Obituaries

Graveside services for Dolly Foust Cole, age 85, were held at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, September 8, 2003, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Dr. Howard Batson, Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Amarillo, officiating.  Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., in Clarendon.

Mrs. Cole died Saturday, September 6, 2003, in Amarillo.  She was born March 20, 1918, in New Mexico and had been a resident of Claude and then Clarendon all of her adult life.  She married Abram Thornton “Abe” Cole, Jr., on July 7, 1935, in Clarendon.  He preceded her in death on February 20, 1991.  She had been very active in the Donley County Senior Citizens Association in Clarendon for many years.  She was a homemaker and a Baptist.

Survivors include on daughter and son-in-law, Betsy and Dale Keeney of Amarillo; a sister, Clara Bell Gristy of Lubbock; four grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

The family suggests that memorials be to BSA Hospice in Amarillo or the Donley County Senior Citizens Association in Clarendon.

Rev. Roy E. Eason, 88, died September 1, 2003, at the Lawn Meadow Care Center in Justin, Texas.

Rev. Eason was born September 12, 1914, in Wichita County, Texas.  He was the youngest of 12 siblings born to Nathan and Minnie Eason.  Rev. Eason met and fell in love with Lola Campbell from Estelline.  She became his lifelong companion and wife on September 28, 1940.  They were married 62 years.

Rev. Eason was an ordained minister affiliated with the Assemblies of God.  He served many churches as pastor through out the West Texas District.  His first pastorate was in Claude in 1949.  Other churches pastored by him include Groom, Gunter, Clarendon, Skellytown, Shamrock, Crosbyton, Matador, Dodson, and Ralls.  Upon leaving Ralls, Rev. Eason retired from pastoring and moved to North Texas in 1997.

A visitation with the family was held on Tuesday, September 2, 2003, at Johnson Funeral Home in Childress. A celebration of his life and ministry was held Wednesday, September 3, 2003, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church in Childress with Rev. Glenn Beaver of Lubbock officiating, and Rev. John Eason, Jr., assisting. Interment followed at the Childress Cemetery under the direction of Mark A. Jones Funeral Directors of Seagraves and Johnson Funeral Home of Childress.

He was preceded in death by eleven brothers and sisters and two grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Lola of Justin; one son and his wife, Johnny and Carole Eason of Bartonville; two daughters and their husbands, Beth and Mark Jones of Seagraves and Delores and Donald Cain of Flower Mound; seven grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a favorite charity.

Graveside services for Wallace W. “Billy” Hill, age 69, were held at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 2, 2003, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Bright Newhouse, Minister of the Hedley Church of Christ, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Hill died Monday, September 1, 2003, in Amarillo.  He was born October 6, 1933, in Clarendon where he resided until moving to Claude in 1977.  He moved from Claude to Pampa in 1981.  He had worked at various places throughout his life before his retirement.  He was a member of the Clarendon Church of Christ.

Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Shelly and Jeff Downing of Dumas; and a grandson, Sheldon Downing of Dumas.

Honorary casket bearers were Bob Kidd, Edwin Campbell, Benton Wauer, Tommy Hodnet, and Clyde Barker.

The family requests that memorials be to BSA Hospice in Amarillo.

Funeral services for Lawana Cruse, age 65, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 24, 2003, at the Church of Christ in Turkey with Stuart Smith and J.D. Nance officiating.  Burial was held at Dreamland Cemetery under the direction of Myers-Long Funeral Directors of Turkey.

Lawana was born February 7, 1938, in Bridle Bit, Texas, to Fletcher and Erma Wynn. She passed away August 21, 2003, in Plainview at Covenant Hospital.

She was involved in several organizations including founder of the Turkey Heritage Foundation, president of the Hall County Heritage Foundation, board member of the Turkey Roost Museum, Turkey Jamboree coordinator, founder of the Turkey Gem Theatre, member of the Lions Club, and a member of the Church of Christ.  She was also a Life Gift donor.

