OBITUARIES
Carla Jo Johnson-Robbins
August 18, 1939 – July 18, 2024
BOWIE – Carla Jo Johnson-Robbins, 84, passed away on July 18, 2024 at home in Bowie.
A graveside service will take place at 10 a.m. on July 27 at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie.
Carla was born on Aug. 18, 1939, the firstborn of the eight children of Mara “Mary” Dean Swaggerty and Jarrell Chester McDonald. Carla passed away one month shy of 85 years here on earth. To her three grown children, 11 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren she was known as “Geemaw.” Carla was a loving sister, daughter, aunt and mother among many other things.
Carla lived most of her life in Bowie where she graduated eighth grade in 1953, married Bobby Joe Johnson in 1955 at the young age of 16, and two years after that, in 1957 and at the age of 18, began her own family. Years later Carla reconnected with her kindergarten sweetheart, Clifton Robbins and they enjoyed 16 years of marriage before her passing.
Carla worked at various jobs and positions throughout her life, including taking in laundry and ironing, babysitting, working in a textile plant at Haggar Slacks in Bowie, working in a Zenith TV plant in Springfield, MO, working as a librarian at the Bowie Public Library and working as a hospital insurance coordinator at the Bowie Memorial Hospital where she ended up retiring after many years.
Carla’s father was an over-the-road truck driver, and her mother was a textile worker during the years that followed the end of World War II and on through the many years until they retired. Her parents built a house on Miller Street in Bowie during the time of peace and prosperity following the war, a legacy that still stands proudly today as a living reminder of the many good years of McDonald family life that found shelter and love under its roof. Carla passed from this life peacefully at home, just two doors down from that house, a testament to the influence and imprint her parents and that house had on the children that lived there and knew its undying bond of love.
She is preceded in death by her loving parents, Jarrell Chester McDonald and Mary Dean Swaggerty; five siblings, Judy Haney, Jerry McDonald, Marilyn Cross, Carolyn Carter and Johnny (Bo) McDonald; her first husband, Bobby Joe Johnson and two great-grandchild, Charity Faith Gonce and Benjamin Gazer Gonce.
Carla is survived by her husband, Clifton Robbins, Bowie; three children, Randell Ray Johnson, Granbury, Kimberley Kay Johnson Brock (Brian), Henrietta and Robert Joel Johnson (Sun Young), Bowie; sister, Diane Mara, Wichita Falls; brother, Kenneth McDonald (Dena), Bowie; 11 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of the following Parkinson’s Research Foundations: Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org/give or The Parkinson’s Foundation at parkinsons.org/give.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
November 5, 1938 – April 18, 2026
WICHITA FALLS – Maggie Killen, 87, died on April 18, 2026.
A graveside service took place at 1 p.m. on April 27 at Salona Cemetery near Bowie.
She was born on Nov. 5, 1938 in Bowie to Bertha Irene (Brewer) and Emmett Franklin Thompson. She was a graduate of Bowie High School. She was an oil information secretary and later in life as a business office manager in a skilled nursing home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bertha Irene and Emmett Franklin Thompson: sisters; Gracie McNatt, Berneice Oliver, Ola Mae Deeton, Ernestine Ray and Dorothy Woolf: brothers; Kelly Thompson, John Thompson, Lonnie Thompson, Wayne Thompson and Tommy Thompson; son, Ricky Wallace and daughter, Vicki Cullens.
She is survived by two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to University Park Nursing and Rehab.
June 4, 1947 – April 19, 2026
SPAINSH FORT – Sammy Joe Mitchell, 78, died on April 19, 2026.
There was a visitation from 5-6 p.m. on April 24 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel in Nocona.
A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. on April 25 at Spanish Fort Cemetery in Spanish Fort.
He was born on June 4, 1947 in Nocona to Bonnie O. Mitchell Jr. & Mary Lou Cross Mitchell. He grew up in the Spanish Fort area and went to school at Prairie Valley Schools. He was a hard-working farmer, rancher and mechanic all of his life and served his nation in the Airforce. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Spanish Fort. He married the love of his life Robbie Hawthorne on May 8, 1971 in Nocona.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Steven Chris Mitchell.
He is survived by his wife, Robbie Mitchell, Spanish Fort; children, Joe Chris Mitchell, Spanish Fort and Kasie Hamilton, Bowie; sister, Bonnie Robertson, Spanish Fort; six grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to The Montague County Youth Fair, c/o Kenton Holloway, 5549 F.M. 1758, Bowie, TX 76230.
November 8, 1958 – April 20, 2026
NOCONA – Lesli Jan Phipps, 67, died on April 20, 2026.
There was a funeral service at 2 p.m. on April 23 at Bethel Baptist Church in Nocona with Pastor David Rogers officiating. The interment followed in Hope Cemetery, Henrietta. Pallbearers were Will Johnson, Ben Johnson, Ryan Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Kaye Rhoades, Tom Skinner and Bill Holcomb.
She was born in Nocona on Nov. 8, 1958 to Gerald “Jerry” and Lucia Painter Johnson. She grew up in Nocona and graduated Nocona High School in 1977. She attended Bethel Baptist Church. She later attended college at Midwestern State University and was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She worked mostly in accounting for Northrop Grumman. She married Curtis Phipps on June 3 2021 in Henrietta.
She is preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Curtis Phipps, Nocona; children, Blake Gantz, Euless, Emily Gantz Hicks, Hoover, AL and Garrett Palla, Denton; brother, Craig Johnson; and one grandson.
Memorial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation at www.komen.org.
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