OBITUARIES

Lorren Glaine Bush Smith

Published

2 years ago

03/11/2022

October 6, 1942 – March 1, 2022
BOWIE – Lorren Smith, most recently of Bowie, TX, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on March 1, 2022 in Decatur, TX.
The family will announce details for a celebration of Lorren’s life which will be at a later date.
A resident of Bowie, Ft. Pierre, SD and Lake Park, IA, Lorren was the daughter of Glen Bush and Lorraine Bush and was born in Lake Park, IA. Lorren was raised on the family farm near Lake Park along with her sister Jan and brother Shane. She often recounted memories of milking the family cows, working in the corn fields and participating in raising the family’s herd of Hereford cattle. She attended all school grades and graduated from Lake Park High School. Lorren’s classmates knew her by her nickname “Rennie.”
After high school, Lorren had many great experiences and made life-long friends as a young single woman. She attended dental assistant school at the University of Minnesota and also worked as a dental assistant in Sioux Falls, SD. Lorren was an independent, self-supporting single woman of the late 1960s. She was a trail blazer for mid-century working women serving as a role model for her daughters, nieces and granddaughters. She subsequently worked for the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and attended an event where she met her future husband, Don Lee Smith of Ft. Pierre, Sd.
Lorren and Don married on Aug. 8, 1970 in Lake Park, IA and settled in Pierre, near the Smith Family Ranch. In Pierre, they raised Don’s three children, Roxanne, Judy and Lee. Although not her children by birth, Lorren lovingly provided care and support for the children throughout their lives.
Lorren worked at the South Dakota State Capitol for several departments and the State Legislature for a number of years. One of her closest friends, Governor Walter Dale Miller, would walk with Lorren on some afternoons to the nearby Smith Family home so he could have a nap there. Lorren was a trusted confidante during his administration. As the wife of a cattle rancher who worked long hours, Lorren also provided vital support to Don on the home front.
Lorren and Don were deeply committed to their faith and were both founding members of the Community Bible Church of Pierre.
Lorren loved eventually living at the ranch south of Ft. Pierre and enjoyed bird watching, entertaining her grandchildren, and traveling the world with Don and close friends. She also enjoyed accompanying Don in his travels to cutting horse competitions throughout the United States. They made many life-long friends and memories along the way.
Transitioning to retirement, Lorren and Don moved to rural Bowie, where Don continued to pursue his cutting horse interests and Lorren enjoyed the peace of rural life along with occasional travel. She and Don celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August of 2020 along with their children and grandchildren.
Lorren was preceded in death by her father Glen Bush, mother Lorraine Bush and nephew Ryan Bush.
She is survived by her husband, Don Lee Smith; daughters Roxanne Harrison (Christopher), Judy Fisher (Robert) and Don Lee Smith, Jr. Additionally she is survived by her sister Jan (Jim) Wiese and Shane (Bette) Bush. Lorren was blessed with six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews she dearly cherished.
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OBITUARIES

Michael Dale Leonard

Published

1 day ago

04/26/2024

bowienews

October 6, 1958 – April 23, 2024
BOWIE – Michael Dale Leonard, 65, died on April 23, 2024 in Dallas.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 26 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on April 27 at the First Baptist Church of Bowie with Ben Weiss, chaplain of Southlake Fire Department, officiating. Burial will follow at Oakhill Cemetery in Stoneburg.
He was born on Oct. 6, 1958 in Pampa and grew up in Moore, OK until moving to Nocona where he graduated in 1977. On Aug. 26, 1978 he married his high school sweetheart, Debbie Bratcher in Bowie.
He worked several years in the oilfield before he found his calling as a firefighter/paramedic. He began his career in Bowie and in 1997 he found his second home as a Southlake fireman until his retirement in January 2021. He also was an entrepreneur. He built multiple businesses throughout his lifetime, including Mike & Mom’s Grocery Store in Nocona and later ML Construction. He built his first log cabin in 1998 and continued building log cabins throughout North Central Texas for more than 15 years.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Betty Pope Leonard and his mother- and father-in-law.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Debbie Leonard, Bowie; sons, Kris Leonard, Bowie and Brandon Leonard, Ponder; two grandsons; father, Bill Leonard; sister, Elecia Chancellor; brothers, Gary Leonard and Mark Leonard; one brother-in-law; many extended family members and numerous friends.
Memorials can be made at Jacksboro National Bank to the Mike “Pappy” Leonard First Responder Scholarship account or to the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.

OBITUARIES

Shirley Lajuana Beggs

Published

1 day ago

04/26/2024

bowienews

December 10, 1943 – April 20, 2024
NOCONA – Shirley Lajuana Beggs, 80, died on April 20, 2024 in Wichita Falls.
A memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. on May 1 at the First Baptist Church of Montague with Pastor Mickey Mills officiating.
She was born Dec. 10, 1943 in Graham to James Haskel Rushin and Mildred Pauline (Thomas) Rushin. She graduated from Graham High School then started a career in the title business and served for 35 years. She married Ted Beggs on Feb. 14, 1970 in Fort Worth. Together they owned and operated the Corner Store in Montague for several years, and in 1999 they opened Mine & Yours Feed Store in Bowie. She also kept herself busy operating Shirley Beggs Pet Grooming for many years as well as Linda Ross Book Keeping.
She is preceded in death by her parents and one granddaughter.
She is survived by her husband, Ted Beggs; children, Amanda Reeves, Nocona, Darrel Beggs, Hillsboro and Dale Beggs of Henrietta; nine grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.

OBITUARIES

Minnie Mae Duchaine

Published

4 days ago

04/23/2024

bowienews

November 8, 1932 – April 18, 2024
BOWIE – Minnie Mae Duchaine, 91, passed away on April 18, 2024 after a brief illness.
A graveside service took place at 10 a.m. on April 23 at the Montague Cemetery with Chaplin Phillip Weitner officiating.
Minnie was born on Nov. 8, 1932 to Johnie and Ethel (Hise) Dalton in Montague County. She lived the majority of her life in Bowie. On Dec. 17, 1949 Minnie married Joseph G. Duchaine. The couple went on to have three children, Connie J. (Molly), Norma J. (Nunn) and David R. Duchaine. She had five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Connie; two brothers, Hershel and Johnny and her sister, Colleen LaMascus.
Please make a donation to St. Judes or Shriners Hospital in lieu of flowers.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.

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