OBITUARIES
Betty Joyce Taylor Evans
February 5, 1937 – May 13, 2023
BOWIE – Betty Joyce Taylor Evans, 86, went home to be with the Lord on May 13, 2023 in Bowie.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on May 16 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on May 17 at the Bellevue First Baptist Church in Bellevue, where Betty attended as a young girl and she and husband Joe were married in 1955. Burial will follow the service at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie where she will be laid to rest by her husband.
Betty was born Feb. 5, 1937 in Bellevue to Ewell and Joy (Miller) Taylor. She attended and graduated from Bellevue High School and married Joe B. Evans of Bowie on July 3, 1955 at First Baptist Church, Bellevue. Betty worked for 11 years at Hagger’s Slack Factory in Bowie before her 20 year career as a teacher’s aide at Bowie Elementary School. Betty, Joe and their family also were long time members of the First Baptist Church of Bowie.
Betty loved her family. She loved family gatherings at her house with her daughters and grandchildren for many occasions to include birthdays, Easter and Christmas. Betty loved watching her grandchildren play sports or any other activities they participated in – she was the biggest fan in the crowd. In later years she continued to watch her great-grandchildren participate in events as much as she possibly could. Betty loved listening to music, working in her flower beds, mowing and keeping her yard. In later years Betty enjoyed spending hours outside sitting on her porch, watching birds and looking at birdhouses she had painted. She loved to sit outside and just relax and have long visits with her beloved caregiver of five-and-a-half years, Shonda Ogle.
Betty is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, Joe; her parents and her brother, Bobby (Robert) Taylor of Nocona.
Betty is survived by her daughters, Chris Simpson and husband Riley, Sunset and Kim Heugatter and husband Allen, Bowie; grandchildren, Ty Evans and wife Lindsey, Granbury, Lindsay Berend and husband JD, Henrietta, Fallon Richey and husband Chase, Sunset and Sawyer Heugatter and fiancée Renee Hamilton, Lubbock and seven great-grandchildren Rance, Rylie, Leighton, Cannon, Lexi, Ridley, Braxton and new baby Finn. Betty also is survived by her sister, Carolyn Osborn and husband Larry, Lewisville and her sister-in-law, Sue Taylor, Nocona, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Central Baptist Church Kids4Truth Program via the following ways: Central Baptist Church office, account at Legend Bank or Venmo@cbcbowietx. Please notate on any donations “in memory of Betty Evans.”
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
December 26, 1942 – August 28, 2026
BELLEVUE – Jimmie Dale Johnson, 83, died on Aug. 28, 2026 in Wichita Falls.
A celebration of life will take place at 11 a.m. on Sept. 26 at the First Baptist Church of Bellevue Life Center.
He was born Dec. 26, 1942 in Fort Worth to James Jeffrey and Nellie Mae (Frazier) Johnson. He worked in the oilfield and for Robert’s Radiator Shop in Bowie for many years.
He is preceded in death by his parents; partner, Arlene Denton; brothers, Bill Lewis and Bob Lewis; sisters, Betty Huber, Mary Goodner, and twin sisters, Jessie Mayo and Peggy Ferrin.
He is survived by his stepson and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
August 8, 1972 – September 5, 2026
BOWIE – LaDonna Mae Howell, 54, died on Sept. 5, 2026.
A funeral service took place at 11 a.m. on Sept. 10 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
She was born on Aug. 8, 1972. She was a graduate of Kinta High School in Kinta, OK where she graduated in 1990 as the valedictorian.
She continued her education at East Central University in Ada, OK earning her bachelor degree in accounting with honors in 1994. That same year, she became a certified public accountant.
She worked for Beverly Industries and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma before serving as vice president of business affairs at Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton. Later, she became the comptroller at North Central Texas College in Gainesville. She also served as the treasurer of the Bowie High School Mighty Marching
Maroon Band Boosters for many years.
She is survived by her son, Andrew Charles Howell, Longtown, OK; daughter, Amanda Rae Howell, Bowie; her children’s father, Michael Ray Howell, Saginaw and three grandchildren.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
January 26, 2026 – September 4, 2026
NOCONA – Bobby (Jerry) Orrell, 87, died on Sept. 4, 2026.
A private family service will be held at a later date.
He born in Decatur on Jan. 26, 1939 to Elizabeth and Willie.
He was a United States Army veteran who served his country in Germany. He worked for ARCO National Supply in Gainesville as a supervisor. He worked for Bell Helicopter, Otis Elevator and General Dynamics. He also worked for Boeing as an engineer.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elizabeth and Willie; sister, Norma Morby and brother, Bill (Buster) Orrell.
He is survived by his sons, Hannan and Caton; three grandchildren and brother, Leo Orrell.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.
Arrangements entrusted to the Jerry Woods Funeral Home, Nocona.
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