OBITUARIES
Melvin Hugh Anderson
Melvin Hugh Anderson
July 14, 1931 – December 30, 2014
BOWIE – Melvin Hugh Anderson, 83, passed away on Dec. 30, 2014 in Wichita Falls, TX. 
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Jan. 3 at Lunn’s Colonial Chapel with Dr. David Hartman officiating.
Melvin was born in Bowie on July 14, 1931 to Oscar Lawrence Anderson and Myrtie Keen Anderson. He married Wanda June Wright on Jan. 1, 1950 in Bowie.
Melvin was a member of First Christian Church and the Maskat Shrine Temple. He was president of the Maskat Foot Patrol in 1976 and 1988, captain of the Foot Patrol 1992 to 1997 and secretary of the Texas Shrine Patrol Association 1981-82. In 2013, Melvin received his 40 year pin celebrating his service, dedication, fellowship and fun being a Shriner. He was a member of the Royal Order of the Jesters and served as director in 1985.
Melvin was invited to join The Mavericks of Wichita Falls in 1982 and served as president from 1997-1998. Melvin served on the Board of The Mavericks for 21 years and cooked ribs for 23 years. Melvin was honored to be the first Maverick to receive a Life Membership and Gold Star in 2014.
In October 2013, Melvin became a volunteer with Meals on Wheels. He and June enjoyed their weekly visits with all the people on their route and Melvin’s smiling face will be greatly missed.
Melvin was employed by McAlister Trucking Company for 44 years where he started as a swamper and retired as executive vice president. Melvin is generally credited as being an integral part of the success of the company and he was a friend and father figure to many of the people he worked with.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Annette Anderson.
He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, June; daughters, Beverly Bumgarner and husband, Billy, Wichita Falls, Brenda Spilman and husband, Paul, Lake Arrowhead; sister Wanda Nesser,
Boise, ID; grandchildren, Kelly Moss and husband Ricky, Kevin Bumgarner and wife Jessica; great-grandchildren Kaycee Adams and Teegan Bumgarner, all of Wichita Falls, and four nephews and three nieces.
Melvin’s legacy of love and laughter will be greatly missed. Comments from friends and family include: “He will be missed by many but never forgotten,” “It was an honor to have known him,” “God just gained one of the greatest souls,” “He was a remarkably happy man and if you were in the same room you would feel happy too,” “He had a general warmth and charisma that drew people towards him,” and “He was one of the greatest men I ever knew.”
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Maskat Temple Hospital Transportation Fund or to Hospice of Wichita Falls.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lunnscolonial.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home.
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OBITUARIES
Norma Jeanne Fulcher
February 2, 1927 – November 21, 2025
CALIFORNIA – Norma Jeanne Fulcher, 98, passed away in November 2025, in Sherman Oaks, CA. She had been a resident of Los Angeles for 67 years.
Her final resting place will be in Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie.
Norma was born on Feb. 2, 1927 in Post Oak, TX, where her family owned a cattle ranch. After graduating from high school at 16, Norma attended Texas State College for Women in Denton where she was an honor student in journalism.
Advertising would be her career path, and it all began at Joske’s department store in San Antonio. From there she moved to Dallas where she worked as an advertising copywriter for Neiman Marcus. Her next step was Jantzen swimwear in Portland, OR and eventually to Los Angeles to work at Carson/Roberts, the largest advertising agency on the west coast at the time. Among her accounts were Max Factor and Mattel, and she wrote one of the first ads for the Barbie doll. Later in her career, she freelanced and worked at Art Center in Pasadena.
Norma liked to cook and host dinner parties for friends. She enjoyed art exhibits and attending musical performances in LA. After retirement, she was a docent for 25 years at the Huntington Library, art museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino.
Norma is survived by her four nieces.
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OBITUARIES
Izella Gray Boyd
August 4, 1944 – January 1, 2026
BOWIE – Izella Gray Boyd, 105, passed away Jan. 1, 2026.
A graveside service was at 11 a.m. Jan 5 in Oakwood Cemetery, Jacksboro.
Izella was born March 9, 1920 to Janie (Hensley) and John Elbert Gray in Jack County, TX. The sixth daughter of 12 children, Izella was the last surviving child of the Gray union. She married Oscar L. (Dutch) Boyd on Aug. 4, 1944.
Dutch and Izella raised their family in Bridgeport, where she was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bridgeport. Relocating to Bowie in the mid-90s, she became a member of the First Baptist Church of Bowie.
Izella was fiercely competitive and independent, and kept the 42 games at the Bowie Senior Citizens Center going strong for many years. Later years were spent at Independence Hall, where bingo was a staple.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; son, Mike Boyd; son-in-law, Donald Morton and 11 siblings.
She is survived by daughter, Mary Jo Morton; two grandchildren Cindy (Ross) Hamilton and Rhonda (T.M.) Bigley; six great grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren.
The family of Izella would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Independence Hall and Solaris Hospice for the compassionate and excellent care provided to her.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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OBITUARIES
“Patsy” Ruth West Lyons
April 5, 1927 – December 28, 2025
BOWIE – “Patsy” Ruth West Lyons, 98, passed away Dec. 28, 2025 in Bowie.
The family received friends from 9 to 11 a.m., prior to the service on Jan. 2 at the White Family Funeral Home.
A funeral service was at 11 a.m. on Jan. 2 in the chapel of the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie. Burial followed at Hopewell Cemetery.
Patsy was born April 5, 1927, in Vernon to David Hamilton West and Lucille McGinty West. She married James Brock Lyons on Jan. 4, 1947 in Fort Worth. They celebrated 70 wonderful years together before his death in 2017.
She was a 1945 graduate and recently honored as the oldest living graduate of Bowie High School. Patsy was a 53-year member of Bowie Chapter #16 Order of The Eastern Star. She worked at G. C. Murphy Company in Fort Worth before retiring to Bowie where she worked for Fry Funeral Home for many years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, David and Lucille West; three brothers; one sister; husband, James Brock Lyons; son, James Brock Lyons Jr., and daughter -in-law, Beverly Lyons.
Patsy is survived by her daughter, Karen Self and husband Leroy, Bowie; 11 grandchildren, Lynette Fultz and husband Robert of Decatur, James Self and wife Brittany, Bowie, Stephanie Morgan and husband David, Mansfield, AR, April Robles and husband Mikey, Mansfield, AR, Brock Lyons III, Mansfield, AR, Kiemeche Corbin and husband Westin, Charleston, AR, Dakotha Lyons, Van Buren, AR, Lannie Self, Dallas, Terry Self and wife Vonda, Coppell, Cheri Brittain and husband Dusty, Mineola and Troy Self, Newark; 14 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren and one soon to arrive.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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