OBITUARIES

David Gaston Gregory

Published

8 years ago

06/27/2017

David Gaston Gregory

May 12, 1925 – June 27, 2017
BOWIE — David Gaston Gregory, 92, passed away June 27, 2017 in Bowie, TX.
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. June 30 at the Montague County Cowboy Church in Montague.
David was born May 12,1925 in Bowie to Earl and Ferba (Hogeland) Gregory. He graduated from Bowie High School in May of 1942. David joined and served his country in the United States Navy in 1943 for 3 ½ years.
He married Clara Nell East from Miami, OK on May 4, 1946. David was recalled to active duty for the Navy in January of 1951 during the Korean War and he served 18 months. He was Boy Scout Master of the troop sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Bowie for 3 ½ years. David was the Montague County Civil Defense Director during the Cuban Crisis. He retired from the United States Postal Service in 1980 after 35 years of federal service.
David was secretary/treasurer of Texas Pony of America Club from 1963-1969 and inspector for the National Pony of America from 1964 to 1969. He was a charter member of the Jim Bowie Riding Club and served in 1967 as first director of Jim Bowie Days.
From 1967 to 1983 he was a partner in the Botex Trailer company manufacturing gooseneck trailers. He ranched from 1970 until 2002 raising, training and showing quarter horses and cattle.
In the mid 1990s he helped paint a mural for the Bowie Main Street Project that was displayed on the old Wilson Drug Store building. He also painted an attack on a Butterfield Stage Coach by Indians which was displayed on the north wall of the old Griffin Drug Store that is across from Legend Bank. David also made the drawings for the metal cutouts of the Trail Drive scene in the park at the junction of US 81 and business 287 and painted the Longhorn Cattle and trail drivers on horses.
After retiring in 2002 from ranching, he sold his ranch and moved to Newport where he lived and kept a couple horses to train and ride. David wrote and published two books. One is a collection of humorous stories about good horses, bad horses, mad cows and irate neighbors that was titled “Horsefeathers.” The second book is titled “Mistletoe Jones” and is a novel about a 15 year old boy born in 1850 just north of Bowie and about his struggle into manhood and subsequent rescue of his girlfriend from Indians.
From 1994 to 2008 he wrote a humor column for small town newspapers which was also called “Horsefeathers.” In 1995, he was awarded first place honors for the best humor article of the year in Texas in weekly newspapers by the Texas Newspaper Publishers Association.
In 2003, he started taking guitar lessons and sang and played at jam sessions. He was a member of the Bowie Lodge AF&AM 578 for more than 50 years. David was on the board of directors with the Dairy Queen Think Tank where they try to solve world problems. Up until recently he went dancing three nights a week in Bowie, Springtown and Wichita Falls. David lived life to the fullest.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Ferba Gregory; wife, Clara Gregory; daughter, Judy Marie Gregory; brother, Kenneth Gregory and sister, Carolyn Sue Gregory.
David is survived by his children, Vicki Riley and husband Chuck, Bowie, Mike Gregory and Mary Paul, Edmond, OK, and Terri Vinson and husband David, Benbrook; grandchildren, Jody Oliver, T.J. Thompson and Casey Gallia, all of Bowie, Clay Gregory, Edmond, OK, Devin Badley, Keller, Kayla Watts, Benbrook and Callie Jones, Bowie; 14 great grandchildren; brother, Bob Gregory, Everman; numerous nieces and nephews; and special friend, Crystie Riley, Bowie.
Arrangements have been entrusted to The White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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OBITUARIES

