Obituaries

Funeral services for James A. “Jim” Cooper, Jr., were held Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. at Rector Funeral Home Chapel in Amarillo with Jay Riley, officiating.  Interment was held in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon at 3:30 p.m. Arrangements are by Rector Funeral Home in Amarillo.

Mr. Cooper died Sunday, January 27, 2002, in Amarillo.  He was born May 21, 1939 in Greenville, South Carolina.  He lived in Amarillo for 33 years.  He was the owner of Amarillo Spring and Axle for eight years and then worked for Panhandle Trailways as a dispatcher.  He then owned Blue Ribbon Tours for three years before retiring in 1995.  He married Bonnie Riley Brown in 1971 at Clovis, NM.  He was a 32nd Mason at Palo Duro #1239 as well as a Shriner.  He was a member of Temple Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Kandy Caffee of Amarillo and Sue Beth Boyd of California; three sons, Victor Brown of Amarillo, Jimmy Meeks, and Roger Meeks of Washington state; three sisters, Elaine Schram of California, Carolyn Gasner of Pennsylvania, and Joyce Locke of Wisconsin; ten grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to BSA Hospice.

Funeral services for Horace E. McClellan, age 86, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 10, 2002, in Robertson Chapel of Memories with Bright Newhouse, Minister of the Hedley Church of Christ, officiating. Burial was held at Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc. of Clarendon.

Mr. McClellan died Tuesday, January 8, 2002, in Amarillo. He was born August 6, 1915, in Clarendon and was a lifetime resident of Donley County. He married Frances Grady on January 1, 1946, at Clarendon. She preceded him in death on January 23, 1988. He was a rancher all of his life. He was a veteran of the US Army during World War II and was a member of Clarendon VFW Post 7782. He was a Methodist.

He was preceded in death by a son, Charlie Mac McClellan on July 23, 1967.

Survivors include one son, Gary Lu McClellan of Clarendon, and one granddaughter, Haley McClellan of Clarendon.

Memorial services for Kenneth H. “Ken” Melton, age 66, were held Friday, January 11, 2002, in the Howardwick Baptist Church with Rev. Genoah Goad, Pastor, officiating. Burial was at 2:30 p.m. at Stratford Cemetery in Stratford under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc. of Clarendon.

Mr. Melton died Tuesday, January 8, 2002, in Howardwick. He was born August 6, 1935, in Centerpoint, Arkansas. He was a resident of Stratford from 1961 until 1979 when he moved to Amarillo where he lived until moving to Howardwick in 1994. He married Billie Louise Page on March 24, 1955, at Clovis, NM. He was self-employed in the milk and grocery business for much of his life before his retirement. He was a long-time member of the Masonic Lodge and was a member of the Howardwick Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by a son, Robert Baker, in 1968; a sister, Glenda Melton; and his father, Hubert Duncan Melton.

Survivors include his wife, Billie Melton of Howardwick; his mother, Lois Melton of Memphis; two daughters, Laura “Sis” Smith and husband Miles of Stratford and Kennetha “Lilon” Seawright and husband Kevin of Amarillo; two sisters, Imogene Molloy of Lakeview and Barbara Reeve of Fort Worth; one brother, Jerry Melton of Red Oak; three grandchildren, Chandler Smith of Carrollton, Robert Seawright of Amarillo and Jon Seawright of Amarillo; and one great granddaughter, Kaylee Smith of Carrollton.

Funeral services for Reggie Neal Rippetoe, age 48, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 12, 2002, in the Assembly of God Church with Rev. Clinton Elliott, Pastor, and Rev. Darrell Burton, Pastor of Martin Baptist Church, officiating. Burial was held at Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc. of Clarendon.

Mr. Rippetoe died Wednesday, January 9, 2002, in Clarendon. He was born March 15, 1953, in Dumas and was a lifetime resident of Clarendon. He married Sherry Selby on March 23, 1991, at Clarendon. He had worked as a cowboy and as a welder for Celanese in Pampa for much of his life. He served in the US Army during the Vietnam era and was a member of Clarendon VFW Post #7782. He was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Clarendon.

