OBITUARIES
Carla Jo Johnson-Robbins
August 18, 1939 – July 18, 2024
BOWIE – Carla Jo Johnson-Robbins, 84, passed away on July 18, 2024 at home in Bowie.
A graveside service will take place at 10 a.m. on July 27 at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie.
Carla was born on Aug. 18, 1939, the firstborn of the eight children of Mara “Mary” Dean Swaggerty and Jarrell Chester McDonald. Carla passed away one month shy of 85 years here on earth. To her three grown children, 11 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren she was known as “Geemaw.” Carla was a loving sister, daughter, aunt and mother among many other things.
Carla lived most of her life in Bowie where she graduated eighth grade in 1953, married Bobby Joe Johnson in 1955 at the young age of 16, and two years after that, in 1957 and at the age of 18, began her own family. Years later Carla reconnected with her kindergarten sweetheart, Clifton Robbins and they enjoyed 16 years of marriage before her passing.
Carla worked at various jobs and positions throughout her life, including taking in laundry and ironing, babysitting, working in a textile plant at Haggar Slacks in Bowie, working in a Zenith TV plant in Springfield, MO, working as a librarian at the Bowie Public Library and working as a hospital insurance coordinator at the Bowie Memorial Hospital where she ended up retiring after many years.
Carla’s father was an over-the-road truck driver, and her mother was a textile worker during the years that followed the end of World War II and on through the many years until they retired. Her parents built a house on Miller Street in Bowie during the time of peace and prosperity following the war, a legacy that still stands proudly today as a living reminder of the many good years of McDonald family life that found shelter and love under its roof. Carla passed from this life peacefully at home, just two doors down from that house, a testament to the influence and imprint her parents and that house had on the children that lived there and knew its undying bond of love.
She is preceded in death by her loving parents, Jarrell Chester McDonald and Mary Dean Swaggerty; five siblings, Judy Haney, Jerry McDonald, Marilyn Cross, Carolyn Carter and Johnny (Bo) McDonald; her first husband, Bobby Joe Johnson and two great-grandchild, Charity Faith Gonce and Benjamin Gazer Gonce.
Carla is survived by her husband, Clifton Robbins, Bowie; three children, Randell Ray Johnson, Granbury, Kimberley Kay Johnson Brock (Brian), Henrietta and Robert Joel Johnson (Sun Young), Bowie; sister, Diane Mara, Wichita Falls; brother, Kenneth McDonald (Dena), Bowie; 11 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of the following Parkinson’s Research Foundations: Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org/give or The Parkinson’s Foundation at parkinsons.org/give.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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June 24, 1962 – May 18, 2025
BOWIE – Dean Allen Shaffer, 62, was escorted to the gates of heaven May 18, 2025 at 12:34 a.m. in the arms of his loving wife Christal Shaffer after complications of pneumonia
A celebration of life for Dean was held at 11 a.m. on May 31 at the First Baptist Church in Alvord followed by a meal for the family.
Dean was born June 24, 1962, in Lander, WY. While quiet and soft spoken, he had a mighty love for the Lord, his wife of 38 years and his family. Dean was an incredibly hard worker, but all who knew Dean also knew how generous he was. He enjoyed cooking outside, hosting get-togethers at their home, having a drink and listening to good music as well as spending time with his bees.
He is preceded in death by his mother-in-law, “Memom” Linda Stevens and loving sister-in-law, Terri Shaffer and sister-in-law, Linda Shaffer.
Dean is survived by his wife, Christal Shaffer; children, Justin Shaffer and wife Kayla, Miles Shaffer, and Ainsley Hernandez and husband Josue; his children in Christ, Chris Lovell, and Andrew Stevens and wife Sutton; grandchildren, Kayden Shaffer and fiancé Nathan Mac, Colton Shaffer and wife Payton, Jaid, Remi, Briggs, Watts, Hutch, Justice and Maverick; great-grandchild, Colter; his parents, James Oliver Shaffer and Alice Bethine; siblings, Randy Shaffer, Cheryl Shaffer and partner Mike Hoffman, Mike Shaffer and wife Kim, Cathey Tewes and husband Andy; numerous other nieces, nephews and family members.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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April 3, 1929 – May 20, 2025
BOWIE – Betty Sue Bynum, 96, passed away on May 20, 2025 in Nocona, TX.
Betty was born on April 3, 1929 in Thornton to Thomas Everett and Eva May Stiff Hardaway. She attended elementary school in Van Alstyne and attended high school in Calvert. She graduated from Teachers College High School and continued on to North Texas State Teacher’s College graduating with a bachelor of arts, library science degree at age 20. In 1977, she continued her education obtaining a master of education degree at University of North Texas.
While attending college, Betty met her future husband, Floyd Arthur Bynum. Betty wanted to work and live on her own for a year before getting married, so they had a long distance courtship while she taught school for a year in Canyon, Texas. They decided they were meant for each other and married on Aug. 5, 1950 in McKinney.
After starting their family in 1951, Betty and Floyd moved to Bowie where Floyd was industrial arts teacher at Bowie High School. Betty was a stay-at-home mom for few years. In 1960, she restarted her teaching career, teaching sixth grade for many years, eventually moving to high school where she was librarian until her retirement in 1988. She was a lifetime member of TSTA and a member of TLA.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Alma Lou Perkins and husband, Floyd A. Bynum.
Betty is survived by her three daughters, Nancy Headley, (Douglas), Jean Richards (John) and Patricia Johnson (Craig), grandchildren, Heather Morse, Alicia Hutchison, Jennifer Holloman, Justin Richards, Steven Johnson and Brian Johnson; seven great grandchildren and two nieces, Suzanne Scott and Dianne Herr.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie, TX.
Paid publication
May 19, 1976 – May 11, 2025
NOCONA – Pedro Leon Olvera, 48, died on May 11, 2025.
There was a rosary at 6 p.m. on May 18 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel in Nocona. A funeral service was at noon on May 19 at St. Jospeh’s Catholic Church in Nocona.
He was born on May 19, 1976 in Celya, Mexico Guanajuato to Juan Olvera and Felixa Leon. Olvera was a part of a big family and hard-worker all of his life. He worked mostly in agriculture as a rancher. He loved working on cars in his spare time, especially with his son. He married Blanca Torres in 1995 in Celya, Mexico Guanajuato.
He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Rosa and Juana Gomez; and nephew, Juan Gomez Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Blanca Olvera; Nocona; son, Pedro Jr. Olvera, Nocona; daughter, Mariana Hampton, Gainesville; sisters, Yolanda, Nocona and Margarita, Mexico; brothers, Juan, Luis, Santiago and Francisco, all of Mexico; a grandson; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.
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