OBITUARIES
Verna Mae Taylor Jackson
November 25, 1942 – Septemeber 1, 2025
SUNSET – Verna Mae Taylor Jackson, 82, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sept. 1, 2025.
A visitation took place from 6-8 p.m. at the White Family Funeral Home on Sept. 4.
The funeral service took place at 10 a.m. on Sept. 5 at the Sunset Methodist Church with Glenn Waldon officiating. Burial followed at Denver Cemetery in Sunset.
Verna Mae was born in the Denver Community near Sunset to Allen Charles Taylor and Ova McDonald on Nov. 25, 1942. She married Homer Isam Jackson on July 25, 1998 in Sunset.
She graduated from Bowie High School in 1961. She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Texas State University in 1964 and her master’s degree in 1968. She taught school for 35 years. She taught first grade in the Bowie Independent School District from 1964 until 1999.
She is a member of the Sunset Methodist Church. She accepted the Lord as her Savior and joined the church in 1952 at the age of nine. Later she taught the youth’s Sunday school class for several years. She was also church secretary for several years. Besides teaching and working in the church, she enjoyed being with family and friends, gardening and raising cattle.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Ova Taylor; her husband, Homer Isam Jackson; and two brothers, Raymond Carl Taylor and Richard Lee Taylor.
She is survived by two sons, Lyete Jackson, Bowie and Lisa Jackson, Aledo, and Barney Jackson and his wife Nancy, Bowie: six grandchildren, Kayla and husband Randy, Sunset, Kevin and wife Samantha, Lake Station, IN, Emily, Erin, Breann and husband Chris,Weatherford and Tod; nine great grandchildren, Kyle, Noah, Esmi, Zeek and Arlo Jackson, Samiah and Ronan Cox, and Layla and Jaxon Byas.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Verna Mae to the Denver Cemetery, 506 Taylor Rd. Sunset, TX 76270.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
OBITUARIES
Maggie Killen
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.
OBITUARIES
Sammy Joe Mitchell
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.
OBITUARIES
Lesli Jan Phipps
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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