Dean Allen Shaffer

Published

1 week ago

05/28/2025

bowienews

June 24, 1962 – May 18, 2025
BOWIE – Dean Allen Shaffer, 62, was escorted to the gates of heaven May 18, 2025 at 12:34 a.m. in the arms of his loving wife Christal Shaffer after complications of pneumonia
A celebration of life for Dean was held at 11 a.m. on May 31 at the First Baptist Church in Alvord followed by a meal for the family.
Dean was born June 24, 1962, in Lander, WY. While quiet and soft spoken, he had a mighty love for the Lord, his wife of 38 years and his family. Dean was an incredibly hard worker, but all who knew Dean also knew how generous he was. He enjoyed cooking outside, hosting get-togethers at their home, having a drink and listening to good music as well as spending time with his bees.
He is preceded in death by his mother-in-law, “Memom” Linda Stevens and loving sister-in-law, Terri Shaffer and sister-in-law, Linda Shaffer.
Dean is survived by his wife, Christal Shaffer; children, Justin Shaffer and wife Kayla, Miles Shaffer, and Ainsley Hernandez and husband Josue; his children in Christ, Chris Lovell, and Andrew Stevens and wife Sutton; grandchildren, Kayden Shaffer and fiancé Nathan Mac, Colton Shaffer and wife Payton, Jaid, Remi, Briggs, Watts, Hutch, Justice and Maverick; great-grandchild, Colter; his parents, James Oliver Shaffer and Alice Bethine; siblings, Randy Shaffer, Cheryl Shaffer and partner Mike Hoffman, Mike Shaffer and wife Kim, Cathey Tewes and husband Andy; numerous other nieces, nephews and family members.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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OBITUARIES

Betty Sue Bynum

Published

1 week ago

05/28/2025

bowienews

April 3, 1929 – May 20, 2025
BOWIE – Betty Sue Bynum, 96, passed away on May 20, 2025 in Nocona, TX.
Betty was born on April 3, 1929 in Thornton to Thomas Everett and Eva May Stiff Hardaway. She attended elementary school in Van Alstyne and attended high school in Calvert. She graduated from Teachers College High School and continued on to North Texas State Teacher’s College graduating with a bachelor of arts, library science degree at age 20. In 1977, she continued her education obtaining a master of education degree at University of North Texas.
While attending college, Betty met her future husband, Floyd Arthur Bynum. Betty wanted to work and live on her own for a year before getting married, so they had a long distance courtship while she taught school for a year in Canyon, Texas. They decided they were meant for each other and married on Aug. 5, 1950 in McKinney.
After starting their family in 1951, Betty and Floyd moved to Bowie where Floyd was industrial arts teacher at Bowie High School. Betty was a stay-at-home mom for few years. In 1960, she restarted her teaching career, teaching sixth grade for many years, eventually moving to high school where she was librarian until her retirement in 1988. She was a lifetime member of TSTA and a member of TLA.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Alma Lou Perkins and husband, Floyd A. Bynum.
Betty is survived by her three daughters, Nancy Headley, (Douglas), Jean Richards (John) and Patricia Johnson (Craig), grandchildren, Heather Morse, Alicia Hutchison, Jennifer Holloman, Justin Richards, Steven Johnson and Brian Johnson; seven great grandchildren and two nieces, Suzanne Scott and Dianne Herr.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie, TX.
Paid publication

OBITUARIES

Pedro Leon Olvera

Published

2 weeks ago

05/22/2025

bowienews

May 19, 1976 – May 11, 2025
NOCONA – Pedro Leon Olvera, 48, died on May 11, 2025.
There was a rosary at 6 p.m. on May 18 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel in Nocona. A funeral service was at noon on May 19 at St. Jospeh’s Catholic Church in Nocona.
He was born on May 19, 1976 in Celya, Mexico Guanajuato to Juan Olvera and Felixa Leon. Olvera was a part of a big family and hard-worker all of his life. He worked mostly in agriculture as a rancher. He loved working on cars in his spare time, especially with his son. He married Blanca Torres in 1995 in Celya, Mexico Guanajuato.
He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Rosa and Juana Gomez; and nephew, Juan Gomez Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Blanca Olvera; Nocona; son, Pedro Jr. Olvera, Nocona; daughter, Mariana Hampton, Gainesville; sisters, Yolanda, Nocona and Margarita, Mexico; brothers, Juan, Luis, Santiago and Francisco, all of Mexico; a grandson; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.