Obituaries

Graveside services for Odessa Claudine Brunson, age 88, of Claude were held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2003, in the Claude Cemetery with Rev. Janet Edwards, Pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Claude, officiating.  Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mrs. Brunson died Sunday, October 5, 2003, in Claude.  She was born August 9, 1915, in the Lakeview Community in Armstrong County and was a resident of the Claude area all of her life.  She married Clarence Franklin “Frank” Brunson on April 17, 1932, in Clovis, New Mexico.  They owned and operated the Stella Mae Shop variety store in Claude from 1959 until 1965.  She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and the UMW ladies group.

She was preceded in death by her husband on February 12, 1999, and a son, Roland Howard Brunson on June 10, 2003, and several of her brothers and sisters.

Survivors include one daughter, Marilyn Mays of Amarillo; one sister, Addie Mae Cristy of Emmett, Idaho; five brothers: Ray Bagwell of Statesville, North Carolina; Bob Bagwell of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Leonard Bagwell of Loma, Colorado; Leon Bagwell of Gruver, and Rex Bagwell of Claude; three grandchildren: Leslie Brunson of Amarillo, Vincent Mays of Amarillo, and William Mays of Fort Worth; and one great grandchild, Christine Brunson of Amarillo.

Graveside services for Darrell Gene Cook, age 71, were held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 4, 2003, in the Memory Gardens Cemetery in Pampa with Eddie Stegall, Minister of the Clarendon Church of Christ, and Rev. Darrell Burton, Pastor of the Martin Baptist Church, officiating.  Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Cook died Tuesday, September 30, 2003, in Amarillo.  Mr. Cook was born May 4, 1932, in Atoka, Oklahoma, and was a long time Pampa resident before moving to Clarendon two years ago.  He married Kim Dubose on November 17, 1979, in Pampa. He had been self-employed as a mobile home mover for much of his life before his retirement.  He was a US Army Veteran of the Korean Conflict.  He was the recipient of the Korean Service Medal with a bronze star, the US Service Medal, and the National Defense Service medal with a bronze star.  He was a member of the Clarendon Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Eula Tolla Sturgel, and a brother, Ernest Clyde Cook.

Survivors include his wife, Kim Cook of Clarendon; two daughters, Debra Kathleen Sterling and husband Rick of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Juanita Sue Watson of Lubbock; four sons; Michael David Cook of Pampa, Steven Darrell Cook of Clarendon, Johnny Dewayne Cook and wife Darla of Borger, Jeffrey Dean Cook and wife Leann of Clarendon; two sisters, Dorothy Augustine Jarvis of Kerrville, Barbara Ann Kelly of Wichita Falls; three brothers: Leonard Henderson Cook of Fritch, George Bernard Cook of Fort Worth, and Jerald Wilburn Cook; and 16 grandchildren: Miranda Kathleen Sterling, Nathel Candice Flores, Jeremy DeWayne Cook, Natalie DeAnn Cook, Bret Allen Cook, Brandon Michael Cook, Lee Alan Cook, Dakota Lynn Cook, Dalton Lee Cook, Shiann Faith Cook, Stephanie Nicole Cook, Jessica Yvonne Adamson, Jonathan Dale Adamson, Caitlyn Harned, Tyler Harned, and Dwyn Miller.

Honorary bearers were grandsons of Mr. Cook.

Robert Lee “Bobby” Hamilton, Jr., age 42, died Saturday, September 27, 2003, when the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a car failing to yield the right of way at an intersection a couple of blocks from his Arlington, Texas, home.

Bobby was born June 25, 1961, in Amarillo to Willie and Bob Hamilton.  He attended school in Hedley.  On September 15, 1989, he married Lori Anderson.  He had worked for American Airlines several years.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Sam and Cassie Owens of Hedley.

Memorial services were held September 29 in Arlington, and graveside services were held at 2:00 p.m. on September 30, 2003, at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley.

