OBITUARIES

Jaylene Savage Lovette

Published

4 months ago

06/02/2023

March 22, 1930 – May 21, 2023
BOWIE – Jaylene Savage Lovette, 93, died on May 21, 2023 in Bowie.
A funeral service was conducted at 10:30 a.m. on May 26 at The First Christian Church in Bowie with Kristy Hand as the officiant. Visitation was prior to the service at 9:30 a.m. Interment followed at Elmwood Cemetery after a brief graveside service. Pallbearers were her grandsons.
Born in Baily, TX on March 22, 1930 to Jasper Jehu and Mildred Victoria Freeman Savage, Jaylene was the youngest of seven children. Her mother passed away 29 days after her birth.
Life was going to be a struggle, but some stability came when she became the foster child of Mel and Clementine Clayton of Baily at the age of 12. She remained in their care, off and on, until she started college at North Texas State University in Denton. While there, during a summer session in 1949, she met Lum Jack Lovette and the two were married in Baily on Sept. 11, 1949.
The future was bright. Jack decided to become a lawyer and they made their first home in Austin as they both attended the University of Texas. In June of 1953, upon Jack’s completion of his doctorate of jurisprudence, the couple and infant daughter, Linda, moved to Jack’s hometown of Bowie where they established a home and law practice. The choice to move to Bowie was given to her. She yearned to be part of a large family and it was there waiting for her.
Their family grew with the additions of Vicki, Claire, and big surprise, Benjamin Jack.
Jaylene became a member of The Amity Club, a General Federation Club and was active in that club’s project of The Mother’s March for The March of Dimes. That is a service club and she worked on many of the club’s projects and in different capacities/offices within the club. She was active in Parent Teacher Association, Maids and Matrons (another GFWC Club), Bowie Band Parents, Camp Fire and a local square dance club. She and Jack were members of the First Christian Church and worked along with others to build a new church.
She was supportive of Jack when he was president of the Bowie Chamber of Commerce in the early 1960’s, when he ran for county judge in the early 1950’s and again later in the 1990’s when he ran for district judge. They had a cattle business with registered Herefords and Angus cattle, along with holdings as Mobil Oil consignee for Montague County after the death of Jack’s father Lum Lovette.
She and Jack were members of a bi-weekly Saturday night bridge club with other young couples in Bowie. They all remained in that club for years and watched their children grow up, graduate high school and college and marry.
Jaylene worked as a bank teller, a deputy county clerk and secretary in Jack’s law office from time to time. She loved to paint and became quite accomplished. Traveling worldwide, she made trips to England where she would visit her foster brother John Powell Clayton at the University of Lancashire and Cambridge University, and her childhood pen pal, Jill Brown and family. The Browns reciprocated and visited the U.S. and the Lovettes. She loved reading about the “royals” and could answer many questions regarding that topic.
Jaylene was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Glen Estell Savage, Emmit Durward Savage, John Hamilton Savage, Howard Ray “Jack” Savage, Otis Freeman Savage, Bernard Weathersby Clayton, Gene Lemacks Clayton and John Powell Clayton and sister, Billye Hope Savage Brackett.
She is survived by a brother, Joe D. Clayton, Tyler and children, Linda Mesler and husband Tracy, Nocona, Vicki Jones and husband Tony, Bowie, Claire McWilliams, Irving and Ben Lovette and wife Mary, Wichita Falls. She was blessed with 16 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Montague County Child Welfare Board, P.O. Box 343, Montague, TX, 76251.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home.

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OBITUARIES

Don Fenner

Published

5 days ago

09/19/2023

bowienews

December 23, 1933- September 13, 2023

NOCONA – Don Fenner, 89, died on Sept. 13, 2023 in Nocona.
A family visitation was from 6-7 p.m., Sept. 18 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home in Nocona. A celebration of life was at 2 p.m Sept. 19 at Bethel Baptist Church, Nocona, officiated by Jonathan Brown.
Interment followed at Nocona Cemetery. Pallbearers were Robin Walker, Cecil Sparks, David Woolery, Dana Woolery, Ken Koontz, Clint Snow, Jerry Dan Davis, and Donnie Davis. Honorary Pallbearers are Dax Stilwell, Jameson and River Fenner, Tommy Walker, Heath Walker, Kolby Walker, Andre’ Walker, Tyler Price, RJ Walker, Collin Fergason, Liam and Leroy Walker.
He was born on Dec. 23, 1933 in Iowa Park to Jesse Leonard “Jack” Fenner and Louisa Ellen “Louell” Smith Fenner. He was a 1952 graduate of Nocona High School where he played football. He played basketball, baseball, ran track, and participated in FFA. After graduation, he continued playing sports for many years while participating in the Montague County Men’s Inter-Mural Volleyball League, Bowling leagues, and was even a Golden Gloves boxer in 1961. He served as a volunteer fireman, a youth league umpire, and coached for the Golden Gloves Boxing organization. He was a charter member of Jean’s Men’s Bible Class in Nocona.
In 1961, He married Virginia Mae Rich Fenner at his parent’s home in Nocona. Together they shared a blended family of four children. After getting married, they first lived in Bridgeport and eventually settled in Nocona.
He worked on a work-over unit servicing oil wells. Then, he held various jobs for multiple oil companies and later ran his own work-over rig. Around 1971, he began pumping at the North Field in Spanish Fort. He pumped for multiple companies and independent well owners until his retirement in 2018 at age 85.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Louell Fenner; sisters, Noma Martin, Bennie Dennis, and Lavene Taylor; brothers, Leonard Doyle and Walter “Lee” Fenner; sons, Leslie Wade Walker and Ricky Alan Walker; one grandson and two great-grandsons.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia Fenner; daughter, Debra “LeAnne” Owen; son, Farrell Fenner and 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandbabies.
In lieu of flowers can be made to Lucky Paws Animal Shelter 653 Airport Rd. Nocona, TX 76255, or to Bethel Baptist Church 310 Seventh St., Nocona, TX 76255 or a charity of your choice.

