OBITUARIES

Edna Rhe Hickman

Published

9 months ago

09/24/2024

October 17, 1936 – September 18, 2024
WACO – Edna Rhe Hickman, 87, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Sept. 18, 2024. Edna dedicated her life to her family and friends.
We will celebrate her life with a memorial service at 2 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home Chapel in Waco with the Rev. Steve Ramsdell officiating. A burial service will be at 2 p.m. on Sept. 26 at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie with the Rev. Lou Tiscione officiating.
Edna was born in Newport, TX on Oct. 17, 1936 to Fred “Dunk” and Mary Jo Cordell. Growing up in Newport, she attended schools in Bowie participating in numerous social and school activities including choir, band and homemaking, receiving several honors and awards. She graduated from Bowie High School in 1954. After high school, she attended Midwestern State University on a voice scholarship. Edna had a beautiful voice and was invited to sing on many occasions.
She was blessed with two children and they were raised in Wichita Falls and in Austin. In these cities she made lifelong friends. She enjoyed worship on Sundays and spending time with friends. In Austin, she was a volunteer at Seton Hospital and then worked in real estate. She remarried in 1990 to Don Hickman. Moving to Pampa, she continued to make close friends and participated in several organizations including First Christian Church.
In 2013 she moved to Waco to be closer to her daughter’s family. She was active at Central United Methodist Church and bible studies. Her love of the Lord showed in her excitement to worship in song. She enjoyed listening to classic hymns. She loved to attend her grandchildren’s activities and was their biggest fan.
Edna enjoyed shopping for clothes, spending time with friends and talking on the phone. She loved to entertain and decorate for any season or occasion. She was renowned for saying “favorite color is animal print.” She was an avid Texas Longhorn fan and was known to wear her burnt orange on game days. She loved sweets – especially peanut M&Ms and butter pecan ice cream. She and her son even hid the Haagen Daas Rum Raisin ice cream from each other in the freezer while he was a teen. She loved to “up in the bed” with her grandkids – snack, play games and laugh. She exuded joy and happiness and was known always as the glass is half full type of person. Her positivity was contagious and her smile will be forever remembered.
Her biggest joys were her family – especially her grandbabies. She was a true and treasured gift and will be deeply missed by everyone she knew.
Edna is preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Don Hickman; nephew, Russell Cordell and step son-in-law, Tim Hucks.
She is survived by her son, Lee Scott Kelley and wife Taresa, Brock; daughter, Krispen Thielepape and husband Sam, Hewitt; two stepsons, Mike Hickman and wife Ronda, Casper WY and Kelley Hickman, Pampa; two step daughters, Debra Hucks, Amarillo and Sherry Smith and husband Randall, Pace, FL; five grandchildren, Morgan Brittain and husband Ben, Ocean Springs, MS, Logan Thielepape, Hewitt, Joshua and Trevor Kelley, Brock and Jessica Brown, Fort Worth; six step-grandchildren; Tanner Hucks and wife Kirsten, Frisco, Zach Hucks, Amarillo, Kendall Hickman, Casper, WY and Becca Watt and husband Colton, Newcastle, WY, Jayme Lambert and husband Jared, Little Elm and Tori Ritthaler, Lewisville;10 step-great grandchildren; brother, Lee Cordell and wife Ruthie, Bowie; sister in law, Joyce Hickman, Bowie; nephew, Yancy Cordell and wife Darla; niece, Tracy Ashley and husband Steve and former spouse, Hubert Kelley, Austin.
Honorary pallbearers include Logan Thielepape, Joshua Kelley, Trevor Kelley and Ben Brittain.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Right at Home, The Blake – Waco and Gentiva Hospice, especially Teresa Dixon and Valarie Adams for the exceptional care, friendship and love you gave to our mom the last few years of her life.
In lieu of flowers, memorials contributions may be made to the Team Gleason Foundation, which exists to help aid those with ALS and eventually provide a cure, at teamgleason.org.
Arrangements entrusted to Grace Gardens Funeral Home of Waco.

Paid publication

OBITUARIES

Dean Allen Shaffer

Published

1 week ago

05/28/2025

bowienews

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.
Paid publication

OBITUARIES

Betty Sue Bynum

Published

1 week ago

05/28/2025

bowienews

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

OBITUARIES

Pedro Leon Olvera

Published

2 weeks ago

05/22/2025

bowienews

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.