Obituaries

Memorial graveside services for Ernest B. Taylor, age 85, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 31, 2001, in Citizens Cemetery with Jerry Davey, Pastor of Pleasant Valley Christian Church in Amarillo, officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

He was born August 23, 1916, in Canton, Van Zandt County, Texas. He had lived in Donley County most of his early life, having moved to Amarillo in 1951. He married Amolene Mary Tollett on January 7, 1938, at Clarendon. He was a truck driver for Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Company for several years and later was self-employed as a carpenter before his retirement. He was born a triplet. He was a member of the First Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Amolene Taylor of Amarillo; two sons, Ronald W. Taylor and Tony Richard Taylor, both of Amarillo; a daughter, Joyce McDonald of Billings, Montana; 16 grandchildren; and 24 great grandchildren.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be to IHS Hospital of Amarillo or to BSA Hospice in Amarillo.

Funeral services for Hazel Pearl Edens, age 92, were held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 24, 2001, in Robertson Chapel of Memories with Rev. Darrell Burton, Pastor of the Martin Baptist Church, officiating. Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mrs. Edens died Tuesday, August 21, 2001, in Clarendon. She was born December 19, 1908, in Rainbow, Texas, and was a resident of the Martin Community before moving to Clarendon 34 years ago. She married Walter Benson “Jack” Edens on August 31, 1923, at Georgia Creek, Texas. He preceded her in death on March 16, 1991. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Dorothy Faye McDaniel, on March 19, 2001. She was a homemaker and a member of the Martin Baptist Church.

Survivors include two daughters, Bonnie Cherry of Burnet and Beth Wynn of Clarendon; three sisters, Marie Lemmons, Dora West, and Ivey Wilson, all of Glen Rose, Texas; seven grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; and three great great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were Faylon Watson, Steve Reynolds, Delmar Wiggs, Bobby Cole, Bud White, and J.E. Kidd.

Mary Charlotte Word Mathers died Sunday, August 26, 2001, in Miles City, Montana.

She was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Millard Word of Clarendon. She graduated from Clarendon High School in 1938. In 1940 she graduated from Cottey College in  Nevada, Missouri, and in 1942 from West Texas State University. She married Bill Mathers in 1946 at the S.J. Ranch in Clarendon.

She is survived by her husband, Bill Mathers of Miles City, Montana; five daughters and sons-in-law, Margaret and Mike Novak, Sharon and Gary Secor, Bob and Barbara Mathers-Schmidt, Libby and Marshall Gardner, and Mimi and Greg Meredith; and 13 grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Millard in 1966 and Bob in 1973.

Her funeral was held in Miles City, Montana, on Wednesday, August 29, 2001, at 11:00 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church.

Graveside services for Iris S. Matney, age 90, were held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 26, 2001, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Rev. Bryan Knowles, Pastor of Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon, officiating. Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc. of Clarendon.

Mrs. Matney died Thursday, August 23, 2001, in Amarillo. She was born May 10, 1911, in Brownfield, Texas, and was a resident of Plemons before moving to Amarillo in 1937. She was married to Virgil Lee Matney on July 21, 1934, in Stinnett. He preceded her in death in 1985. She retired in 1978 as a Special Education Teacher. She was a homemaker and a member of the Polk Street United Methodist Church.

Survivors include four daughters, Iris Anne Matney Brack of Denver, Colorado; Jeanine Matney of Denver, Colorado; Verna Loy Matney Gerald of Amarillo; Lee Matney Jackson of Denver, Colorado; two step daughters, Betty Lee Matney Blythe of Whidby Island, Washington, and Doris Carolyn Matney Weatherly of Dallas; a brother, C.C. Slaughter of Amherst; a sister, Ora Lee Helton of Amarillo; nine grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.

Ruby E. Pope, age 87, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, went home to be with her Lord Sunday, August 26, 2001. Mrs. Pope had a lengthy history of heart problems which claimed her life. She is the grandmother of Beverly Burrow of Clarendon.

Mrs. Pope was preceded in death by her husband, Nolan A. Pope, on September 17, 1981; and her daughter Mrs. Doris Carter last October 17.

She is survived by two sons, James N. Pope of Amarillo and Ralph Pope of Carishata, Louisiana; two daughters, Feraldean Baughman of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Shirley Crosson of Garland; and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Ruby and her husband, Nolan, pastored the United Pentecostal Church in Clarendon in 1950s and 1960s. Her husband Nolan worked at Greene’s Dry Goods and as a meat market man at Junior’s Grocery.

Funeral services for Virginia Scivally Sibley, age 86, of Amarillo were held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 16, 2001, at Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors in Amarillo with Dr. Charles Jones of Second Baptist Church officiating. Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Bryan Knowles of Community Fellowship Church of Clarendon officiating.

Mrs. Sibley died Monday, August 13, 2001. She married H.E. Sibley in 1933 in Clarendon. She was a homemaker and lived in Canyon for the past eleven years. She was born in Hollis, Oklahoma, and moved to Amarillo in 1941 from Clarendon. She volunteered at High Plains Baptist Hospital for ten years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, H.E. Sibley, in 1989; and a son, Jerry Sibley, in 1963.