Survivors include his wife, Sherry Rippetoe of Clarendon; his parents, Carrel and Neoma Rippetoe of Clarendon; three sons, Max Rippetoe of Guymon, OK; Dave Sims of Clarendon, Jared Sims of Abilene; one daughter, Jessica Spicer of Claude; three brothers, Ronnie and Eric Rippetoe of Clarendon, David Rippetoe of Edmond, OK; three sisters, Sandy Cox and Debra Powers of Clarendon, Judy Bybee of Amarillo; and three grandchildren.

Casket bearers were Russell Alexander, Emmit Jenkins, Terry McCrary, Doug McCrary, Jimmy McCrary, and Mike Johnson.

Burt Usrey, age 87, died instantly on December 21, 2001, in Higley, Arizona, when the vehicle he was a passenger in was struck by an oncoming car. Andrew Adcock, formerly of Quail, was the driver.

Burt graduated from Shamrock High School in the mid-thirties. He moved with his parents, Burt and Mattie Usrey, to Hedley in the late thirties. He married Wanda Cavender in 1940. Following time spent in the Navy during World War II, he was employed by Plains Chevrolet Company in Amarillo. He moved to Mesa, Arizona, in the late sixties where he was employed until his retirement.

He is survived by his wife; one son, Richard; two grandsons; one great granddaughter; brothers Wilson Usrey of Deer Park, Ed Usrey of Tyler, Joe Usrey of Amarillo, Malcolm Usrey of Clemson, South Carolina; and Jack Usrey of Logan, New Mexico; and two sisters, Bertie LaRoe of Happy and Patricia Morrison of Athens, Ohio.

Funeral services for Douglas Scott Frohwein, age 36, will be held Friday, January 11, 2002, at 10 a.m. at the Martin Baptist Church in Clarendon with Rev. Darrell Burton, officiating.

Mr. Frohwein died Saturday night at his ranch in Clarendon. He was born November 1, 1965, to Gerald and Janice (Lock) Frohwein in Nevada, Iowa. He lived in Zearing, Iowa, his first 12 years.  In Lake City, Minnesota, he graduated from high school in 1984 and was married to Lisa VanHouten on August 2, 1986.  He had two children, Scott Douglas Frohwein, age 11, and Analisa Rae Frohwein, age 10.  He lived in El Paso, Texas, and Chaparral, New Mexico.  He married Christina Anne Frohwein on May 15, 1998, and has a stepdaughter, Ashley Anne Graves, age 14, where they lived on the Double Diamond Ranch in Clarendon.  His love was raising and riding horses.  He worked with his father’s trucking business and enjoyed body shop work over the years.

Douglas is survived by his wife, Christina and stepdaughter, Ashley; two children, Scott and Analisa of Wyoming, Minnesota; parents Gerald Frohwein of Chaparral, New Mexico, and Janice Frohwein of Egan, New Mexico; two brothers, Darren of Austin, Minnesota, and Daniel in Grimes, Iowa; and grandparents, Glen and Jane Frohwein in Zearing, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Raymond and Myrtle Lock.

He will be greatly missed by all his extended family and friends who knew him.

Funeral services for Eunice Linnie Leeper, age 91, were held at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, December 31, 2001, in the Clarendon Church of the Nazarene with Rev. Bill Hodges, Pastor, and Rev. Bryan Knowles, Pastor of Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon, officiating. Burial was held at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mrs. Leeper died Saturday, December 29, 2001, in Clarendon. She was born June 9, 1910, in Commanche County, Texas. She married Gurvaise Lyon Leeper in 1929 at Hollis, Oklahoma. He preceded her in death on July 11, 1970. She was a Hedley resident from 1935 until moving to Clarendon in 1966. She was a homemaker and a member of the Clarendon Church of the Nazarene. 

