OBITUARIES
Paul Henry Prater
Paul Henry Prater
July 30, 1928 – March 30, 2015
BOWIE – Paul Henry Prater, 86, passed away March 30, 2015 in Bowie, TX.
Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. April 6 at the First United Methodist Church, 1515 N. Jefferson St. Bowie with pastors Mona Millard and Elizabeth Turner Talbert officiating.
Paul was born on July 30, 1928, one of nine children to W.H. and Anna Belle (Ratliff) Prater. He graduated from Bowie High School in 1947 and was awarded a four year scholarship to play basketball at Texas Wesleyan College in Ft. Worth. There he received his degree in PE/Science and later a masters in education from the University of North Texas in Denton.
He served two years in the Army. In 1954 he and Bettie Broom were married at the First Methodist Church in Bowie. After teaching 31 years, he retired in 1990. He and Bettie enjoyed square dancing with the Jim Bowie and Swinging Stars for 25 years. They traveled throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.
They also visited and photographed all 254 county courthouses in Texas. Although he loved to play golf, his health prevented him from this after 2003, but not before he shot a hole-in-one, his dream!
Paul is survived by his wife, Bettie Prater, Bowie; children, David and Sandy Prater, Crowley, Lydia and Richard McMullen, Dallas, and Paula Prater, Austin; grandchildren, Trenton and Christy Case, LaPorte, Brittany Case, Dallas; Lauren Prater, Ft. Worth, Chris and Alysia Prater, Boulder, CO. and Aubre Ferguson, Dallas; sister, Anna Morris, Tyler; sister-in-law, Shirley Prater, Georgetown; brother-in-law, John Canon, Orangedale, CA; and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 778, Bowie, TX 76230 or Alzheimer’s Association at Wichita Falls Region 901 Indiana, Suite 350, Wichita Falls, TX 76301.
Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.thewhitefamilyfuneralhome.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to The White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
November 5, 1938 – April 18, 2026
WICHITA FALLS – Maggie Killen, 87, died on April 18, 2026.
A graveside service took place at 1 p.m. on April 27 at Salona Cemetery near Bowie.
She was born on Nov. 5, 1938 in Bowie to Bertha Irene (Brewer) and Emmett Franklin Thompson. She was a graduate of Bowie High School. She was an oil information secretary and later in life as a business office manager in a skilled nursing home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bertha Irene and Emmett Franklin Thompson: sisters; Gracie McNatt, Berneice Oliver, Ola Mae Deeton, Ernestine Ray and Dorothy Woolf: brothers; Kelly Thompson, John Thompson, Lonnie Thompson, Wayne Thompson and Tommy Thompson; son, Ricky Wallace and daughter, Vicki Cullens.
She is survived by two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to University Park Nursing and Rehab.
June 4, 1947 – April 19, 2026
SPAINSH FORT – Sammy Joe Mitchell, 78, died on April 19, 2026.
There was a visitation from 5-6 p.m. on April 24 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel in Nocona.
A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. on April 25 at Spanish Fort Cemetery in Spanish Fort.
He was born on June 4, 1947 in Nocona to Bonnie O. Mitchell Jr. & Mary Lou Cross Mitchell. He grew up in the Spanish Fort area and went to school at Prairie Valley Schools. He was a hard-working farmer, rancher and mechanic all of his life and served his nation in the Airforce. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Spanish Fort. He married the love of his life Robbie Hawthorne on May 8, 1971 in Nocona.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Steven Chris Mitchell.
He is survived by his wife, Robbie Mitchell, Spanish Fort; children, Joe Chris Mitchell, Spanish Fort and Kasie Hamilton, Bowie; sister, Bonnie Robertson, Spanish Fort; six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to The Montague County Youth Fair, c/o Kenton Holloway, 5549 F.M. 1758, Bowie, TX 76230.
November 8, 1958 – April 20, 2026
NOCONA – Lesli Jan Phipps, 67, died on April 20, 2026.
There was a funeral service at 2 p.m. on April 23 at Bethel Baptist Church in Nocona with Pastor David Rogers officiating. The interment followed in Hope Cemetery, Henrietta. Pallbearers were Will Johnson, Ben Johnson, Ryan Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Kaye Rhoades, Tom Skinner and Bill Holcomb.
She was born in Nocona on Nov. 8, 1958 to Gerald “Jerry” and Lucia Painter Johnson. She grew up in Nocona and graduated Nocona High School in 1977. She attended Bethel Baptist Church. She later attended college at Midwestern State University and was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She worked mostly in accounting for Northrop Grumman. She married Curtis Phipps on June 3 2021 in Henrietta.
She is preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Curtis Phipps, Nocona; children, Blake Gantz, Euless, Emily Gantz Hicks, Hoover, AL and Garrett Palla, Denton; brother, Craig Johnson; and one grandson.
Memorial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation at www.komen.org.
-
NEWS2 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS3 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News