Obituaries

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.

Services for Charles W. Wood, 81, of Lubbock, were held on Monday, July 30, 2001, at 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Keith Wiseman and Rev. William Fleming, officiating. Burial followed in the City of Lubbock Cemetery under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home.

Mr. Wood died on Saturday, July 28, 2001, at Covenant Medical Center.

He was born on November 20, 1919, in Clarendon. He attended grade schools in Donley County and graduated from Clarendon High School and Clarendon Junior College. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from West Texas State College and his Master’s Degree in Education from Texas Tech University. He served as a U.S. Army Captain in the European Theatre during WWII and received a Purple Heart for sustained injuries while in Casino, Italy, prior to returning to the states in 1945. He married Juanita Ruth James in Roswell, NM, on June 17, 1950.

He taught math at Canadian, Lorenzo, Roosevelt, and New Deal. He served as a principal at Roosevelt and New Deal. He also served on the school board in New Deal. He retired from teaching in 1965 and continued to farm and ranch until 1992.   

He served as president of the Lubbock Co. Soil and Water Conservation District and also served on the State Board of Soil and Water Conservation. He received the Distinguished Service Award and was named Conservationist of the Year in Lubbock County.

He was a member of the New Deal Lions Club for many years and a member of First United Methodist Church. Mr. Wood served on the Administrative Board as well as a volunteer at the Second Helping Group at the First United Methodist Church. He was a member of Thursday Morning Men’s Prayer Breakfast and Bible Study class.

Survivors include his wife, Juanita Ruth Wood; one sister, Evelyn Jean Mann of Clarendon; several nephews and nieces.

A daughter, Linda Kay Wood, preceded him in death.

The family suggests memorials be to the First United Methodist Church of Lubbock or the American Cancer Society.

Funeral services for Leona C. Henson, age 87, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 21, 2001, in the First Baptist Church in Clarendon with Rev. Bryan Knowles, Pastor of Community Fellowship Church in Clarendon, officiating. Burial was held in Rowe Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mrs. Henson died Tuesday, July 17, 2001, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was born August 31, 1913, in Shelby, Texas, and attended schools in Marlin, Haskell, and Ashtola. She married Gradie G. Henson on November 1, 1930, at Hollis, Oklahoma. They lived in the Martin and Ashtola communities near Clarendon before moving to Clarendon in the mid 1960s. He preceded her in death on November 12, 1982. She was a long time member of the First Baptist Church, where she had served as a Sunday School teacher. She was a Past Noble Grand of the Clarendon Rebekah Lodge and Past President of the Les Beaux Art Club. She had also been involved in various other church and community affairs.

She was preceded in death by one daughter, Wilma Henson Hill, in 1971.

Survivors include two sons, Floyd H. Henson and his wife Virginia of Albuquerque, NM, and A.R. Henson and his wife Frankie of Clarendon; one brother, Fred Mandrofsky of Tularosa, NM; three sisters: Mae Malone Waller of Denton, Jean Martin of Arlington, and Bee Robinson of Florida; seven grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; and six great great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were grandsons: Wes Henson, Greg Henson, Monty Henson, Brent Henson, Wallace Hill, and Jeffrey Henson.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Rowe Cemetery Association in Hedley or to a favorite charity.

Homer Charles Wilson died Saturday, June 30, 2001, at the age of 70 following a lengthy illness.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 3, 2001, in W.W. Rix Chapel with Rev. Jim Brannen and the Rev. Bruce Cotton officiating.  Entombment followed in Resthaven Mausoleum.

Mr. Wilson was born in Clarendon on July 11, 1930, and later moved to Spur with his family, graduating from Spur High School in 1947. He them moved to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University, where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1952.  Following graduation, he entered the US Army and was assigned to the 48th Engineering Battalion.  He married Nancy Huval in Fairfax, VA, February 20, 1953.

