Obituaries Odis A Davis... Odis A Davis passed away July 13, 2017. He was born January 10, 1927, at Courtney, Oklahoma, to the late Ben and Mattie (Norvell) Davis. Odis was married to Mary Lou Robinson on June 2, 1944, at Marietta, Oklahoma. In their younger years, Odis and Mary Lou lived in Courtney Ok, where they farmed cotton until boll weevils demolished their livelihood. They then took all the money they had and moved to San Jose, California, where they worked in an onion processing plant. They had some family living there in California; but were unhappy being so far from the majority of their family who lived in Southern Oklahoma. They stayed in California just long enough to earn enough money to move back to Oklahoma. In 1950, they moved across the Red River from Courtney, Oklahoma, to Nocona, Texas where Odis secured a job with Union Tank Company. He worked for this company until 1959. Working for “Union Tank” meant good pay; but when the company decided to move its headquarters, Odis knew he would be transferred. He and Mary Lou were very satisfied living in Nocona and had no desire to leave. So in 1959, they sold their new home and car and invested the money in their own business, LP. Gas Company, which is still in operation today under the management of their youngest son Jerry Dan and grandson Jarret. Odis and Mary Lou also bought and operated another business, Nocona Hot Oil Service, which they sold in 1987. Throughout the years, Odis has always been a staunch backer of his children’s endeavors, many community activities, functions of the Bethel Baptist Church, and was a Mason for over 50 years. Odis semi-retired in the early 90’s to enjoy life in Nocona, where he kept busy with cattle, bailing hay, oil property, and restoring tractors. Retirement was really never a word he understood but the closest he found himself to that was in 2007 when he sold out his oil property, cattle, and hay implements at the age of 80. After that day until his death Odis would be found daily at 4 a.m. at L.P. Gas Co from force of habit after 58 years opening the gates and front door to welcome his customers. When asked by Odis how to tell his legacy and life story he was known to say “My funeral has already been preached and story written by the life I have lived here in Nocona, and the things I have always stood for.” Services were held on Saturday, July 15, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at Bethel Baptist Church in Nocona. Burial followed in Nocona Cemetery with Brian Spivey officiating. Odis was preceded in death by his parents Ben and Mattie, siblings Jim Davis, Edith Davis Watkins, Lillian Davis Houge, Stanford Davis, Eldon ‘Bud’ Davis and beloved daughter-in-law Mary Beckman Davis. Odis and Mary Lou are the parents of three children: Twin sons Ronnie and Donnie, and another son Jerry Dan. Ronnie lives in Nocona, as do Donnie with wife Carrie, and Jerry Dan with wife LaDonna. Odis and Mary Lou are the grandparents of six grandchildren: Shawn Davis, Jarret Davis, Branda McEwen, Erica Patton, Zachary Smith, and Kristyn Starnes. And Proud Great-Grandparents of 16 Great Grandchildren: Henley & Samuel Davis, Jase, Bodie, & Ava Davis, Kaden, Mattie, Gabby, & John McEwen, Ayden, Corbyn, & Dani Patton, Skyler & Bayler Smith, & Ryker Starnes to whom he is survived by, along with his wife of 73 years Mary Lou and sister Lawana Forsythe of Wilson Ok. In leiu of flowers Odis requested that donation be made to the Mary Beckman Downtown Park Fund that is located at Wells Fargo Bank in Nocona or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. 