OBITUARIES

Johnny “Preach” Rater

Published

11 years ago

10/09/2015

Johnny “Preach” Rater OBIT 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.
Paid publication

OBITUARIES

Maggie Killen

Published

2 days ago

04/30/2026

bowienews

November 5, 1938 – April 18, 2026
WICHITA FALLS – Maggie Killen, 87, died on April 18, 2026.
A graveside service took place at 1 p.m. on April 27 at Salona Cemetery near Bowie.
She was born on Nov. 5, 1938 in Bowie to Bertha Irene (Brewer) and Emmett Franklin Thompson. She was a graduate of Bowie High School. She was an oil information secretary and later in life as a business office manager in a skilled nursing home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bertha Irene and Emmett Franklin Thompson: sisters; Gracie McNatt, Berneice Oliver, Ola Mae Deeton, Ernestine Ray and Dorothy Woolf: brothers; Kelly Thompson, John Thompson, Lonnie Thompson, Wayne Thompson and Tommy Thompson; son, Ricky Wallace and daughter, Vicki Cullens.
She is survived by two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to University Park Nursing and Rehab.

OBITUARIES

Sammy Joe Mitchell

Published

2 days ago

04/30/2026

bowienews

June 4, 1947 – April 19, 2026
SPAINSH FORT – Sammy Joe Mitchell, 78, died on April 19, 2026.
There was a visitation from 5-6 p.m. on April 24 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel in Nocona.
A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. on April 25 at Spanish Fort Cemetery in Spanish Fort.
He was born on June 4, 1947 in Nocona to Bonnie O. Mitchell Jr. & Mary Lou Cross Mitchell. He grew up in the Spanish Fort area and went to school at Prairie Valley Schools. He was a hard-working farmer, rancher and mechanic all of his life and served his nation in the Airforce. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Spanish Fort. He married the love of his life Robbie Hawthorne on May 8, 1971 in Nocona.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Steven Chris Mitchell.
He is survived by his wife, Robbie Mitchell, Spanish Fort; children, Joe Chris Mitchell, Spanish Fort and Kasie Hamilton, Bowie; sister, Bonnie Robertson, Spanish Fort; six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to The Montague County Youth Fair, c/o Kenton Holloway, 5549 F.M. 1758, Bowie, TX 76230.

OBITUARIES

Lesli Jan Phipps

Published

2 days ago

04/30/2026

bowienews

November 8, 1958 – April 20, 2026
NOCONA – Lesli Jan Phipps, 67, died on April 20, 2026.
There was a funeral service at 2 p.m. on April 23 at Bethel Baptist Church in Nocona with Pastor David Rogers officiating. The interment followed in Hope Cemetery, Henrietta. Pallbearers were Will Johnson, Ben Johnson, Ryan Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Kaye Rhoades, Tom Skinner and Bill Holcomb.
She was born in Nocona on Nov. 8, 1958 to Gerald “Jerry” and Lucia Painter Johnson. She grew up in Nocona and graduated Nocona High School in 1977. She attended Bethel Baptist Church. She later attended college at Midwestern State University and was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She worked mostly in accounting for Northrop Grumman. She married Curtis Phipps on June 3 2021 in Henrietta.
She is preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Curtis Phipps, Nocona; children, Blake Gantz, Euless, Emily Gantz Hicks, Hoover, AL and Garrett Palla, Denton; brother, Craig Johnson; and one grandson.
Memorial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation at www.komen.org.