendon VFW Post 7782.  He worked in a civil service job prior to his retirement.  He was a Baptist.

He was preceded in death by two daughters, Dorothy C. Blount in 1957 and Sheri Green in 2001.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret Blount of Hedley; three sons, Felix Hilburn and wife Betty of Oklahoma City, Allen Blount and wife Kathy of Oklahoma City, and Jonathan Blount and wife Edna of Amarillo; a son-in-law, Mike Green of Atchinson, Kansas; and four grandchildren.

Casket bearers were members of the Clarendon VFW Post 7782.

Funeral services for John Morgan McCauley, age 87, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 1, 2003, in the Clarendon Church of Christ with Ron Suiter of Canyon, officiating. Masonic graveside services were held at 2:00 p.m. in River View Cemetery in Seymour under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. McCauley died Wednesday, November 26, 2003, in Amarillo.  He was born January 11, 1916, in Throckmorton, Texas, and was a resident of Howardwick for ten years before moving to Amarillo seven years ago.  He married Willie Frances Abston on September 11, 1986, in Howardwick.  He had owned a dry cleaning and tailor business in the 1940s and 1950s, had worked in road construction, and was an independent distributor for the Dr Pepper Company before his retirement.  He was a lifetime member of the Memphis Masonic Lodge and a former long time member of the Simmons-Noel American Legion Post in Memphis.  He was a US Navy Veteran of World War II and a member of the Bell Avenue Church of Christ in Amarillo.

He was preceded in death by a son, Nicholas Philip McCauley, in 1985; by a sister, Elfleta McCauley, and by a brother, Roy Den McCauley.

Survivors include his wife, Willie McCauley of Amarillo; two daughters, Jondel Moffett of Clarendon and Paula Pollock of Robert Lee, Texas; one son, Swayne Eric McCauley of Cordova, Tennessee; three brothers, Bob McCauley and Neal McCauley, both of Bowie, and Lee McCauley of Wichita Falls; seven grandchildren; 12 step grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; numerous step great grandchildren; and three step great great grandchildren.

Graveside services for Rick Woody, age 46, of Gordonville, Texas, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 29, 2003, at Dixie Cemetery in Grayson County, Texas, under the direction of Huff Funeral Home in Whitesboro, Texas.

Mr. Woody died Wednesday, November 26, 2003, at Wilson N. Jones Medical Center in Sherman, Texas.  He was born October 31, 1957, in San Antonio, Texas, to James Clark Woody and Helen Chance Woody.  He married Susan Molder on November 26, 1977, in Clarendon.  He was a blender operator for Phillips Petroleum in Borger for twenty years.

Survivors include his wife, Susan Woody of Gordonville; three sons, Daniel Woody of Gordonville, Eric Woody of Borger, and Matthew Woody of Gordonville; one daughter, Cheyenne Woody of Gordonville; his father, James Woody of Pampa; his birth mother, Wynona E. Jones of Lufkin; a brother, Cecil Riddles of Longview; three sisters, Pat Eubanks of Round Rock, Kaye Nicholson of Paris, and Neva Levitt of Jacksonville, Florida; and two granddaughters, Elizabeth Woody of Pampa and Hannah Woody of Whitesboro.

Funeral services for Sean David Lowrie, infant, were at held 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, 2003, in Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon with Leonard Holt, Pastor of Agape Christian Church in Clarendon and Elder John Bowser of Amarillo, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Sean died Wednesday, November 19, 2003, in Clarendon.  He was born February 26, 2003, in Amarillo and had been a resident of Clarendon since birth.

He was preceded in death by a brother, William Smith, in 2000.

Survivors include his mother, Shonda Smith of Clarendon; his father, Nathan Lowrie of Clarendon; a sister, Zaryia Smith of Clarendon; a brother, Mason Lowrie of Amarillo; his grandparents, David and Paula Lowrie of Clarendon, Phyllis Ann and Ed Demerson of Amarillo, William McCampbell of Claude, and Clifford Alexander of Memphis; his great grandmother, Essie Jean McCampbell of Clarendon; and his great great grandmother, Beatrice Smith of Clarendon.

Funeral services for Oma Cecil Hinkle Watson, age 94, were held at 2:00 p.m. on November 22, 2003, in McLean Church of Christ with George A. Watson officiating.  Burial was held in Hillcrest Cemetery by Bailey-Ware Funeral Home.

Mrs. Watson died Thursday, November 20, 2003, in Shamrock.  She was born January 26, 1909, in Donley County.  She was one of twelve children born to David Washington Hinkle and Sinah Catherine Romine.  She graduated from Lelia Lake High School in 1927 and was valedictorian of her class.  She attended Clarendon Junior College and West Texas State College where she earned a teaching certificate.  She taught school at Back ISD where she met her future husband, Lawrence M. Watson.  They were married on July 16, 1931.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; six brothers, and five sisters.

Survivors include two sons, L.M. Watson, Jr., of McLean and Jim Watson and wife, Cindy of Houston; two daughters, Marie O’Neal and husband Tom of Dickinson and LaVon of McLean; nine grandchildren, Linda Pruitt and husband Jay of Giddings, Loree DuBose and husband Leland of The Woodlands, Milton Watson and wife Penny of Spring, T.L. O’Neal and wife Shannon of Houston, Terri Branscom and husband Jimmy of Forney, Todd O’Neal and wife Becky of League City, James David Watson of Houston, James Mark Watson and wife Diana of Alanreed, and Ricee Von Taylor and husband Nick of Amarillo; eleven great grandchildren, Boone, Candice, and Lacee DuBose, all of The Woodlands; Joshua, Chelsey, Cassidy, and Calley Watson, all of Spring; Preston and Dane Pruitt, both of Giddings; and Joshua and Jacob Watson, both of Alanreed; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and many church and community friends.

