OBITUARIES

Roy Lee Curry Sr.

Published

9 years ago

09/20/2016

Roy Lee Curry Sr.
April 13, 1929 – September 19, 2016
BOWIE – Roy Lee Curry Sr., 87, passed away Sept. 19, 2016 in Bowie, TX.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Sept. 22 in the chapel of The White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Roy was born April 13, 1929, near Hollis, OK to Ernest and Tommye Curry, both now deceased. He was a retired educator, serving as a teacher, coach and administrator in Texas schools for 36 years before his retirement in 1986.
Roy graduated from Bowie High School in 1947. He served for three years as captain of the Jackrabbits football team and was selected to the All-District football first team for three years. The undefeated 1946 squad remains the school’s only undefeated team in history and won the regional championship. While attending Bowie High School, he met the love of his life, Becky Worley, whom he later married.
Following graduation from Bowie High School, he was awarded a full athletic scholarship at East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, now Texas A&M University, Commerce, where he lettered in football and track. He graduated in 1951 with a bachelor of science degree in biology. In 1951, he received his master’s of education degree from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls.
He coached at Decatur, Graham and Fort Worth. At Graham, his track teams were among the finest in the state from 1952-1956. During his tenure, Graham football teams won 85 games. His 1956 team won the district title and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
The 1963 Steers advanced to the state AAA semifinals, losing to state champion Corsicana 14-13. His 1964 Steers were tied by mighty Brownwood, then defeated district champion Wichita Falls Hirschi, a team that advanced to the AAA semifinals.
Through the years, more than 70 of his players received full college athletic scholarships, and four of Curry’s players went on to play in the National Football League.
In 1996, he was honored by his college, TAMU Commerce, receiving the outstanding coach award in the Emeritus category. In 2000, he was honored as Graham High School’s “Outstanding Coach of the Century.”
He later served in the Irving schools as an administrator for 17 years, including several years as principal of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz High School.
Following his retirement, he and Becky moved back to Bowie. Roy served on numerous boards including president of the Bowie Chamber of Commerce, Bowie Rotary Club president, Bowie Educational Foundation president, member of the 4B Corporate board that built the college in Bowie, president of the Bowie Library Board and a member of the Bowie School Board.
In 1997, he was honored by the Bowie Chamber of Commerce as “Volunteer of the Year.” He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bowie where he served as a teacher and as a member of the Board of Deacons for several terms.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Tommye Curry; and brothers, Jimmy L. Curry, Dean Curry; and Barry Curry.
Roy is survived by his wife, Helen “Becky” Curry, Bowie; daughter, DiAnne Dunn and her husband, Dr. James Dunn, Bowie; son, Bronc Curry and his wife, Lisa, Grand Prairie; and grandsons, James W. Dunn and his wife, Jennifer, and Daniel W. Dunn.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Bowie Educational Foundation at P.O. Box 992, Bowie, TX 76230.
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OBITUARIES

Dean Allen Shaffer

Published

2 weeks 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.
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OBITUARIES

Betty Sue Bynum

Published

2 weeks 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.
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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.