COUNTY LIFE
Christmas villages sparkle
Bennie Walker shares his memories, traditions
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Christmas is all about memories and traditions, and no where is that more visible than the home of Bennie Walker as it twinkles and shines with his vast collection of Christmas villages.
As soon as you step into the living room you will hear the happy sounds of toy trains, the swish of an ice skater on a rink and the soft whirl of the ferris wheel from different parts of the holiday town. It is definitely a place where the holidays shine and Walker is happy to share it with his friends and family.
Walker is a longtime Bowie resident and a 30-year retired educator. At 73 he retired twice. He was with the Texas Education Agency, taught at Bowie 13 years, followed by a brief time at Chico before retiring in 2001. In 2002 he returned to teach at Valley View for seven years, before retiring again, and then returning to Valley View.
After retiring again Walker left the school to be available full-time for Mary, and as her illness progressed they decided to move to Missouri, where their oldest daughter’s family lived and she wanted to help care for her mom. Walker says they had planned to stay for a few years, but two weeks later Mary would be gone and Bennie came back to Bowie.
He is a man still grieving for his wife, especially as their 50th anniversary would have been celebrated this year.
“We knew each other six weeks before we got married,” exclaimed Walker. “Two weeks after I met her I asked her to marry me. We were married 42 and a half years when we lost her. She is buried at Truce Cemetery and I usually go out on Sunday.”
Read the full story in the weekend edition of The Bowie News.
The Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12 in the County Courtroom at the Courthouse Annex in Montague.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider issuing a proclamation declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month within Montague County.
The court also will consider accepting $850 in unanticipated revenue for the sheriff’s office generated during National Night Out activities, alongside interlocal cooperation contracts between the Texas Department of Public Safety and Justices of the Peace for Precincts 1 and 2.
An executive session is scheduled to discuss personnel matters pertaining to sewer/septic inspector for the county. Any action would be taken back in open session.
The Oct. 9-11 Art of the Song Music and Art Festival opens Friday night for three days of art and entertainment in downtown Nocona.
The festival opens on Oct. 9 with a Chisholm Trail Art Association Preview Party from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 9 at the H.J. Justin Building.
Come see all the entries for the adult show, which formally opens at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10.
Live music will be played by Full Circle Band.
Also on Oct. 9 enjoy a Nocona Nights Street Dance from 7 to 9 p.m. with the Mark Murphey and Highway 82 Band. Cost is $10 per ticket and $200 for a table seating eight. Bring your lawn chairs.
Read the full schedule of events for the festival in your Thursday Bowie News.
These students are nominees for the 2026 homecoming court at Gold-Burg High School. Homecoming royals will be crowned in pre-game ceremonies before the Bears take on Throckmorton at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. Pictured are: Freshmen: Kenzley Foster and Jackson Allen, freshmen; Yareli Aguirre and Jojuan Grace, sophomores; Zara Andrade, junior and Brayden Odom, Kaylie Duncan, both seniors. Not pictured: Caleb Epperson, junior and Keelyn Case, senior.
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