OBITUARIES
James Darmon Carminati

July 7, 1947 – May 27, 2024
NOCONA – James Darmon Carminati, 76, passed from this earth on Memorial Day, May 27, 2024, in Wichita Falls.
The family will receive friends for visitation from 6 to 7 p.m. on June 2 at Scott-Morris Chapel in Nocona. A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. on June 3 at Nocona Church of Christ with Jonathan Brown officiating.
Pallbearers honoring James will be Danny Crow, Les Scott, Rusty Barker, Robert Whitecotton, Alex Stovall Ed Sample and John Royce Tompkins. Honorary pallbearers are Alva Towery, Danny Buck, Nathan O’Dell, Dakota Keck, Randy Ritchie, Elton Burleson, Jerry Admire, Jack Tompkins, Ray Glenn and Donnie Fenoglio.
James was born in Nocona on July 7, 1947 to Dorothy Samples and Joe Carminati. He was raised in Montague County and continued to raise his family in Nocona as well. He graduated from Nocona High School in 1966 and went to serve his country in Vietnam.
James was a Mason and a member of the American Legion, VFW and the Nocona Rural Fire Dept. James is the only person who used the word dirtbag as a term of endearment. He was the king of the one-liners like when he answered the phone “What?” James would do anything for anybody, he would give the shirt off his back. He would even fail the eighth grade so that he could be in the same class as his friend. According to KJ he is the best driver for bug catching.
James Carminati was a one of kind guy and he will be missed.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Betty Tompkins Carminati; his parents and brother, Joey B. Samples.
James is survived by his wife for the last 24 years, Sereita Giaketti; daughters, Julie Carminati and Amy Carminati and her partner Krystal Hamm; daughters, Lavonne Carpenter and husband Scott and Jamie Baen; sisters, Metta Burleson and husband Elton and Mary Ritchie and husband Randy; grandchildren, Emily Carminati and fiance Dakota Keck, Erin Carminati-Linn and fiance Nathan O’Dell, Shelby Barker and husband Tyler, Scotty Carpenter and wife Kendall, Zayde Bensellam, Lyla Bensellam, Jaxon Baen and Jeager Baen and great-grandchildren, Kevin James Sowell, Brice and Sadie Carpenter.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Nocona Rural Fire Department Fireman’s Toy Box, P.O. Box 55 Nocona, Texas 76255.
An online guestbook is available at scottmorrisfh.com.
Scott-Morris of Nocona has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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OBITUARIES
Dean Allen Shaffer

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

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

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.
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