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.
Paid publication
May 4, 1942 – December 2, 2024
BELLEVUE – Cindy Orton Vaughn, 82, died Dec. 2, 2024 in Fort Worth.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. on Dec. 7 at the Bellevue Methodist Church, with Pastor Greg Parr officiating. Burial will follow at Bellevue Cemetery.
She was born on May 4, 1942 in Bowie to Ed and Irene Orton. She graduated from Bellevue High School in 1960. She married Gary Vaughn on June 27, 1986.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Gary Vaughn; parents, Ed and Irene Orton; brother, Bill Orton; sisters, Sue Orton Weaver and Jane Orton Shoemaker and one grandson.
She is survived by Dana Williams, Burleson; Ronnie Erwin, Bellevue; Joe Erwin, Mineral Wells; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
NEWPORT – Lena “Sue” (Chilton) Murray, age 95, left this earth for her Heavenly home on Nov. 28, 2024 in Bowie.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service will take place at 2 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the First Baptist Church of Newport, with Pastor Tommy John Mayo officiating. Burial will follow at Newport Cemetery in Newport.
Sue was born Nov. 22, 1929 to John Hubert “Hub” and Lena Aetha (Little) Chilton in Lamesa, TX. She graduated from Lamesa High School and earned a full scholarship in music to Sam Houston State University. She later transferred to Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, where she earned an associate’s degree.
Sue then married Glenn Murray, and the couple enjoyed 62 years together until his passing. She was a devoted Christian, wife and mother and enjoyed being a Sunday School teacher for several churches throughout many years.
She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Robert Holland Murray; husband, Glenn Murray; sister, Betty Jo Johnson and brother, “Son” Chilton.
Sue is survived by her son, Ben Murray and wife Cindi, Newport; daughter, Ann Beardslee and husband Bill, Rockwall; brother-in-law, John Murray, Lake Whitney, TX; step grandchildren, Canda and Steve Henry; step great-grandchildren, Garrett Morris and Samantha Henry; step great-great-grandchildren, Rylan and Lilly Morris and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
September 24, 1953 – November 27, 2024
BOWIE – Kay Lynn Dawson, 71, died Nov. 27, 2024.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service took place at 11 a.m. on Dec. 3 at Lighthouse Assembly of God in Bowie, with Pastor Justin Harris and Kenny Bingham as the officiants. Burial followed at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie.
She was born Sept. 24, 1953 in Bowie to Hollis and Dorothy Franklin. She graduated from Permian High School in Odessa in 1973 and went on to attend Baylor University. Soon after she met and married Alex “Butch” Dawson on July 14,1978. She was a seamstress and worked at a bridal shop in Odessa, making wedding dresses for many years. She also worked as executive director at Servants for the Poor.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Alex “Butch” Dawson; parents, Hollis and Dorothy Franklin; two nephews; one aunt and one cousin.
She is survived by her sons, Monty Dawson and Jason Dawson; three grandchildren; one great-grandson; sisters, Norma Smith, Martha Wood and Cathy Potter; brother, Carl Franklin and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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