Obituaries

Rachel Edith Riesener, age 77, of Eaton died Thursday, September 14, 2000, at her home.

She was born August 31, 1923, in Clarendon, the youngest of seven children of Patrick Henry and Edith Corder Longan.

On April 5, 1941, she married A.B. Stephens in Texas.  The couple moved to Colorado in 1955.  Mr. Stephens died February 3, 1961.  On June 2, 1962, she married W.J. Riesener.

After moving to Greeley, Mrs. Riesener was an active member of the Newcomers Club.

She worked for J.C. Penney Co. for ten years.  In later years, she owned a book store and Rachel’s Sportswear in Eaton.  She enjoyed bowling, playing cards, reading, and traveling.

Survivors include her husband, Jack Riesener of Eaton; two daughters, Vicki Cline and Henrietta Kaiser; a brother, Harley Longan; six grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren.  A sister and four brothers are deceased.

Services were held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, September 18, 2000, at Eaton Cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Northern Colorado.

Funeral services for James Arles “Boots” Ward, age 87, were held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 21, 2000, in the First Baptist Church in Hedley with Rev. Bruce Howard, Pastor, officiating.  Burial was held in Rowe Cemetery in Hedley under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mr. Ward died Monday, September 18, 2000, in Clarendon.  He was born May 23, 1913, in Hall County where he lived for most of his life until moving to Hedley in 1950.  He married Minnie Viola Eunice Pounds on December 28, 1940, at Memphis.  He was a US Army Veteran of World War II and was a farmer most of his life.  He was a Baptist.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Rhonda Diane Ward in 1958; a son, Ronald Lynn Ward in 1998; and two grandsons, T.J. Ward in 1999 and Brandon Nathan Ward in 1989.

Survivors include his wife, Eunice Ward of Hedley; four daughters, Jean Fallin of Childress, Lorene McCrary of Amarillo, Tonya Smith of Hedley, and Lawun Ward of Hedley; three sons, Leon Ward of Hedley, Glen Ward of Wellington, and Rickey Ward of Memphis; 16 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.

Casket bearers were Kevin Wilkes, Glenn Erick Ward, James Lee Ward, Chris Ward, Jason Ward, and Dean McCrary.  Honorary bearers were  Don Davis, Thomas Salazar, Johnny Conatser, Mike Martin, Michael Stanley, and Terry Bailey.

Bettye Pearl Lee, 71, of Lefors died Friday, September 22, 2000, in Amarillo.  She was a Donley County resident for 14 years.  Memorial services were at 2 P.M. Tuesday in First Baptist Church with Rev. Lewis Ellis officiating.  Burial followed in Memorial Heights Cemetery in Lefors.  Mrs. Lee was born in Trent, Texas.  She was a housewife and member of the Fiirst Baptist Church in Lefors.

She married George P. (Pat) Lee on May 10, 1948, in Sonora, Texas.

Her son, James Stanley Lee, preceded her in death.  Survivors include her husband; four daughters, Mary Kay Nickel of Lefors, Vickie Nelson of Higgins, Beverly Prestidge and Judy Hix, both of Canyon; a special nephew, Roy Alderson of Lefors; a stepson, Don Boyd of Clyde; a sister, Jewel Derrington of Pueblo, Colorado; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren.

The family requests that memorials be to First Baptist Church in Lefors.

Joe Robert Leathers died Saturday, September 23, 2000, in Amarillo. He was 72.

Services were held Monday, September 25, in the First Baptist Church with Rev. Truman Ledbetter, pastor, officiating. Interment was in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mr. Leathers was born November 11, 1927, in Lelia Lake and was a lifetime resident of Donley County. He married Joane Bullard on December 25, 1943, at Clarendon. He was a farmer and rancher most of his life and worked for Donley County for a time before his retirement. He was a member of the First Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Verue Shelton.

Survivors include his wife, Joane Leathers of Clarendon; one daughter, Beverly Hood of Plano; two sons, Robert Wayne Leathers of Pampa and Joe Lynn Leathers of Guthrie, Texas; two sisters, Mrs. Hugh Phelps and Mrs. J.L. Wardlaw both of Terrell; eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were David Warlick, Wes Hood, Brandon Leathers, Sean Hardman, David Leathers, and Jonathan Leathers.

Bobbie Guy Andis, age 78, died September 18, 2000, in Amarillo.

Mr. Andis was born May 25, 1922, in Gray County, Texas.  He married Vera Lee von Brunow on August 24, 1941, in Pampa.  They moved to Donley County in 1974 from Pampa.  He was a rancher.  He was a 33rd degree Mason and a member of the Pampa Masonic Lodges #1961 and the Top of Texas Lodge #1381.  He attended Grandview Elementary School, graduated from Pampa High School, and attended Texas Tech for two years.

He is survived by his wife, Vera Lee Andis of Clarendon, and two daughters, Bobbie Lee Bond of Amarillo and Linda Kay Mayer of Oklahoma City, OK; four grandchildren; and four great grandchildren.