4 Thursday, July 20, 2017 The Shopper Sallie Mae Gray... Sallie Mae (Cluck) Gray passed away July 5, 2017. She was born on February 23, 1913 to Howard and Lillie (McKinney) Cluck. Sallie Mae married James Olen Gray on March 5, 1931 in Waurika, Texas. They had one daughter, Lillian (Gray) Pearson Beidleman. Living for 104 years, Sallie Mae witnessed many events in her lifetime, and through it all she held her family most dear. A service was held on Monday, July 10, 2017 at Nocona Cemetery under direction of Jerry Woods Funeral Home. Sallie Mae is preceded in death by her beloved husband Olen, her daughter Lillian, her parents, her twin sister Nannie Rae, sister Robbie Jay, and two brothers, Howard and Wynn. She has two surviving grandchildren, James Gray Pearson and Robyn Lee Pearson, and 6 great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice of Wichita Falls, Texas. Gerald Tom Greer... Gerald Tom Greer, 75, passed away Thursday, July 13, 2017 in Bowie, TX. Gerald was born May 26, 1942 in Park Springs, TX to Tom and Maggie (Adams) Eubanks. He graduated from Chico High School in 1960. Gerald served his country in the United States Army from 1964 – 1966. He worked for Mitchell Energy for 20 years until his retirement. Later, he went to work for Hanover Compression Company. He enjoyed coaching pony league baseball and was a boyscout troop leader until 1994. Gerald loved bird hunting, fishing, singing, and playing bass guitar. Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 15, 2017 at the Old Country Church in Bowie. Burial followed at Elmwood Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie. Gerald is survived by his wife, Jean Greer of Bowie; children, Tonya Harris of Copper Cove, TX; William Greer and wife Kim of San Angelo, TX; Todd Greer and wife Kathy of Stephenville, TX; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; twin sister, Gerry Sturtz and husband Bill of Richmond, TX; and three nieces. Linda C. (Landers) Bell, age 74 of Saint Jo passed away peacefully in the hospital surrounded by family on Thursday, July 13, 2017. One of the ten children born to William Robert and Alma Dixie (Galmor) Landers, she was born at home in Forestburg, TX on June 18, 1943. After graduating from Forestburg High School in 1961, she went on to be a cosmetologist and instructor at Gene Praters Beauty School in Fort Worth. Linda married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Homer M. Bell, on July 21, 1962. They were the proud parents of three children. Funeral service for Linda was held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, July 16, 2017 at Landmark Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Ricky Kerr officiating. Burial followed in Montague Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to Scott Funeral Home in Saint Jo. Linda is survived by her daughters: Tina Bell of Saint Jo, and Janell and husband, David Clark of Bonham, TX; four grandchildren: Micheal and wife Kayla Mullins of Bowie, TX; Mason Clark of Bonham, TX; Travis and wife, Laura Benson of Saint Jo, TX; Bryanna and fiancé Anthony Braatz of Denton, TX; five great grandchildren: Paxton, Weiand, and Weslynn Mullins, Ellis Benson, and Zein Braatz. She was preceded in death by her husband, Homer M. Bell, infant son, Baby Boy Bell, her parents, William Robert and Alma Dixie (Galmor) Landers and her six brothers and three sisters. Linda C. (Landers) Bell... Sherrie Marie Beemer Hightower... Sherrie Marie Beemer Hightower, 47, passed away Saturday, July 15, 2017 in Hurst, TX. Sherrie was born April 9, 1970 in Mount Clements, MI to William and Sharon (Jasin) Beemer. She graduated from Nocona High School in 1989 and then attended TWU and TCC. Sherrie earned a degree in Child Development. She married Mark Hightower on August 21,1994 in Grand Prairie, TX. Sherrie worked for Menasco Aerospace as a purchasing agent for 8 years and Bell Helicopter for 4 years, and was a member of Saint Michaels Catholic Church in Bedford, TX. Graveside services were held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at the Cowboys Last Ride Cemetery in Bowie, TX. Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie. Sherrie is survived by her husband, Mark Hightower; daughter, Adriana Hightower; father, Bill Beemer; mother, Sharon Garis; sisters, Charmie Sanders and husband Mike; Shellie Smith and husband Robert; brother, Jason Beemer; and aunt, Augie Nobile. Kenneth B. Weatherford... Kenneth B. Weatherford, 89, of Midland, Texas, passed away on July 6, 2017. Kenneth was born in rural Lubbock County on February 19, 1928 to Marvin and Velma Weatherford. He graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1946. Kenneth joined the Army the same year, serving in post-war Japan. He was discharged in 1947 and obtained the rank of Sergeant. He married Evelyn Mitchell on February 10, 1951 and their family grew to include 2 sons, Wayne and Randy. Graveside service were held at Buffalo Springs Cemetery on Saturday, July 15, 2017, 10:00 a.m. with Scott Funeral Home handling funeral arrangements. Kenneth is survived by his sisters Gloria Stephenson of Midland, TX and Bernadyne Weatherford of Atlantic City, NJ, son Wayne (Mary) of Joplin, Mo, son Randy (Lenea) also of Midland and his grandchildren: Kenneth (Trisha) of Midland, James (Kayla) of Beaverton, OR, Matthew (Leah) of Big Spring, TX, and Callie (Mark Reams) of Midland. He also leaves a legacy of 8 greatgrandchildren, brother and sisters-in-law as well as numerous nieces, nephews and friends to remember him. F U N E R A L WHITE FAMILY H O M E Coy & Jennifer White Respectful - Dignified Service Reverently Rendered (940) 872-9993 1418 Highway 59 North Bowie, Texas 76230 Dick Haayen and Jerry Don Henderson were sworn in as Regents of the North Central Texas Community College District at the NCTC Board Meeting Monday night. Haayen, an incumbent, ran unopposed for seat 7, while Henderson won in a run-off election for seat 6. As soon as the meeting was called to order, regents canvassed the election returns, and the Honorable Jason Brinkley swore in the two new members. Board Chair Karla Metzler opened the floor for nominations for officers for the NCTC Board of Regents. Regent Patsy Wilson nominated Karla Metzler for Chair, Dick Haayen for Vice Chair and Christy Morris for Secretary. There were no other nominations and the board voted unanimously to approve Wilson’s nominiations. During the Present’s Report, NCTC President Dr. Brent Wallace commended NCTC’s student athletes for their academic performance this semester. A total of 13 NCTC athletes were named to NJCAA All-Academic Student-Athlete teams. Four athletes were named to the First Team All-American, meaning they had a perfect 4.0 grade point average (GPA). One athlete was named Second Team All-American for a GPA between 3.8 and 3.99, and eight athletes were names Third Team All-American for GPAs between 3.6 and 3.79. Twenty-five athletes were named to the NCTC Dean’s List and ten were named to the NCTC President’s List. The graduation rate for NCTC athletes is also up from 19% in 2007, to 79% in 2017. After a normal financial report from Vice President of Fiscal Affairs Dr. Janie Neighbors, the board heard from Tom Bradshaw, Meteorologist in Charge for the National Weather Service in the DFW area. Bradshaw presented a plaque to NCTC Senior Director of Emergency Management and Institutional Assurance Chris McLaughlin for the work NCTC has done to become a Dick Haayen (left) and Jerry Don Henderson (center) were sworn in by the Honorable Jason Brinkley (right) as the newest members of the NCTC Board of Regents. StormReady® campus. “You have achieved something that only a select number of colleges and universities across Texas have accomplished, by becoming a StormReady® college,” said Bradshaw. Bradshaw added that there is a very strict protocol that must be followed in order for a community or college to become StormReady®. “Under Chris’s leadership and the leadership of your administration, NCTC has taken a number of steps to ensure the safety of student, faculty and staff during severe weather,” said Bradshaw. As part of a long list of action items, Regents approved Empirical Networks as the vendor for a new infrastructure for the Information Technology Systems Department. Regents also heard an update from the Campus Concealed Carry Committee. Regents were given a draft of their recommended policy changes and will vote on these changes at the August meeting. A raise of 3.5% of the midpoint was approved for full-time 2017-18 salaries. Regents accepted the resignations of Music Instructor Vince Kenney, Nursing Instructor Julie Martin, and History Instructor David Powell. After a closed Executive Session, the board reconvened into an open meeting and denied a Level IV appeal filed by Kevin Sadowski. Regent Jon Grime was unable to attend Monday’s meeting. New NCTC Regents Sworn In