OBITUARIES

Gary Don Bogan

Published

2 years ago

12/21/2021

September 16, 1951 – December 4, 2021
BOWIE – Gary Don Bogan of Bowie, TX, lost his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis on Dec. 4, 2021.
Gary was born on Sept. 16, 1951 to Joe Billy Bogan and Billie Pauline Pierce in Amarillo. He was the fourth and youngest child of the family having an older sister, Sharon and two older brothers, Bill and Shelby. As the youngest, he was often called “kid” by his siblings and was called that up until the day he died by his brother Shelby.
If one were to Google “youngest child personality traits” you would find a series of results that all tend to align as follows: Fun-loving, trustworthy, uncomplicated, outgoing, and attention-seeking. Those words accurately describe Gary. Growing up in Amarillo in the 1950s and 1960s those traits, especially outgoing and attention-seeking, served Gary well where he attended Paramount Terrace Elementary, Crockett Junior High and ultimately Tascosa High School where he graduated in 1970. A common thread in all of the Bogan family was athletics and Gary excelled at all but found his passion in baseball as a pitcher. In fact in high school, Gary threw back-to-back no-hitters and parlayed that success into a scholarship offer to Oklahoma State to play baseball.
Life had other plans for him than collegiate baseball and Gary married his first wife, Jackie Nichols and welcomed the birth of his first child, Jennifer Lynn Bogan, in 1971. Although detoured from baseball in college Gary worked to support his family and received a degree from Texas Tech University in 1975. Another one of those personality characteristics described above, he was a trustworthy Red Raider up until the day he died. In Texas Tech’s last 2021 football game Gary could be heard cheering on his Red Raiders from his bedroom as Tech was giving Baylor all that they could handle. Gary had a second daughter, Berkeley, who joined the family in 1976. Gary deeply loved his daughters and in his later years in life took much pleasure in being their father and especially a grandfather. He was called “Poppy” by his grandchildren and their friends becoming a grandfather to them as well.
Gary married his wife, Molly Cathleen Dixon in Dallas in 2010 but they were partners for many years before. While Gary was certainly “attention-seeking” it was his fun-loving personally that drew his grandkids and others to him. They were the ones “seeking his attention.” He was blessed to have five grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. He and Molly both were the first to volunteer to watch their grandkids and really, they did much more than watching them, they reveled in their grandkids during those encounters. Gary had a special relationship specifically with his fourth grandchild Kamden Bogan Thompson who preceded Gary in death in 2017. They are paling around together in Heaven at this moment.
After Molly’s death in 2011, Gary spent his final years in Bowie where he lived out an “uncomplicated” life retiring early playing golf daily, enjoying his close friends and views of Amon G Carter lake from his back patio. He was a fixture at Bowie’s Twisted Oak Golf club where he managed to record three hole-in-ones late in life.
Gary is preceded in death by his wife, Molly Bogan; parents, Joe and Billie Bogan; brother, Bill Bogan and sister, Sharon Collins.
Gary is survived by his older brother, Shelby Bogan and wife, Linda; daughters, Jennifer and husband, Rusty, Berkeley and husband, Justin; grandchildren, Kallie Thompson, Kade Thompson, Macey Samonte and Graham Samonte and countless nephews, nieces and cousins who all found him to be the “life of the party.” That party is still going on but has simply shifted to being a party in Heaven.
Gary didn’t choose ALS. It chose him, but what Gary chose to do is live with ALS these last few years and also live by his lifelong values of love, doing what he loved and living on his own accord. As such he battled the disease with dignity and independence, played golf until he could literally play no more and love family and friends up to the very end where he spent his last Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by his daughters and their family who returned the love to him. Hellen Keller once said that “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose. For all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” Gary was and will be forever deeply loved and will live on in those that called him “family” or “friend.” God bless Poppy.
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OBITUARIES

James Brock Lyons Jr.

Published

3 hours ago

05/03/2024

bowienews

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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OBITUARIES

Michael Frank “Mike” Hankins

Published

3 hours ago

05/03/2024

bowienews

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 Wal-Mart 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.

OBITUARIES

Billy James “Jimmy” Avery

Published

3 days ago

04/30/2024

bowienews

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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