OBITUARIES
Mary Elizabeth Sanders

Mary Elizabeth Sanders
May 19, 1921 – September 15, 2018
MOUNTAIN HOME – Mary Beth Sanders, 97, died peacefully on Sept. 15, 2018 at Two Dot Ranch, Mountain Home, TX.
A celebration of Mary Beth’s life was at the Two Dot Ranch in Mountain Home on Sept. 23.
A graveside service and burial will be at 11 a.m. on Nov. 3 at Elmwood cemetery. Immediately following the service family and friends will be welcome to join together at the Downtown Bowie Community Room, 307 North Mason Street.
Mary Beth was born May 19, 1921 in Bowie, one of the six Prince sisters. She married her Bowie High School sweetheart, Hamel Sanders on Feb. 8, 1941 who preceded her in death Dec. 3, 2010.
Beth was a child of the depression and a wife and mother during World War II. She was a housewife and ran her home with loving efficiency until her three children finished school and she was able to travel with her husband while he worked.
Mary Beth and Hamel enjoyed travel and entertaining and made many friends on their trips around the country. Their greatest joy was in bringing happiness to others through socializing and playing games. She was particularly good at bridge and dominoes and enjoyed playing and traveling with friends and family her entire life.
A few years after her husband passed away she moved to Kerrville and lived at Brookdale Senior Living before moving to the Two Dot Ranch to live with her daughter and son-in-law.
Mary Beth is preceded in death by her five sisters, a brother and grandson Kenneth Franks.
Beth is survived by her children, Sandra Beth Sadler and her husband Byron, Mountain Home, Captain Robert Hamel Sanders, Port Mansfield, and Kay Louise Nelson and her husband Donald, Dallas; her brother, Bill Prince; four grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren; and numerous loved nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to express their thanks for the tender, loving care provided by Stephani Thorp, Myrtle Jennings and Gloria Gonzales.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association or Combat Marine Outdoors.
The family invites you to send condolences at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the “Send Condolences” link.
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OBITUARIES
Dean Allen Shaffer

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

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.
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OBITUARIES
Pedro Leon Olvera

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.
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