Following an honorable discharge from the Army in 1955, Homer and Nancy returned to Lubbock, where he began a business career that lasted 49 years.  Homer was with Gulf Oil Co. for five years and then went into business with his brother, Leonard, where he was co-owner of Wilson and Wilson Construction for 24 years. Wilson and Wilson Construction became one of the largest residential and commercial developers in the Lubbock area.  In 1987, Homer founded Southwest Bingo Supply Co., which distributes bingo supplies throughout the West Texas area.

Homer devoted his entire life to his family and friends; and he will be profoundly missed.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy; two daughters, Patricia and husband, Robert Byers, of Lubbock and Sharon and her husband, Dale Breedlove, of Shallowater; a son, Clifford and his wife, Stacey Craig Wilson, of Lubbock; nine grandchildren: Christian Hames, Justin Johnson, Jenny Neal, Tiffany Byers, and Brandon Neal, Emily Breedlove and Alicia, Joshua and Tess Wilson; and one great grandchild, Bryson Blair.

Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Lubbock, PO Box 53276, Lubbock, TX 79453.

Graveside services for Merrelene Waddell Youngblood, age 65, were held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 13, 2001, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Father Terry Burke of Amarillo, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Ms. Youngblood was born September 23, 1935, in the Chamberlain Community in Donley County, where she lived until age 16.  She had been an Amarillo resident most of her adult life.  She was a homemaker and a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Amarillo.

She was preceded in death by two daughters, Wynona Gayle Grace and Vunnona Belle Harmon, and by three grandchildren.

Survivors include two daughters, Ramon Dian Subera of Marysville, Washington, and Wanda Merrelene Youngblood of Amarillo; four sons, Kenneth Ray Youngblood of Hoquim, Washington, James Youngblood of Amarillo, Robert Eugene Rose of El Sanbarta, California, and Thomas Youngblood of Everett, Washington; one sister, Johnnie Belle Coty of Montana; one brother, William E. Waddell of Amarillo; 19 grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

The family requests that memorials be to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or American Diabetes Association.

Graveside services for Loyce Marie Moffitt, age 87, were held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 10, 2001, in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley with Rev. Bob Schroeder, Executive Pastor of Paramount Terrace Christian Church in Amarillo, officiating. Burial was held in Rowe Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Mrs. Moffitt died Sunday, July 8, 2001, in Amarillo. She was born December 1, 1913, in Hedley and was a resident of Hedley most of her early life. She lived in Dumas for a short time and had been a resident of Amarillo for the past 21 years. She was married to Thomas Harold Moffitt, who preceded her in death in 1963. She was the owner and operator of H&M Variety & Dry Goods Store in Hedley for seven years. She was a homemaker and a member of the First United Methodist Church in Hedley.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Omer Wood, in 2000.

Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Sandra and Jerry Finchum of Amarillo; one son and daughter-in-law, Harold and Mollie Moffitt of Memphis; one sister, Opal Johnson of Amarillo; three grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

The family requests that memorials be to Rowe Cemetery in Hedley or to a favorite charity.

Steven R. “Hoss” Toler, 38, a former resident of Belen, New Mexico, died suddenly on July 7, 2001.

Steven loved New Mexico. He enjoyed bulls and Bulldogging in the Rodeo and also was good at breaking horses in his younger years. He served his country in the US Navy as an air traffic controller. Hoss also wrestled while in the Navy. He graduated from Belen High School in 1981 where he was State runner-up two years in wrestling as a heavy weight. He also played football at Belen High School. Steven recently attended his 20th year reunion.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 16, 2001, 1:00 p.m. at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, with Pastor John Carpenter, officiating.  Arrangements are under the direction of French Mortuary in Albuquerque.

He is survived by his parents, Robert and Eleanor Toler of Amarillo, TX; sister, Mary Katherine Hawkins and husband, Russell of Amarillo, TX; a nephew, Wesley, and an aunt, Helen Bender.

Memorial contributions may be made to the local Epilepsy Foundation or to LAB Epilepsy Research Group, 4801 San Mateo Lane NE #170, Albuquerque, NM 87109.