OBITUARIES
Johnny “Preach” Rater
Johnny “Preach” Rater
June 25, 1943 – October 6, 2015
BUFFALO SPRINGS – Johnny “Preach” Rater, 72, passed away Oct. 6 at his home in Buffalo Springs, TX.
The family received friends from 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Davis Funeral Home.
A funeral service was at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 at the Free Will Baptist Church in Buffalo Springs with the Rev. Larry Cox of Bowie, officiating and the Rev. Billy Waller, assisting.
A Masonic graveside service was in the Buffalo Springs Cemetery under the direction of Davis Funeral Home.
Preach was born on June 25, 1943 in Newport to Johnnie and Bettie Rater. After attending Bellevue School he joined the 49th Division of the National Guard which was deployed during the Cuban Crisis.
Upon discharge from the service he married Stanley Roland on Sept. 24, 1963 in Fort Worth. They then moved to the Scaling Ranch located in southwestern Clay County where he was the ranch foreman for seven and a half years, he then moved to Buffalo Springs.
Later he was the owner and operator of Buffalo Construction and Rater Trucking. He and wife Stanley were also co-owners and operators of Huskey Hat Company and Tack. Preach was the master hatter, renovator and straw Boss. Preach’s life time passion was running cattle, sheep and goats until the very moment of his passing.
Preach was preceded in death by parents, Johnnie and Bettie Rater; one sister, Betty Jo Wetsel and brother-in-law, Marvin Wetsel.
Preach is survived by his wife of 51 years, Stanley Rater, Buffalo Springs; two daughters, Sondra Nored, Bowie, and Tina Eudy and husband David, Buffalo Springs; three sons, Tandy Rater and wife Gidget, Buffalo Springs, Kyle Rater and wife Kim, Buffalo Springsand Stacy Rater and wife Angela, Bowie; grandchildren, Kellee Russell, Andee Shae Nored, B.J. Nored and wife Meghan, Shalee Rater, Marlee Rater and fiancé Carl Scrogum, Alicia and Kyla Rater, Cacy, Marissa and Celsey Rater, Bailee and Yancy Heugatter, Bodee Eudy, Heather Cleveland and fiancé Tony, Joe and Kristie Cleveland, and Daniel and Chelsey Case; great-grandchildren, Carsyn Morrison, Grady and Gwenley Rater, Colby Bentley, Cooper Nored, Cole Cleveland, Harlei Hudson, Kelyn and Towns Lee Case, Cooper Cleveland; and special friends of the family, Dewayne Nored, Cody Morrison and Brandon Hoffman.
Memorials may be made to the Rock Church Billy Don Campbell Scholarship at 303 Rock Church Road, Bellevue, TX 76228 or the Bluegrove Masonic Lodge.
Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guestbook at davisfuneralhome.net.
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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.
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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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