OBITUARIES

Freddie James Williams

Published

3 years ago

01/21/2022

January 30, 1951 – January 17, 2022
DALLAS – Freddie James Williams, 70, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, died on Jan. 17, 2022, in Dallas, TX.
A visitation will be at 1 p.m. on Jan. 22 with the funeral following at 2 p.m. at the Nocona United Methodist Church, 200 Grayson Street, Nocona. A reception will be that evening from 5 to 8 p.m. at Daddy Sam’s, 314 Clay Street, Nocona.
Freddie was born on Jan. 30, 1951, in Bowie to Fred and Lucille Foster Williams. He grew up near Forestburg with his brother, Danny. His family raised cattle and pigs and Freddie was active in Future Farmers of America and played basketball.
Freddie graduated with a degree in range management from Texas Tech University in 1973. At tech, he was a member of the Student Senate, the Aggie Counsel and Phi Delta Theta. He met and married his wife Marcia while in college, and upon graduation, they moved to Brownwood for Freddie’s job with the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
For the next 30 years, Freddie and Marcia moved around for his various assignments with the NRCS. They lived in Sterling City, Eldorado, Big Spring, Temple and Athens, GA. Freddie was assistant state conservationist in both Texas and Georgia and he served on the NRCS National Staff.
Freddie and Marcia had two sons, Adam and Marcus. As soon as the boys were old enough to join 4-H, they began what would be a long and successful career of showing lambs with 4-H and FFA. Freddie and his family made friends showing lambs across the country and became renowned showmen. Freddie’s oldest grandchild, Kate, started showing lambs in 2020. Freddie thoroughly enjoyed resuming this family pastime, reconnecting with old friends and watching his grandchildren continue the family tradition.
Freddie had a wide range of interests over the years, from competitive skeet shooting to piloting small planes, to training and competing with bird dogs and border collies. He was a past member of the Bowie Rotary Club and Young Farmers. He was involved in the 1986 Centennial Wagon Train visit to Nocona, where his committee provided a meal for 5,000 people in the community. He was also a member of the Nocona United Methodist Church.
Freddie and Marcia retired to his family home in Montague in 2003. Freddie’s definition of retirement was to establish new businesses in real estate and oil and gas. He was a lifelong cattleman and enjoyed few things more than parking in the pasture and watching his cattle. He became a proficient pond master of his two fishing lakes, and he and Marcia recently enjoyed going on a few alligator hunts. He was an expert griller and kept meticulous notes on his briskets and prime ribs.
Freddie is best known for his ability to have fun. He worked hard and liked to enjoy the fruits of his labor with friends and family. He and Marcia loved attending Texas Country Music festivals with friends and traveling in their motorcoach. They were some of the first members of Nocona Nights, which brings music entertainers from across Texas to Nocona for monthly concerts.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Lucille Foster Williams; brother, Danny Williams; aunt, Hazel Williams Johnson; parents-in-law, John and Betty Clark and his brother-in-law, Brent.
Freddie is survived by his wife, Marcia; sons, Adam and wife, Brandi, Denton, Marcus and wife, Lindsay, Fort Worth; grandchildren, Kate and Owen; sisters-in-law, Barb Williams, Amarillo and Diane Callahan and husband, Kim, San Diego, CA and brother-in-law, the Rev. Blair Clark and wife, Kimberly, Summerfield, FL.
Freddie and his family are eternally appreciative of the 33 years he thrived after his kidney transplant. Donations in Freddie’s name can be made to the National Kidney Foundation.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication

