OBITUARIES
David Gaston Gregory
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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April 22, 1948 – April 30, 2024
MANSFIELD, AR – James B. Lyons Jr. (Jim), 76, passed away on April 30, 2024 in Fort Smith, AR.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. on May 7 at Martin Funeral and Cremation. A private graveside service with military honors will be at the Fort Smith National Cemetery in Fort Smith, AR. Honorary pallbearers will include David Morgan, Mike Robles, Westin Corbin, Michael Robles, Cody Robles, Chris Little and Michael Winters.
Jim was born on April 22, 1948 in Bowie to James “Brock” Lyons and Patsy Ruth West Lyons. Jim was a proud Vietnam Veteran and served in the United States Air Force.
Jim will be greatly missed by all of his family. We will always remember his constant teasing, his great love for the Texas Longhorns (even though we are all Razorback fans) and his passion for spinning the wheel at the casino.
He was preceded in death by his father, James B. Lyons Sr.
Jim is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Beverly Boatright Lyons; his five children, Stephanie (David) Morgan, April (Mike) Robles, Brock Lyons, Mansfield, AR, Kiemeche (Westin) Corbin, Charleston, AR and Dakotha Lyons, Fort Smith, AR; seven grandchildren, Kayla (Michael) Winters, Cheyene (Chris) Little, Michael Robles, Cody Robles, Addison Robles, Mansfield, AR, Ellie Lyons, Fort Smith, AR and Connor Corbin, Charleston, AR and five great-grandchildren, Kinlee and Easton Winters, Leena and Ledger Little and soon to arrive, Letty Little, all of Mansfield, AR. Jim also is survived by his mother, Patsy Lyons and his sister, Karen Self of Bowie.
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August 9, 1954 – May 1, 2024
BOWIE – Michael Frank “Mike” Hankins, 69, died on May 1, 2024.
A graveside service will take place at 2 p.m. on May 6 at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie.
He was born on Aug. 9, 1954. He graduated from Bowie High School, then attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls where he graduated with a degree in elementary education. He member of the First Baptist Church of Bowie where he worked for years at opening and closing the church. He also worked for Walmart in Bowie for many years.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Fairy Hankins and his brother, Sonny Hankins.
He is survived by his brother, Gene Hankins, Victoria, TX; one niece; two nephews and many cousins.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
March 25, 1942 – April 26, 2024
ODESSA – Billy James “Jimmy” Avery, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend entered the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 26, 2024. He was 82 years old.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 2 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service will take place at 2 p.m. on May 3 at the First Free Will Baptist Church in Bowie, with Pastor and family friend Doyle Wade officiating. Burial will follow at Salona Cemetery in Bowie. Pallbearers will be John Coffey, Tim Green, Mark Jackson, Chad McCracken, Larry Overstreet and Kurt Jackson. Honorary pallbearers include Joe McCracken, Louie Jackson, Gary Odle, Terrell Hill and Kevin Bryan.
Jimmy was born in Bowie to LR and Elsie (Johnson) Avery on March 25, 1942. He graduated from Bowie High School, where he played on the football team making all district and all area his senior year. He then went to play football at Cameron University.
On Aug. 3, 1963 Jimmy married his high school sweetheart, Judy Elizabeth Overstreet Avery. This began a love story that would last 61 years. Together they began a remarkable life and raised two beautiful girls, Kimberly Avery and Kelly Haring. He had an amazing career at Shell Oil where he retired after 30 years.
He was an avid hunter and fisher, loved his western movies and never missed a Texas Longhorn football game. His true passion in life though was his family and most knew him as their beloved “Poppa.” His family was his pride and joy and he would have done anything for them. Poppa had the natural ability to put a smile on anyone’s face and always leave you with a laugh. He knew how to have fun and be the life of the party. Jimmy Avery was a hard-working man whose life was dedicated to his loving family.
He is preceded in death by his parents, LR and Elsie (Johnson) Avery and sister, Colleen Hunt.
Jimmy is survived by his loving wife, Judy; his children, Kimberly Avery and Kelly Haring, all of Odessa; nephew, Lanny Hunt, Wichita Falls and cousins, Mike Avery, Longview, TX and Terry Tucker, Fort Worth. He was a proud Poppa to Ashley Bryan and husband Kevin, Fort Worth and one great-grandchild, Conner James Bryan, named after his beloved Poppa.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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