Survivors include his wife, Lori; two sons, Brandon and Casey of the home; two daughters Summer and Brooke of the home; his parents, Willie Owens Pigg of Fritch and Bob Hamilton of Bossier City, Louisiana; two sisters, Vickie Henry of Bossier City, Louisiana, and Kathy Hendrix of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; one brother, Steve of Amarillo; as well as nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Ruby Lee Sandifer, age 90, died Saturday, October 4, 2003, at a hospital in Abilene.  Private graveside services were held on Sunday, October 5, 2003, in Wheeler, Texas, under the direction of Girdner-Brown Funeral Home.

Mrs. Sandifer was born on August 15, 1913, in Wheeler County, Texas.  She married Weldon Sandifer in 1937. 

She was a third grade school teacher for many years.  The majority of her teaching was spent in Clarendon for eleven years, and she taught 16 years in Kermit, Texas, where she finally retired in 1973.  She was a devoted wife and a loving mother.  She was also a member of the Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by an infant daughter in 1940 and her husband, Weldon Sandifer, in 1975.

Survivors include her daughter, Suzanne Sandifer of Abilene; one brother of Wheeler; three nieces; and two nephews.

In lieu of flowers in her memory, donations may be made to Westview Boys Home in Hollis, Oklahoma.

Cyrus Baxter, a resident of Donley County since 1998, made the transition from this life on September 29, 2003, in Amarillo.

Mr. Baxter was born April 18, 1952, the son of C.B. and Julia Jo McDonald Baxter, and spent his childhood in Comanche, Texas.  Joining a family of three sisters, each in a different Comanche school at the time, Cy quickly became known and loved by friends of all ages.

Upon high school graduation, Cy attended Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos and graduated from Tarleton State College in Stephenville, Texas, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture/Forestry/Parks and Wildlife.  He joined the Texas Animal Health Commission and was stationed in South Texas.  Later he worked for Brown and Root Construction, Inc., of Houston, where he met and married Lisa Sharp.  They had one son, Cody Baxter, who currently makes his home in Comanche.  After returning to Comanche, Cy was engaged in ranching, farming, and real estate.

In 1998, Cy joined his brother-in-law and sister, Jack and Rebecca King, in ranching, managing the Cottonwood Ranch which is located at the conflux of the Salt Fork branch of the Red River and Lake Creek, 17 miles northeast of Clarendon.

He counted many Clarendon, Donley County, and Amarillo people his friends and considered the ranch his home.

Funeral services for Avis Johnson Fain, age 89, were held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2003, in the St. John The Baptist Episcopal Church in Clarendon with the Rev. Ned Creswell of Amarillo, officiating.  Burial was held in Oaks Creek Ranch Cemetery near Clarendon under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mrs. Fain died Wednesday, September 24, 2003, in Katy, Texas.  She was born February 12, 1914, in  Red River County, Texas, and was a resident of Estelline before moving to Donley County in 1941.  She married Rodney Burchel “Fuzz” Fain on February 26, 1934, at Memphis.  He preceded her in death on March 23, 1984.  She was a homemaker and ranch wife most of her life.  She was a Baptist.

Survivors include two sisters, Sylvia Copeland of Slaton and Vida Crowder of Yuma, Arizona; and several nieces and nephews.

Casket bearers were Fred Molesworth, Jack Craft, Bill Craft, Mitchell Martin, Doug Lowe, and Kade Mathews.

Jesse Lee McCrary, 54, and Sharon Marie McCrary, 47, of Dixon, Missouri, died Friday, September 12, 2003, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Maries County, Missouri.

Jesse was born April 5, 1949, in Memphis, Texas, the son of Oris Calvin McCrary and Mary Larson McCrary.  Sharon was born October 30, 1955, in Oklahoma, the daughter of Chancy and Etheleen McCartney.

Jesse was a resident of Clarendon and attended Clarendon High School until he enlisted in the United States Army.  The couple was married in Perryton, Texas, on March 23, 1973.