1418 Highway 59 N. Bowie, Texas
(940)-872-9993 www.TheWhiteFamilyFuneralHome.com

OBITUARIES

William Donald Cleveland

Published

2 days ago

11/22/2024

bowienews

October 4, 1948 – November 20, 2024
BOWIE – William Donald Cleveland was born Oct. 4, 1948 in Bowie to Donald Dean and Betty Isabella Cleveland. He died Nov. 20, 2024 at age 76 at his home in Bowie.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Nov. 23 at First Baptist Church of Alvord with visitation at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be at Alvord Cemetery.
One of his treasures in life was growing up in Post Oak with his sister, Marsha, having the advantage of their Papaw Cleveland living with them and sharing his love, wisdom and love for the Lord. His mentor and pastor Tom Urrey, “Tinker” held a special place in his heart and life as well.
He graduated from Jacksboro High School in 1967. He then went to Howard Payne on a track scholarship, graduated from Midwestern University with a bachelor of arts in English, attended Southwestern Theological Seminary and later worked toward a masters degree in psychology at Midwestern University.
He began his career while attending Howard Payne as youth minister at First Baptist Llano, TX. He then became youth minister at Southwest Baptist Church in Jacksboro,while attending Seminary. Next, he was youth minister at Sunnyside Baptist in Wichita Falls, then on to First Baptist Childress as music and youth minister. He then established Cleveland Electric in Bowie while serving several churches part time.
In 1994, he began his ministry at First Baptist Alvord and served as pastor for 28 years. He was instrumental in overseeing the building of a new sanctuary in 2009 along with many members who did most of the work themselves. His one request was that the building have a cornerstone that had the name “Jesus” inscribed and built into the building. His wish was that no man take the glory except God. God used Bill to lead many people to Christ through his preaching, counseling, hospital visits, vacation bible schools, bible studies, youth mission trips and ski trips.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Betty Cleveland, Sara Bayard and Andrea Wood.
Bill is survived by his wife of 46 years, Paula; his “little” sister and “big” brother Marsha and Mike Robinson, Jacksboro; children, Shawn Cleveland and wife Stephanie, Plano; Shanna Cleveland, Boston, MA; grandchildren, Claire, Christopher and Cole Cleveland. Also, Barry and Rhonda Clark, Kent and Pam Wood; grandchildren, Melissa and Zeke Dorr, Macie and Cody Rollins, Kregg and Jordan Wood, Kyle and Lorraine Wood and great-grandchildren, Clark and Nicholas Dorr, Callie and Sadie Rollins, Hallie and Cooper Wood and Grayson Wood.
Memorial contributions should be made to the First Baptist Church Alvord building fund.
His request was to have the word Tetelestai on his headstone, meaning, “It is finished.”
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.

Paid publication

OBITUARIES

Gloria Kay Bell

Published

5 days ago

11/19/2024

bowienews

October 23, 1946 – November 15, 2024
Little River-Academy, TX – Gloria Kay Bell, 78, went home to be with the Lord on Nov. 15, 2024.
A funeral service will take place at 2 p.m. on Nov. 21 at the Saint Peter Lutheran Church in Bowie with the Rev. Lavern Janssen and the Rev. Mark DeYoung officiating. Burial will follow at Hopewell Cemetery in Stoneburg. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.
Gloria was born on Oct. 23, 1946 in Bowie to Russell and Linda (Roth) Johnson. She married the love of her life, Ronnie Bell on July 5, 1969 at St. Peter Lutheran Church, where she also was baptized and confirmed. Ronnie and Gloria shared 55 happy years together.
Gloria loved little children and her family. She loved to sing, participating in school choirs and also church choirs where she attended worship. She also loved to paint, selling several paintings and having her artwork displayed in galleries. People from all over are still enjoying her talent.
She retired from First Financial Bank of Abilene where she worked in several different departments which kept her on her toes, but she loved her job and working with the public.
She is preceded in death by her parents.
Gloria is survived by her husband, Ronnie Bell, Little River-Academy, TX; son, Brian Bell and wife Shanna, Wagoner, OK; daughter, Lori Johnson and husband Brandon, Winchester, KY; brother, Steven Johnson and wife Joslon, Nocona; sister, Doria Counts and husband James, Graham; grandchildren, Hailey Bell and Hayden Bell and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.

Paid publication

OBITUARIES

Rhonda Duncan Ford

Published

5 days ago

11/19/2024

bowienews

August 15, 1951 – November 15, 2024
NOCONA – Rhonda Duncan Ford, 73, died Nov. 15, 2024.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 20 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A graveside service will be at noon Nov. 21 at the Joy Cemetery, 8830 Old Joy Shannon Rd, Henrietta, TX 76365, with Bro. Rex Cobb officiating
She was born on Aug. 15, 1951, to J.M. and June Duncan in Amarillo. She attended Vernon Regional Junior College obtaining her nursing license as a licensed vocational nurse. She worked for many years at nursing homes around Bowie. In the 90’s she went to work for Dr. Len Dingler in Nocona and the Nocona General Hospital for a while. She married Bobby Ford on Aug. 10, 1979.
She is preceded in death by her parents, J.M Duncan and June Duncan; her husband of 41 years, Bobby Lee Ford; sister, Gail Schenk; daughter, Teresa Quillen nd newborn son, Floyd Alan Ford.
She is survived by children, Kenneth Ford, David Ford, Clarissa Fletcher and Amie Mankhambira; one son-in-law; 14 grandchildren; sisters, Jamie Baack, Mica Duncan Thomas and Sharla Gallion; one sister-in-law and many great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.