OBITUARIES

Mary Jane Hoover Woolverton Norman

Published

1 week ago

09/15/2023

bowienews

September 11, 1923 – September 13, 2023
Canton – Mary Jane Hoover Woolverton Norman died on Sept. 13, 2023.
She was born in Montague to Samuel Zebordee Hoover and Ruth Ethel Haynes on Sept. 11, 1923.
Family will receive visitors at Eubank Funeral Home in Canton at 2 – 3 p.m, Sept.16. Service will be held at Eubank at 3 p.m., Sept. 16. Interment will be in Haven of Memories, Canton.
She attended school in Montague and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Canton.
During World War II, she worked at Consolidated Aircraft Corporation building bombers in a manufacturing facility in Fort Worth where she met Marvin Woolverton. She was one of the famous Rosie the Riveters. Marvin and Jane wed on Nov. 13, 1943 in Norman, Ok and have three children. The young family were farmers in the Eustace. They owned a John Deere Tractor dealership in Kemp in the 1960s. Jane earned her nursing degree in the 1970s. She later married Kenneth Norman in 1981 in Miami, OK. She had an antiques business in Canton.
She is preceded in death by her parents Sammy Dee and Ruth Hoover; sisters Baby Ruth Hoover McGee, Winnie Merle Hoover Pollard Erger; Margaret Nell Hoover Hickman Carelock; Vivian Joan Hoover Hamilton Covington; husbands, Marvin Benford Woolverton Sr. and Kenneth Ray Norman.
She is survived by her two brothers, Sammy D. Hoover Jr. and Carl Joseph Hoover; sister, Helen Kathleen Hoover Hightower; sons, Jeffrey Lynn Woolverton, Marvin Benford Woolverton Jr.; daughter Mary Catherine Woolverton; 14 grandchildren and step-grandchildren; 27 great grandchildren and seven great great grandchildren as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

OBITUARIES

Thomas “Gary” Vaughn

Published

1 week ago

09/15/2023

bowienews

May 12, 1946 – September 12, 2023
BELLEVUE – Thomas “Gary” Vaughn, 77 of Bellevue passed away at his home, surrounded by his family on Sept. 12, 2023.
Family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 14, at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. Funeral services was at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15 at the Bellevue United Methodist Church, with Pastor Greg Parr officiating. Burial followed at Bellevue Cemetery.
Gary was born May 12, 1946 in Bowie to Ida Mae (Hunt) Vaughn McWilliams. He attended Bellevue and Bowie schools, graduating from Bellevue High School in 1964, where he excelled in baseball, football, and basketball. He received many sports awards culminating being named All American Honorable Mention in Basketball in 1964.
Gary enlisted in the United States Air Force after graduation, serving 7 years. He was deployed as a communication specialist to Tan Son Nhut, during the Vietnam War.
On June 27, 1986, Gary married the love of his life, Cindy (Orton) Erwin in Henrietta. They resided in Bellevue, until his passing. He was a role model to all the children, grandkids and great-grandkids.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Ida Mae McWilliams, brothers Joe and Jackie, and grandson, Britt Williams.
His family, continuing to carry on his memory, includes his beloved wife, Cindy; children, Dana Williams and husband Mark, Burleson, Joe Erwin and wife Charlotte, Mineral Wells, Ronnie Erwin and fiance Mollie Carpenter, Bowie; siblings Beverly Myers and husband Steve, Bowie and Lanny Hunt , Bowie; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, should friends desire, memorials can be made in honor of Gary to the Bellevue Ex-Students Association Scholarship at 2405 Kell Blvd. Suite 100 Wichita Falls, TX 76308 or the Bellevue Methodist Church at P.O. Box 245 Bellevue, TX 76228.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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