Pallbearers were grandsons James David Watson, James Mark Watson, T.L. O’Neal, Todd O’Neal, Jimmy Branscom, and Nick Taylor.

The family suggests memorials be to Loaves and Fishes Ministry, 603 Commerce St., McLean, Texas 79057.

Graveside services for Robert Sidney White, age 95, were held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 14, 2003, in Citizens Cemetery with Rev. James Ivey Edwards, Pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Clarendon, officiating.  Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. White died Wednesday, November 12, 2003, in Clarendon.  He was born July 29, 1908, in Clarendon.  He attended Clarendon public schools and Clarendon College before graduating from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.  He was a long time resident of Fort Worth before moving to Claude.  He moved from Claude to Clarendon approximately 15 months ago. 

He married Willie Glenn Parten in 1936 at Clinton, Oklahoma.  She preceded him in death on March 1, 1998. 

He was in the banking business for most of his life before his retirement. He was a US Army veteran of World War II.  He was a member of the First Christian Church, the Clarendon Masonic Lodge, and the Al Morah Shrine Club.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Hall, in 2000; and three brothers, Harold White in 1984, and Frank and Glenn White in 1986.

Survivors include one sister, Marjorie Benson and husband Lloyd of Clarendon; a niece, Janice Martin of Golden, Colorado; and a nephew, Dr. Bernie L. Benson of Claude.

Bobbye Jo LaFon Condron, a long-time Texas Panhandle resident who was born and lived in Clarendon, passed away Saturday, November 1, 2003, after a lengthy illness in Ventura, California.

She was 79 years old and was preceded in death by her husband Stuart, a graduate of West Texas State College and member of the faculty at Ventura (Calif.) College who died nine years ago. Stuart was a broadcaster for KGNC and KFDA Radio in Amarillo and a farmer and rancher in the area for many years. Bobbye is survived by five children, 13 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren.

Bobbye was born in Clarendon, October 6, 1924. She attended school in Clovis, N.M., and graduated from high school in Canyon. She briefly attended West Texas State College. She worked with the War Department during World War II in Canyon.

She was the seventh child of Robert and Selma LaFon, descendants of early Texas panhandle pioneers who traveled from Kentucky to Texas in the early 1800s to farm the areas around Clarendon and Canyon. The LaFon family lived in Lelia Lake, a community near Clarendon, during the time around World War I. Both Robert and Selma LaFon and their daughter Bernice are buried in Clarendon.

Bobbye’s father in law, Dr. S.H. Condron, was Dean of Students at Clarendon College in the early 1900s and a long-time professor and head of the government department at West Texas State College. His wife and Bobbye’s mother-in-law, Mary, attended Clarendon College.

She was a certified Senior Escrow Officer for 25 years in California, worked in the art department at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and was a staff member at “Project Understanding,” an organization in Ventura that provides services for homeless people. She was a member of the College United Methodist Church in Ventura, where she was very active in church work serving as Senior Council member, Staff Parish Chairperson, and Church Secretary among other positions.

She and Stuart were members of several HAM Radio Clubs, including Poinsetta Amateur Club and Sam’s Hams Radio Club. They participated in several disasters, providing needed communication for emergency personnel during fires, earthquakes, and power outages throughout the California area.

Bobbye’s survivors include her children: Bob Condron and his wife B.J. from Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jan Mahoney and her husband Clark of Woodville, Texas; John Condron and his wife Kay of Santa Barbara; Mike Condron and his wife Laina of Santa Barbara; and Cindi Knight and her husband Rob of Ventura.

She’s also survived by sisters Roberta Currie of Amarillo, Edna Mae Beville of Maryland; brother Lowell LaFon of Albuquerque, N.M.; sister-in-law Marilyn Williams of Amarillo; nephews Jimmy Currie and wife Sondra and Dr. Hugh Bob Currie and wife Sandy of Amarillo.

Memorial services for Kenneth Neal Johnson, age 72, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12, 2003, in the First Christian Church in Clarendon with Rev. Ed Pruett, Pastor, officiating.  Cremation was on Monday, November 10, 2003, in Amarillo.  Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Johnson died Friday, November 7, 2003, in Clarendon.  He was born November 10, 1930, in Memphis, Texas, and was a resident of the Donley County area much of his life.  He was a cowboy and had worked for many years on the JA Ranch and on the Baca Ranch in New Mexico, as well as several other Panhandle area ranches.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Jewell.

Survivors include three sons, Casey Johnson of Glen Rose, Cody Johnson of Abilene, and Rex Johnson of Clarendon; two brothers, Cowboy Johnson of Clarendon and Eugene Johnson of Howardwick; and eight grandchildren.

Graveside services for Shirley Ann Carmichael, age 66, were held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 1, 2003, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Rev. Bill Hodges, Pastor of the Clarendon Church of the Nazarene, officiating.  Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., in Clarendon.

Mrs. Carmichael was born January 2, 1937, in Bridgeport, Illinois, and had been a resident of Clarendon for much of her life. She married Joe Bob Carmichael on January 1, 1956, at Clovis, New Mexico.  He preceded her in death on October 13, 2000.  She was a homemaker and a member of the Clarendon Church of the Nazarene.

Survivors include two daughters, Kathy Hopson of Lubbock and Bobbi Jo Sipe of Regan, North Dakota; two sons, Eddie Carmichael of Texline and Jerry Carmichael of Clarendon; three sisters, Dorothy Gray of San Angelo; Margaret Wood of Daleville, Indiana; and Linda Kay Pineda of Indio, California; 13 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren.