OBITUARIES

Eula Fay Watson

Published

10 years ago

07/05/2016

Eula Fay Watson OBIT watsoneula
May 19, 1918 – June 30, 2016
JACKSBORO – Eula Fay Watson, 98 years and 49 days, passed away June 30, 2016 in Fort Worth, TX.
A visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. July 8 at Coker Funeral Home in Jacksboro.
A service will be at 10 a.m. July 9 at First Baptist Church in Jacksboro with burial following in Oakwood Cemetery.
Eula Fay was born on May 19, 1918 to Oscar A. and Minnie Symintha (Jackson) Whitsitt at Squaw Mountain, TX. She married Melvin E. Watson on May 19, 1936 in Joy. They celebrated 62 years of marriage before his death in 1998.
Eula Fay was an active member of First Baptist Church, The Red Hat Society, The Jacksboro Gardening Club and The Jacksboro Country Club where she had been an avid golfer for years. She finally gave up golf because she said, “I’ve outlived most of my playing partners.” Her main goal in life was to stay active.
She was the first female court bailiff in Jack County. At one time she owned and operated a children’s clothing store in Bowie after her first granddaughter was born, but found it too confining.
Following that venture, she raised quail, truck farmed and worked at Haggar Slacks. Her final business venture was trapping and selling live raccoons. This ended abruptly when one of the raccoons managed to get out of the cage and tap her on the shoulder while she was driving them to the sale. She was the mother to three boys, hated to cook, but was always ready to fish and tramp around the ranch.
Many family and friends believed she was a “card shark” when it came to playing SkipBo. She won at Bingo so many times Concerned Citizens ran out of prizes. She was an uninhibited 42 and 84 player. She was strong willed, hard headed and smart as a whip.
She was independent, interested in everything and a feisty pioneer woman. She loved John Deere lawn mowers, but disliked horses. Eula Fay was a cancer survivor, having beaten it twice.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Melvin E. Watson; son, Larry James Watson; two brothers and seven sisters.
She leaves behind two sons, Ronald E. Watson and wife Shirley, and Donald D. Watson and wife Susan; daughter-in-law, Sharon Watson; sister, Margaret McMahon; grandchildren, Pamela, Cherami, Steven, Damon, Jennifer, Forrest and Laura; great grandchildren, Calista, Trenton, Winston, Amanda, Matthew, Jordan and Ethan; plus many nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorials may be made to Concerned Citizens or the American Cancer Society. Visit www.cokerfuneral.com for online tributes.
Paid publication

OBITUARIES

Maggie Killen

Published

4 days ago

04/30/2026

bowienews

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.

OBITUARIES

Sammy Joe Mitchell

Published

4 days ago

04/30/2026

bowienews

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.

OBITUARIES

Lesli Jan Phipps

Published

4 days ago

04/30/2026

bowienews

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.