They are the parents of two children, Chancy Lee McCrary of Dixon, Missouri, and Christy McCrary Wilds of Columbia, Missouri; and three grandchildren, Bryce, Tyler, and Ashley Wilds.

Jesse was retired from the United State Army and a member of the American Legion.

He is survived by his children; his grandchildren; his mother, Mary McCrary Auldridge of Amarillo; one brother, Jimmy McCrary of Sturgis, South Dakota; and two sisters, Kathy Shields of Clarendon and Karen Stubbs of San Angelo.

Sharon was working as an emergency room clerk at Fort Leonard Wood Hospital.

She is survived by her children; her grandchildren; her parents; and one brother, Keith McCartney.

A memorial was held for the couple on Wednesday, September 17, 2003, at the Long-Gilbert Funeral Home in Dixon, Missouri.  The couple was honored with military burial on September 22, 2003, at the new Military Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri.

Funeral services for Billie Melton, age 70, were held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 22, 2003, at the First Baptist Church of Stratford, Texas, with Dr. Genoa Goad, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Howardwick, and Mr. Larry Evans, minister of the Church of Christ in Stratford, officiating. Burial was held in Stratford Cemetery under the direction of Morrison Funeral Directors of Dumas.

Mrs. Melton died Friday, September 19, 2003, in Dumas.  She was born March 19, 1933.  She married Kenneth Melton on March 24, 1955, at Turkey, Texas.  He preceded her in death in 2002.  She was owner/operator of Kwik Chex grocery in Amarillo for several years.  She was a resident of Stratford for twenty years and a former resident of Amarillo and Howardwick. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Howardwick.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 2002 and by a son, Robert Lynn Baker, in 1968.

Survivors include two daughters, Laura Smith and her husband Miles of Stratford and Kennetha Seawright and her husband Kevin of Stratford; two brothers, Edward Page of Iowa Park and Bobby Page of Littlefield; three grandsons, Chandler, Robert, and Jon; and two great grandchildren.

The family requests that memorials be made to Memorial Hospice, 224 E. 2nd, Dumas, Texas 79029.

Margaret Fricks Burris, 54, of Amarillo died Friday, September 12, 2003.

Services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2003, in Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel in Amarillo, with the Rev. Gary Burd of Christian Heritage Church officiating. Burial was held in Llano Cemetery.

Mrs. Burris was a homemaker and loved being with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Danny; a daughter, Michelle Jaramillo of Amarillo; a son, Jim Fricks of Corn, Oklahoma; three sisters, Helen Jobe and Doris Vick, both of Amarillo, and Pauline Edwards of Parris; two brothers, J.D. Annis of Abernathy and Glen Annis of Panhandle; two stepsons, Daniel and Donnie Burris, both of Amarillo; and six grandchildren.

Funeral services for John D. McVicker, age 89, were held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2003, at the First Baptist Church in Dumas with Stan Corbin, pastor of the Laos Mission of the First Baptist Church in Dumas, officiating and Rev. Eddie Tubbs, Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dumas, assisting. 

Burial was in Northlawn Memorial Gardens in Dumas under the direction of Morrison Funeral Directors of Dumas.

Mr. McVicker died September 13, 2003, in Dumas.  He was born December 5, 1913, in Hollis, Oklahoma.  He was a Dumas resident for 25 years and a former Howardwick resident.  He was an electronic tech at Pantex.

He married Lois Weightman on December 7, 1935, in Hollis, Oklahoma. She preceded him in death in 1996. He was a member of the First Baptist Church Laos Mission in Dumas.

He was preceded in death by a son, Buddy McVicker, in 1972.

Survivors include three daughters, Bonnie Corbin of Dumas, Dawn Gay of Amarillo, and Darla Keeney of Boerne, Texas;  one son, Mike McVicker of Amarillo; one brother, Jack McVicker of Dumas; fifteen grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.

The family request memorials be made to Memorial Hospice, 224 E. 2nd, Dumas, Texas 79029.