Graveside services for Gordon Wade McElroy, age 36, were held on Saturday, September 9, 2000, in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon with Rev. Bill Hodges, Pastor of the Clarendon Church of the Nazarene, officiating. Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mr. McElroy died Wednesday, September 6, 2000, in Claude.  He was born August 21, 1964 in Memphis and was a resident of Armstrong County all of his life.  He had served in the US Marine Corp.  He married Evelyn Annette Mathews on February 12, 1992, in Waco.   He was a farmer and rancher most of his life, and was employed by Durrett Farms in Randall County.  He was a Baptist.

Survivors include his wife, Annette McElroy of Claude; one son, Kyle McElroy of Claude; two daughters, Ashley Pearson and Brenda Pearson, both of Claude; his parents, Nat and Marie McElroy of Claude; and three brothers, Bryan McElroy of Canyon, Mitch McElroy of Fort Hood, and Steven McElroy of Lubbock.

Funeral services for Roy Henry Ferris, age 94, were held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 9, 2000, in Robertson Chapel of Memories with Rev. James Ivey Edwards, Pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Clarendon, officiating.  Burial was held in Citizens Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mr. Ferris died Tuesday, September 5, 2000, in Clarendon.  He was born May 2, 1906, in Navajo Indian Territory (Oklahoma).  He moved from Jackson County, Oklahoma, to Clarendon in 1935.  He married Clara Annie Roe on February 5, 1928, at Altus, Oklahoma.  She preceded him in death on October 5, 1987.  He had been a farmer most of his life and was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Clarendon.

Survivors include one son, Clayton Ferris of Clarendon; and a brother, Bill Ferris of Highland, California.

Casket bearers were H.C. Shaw, Ernest Barbee, Buster Shields, Harold Lindley, Mitchell Martin, and Jerry Koontz.

David A. Berrig, age 63, died Tuesday, August 29, 2000, at his residence after a short battle with cancer.

He was born November 15, 1936, in Oshkosh a son of Herman C. and Frances A. (Yost) Berrig.  On May 4, 1957, David married Marjorie Elsworth in Oshkosh.

David had worked at Medalist Industries for many years and later for Big Lots.  He was an Air Force veteran and member of St. Peter Catholic Church.  David enjoyed woodworking, fishing, hunting, and helping people.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie of Oshkosh; four daughters, Patricia Owns, Peggy McHugh, Paula Qualley, all of Oshkosh, Pamela VanRyzin of San Jose, CA; sisters-in-law, Mary Berrig of Clarendon and Patricia Nichols of Waupaca; brother-in-law, Elwin Elsworth of Kenosha; twelve grandchildren; and eleven nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held on Friday, September 1, 2000, at 7:00 p.m. at Konrad-Behlman Funeral Home in Eastside with Rev. Robert Kollath officiating.

Funeral services for Ruth B. Knight, age 98, were held at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 19, 2000, in the First United Methodist Church in Groom with Tom Moore, Pastor, and Jerry Moore of Gruver, officiating.  Burial was held at the Groom Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mrs. Knight died Thursday, August 17, 2000, in Panhandle.  She was born January 3, 1902, in Parnell, Missouri, and moved from Iowa to Texas in 1930.  She married Cornell Knight on March 8, 1922, at Maryville, Missouri.  He preceded her in death in 1971.  She owned ad operated restaurants in Groom prior to her retirement.  She was a member of the United Methodist Women and the First United Methodist Church in Groom for 70 years.

She was preceded in death by one daughter, Norma Knight, and two grandsons, Stocky Lamberson and Dennis Steinkirchner.

Survivors include four daughters, Shirley Lamberson of Groom, Clarice Steinkirchner of Jennerstown, PA, Doris Slocum of Amarillo and Nell Dean Bagwell of Gruver; six grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; 8 great great grandchildren; and five step grandchildren.

The family respectfully request that memorials be to the Groom United Methodist Church or Groom Ambulance Fund.

Funeral services for Thomas Howard Seay, age 83, were held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 19, 2000, in the First Baptist Church in Estelline with Rev. B.G. Hill, Pastor, officiating.  Burial was held at the Estelline Cemetery under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc.

Mr. Seay died Wednesday, August 16, 2000, in Estelline.  He was born August 23, 1916, in Vaughn, New Mexico.  He was a resident of Clarendon for six years before moving to Estelline 44 years ago.  He married Edith Gwendolyn Hall on July 27, 1941, at Harrold, Texas.  He was an agriculture teacher in the public school system before his retirement.  He was a member of the Childress Masonic Lodge, the Childress Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a member of the First Baptist Church in Estelline.

Survivors include his wife, Edith G. Seay of Estelline; two daughters, Laynette Seay of Bowie, Elaine Aurwine of Pittsburg, Texas; one sister, Frances Harris of Hamilton, Texas; six grandchildren; and four great grandchildren.

Casket bearers were Billy Ferrel, Don Ferrel, Mike Davidson, Danny Davidson, Gene Bruce, and Noel Long.