OBITUARIES
Alta ‘Nanny Rie’ Marie (Medley) Ellis
February 20, 1943 – January 17, 2022
BOWIE – Alta ‘Nanny Rie’ Marie (Medley) Ellis, 78, Bowie, TX, went to be with her Lord and Savior at 10:55 p.m. on Jan. 17, 2022. After a brief illness of COVID and pneumonia, she went to her final rest at home with her children and grandchildren in attendance.
A funeral service will take place at 1 p.m. on Jan. 24 at Freedom Life Church in Bowie with the Rev. Tommy Medley officiating. The burial will follow at Post Oak Cemetery in Post Oak. The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 23 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
Marie was born on Feb. 20, 1943 in Newport to James and Alta Medley. She spent her childhood moving from town to town, as her father was an Assembly of God pastor. In 1960, after a whirlwind romance, Marie married George McCarley in Mexico, and they had two children together, Rachelle and Burk McCarley. Eight years later, Marie and her two young children relocated to Bowie.
She later met and married Jack Ellis in 1972, and together they had a son, Jason Ellis. She worked at Haggar Slacks before later becoming a licensed practical nurse. Marie never met a stranger, and she was known to “talk your ear off” from time to time. Some called her mom, some called her Marie, but to all the kids and most everyone else, she was simply and lovingly called Nanny Rie.
She is preceded in death by her parents, James Harvey Medley and Alta Mae (Bowman) Medley; husband, Jack Curtis Ellis; fourth and final child baby boy lost at birth, Ellis; brothers, Major Sterling Medley and Bobbie Lavern Medley, sister, Marguiette Louise Wickham and grandson, Michael Paul.
Marie is survived by her daughters, Georgina Rachelle Healer and husband, David and Gwendolyn Yvette Griggs and husband, Steve; sons, Edward Burk McCarley and wife, Christy and Jason Cole Ellis and wife, Renee; grandchildren, Christie Walker and husband, Robin, Brandi Sparks and husband, Cecil, Monica Garcia and husband, Adam, Kristen McCarley, James McCarley, Kara Watts and husband, John, Justin Ellis and Leland Sims; great-grandchildren, Katelynn Price and husband, Tyler, Ali Walker; Hunter, Madeline, Eli, Ben, J.J., Julia and Jolene Garcia, R.J. Walker and Jesse Wynn and great-great-grandchild, Nolan Price.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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(940)-872-9993 www.TheWhiteFamilyFuneralHome.com
November 5, 1938 – April 18, 2026
WICHITA FALLS – Maggie Killen, 87, died on April 18, 2026.
A graveside service took place at 1 p.m. on April 27 at Salona Cemetery near Bowie.
She was born on Nov. 5, 1938 in Bowie to Bertha Irene (Brewer) and Emmett Franklin Thompson. She was a graduate of Bowie High School. She was an oil information secretary and later in life as a business office manager in a skilled nursing home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bertha Irene and Emmett Franklin Thompson: sisters; Gracie McNatt, Berneice Oliver, Ola Mae Deeton, Ernestine Ray and Dorothy Woolf: brothers; Kelly Thompson, John Thompson, Lonnie Thompson, Wayne Thompson and Tommy Thompson; son, Ricky Wallace and daughter, Vicki Cullens.
She is survived by two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to University Park Nursing and Rehab.
June 4, 1947 – April 19, 2026
SPAINSH FORT – Sammy Joe Mitchell, 78, died on April 19, 2026.
There was a visitation from 5-6 p.m. on April 24 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel in Nocona.
A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. on April 25 at Spanish Fort Cemetery in Spanish Fort.
He was born on June 4, 1947 in Nocona to Bonnie O. Mitchell Jr. & Mary Lou Cross Mitchell. He grew up in the Spanish Fort area and went to school at Prairie Valley Schools. He was a hard-working farmer, rancher and mechanic all of his life and served his nation in the Airforce. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Spanish Fort. He married the love of his life Robbie Hawthorne on May 8, 1971 in Nocona.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Steven Chris Mitchell.
He is survived by his wife, Robbie Mitchell, Spanish Fort; children, Joe Chris Mitchell, Spanish Fort and Kasie Hamilton, Bowie; sister, Bonnie Robertson, Spanish Fort; six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to The Montague County Youth Fair, c/o Kenton Holloway, 5549 F.M. 1758, Bowie, TX 76230.
November 8, 1958 – April 20, 2026
NOCONA – Lesli Jan Phipps, 67, died on April 20, 2026.
There was a funeral service at 2 p.m. on April 23 at Bethel Baptist Church in Nocona with Pastor David Rogers officiating. The interment followed in Hope Cemetery, Henrietta. Pallbearers were Will Johnson, Ben Johnson, Ryan Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Kaye Rhoades, Tom Skinner and Bill Holcomb.
She was born in Nocona on Nov. 8, 1958 to Gerald “Jerry” and Lucia Painter Johnson. She grew up in Nocona and graduated Nocona High School in 1977. She attended Bethel Baptist Church. She later attended college at Midwestern State University and was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She worked mostly in accounting for Northrop Grumman. She married Curtis Phipps on June 3 2021 in Henrietta.
She is preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Curtis Phipps, Nocona; children, Blake Gantz, Euless, Emily Gantz Hicks, Hoover, AL and Garrett Palla, Denton; brother, Craig Johnson; and one grandson.
Memorial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation at www.komen.org.
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