Survivors include two daughters, Joy Newkirk and husband, T.C. of Topeka, Kansas, and Sonja Hamby of Canyon; a sister, Geneva Barnes of Macon, Georgia; three grandchildren, Greg Hamby of Dallas, Andrew Newkirk of Amarillo, and Jay Newkirk and wife, Darla, of Lawrence, Kansas; and two great grandchildren, Fletcher and Madison Newkirk of Lawrence.

The family suggests memorials be to Crown of Texas Hospice, 1000 S. Jefferson St., Amarillo, TX 79101.

Our Shepherd has called Wilda Faye Gray to dwell in the house of the Lord forever after a long full life. A loving mother to Patricia Gray Gonzalez, Harold Lee Gray, and Wilda Darlene Gordon, she will always be cherished by her grandchildren Leslie Pierce, Dayna Poppen, Mark Whitehead, Tara Gray, David Gray, Brant Crow, and Alana Sholer.

She will be missed by her great grandchildren, Lara Sizemore and Brett Poppen; and a loving sister, Iva Ruth “Skeet” Parker. Married to John Dale Gray since 1942, who left us in 1981, Wilda Faye Gray taught first grade for over forty years for the Borger Public School System, including teaching special education. A caring and compassionate woman who touched the lives of so many will never be forgotten.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Dale Gray; a loving brother, Marvin Howard Gibbs; and loving sister, June Carolyn Gibbs.

Services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2001, in Robertson Chapel of Memories in Clarendon with interment following in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Graveside services for Lloyd Daniel Littlefield, age 82, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 9, 2001, in Jericho Cemetery.  Burial was held in Jericho Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., in Clarendon.

Mr. Littlefield died Monday, August 6, 2001, in Groom.  He was born February 18, 1919, in Sunset, Wise County, Texas.  He was a Wheeler Country resident until age seven when his family moved to Wayside.  He moved from Jericho to Groom in 1970.  He married Verda Lee James on May 31, 1941, at Panhandle.  He had been a farmer and rancher most of his life.  He served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II.

Survivors include his wife, Verda Littlefield of Groom; three sons, Lloyd Littlefield of McLean, Leroy Littlefield of Rosenberg, and Jerry Littlefield of Waelder, Texas; one brother, John Littlefield of Muleshoe; seven grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were Russell Littlefield, Jim Bob Adams, John McMordie, Mark Littlefield, and Greg Littlefield, all grandsons of Mr. Littlefield.

Graveside services for Donald Edward Adkins, age 63, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 4, 2001, in San Simone Community Cemetery. Burial was held at San Simone Community Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mr. Adkins died Saturday, August 4, 2001, in Clarendon. He was born January 6, 1938, in Tucson, where he lived until moving to San Simone 30 years ago. He married Joyce Arlene Daily on November 26, 1960, at Tucson. He had served in the US Air Force Reserves. He had been a farmer, rancher, and business owner most of his life.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Norman Adkins, in 1997.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce Adkins of San Simone, AZ; his mother, Lovetta Adkins of Grand Junction, CO; one daughter, Linda Adkins Noble of Clarendon; one son, Harvey Adkins of San Simone, AZ; two sisters, Marilyn Cressi of Tucson, AZ, and Helen Adkins of Grand Junction, CO; three brothers, Harry Adkins, Raymond Adkins, and John Adkins, all of Tucson, AZ; one grandchild; a niece and nephew which he helped raise, Faith Clark of Austin, and Tony Clark of Hawaii; a great nephew, A.J. Clark of Hawaii; and several other nieces and nephews.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be to the Juan Mancias Travel Fund of the Carrizo Comecrudo Nation, PO Box 512, Clarendon, TX 79226-0512.

Funeral services for Jewell F. “Daisy” May, age 90, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 8, 2001, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel in Pampa with Rev. John Valdez, pastor of the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, officiating. Burial was held in Westlawn Memorial Park in Borger, under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.

Mr. May died August 5, 2001, in Clarendon. He was born November 14, 1910, in Yoakum, Texas. He married Ruby Flint on August 29, 1936, in Stinnett. She preceded him in death on November 25, 2000. He was a resident of Borger, retiring from Phillips Petroleum November of 1979.  He moved to Teeside, England, returning to Borger after 18 months. He had been a resident of Pampa for six years, moving from Borger. He attended St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Pampa.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers – Cyril May and R.P. May, and three sisters – Mary May, Dorothy Podzemny, and Nellie Fultz.

Survivors include two daughters, Barbara Nichols and Martha Baggerman, both of Pampa; one son, Jerry Don May of Clarendon; one brother, Kenneth May of Bettenderf, Iowa; two sisters, Daisy Black of Amarillo and Mavis Ludwig of Corpus Christi; nine grandchildren; and 21 great grandchildren.

Memorials can be sent to American Heart Association, 2404 West Seventh, Amarillo, Texas 79106 or BSA Hospice, 800 N. Sumner, Pampa, Texas 79065.