OBITUARIES
Reta Taylor Rucker
Reta Taylor Rucker
February 28, 1938 – September 16, 2019
BOWIE – Reta Taylor Rucker, 81, passed away on Sept. 16, 2019 surrounded by her loving family and her pastor.
A visitation will be from 5-6 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home.
A service will be at 11 a.m. on Sept. 20 at Floral Height United Methodist Church. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in Elmwood Cemetery.
She was born on Feb. 28, 1938 in Bowie to Clois and Elgin Taylor. Reta graduated from Bowie High School where she was a member of the Jackrabbit Band for all four years. She was a majorette for three years and was drum major her senior year.
While at Midwestern State University she was a majorette for the Indians Marching Band. In the summer of 1959, she married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Ronnie, and moved to Lubbock where he was in architectural school. While Reta was also studying at Texas Tech, their only daughter, Ronna was born in 1961. Upon graduation, they moved to Wichita Falls.
Reta became part of the Wichita Falls Community by joining the Junior League and loved her time as provisional chairman. She had a love for ballet and would teach the girls in an after school program at the Southside Girls Club. She later became the president of the Wichita Falls Ballet League.
Reta helped establish and volunteered at the Listening Ears for the Blind. She was also a member of Senior Junior Forum and was the Junior Forum Sponsor, Ronna’s junior and senior year.
She and Ronnie spent a majority of their time on the road with Ronna as she played junior tennis and later with the Wichita Falls High School tennis team. Those are memories that she always treasured. Reta loved spending summers in Crested Butte and became an avid skier during the winters with her family and many Wichita Falls friends.
When Ronna and Brad married, she got so much joy in planning their wedding, that afterwards, she began planning weddings for others. She treasured her time with all of the brides. She also became a registered interior designer. She was very creative and had impeccable taste.
Reta adored Ronnie and she knew that he adored her. Family was number one and that was when she was the happiest. Brad became the son she never had. Russell was born in 1986 and she became known as Grandmommie. They had such a special bond from the time he was born. She could tell you stories about him for hours. When Russell married Gina, she became one of her own. She was looking so forward to being a Great Grandmommie.
Reta’s laughter was contagious and will live on forever. We will never forget how much she loved us or how proud she was, because she told us all of the time. Just about daily.
Reta was proceeded in death by her granddaughter, Allie Taylor Prickett; her parents; sister , Mary Taylor Deaver and nephew, Kent Deaver.
She is survived by her husband, Ronnie Rucker; daughter, Ronna Prickett and husband Brad; grandson, Russell Prickett and wife Gina; two sisters, Treva Taylor and Kay Power; a brother, Max Taylor; nephew, Keith Deaver; and nieces, Courtney Power, Paige Gratehouse and Carrie Rambo.
Memorials can be made to Floral Heights United Methodist Church and the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank.
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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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October 16, 1947 – April 28, 2024
BOWIE – Karen Kilcrease Dow, 76, loving wife, mother, grandmother and dear friend to many, left this life on April 28, 2024.
A visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 1 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on May 2 at Elmwood Cemetary in Bowie with Kristi Roland Hand officiating. Honorary pallbearers are Chris Godwin, Taylor Hall, Mike Mayfield, Todd Airington, Brad Reese and Cody Romine, posthumously.
Karen was born Oct. 16, 1947 in Henrietta to C.A. and Erma Ruth (Lowrie) Kilcrease. She graduated from Nocona High School in 1966 and later received her bachelor of arts degree from Sam Houston State University. After college she married her high school sweetheart, Dale Dow, on Dec. 19, 1969.
Karen and Dale moved to Bowie in 1970 where they, along with Dale’s brother, owned and operated Widlake Brothers Auto Supply. In the late 70s they ventured into the oil and gas business and started D&J Resources, Inc which they owned and operated until her death. She was an avid reader, football fan and enjoyed gardening and planting beautiful flowers each and every spring, as well as watching each of her five grandchildren play their favorite sport.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 41 years, Dale Dow; son-in-law, Cody Romine and her beloved dog, Luke.
Karen will be sorely missed by her daughters, Brooke Dow and Courtney Riddle; five precious grandchildren, Zoe Romine and partner Isacc Barcenas, Baley Romine, Ava Romine, Parker Riddle and Finn Riddle; great-grandchild, Rowen Barcenas; brother, Kyle Kilcrease and wife Betty; sister, Kody Kilcrease and husband Bill Mullan; several nieces, nephews, cousins and two aunts.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
November 5, 1926 – April 20, 2024
BOWIE – Lois Undean McLinsky, 97, died on April 20, 2024.
A funeral service was at 9:30 a.m. on April 30 at Sunset Church with David Hall as the officiant. Burial followed at 2 p.m. at Fairview Cemetery in Denison.
She was born on Nov. 5, 1926 to Arthur Trainer Caldwell and Seletha Van Hooser-Caldwell in Bonham, TX and married the love of her life, Frank Joseph McLinsky, on July 28, 1944 sharing 42 years together.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frank McLinsky; son, Ray Frank McLinsky; daughter, Lynell Kay Shaw; brothers, Ray Neal, Ralph and Truman Caldwell and sister, Blanche Rowland.
She is survived by her son-in-law, Harry Shaw; brothers, Newman and Arthur Caldwell; six grandchildren; great and great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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