OBITUARIES
Shirley Carrol (Phillips) Porter

July 30, 1941 – September 16, 2021
BOWIE – Shirley Carrol (Phillips) Porter, 80, died on Sept. 16, 2021.
A memorial service will take place from 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the Tales ‘N’ Trails meeting room.
Porter was born on July 30, 1941, in Nocona to David Scott Phillips and Jewel (Tucker) Phillips. In 1959, she graduated from Nocona High School. Porter attended North Texas State College, now the University of North Texas. She married Wayne Willis Porter on May 28, 1961 in Nocona.
She received a bachelor of arts in education in 1963 from Sam Houston State Teacher’s College, now Sam Houston State University. In 1967, she received certification for special education from Texas Woman’s University. In 1993, she received a master of education with a focus on gifted education from Texas Woman’s University. Porter taught first grade in Florida, third grade in North Carolina and special education in Bowie. She took a break from teaching in 1982 to open the Bent Tree Bookstore in downtown Bowie, which also was the first store in Bowie to provide teaching supplies in the area.
After selling the bookstore in 1984, she returned to teaching in Nocona, where she taught seventh and eighth grade English, reading, gifted education, creative writing and one-act play, before retiring in 2001. She also had a passion for writing and published in professional journals and enjoyed writing stories for children and young adults including two books, “The Red Brick House” and “Red River Dust.”
Porter is survived by her husband, Wayne; sons, Weston Wayne Porter and Bradley Wayne Porter; siblings, Sandra Elizabeth (Phillips) Reynolds and Danny Scott Phillips; two grandsons and numerous niece, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Arrangements entrusted by Hillier Funeral Home.
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.
OBITUARIES
Shirley Ann Mayo Graves

July 23, 1949 – May 17, 2025
NOCONA – Shirley Ann Mayo Graves, 75, died on May 17, 2025 in Plano, TX.
There was a visitation from 1 p.m. until time of service on May 21 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel in Nocona. A funeral service followed at 2 p.m. at Jerry Woods Chapel officiated by Brother Ricky Kerr. Interment followed in Nocona Cemetery. Pallbearers were Frank Tuggle, Mike Martin, Mark Murphey, Hank Reed, Ralph Conner and Tommy Mayo.
She was born on July 23, 1949 in Electra to Carl E. Mayo and Margie Childress Mayo. She worked at the Burger Barn for more than 11 years in Nocona. She was a Christian and a member of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Saint Jo. She married Richard Graves on April 17, 1969 in Nocona.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents and son, Michael Lee Graves.
She is survived by her husband, Richard Graves, Nocona; children, Bill Graves, Nocona and Lori Hernandez, Wichita Falls; brothers, Albert Mayo, Vernon, Jackie Mayo, Dallas and Tommy Mayo, Breckenridge; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, 242 FM 677, Saint Jo, TX 76265 or The Capenter’s Shop, 400 Boston, Nocona, TX 76255.
OBITUARIES
Robert Edward Adams Jr.

August 14, 1952 – May 5, 2025
RICHARDSON – Robert Edward Adams, Jr., 73,
died on May 5, 2025 in Richardson, TX.
A memorial service was at 2 p.m. on May 10 at
Trinity Christian Academy in Addison.
He born on Aug. 14, 1952 in Ashtabula, OH to
Robert Edward Adams, Sr. and Janet Morehouse
Adams. At the age of 10, his mother sent him to a
Christian boy’s camp, Deerfoot Lodge, in the Adirondack
mountains just north of Speculator, NY.
Adams graduated from Colorado State University
in 1976 with a bachelor of science in natural resources.
He remained in Colorado for several years
teaching before moving to Dallas.
In 1984, he received his master of science in
education and biology from North Texas State University.
After receiving his master’s, he began a 35-
year career teaching at Trinity Christian Academy
in Addison. He taught biology I and II, and taught
the marine and field ecology curriculums in both the
middle and high school. In his early TCA years, he
coached football and wrestling. In March of 1988,
he married Rhonda Ice Adams. Subsequently, they
were blessed with three daughters, Aubrey, Brianna
and Autumn.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Rhonda;
children, Aubrey Fults, Brianna Hein and Autumn
Adams; three grandchildren; and sister, Ruthie
Shook.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations
be made to Trinity Christian Academy’s
Student Tuition Aid program or Deerfoot Lodge.
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