She was proceeded in death by four brothers; Oran Wynn, Burl Wynn, Karl Cruse, and Everette Cruse; one sister, Norene Clark; and two husbands, Robert Gragson and Tommy Van Cruse.

Survivors include two daughters, Debra Smith of Silverton and Melody Hysinger of Clarendon; three sons, Robert Gragson of Pine Bluff, Alaska; Lee Cruse of Happy; and Brett Cruse of Round Rock, Texas; four sisters, Edna Huffines of Canyon; Inez Payne of the Keys, Florida; Joy Martin of Clarendon; and Glenda Perry of Lubbock; two brothers, Doyle Wynn of Estelline and Jim Wynn of Carlsbad, New Mexico.

The family asks any donations be made to the Turkey Heritage Foundation in care of the City of Turkey.

Ruth H. Jones Hatchett, age 96, of Hershey, Pennsylvania, and formerly of Oklahoma City, died Monday, August 18, 2003, in Country Meadows of Hershey.

Mrs. Hatchett was born July 17, 1907, in Sunnyside, Kansas.  She was the daughter of the late Lester and Flora Norton Bridenstine.  She was a homemaker and had worked for Sears Robuck in Salina, Kansas, and Oklahoma City.  She was a member of Colonial Park Community Baptist Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the Portland Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.  She was very active in the Good Samaritan Club at Country Meadows of Hershey.

Survivors include her daughter, Juanita Barley of Hershey; eight grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and four great great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her late husbands, Walter Jones and Roy Hatchett; a son, Roy Jones; a daughter, Janice Witt; and two grandsons.

Memorial services were held on Wednesday, August 20, 2003, at 7:00 p.m. in the Colonial Park Community Baptist Church in Harrisburg.  Committal services will be held Saturday, August 23, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley, Texas.

Contributions can be made to the Good Samaritan Club, c/o Country Meadows of Hershey, 451 Sand Hill Rd, Hershey, PA 17033.

Arrangements were under the direction of Hoover Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc.

Funeral services for Charles Joseph “C.J.” Lance, age 76, were held at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19, 2003, in Robertson Chapel of Memories in Clarendon with Rev. Bryan Knowles, Pastor of the Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon, officiating. 

Burial was held at Citizens Cemetery with military honors by the Donley County VFW Post 7782 under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Lance died Sunday, August 17, 2003, in Amarillo.  He was born March 4, 1927, in Hereford, where he resided most of his life.  He was a resident of McLean for a short time before moving to Howardwick in 1986.  He married Rethel LaVerne Griffin on September 21, 1951, at Clovis, New Mexico.  She preceded him in death on June 21, 1998.  He had been a farmer most of his life before retiring.  He was a US Navy Veteran of World War II and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. 

He was also a member of the Summerfield Baptist Church.

Survivors include three sons, Danny Lance and wife Tam of Amarillo, Preston Jobe of Rogers, Texas, and Gary Herring of Amarillo; two sisters, Rosene Dawson of Hereford and Carolyn Ann Hayes of Dimmitt; two brothers, R.E. Lance and Jerry Don Lance, both of Hereford; four grandchildren, Jeremy Lance of Plainview, Julie Owen of Dallas, Linsey Tee of Amarillo, and Lisa Kracht of Amarillo; and three great grandchildren, Rob Owen, Peyton Tee, and Cayden Lance.

Casket bearers were Preston Jobe, Gary Herring, Mike Dawson, Reese Dawson, Jr., Tim Dawson, and Mike Inman.  Honorary bearers were members of the Donley County VFW Post 7782.

Funeral services for Waymon Arliss Holt, age 74, were held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 28, 2003, in Robertson Chapel of Memories in Clarendon with Rev. Curtis Johnson, nephew of Mr. Holt, and Stephen Paulson of Temple, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Holt died Friday, July 25, 2003, in Temple, Texas.  He was born September 13, 1928, in Electra, Texas, and was a long-time resident of Amarillo before moving to Howardwick 14 years ago.  He was a retired Master Plumber.  He married Edith Irene Prather on June 15, 1961, at Farmington, New Mexico.  He was a US Army Veteran of World War II, and was a former POW in Germany.  He was a Baptist.

