OBITUARIES
Connie Rue Thomas
October 20, 1955 – April 10, 2023
BOWIE – Connie Rue Thomas, 67, passed away peacefully at home on April 10, 2023 in Bowie.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. on April 15 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. on April 16 at Southside Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Post Oak Cemetery in Post Oak, TX.
Connie was born in Bowie on Oct. 20, 1955, to Jesse Wayne and Minnie Lou Geer. She was the youngest of three sisters who were all proud Bowie Jackrabbit mascots. She graduated from Bowie High School in 1974. Connie attended Draughon’s Business School and later married Nelson Thomas on May 28, 1976. They built their life together in Bowie raising three children and creating countless memories. They grew from being Mom and Dad to eventually being Mops and Pops. She spent decades as a photographer shooting weddings, seniors, sports and nature.
Connie lived and loved big. She was a true original. She lived life to the fullest in every possible way with an unmatched zest and passion for her family and celebrating life. She had a heart the size of Texas and shared it with everyone she met. She was Auntie Connie beloved by so many. She had an infectious way of always spreading joy wherever she went. The love Connie shared in her lifetime will create ripples for years to come throughout our community and afar.
She loved traveling with Nelson anywhere from Post Oak to Alaska and looked forward to her annual trips to Red River, NM and Galveston. She loved being Mops to her grandkids. She loved gardening, decorating for the holidays, reading and playing the piano. Connie loved her hometown, the community and was the Bowie Jackrabbits’ biggest fan. She created an experience around every holiday and always found a way to gather her immediate and extended family to create new memories. Connie knew how to make someone feel special, supported and she never met a stranger.
Connie had profound respect for her mom’s career in teaching and continued her legacy through the annual Minnie Lou Geer Scholarship Fund. She was proud to be a part of a family of educators and in her own way was a teacher of life, positively influencing countless people.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Samuel Shannon Campsey, Georgia Roth and Willie and Vida Geer; parents, Jesse Wayne Geer and Minnie Lou Geer and sister, Deborah Harris.
Connie is survived by her husband, Nelson Thomas, Bowie; three children, Jennifer Glover and husband Lyal Glover, Northlake, Wes Thomas and wife Linda Thomas, Denton and Chase Thomas and wife Amber Thomas, Bowie; five grandchildren, Kingston Thomas, Ian Thomas, Campsey Thomas, Jax Thomas and Crue Thomas; one sister, Martha Vincent; Bowie; 10 nieces and nephews, Wayne Leek and wife Patty Leek, Brock, Valarie Gill and husband Darren Gill, Bowie, Marcus Vincent and wife Jennifer Vincent, Huntsville, AL, Melissa Vincent, Gosford, Australia, Michelle Vincent, Bowie, TaShawna Nash and husband Darron Nash, Seattle, Aubrey Lehotta and husband Justin Lehotta, Ryley Thomas and wife Jessica Thomas, Madisen Ricoy and husband Omelino Ricoy and Jolie Thomas and a host of great-nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Minnie Lou Scholarship Fund can be made at Legend Bank.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
November 11, 1944 – April 19, 2025
BELLEVUE – Gary Leo Fergueson, 80, died on April 19, 2025.
A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on April 24 at Vashti Cemetery with Michael Brannon and Jeff Brannon officiating.
He was born on Nov. 11, 1944 to Vera (Chappell) and Lewis Fergueson. He worked in the food and grocery industry at multiple store chains beginning in Fort Worth and ending in Bowie. He also worked as a rancher at his family farm in Vashti. Fergueson proudly served his country in the United States Army, he completed his basic training in San Fransico and was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Alta Fergueson Brannon.
He is survived by his nephew, Jeff Brannon; niece, Krista Brannon Blackrock; brother-in-law Michael Brannon and a very special friend of 60 years, Helen Ulbig.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
November 8, 1939 – April 19, 2025
BOWIE – Dr. Calvin Charles Carmen, 85, died on April 19, 2025 in Bowie, TX
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. on April 26 at the Bowie First Methodist Church. Interment will be at the DFW Military Cemetery.
Dr. Carmen was born Nov. 8, 1939 in Niagara Falls, Ont. to Florence Delia and Charles Carmen. Dr. Carmen attended New York schools until 1957 when he dropped out to join the Navy at just 17 years old. While in the Navy, he completed high school and was selected for officer candidate school. He graduated with the rank of second lieutenant and served as a communications officer aboard the naval battleship USS Hailey for four years. He later served as a naval reserve chaplain.
Dr. Carmen received his bachelor and master degrees from Central Bible College, and his Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Springfield, MO. He then earned his PhD in clinical psychology from Union Graduate School. As a clinical psychology intern at the Tufts University Behavioral Health Unit in Boston, MA, he received a commendation for outstanding service to his patients. He completed his postgraduate studies at Colgate Rochester Divinity School. Dr. Carmen served as pastor of South Park United Methodist Church in Buffalo, NY for nine years, and was pastor at Plymouth Bay Assembly of God in Pembroke, MA for an additional nine years.
Dr. Carmen then accepted the position of clinical director at Houston Medical Center. From there, he established Dr. Carmen and Associates, a practice serving the greater Houston area. He was then called to initiate a graduate counseling and psychology program at Nelson University (formerly Southwestern) in Waxahachie. There, he authored textbooks on counseling, psychology and the Christian faith.
Nelson University awarded Dr. Carmen both the distinguished professor award and professor emeritus award. He was a member of The American Association for Counseling and Development, the Christian Counselors of Texas, the American Psychological Association, and Psi Chi, National Honor Society. Dr. Carmen served several years as a member of the Texas state board of certification for licensed professional counselors. At his passing, he was the associate pastor of Bowie First Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Charles Carmen.
He is survived by his wife, Annette (née Gruppo) Carmen; daughter, Noelle Carmen; son, Benjamin Carmen and nine grandchildren.
Donations will be gratefully accepted to Nelson University on behalf of the Dr. Calvin C. Carmen Counseling and Psychology Scholarship Fund online at: nelson.edu/give.
Arrangements through the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
January 28, 1940 – April 8, 2025
CANYON LAKE – Daniel Morris Butler, 85, died on April 8, 2025.
A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on May 3 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. Burial will follow at Hopewell Cemetery in Stoneburg.
He was born on Jan. 28, 1940 to Lena (Lyons) and Dave Butler. He married the late Barbara Jameson Nov. 23, 1964, in Houston. Together they raised three children. He worked as an electrician at Mauch Electric and later owned and operated DB Electric from 1989 to 2002.
He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Barbara Butler and son, Kenneth Patrick Butler.
He is survived by his children, Diana Craig and James Butler, both Canyon Lake; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie, Texas.
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