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Yvonne Leeper in 1940, and a son, Lloyd Leeper in 1995.

Survivors include one daughter, Lavern Gibson of Long Island, NY; four sons: Verrell Leeper of Lyons, Kansas; Wilburn “Red” Leeper of Quitaque; Jack Leeper of Clarendon; and Benny Leeper of Belton; two sisters, Bonnie Saunders of Amarillo and Lizzie Jones of Childress; two brothers, Amie Thomas of Dumas and Barney Thomas of Pontiac, Michigan; 17 grandchildren; 36 great grandchildren; and 11 great great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were Mike Leeper, Bryan Leeper, Tommy Leeper, Steve Ellis, Scott Leeper, Chad Ellis, Neil Leeper, and Glenn Leeper.

Graveside services for Bill L. McDowell, age 66, were held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 2002, at the Jericho Cemetery with Rev. Tom Lapaka, a Lutheran minister, officiating. Services are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.

Mr. McDowell died January 5, 2002, in Houston. He was born September 5, 1935, in Amarillo. He married Helen Rose Butler on August 14, 1960, in Pueblo, Colo. He was a resident of Houston the past four years.

Survivors include Helen Rose McDowell, of the home; three sons, Joel and Shawn McDowell both of Houston, and Brandon McDowell of Lafayette, Louisiana; one brother, Bob McDowell of Campbell, Texas; two sisters, Velma Jamison of Eugene, Oregon, and Claudia Clayton of Abilene; and six grandchildren.

Funeral services for Viown Jennings Winn, age 78, were held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 4, 2002, in Robertson Chapel of Memories in Clarendon with Rev. James Ivey Edwards, Pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Clarendon, officiating. Burial was held in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Ms. Winn died Sunday, December 30, 2001, in Loveland, Colorado. She was born February 27, 1923, in Milnesand, NM, to Beatrice Dykes and Joshua Tarliff Jennings. She grew up and attended schools in Donley County in Windy Valley and Lelia Lake. She was a former long-time resident of Hedley. She worked for Mobley Cleaners in Hedley for 30 years and later for the Hedley Senior Citizens Center. Her love of life manifested itself in her garden and her kitchen, where she excelled in both.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Harry and W.D. Jennings.

Survivors include one daughter, Brenda and her husband, Alvin Alexander of Loveland, Colorado; a grandson, Greg Alexander, and wife Tanya of Greeley, Colorado; a granddaughter, Jill and her husband, Bret Peyton of Gig Harbor, WA; two great grandchildren; three sisters, Lois Watson and Wanda Coots of Amarillo and Mildred Fontenot of Hedley; five nieces, and three nephews.

Graveside services for Fern Douglas Berry, age 76, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 24, 2001, in Fairview Cemetery in Pampa with Rev. Jimmy Fox, Minister of Martin Road Baptist Church in Amarillo, officiating. Burial was held at Fairview Cemetery in Pampa under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Berry died Friday, December 21, 2001, in Amarillo. He was born September 20, 1935, in Lakeview, Hall County, Texas, and was a Pampa resident before moving to Howardwick in 1981. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Alva Jean Fore Berry, in 1977 and by his second wife, Jimmie Nell Blick Berry, in 1995. He was a lab technician for Cabot Corporation in Pampa for 25 years. He was a US Navy veteran of World War II and was a member of the Donley County Memorial Post 7782 of the VFW. He was a Baptist.

He was preceded in death by two daughters, Cynthia Ann Berry, in 1948 and Shelia Beth Berry in 1983; and by one son, Douglas Elden Berry in 1978.

Survivors include two granddaughters, Cynthia Hewett of Clarendon and Lisa Howell of La Pryor, Texas; one sister, Frankie Jean Herman of Miami, Texas; five great grandchildren; and a special friend, Patsy Hill of Plainview.