OBITUARIES
Ava Carol (Lewis) Lawson
August 7, 1941 – June 15, 2023
VASHTI – Ava Carol (Lewis) Lawson, 81, went to be with her Lord and Savior, and to be reunited with her husband and first born son, on June 15, 2023.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on June 20 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on June 21 at the Vashti Baptist Church with Pastor Greg Fletcher officiating. Burial will follow at Vashti Cemetery.
Ava was born on Aug. 7, 1941. She married the love of her life on Jan. 2, 1959. They were married for 55 years before he departed this earth. Ava loved her family and was happy any time she was able to spend time with them.
Ava was a seamstress for the dress factory and Haggar Slack Company in Bowie. She later retired from Nokona Athletic Goods in Nocona. Ava was a member of the Vashti Baptist Church and enjoyed supporting her community and the Vashti Volunteer Fire Department with her baked goods.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Cordie “C.D.” and Ruby Lewis; husband, Verne A. Lawson Jr.; son, Phillip Len Lawson; sisters, Bonnie Jackson and Jeannie Yowell and grandson, John Arthur Lawson.
Ava is survived by her sisters, Clea Buechler, Bowie and Cordieann Bright and husband Charley, Haughton, LA; daughter-in-law, Lisa Lawson, Vashti; son, Charles “C.D.” Lawson and wife Kathy, Vashti; daughter, Sue Phillips and husband Tony, Vashti; grandchildren, Cody Lawson and wife Shonda, Bowie, Heather Lawson, Watauga, Bryson Lawson and wife Taylor, Montague, C.W. Lawson and wife Jeannie, Bowie, Cordell Lawson and wife Alyssa, Wynnewood, OK and Mikaela Phillips, Texarkana; 10 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
December 26, 1942 – August 28, 2026
BELLEVUE – Jimmie Dale Johnson, 83, died on Aug. 28, 2026 in Wichita Falls.
A celebration of life will take place at 11 a.m. on Sept. 26 at the First Baptist Church of Bellevue Life Center.
He was born Dec. 26, 1942 in Fort Worth to James Jeffrey and Nellie Mae (Frazier) Johnson. He worked in the oilfield and for Robert’s Radiator Shop in Bowie for many years.
He is preceded in death by his parents; partner, Arlene Denton; brothers, Bill Lewis and Bob Lewis; sisters, Betty Huber, Mary Goodner, and twin sisters, Jessie Mayo and Peggy Ferrin.
He is survived by his stepson and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
August 8, 1972 – September 5, 2026
BOWIE – LaDonna Mae Howell, 54, died on Sept. 5, 2026.
A funeral service took place at 11 a.m. on Sept. 10 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
She was born on Aug. 8, 1972. She was a graduate of Kinta High School in Kinta, OK where she graduated in 1990 as the valedictorian.
She continued her education at East Central University in Ada, OK earning her bachelor degree in accounting with honors in 1994. That same year, she became a certified public accountant.
She worked for Beverly Industries and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma before serving as vice president of business affairs at Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton. Later, she became the comptroller at North Central Texas College in Gainesville. She also served as the treasurer of the Bowie High School Mighty Marching
Maroon Band Boosters for many years.
She is survived by her son, Andrew Charles Howell, Longtown, OK; daughter, Amanda Rae Howell, Bowie; her children’s father, Michael Ray Howell, Saginaw and three grandchildren.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
January 26, 2026 – September 4, 2026
NOCONA – Bobby (Jerry) Orrell, 87, died on Sept. 4, 2026.
A private family service will be held at a later date.
He born in Decatur on Jan. 26, 1939 to Elizabeth and Willie.
He was a United States Army veteran who served his country in Germany. He worked for ARCO National Supply in Gainesville as a supervisor. He worked for Bell Helicopter, Otis Elevator and General Dynamics. He also worked for Boeing as an engineer.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elizabeth and Willie; sister, Norma Morby and brother, Bill (Buster) Orrell.
He is survived by his sons, Hannan and Caton; three grandchildren and brother, Leo Orrell.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.
Arrangements entrusted to the Jerry Woods Funeral Home, Nocona.
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS4 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death