He was preceded in death by his wife on December 17, 1995, and by a brother, Lonnie Holt.

Survivors include a daughter, Karla Durfee of Temple; five sons, Everett Eugene Willis, Marlin Willis, Ronald Willis, and Lonnie Willis, all of Amarillo, and Victor Holt of Temple; three sisters, Vera Barnes and Ruth Kinney, both of Wheeler, and Glenda Burnett of New Mexico; two brothers, Coyce Holt of New Mexico and Kenneth Holt of Fort Worth; 16 grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were grandsons of Mr. Holt.

Joe Heathington, Sr., age 81, died at 12:13 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2003, at his residence in Tulia. 

Masonic graveside services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Wallace Funeral Home.

Mr. Heathington was born November 27, 1921, in Donley County, Texas, where he grew  up.  He served during WWII in the Army Air Corps from 1941 to 1946.  He attended the University of Alabama as a Cadet before he was discharged in 1946.  He married Hazel Frazier on July 23, 1944, in Clarendon.  They lived in Tulia since 1946.  He was a farmer, and he raised cattle and horses.  He also raised and sold registered Short Horn cattle.  He also worked as a construction superintendent in Dallas, Abilene, and Amarillo.  He was a member of the Masonic Lodge for over 50 years.  He was a York Right Mason and a Hella Temple Shiner.  He was a lifetime member of the VFW.

Survivors include his wife of Tulia; one son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Linda Heathington, Jr., of Buffalo Gap, Texas; three sisters, Mary Harman of Tulia, Yvonne Holland of Amarillo,  and Nell Baldwin of Abilene; two grandchildren, Jimmy Don Heathington of Dallas and Sonya Freeman of McKinney; three great grandchildren, Kyla Freeman, Kandyce Freeman, and Kassy Freeman.

Memorials may be made to Masonic Children’s Home in Fort Worth; Ronald McDonald House in Amarillo; and West Texas Rehabilitation Center in Abilene.

Funeral services for Ripley Albert “Rip” Snyder, age 90, were held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2003, in the First Baptist Church in Groom with Rev. David Kelly, Pastor, officiating.  Burial with military honors was held in the Groom Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Syder died Wednesday, July 16, 2003, in Amarillo.  He was born December 4, 1912, in Stratford, Sherman County, Texas, and was a resident of Groom for most of his life before moving to Amarillo one year ago.  He married Joy Loraine Gibbins on January 10, 1942, at Claude.  She preceded him in death on January 16, 2003.  He had worked at the grain elevator and at the hardware store in Groom for most of his life before his retirement.  He was a US Army veteran of World War II and was the recipient of five Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Groom.

Survivors include a daughter, Nina Richey and husband Truman of San Angelo; a son, Jerry Snyder and wife Carolyn of Amarillo; five grandchildren, Hallie Snyder of Austin, Kimberly Alexander of Dallas, Marc and Tonya Alexander of Amarillo, Sean and Leticia Richey of Carlsbad, Texas, and Jennifer Richey of San Angelo; eight great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and other family and friends.

Funeral services for Lola Mae Brown, age 91, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2003, in the Hedley First United Methodist Church with Rev. Bruce Howard, Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Hedley, officiating.  Burial was held in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mrs. Brown died Wednesday, July 9, 2003, in Memphis.  She was born June 4, 1912, in Claremore, Oklahoma, and had been a resident of Hedley since 1933.  She was first married to Curtis Mullins and then later to Milton Brown.  She was a homemaker and a member of the Wellington Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and a member of the First United Methodist Church in Hedley.

She was preceded in death by both of her husbands; by an infant son; by a daughter, Evelyn Myers; by two other sons, Marvin Mullins and Tinsley Mullins; and by a brother, Jack Denton.

Survivors include one daughter, Peggy Watt of Hedley; two sons, William Mullins of Elkland, Missouri, and Leonard Mullins of Fritch; nine grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were grandsons of Mrs. Brown.

The family requests that memorials be made to Rowe Cemetery Association in Hedley.