Bryce R. Henderson

Mass of Christian Burial for Bryce R. Henderson, 86, of Altus, Okla., will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 6, 2006. A candlelight vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 5. Both services will be held at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Altus, Okla.

Bryce was born on a farm near Blair, Okla., on May 31, 1920, to George and Addie Henderson, pioneers of Greer County, Okla. He died in his home north of Altus on July 2, 2006. With the exception of service during World War II, he lived his entire life in Jackson County.

He attended Blair schools, graduating in 1938 with 12 years of perfect attendance. He attended the University of Oklahoma and enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the war. Before being commissioned as Ensign, he met Mary Catherine Nohner of Minneapolis, Minn. Their courtship was punctuated by his various World War II assignments on U.S. coasts while he was in flight training in the PBY Catalina. Bruce and Mary were married in the Catholic Base Chapel on Altus Air Base on July 22, 1944, prior to his departure for England, where, until VE Day, he piloted the B24 Liberator.

At the conclusion of the war, Bryce returned to Jackson County. He was the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District's first pioneer, as his homecoming was capped off when the Bureau of Reclamation awarded him the Oklahoma A&M demonstration farm located south of the Lugert Dam. It was an experimental farm, designed to be a working symbol of what irrigation might bring to the farmers of Jackson County. In his first season in 1946, he grew oats, alfalfa, corn and winter wheat and 14 varieties of cotton. He ultimately raised irrigated cotton for 60 consecutive years. He also worked in the life insurance industry some 40 years.

Together, on a farm north of Altus, Bryce and Mary reared six children - Barbara, Tom, Patricia, Mary Jane, John and Scott. Their lives were entirely focused on the well-being and education of “the kids.” He was a generous and caring father. He valued both work and play. Bryce was proud that all six children became college graduates.

Over time, Bryce's family expanded to include 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He was interested in their many activities and cherished family gatherings, trips, holidays and celebrations. He read with intensity and his interests were diverse - sports, particularly those of his beloved University of Oklahoma - golf, jazz and classical music (which he called “good music”), bridge and Western movies. Some of his more enjoyable hours were spent around the domino table with a host of cronies.

Bryce was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Elks Golf and Country Club. He was raised in the Methodist church and converted to Catholicism in his later years. He was a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Altus, Okla. Bryce trusted in God, and relied upon himself. A man of integrity and determination, he was fiercely independent. He had an extraordinary love of people and treasured friends from many walks of life, serving them in greater or lesser ways, visiting in the hospital, helping a fellow farmer or visiting the shut-ins. He had compassion for those whose lives were marked by sorrow or tragedy, and a capacity for optimism in the wake of hardship.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Mary, and an infant grandson, Andrew Nichols.

He has 40 surviving family members including his sons, their wives and families, Scott and DeeAnn Henderson, Meredith and Scott Dee of the home; John and Kim Henderson, Ashley and Travis of Eldorado, Okla., and Tom, Josephine and Hillary Henderson of Sweetwater. His daughters, their spouses and families are MJ and Robert Smith, Robert Bryce and Daniel of Cushing, Okla., Trish and Leon Crosswhite, Patrick and Maggie of Hennessey, Okla., Katie and Marcus Newby, Hanna, Benjamin and Sara of Guthrie, Okla., Becky, Aaron and Jack Strope of Edmond, Okla., and Barbara and John Nichols, Meg and Joe Ferretti, Marie Claire and John of Dallas, Sarah and Dan Whitmarsh and Philip, Stuart and Laurel Krous, and Michael Nichols, all of Oklahoma City, Okla. He is also survived by a sister, Frances Henderson of Kingfisher, Okla.

The Henderson family will greet friends on Wednesday from 5-6:30 p.m. at Kincannon Funeral Home.

Linnie Hindman

Linnie Hindman, 88, of Abilene died Thursday, June 29, 2006, in Merkel.

The funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 3, 2006, in the Elmwood Funeral Home chapel in Abilene.

Burial followed in the Elmwood Memorial Park.

Linnie retired from nursing after 30 years. She loved caring for people and her children and grandchildren. She was a happy person and enjoyed life to the greatest. She was a member of the Highland Church of Christ of Abilene and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Survivors include two sons, Charles Brown and his wife, Judy, of Ceres, Calif., and Preston Brown and his wife, Glenda, of Lubbock; five daughters, Robbie Hallard and her husband, Bill of Maui, Hawaii, Linda Frazier of Abilene, Brenda Hindman of Killeen, Sandra Bennett and her husband, Sam, of Richardson, and Kelly Bunselmeyer and her husband, Larry, of Abilene; 17 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild; three sisters, Bobbie James of Pocatello, Idaho, Billie Hawkins and her husband, Otis, of Anadarko, Okla., and Sue Way and her husband, Ronnie, of Sweetwater; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Homer Hindman; one step-son, John; her parents; one brother, Roy Reynolds; and one sister, Lela Ford.

Leola Robinson

Leola Robinson, 69, of Sweetwater died Monday, July 3, 2006, in the Abilene Regional Medical Center.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 6, 2006, in the Sweetwater Cemetery with the Rev. James Baker officiating.

Services will be under the direction of Cate-Spencer and Trent Funeral Home of Sweet-water.

Mrs. Robinson was born on Feb. 17, 1937, in Sweetwater. She married Howard Robinson. She was a homemaker.

Survivors include her husband, Howard Robinson of Sweetwater; one son, Roy Smith and his wife, Karie, of Grand Prairie; one daughter, Rene Ammons of Sweetwater; one step-daughter, Judy Hoover and her husband, Tommy, of Cypress; three sisters, Ila O'Connor of Sweetwater, Ruthie Redmon and her husband, Hugh, and Verneil Purdy and her husband, Denzel; one brother, Dewey Dillashaw and his wife, Lee; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Walter Lee Armstrong

Walter Lee Armstrong, 74, of Sweetwater died Tuesday, July 4, 2006, in the Hendrick Medical Center.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 8, 2006, in the Sweetwater Cemetery with the Rev. Vernon Baker officiating.

Services will be under the direction of Cate-Spencer and Trent Funeral Home of Sweetwater.

Mr. Armstrong was born on July 12, 1931, in Sweetwater. He was a U.S. Army veteran and worked for Lubbock Power and Light for many years before retiring. Mr. Armstrong graduated from Newman High School in Sweetwater and was a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University.

Survivors include two sons, Mike Stricker and his wife, Edna, of Houston and Carl Stricker of Amarillo; one daughter, Suzi Marshall of Houston; one sister, Patsy Hefner of Sweetwater; and several grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Fr. Ray Stanley Wilhelm

Fr. Ray Stanley Wilhelm, OMI, 74, has gone home to Chant God's praises - July 5, 2006.

The son of Raymond M. Wilhelm and Alma (Dreier) Wilhelm, Ray Wilhelm was born on Feb. 3, 1932, in San Antonio. After graduating from St. Mary's Parochial School, he went to St. Anthony's Junior Seminary in San Antonio. He entered the St. Peter's Novitiate at Mission in 1951, where he took his first vows on May 31, 1952.

His philosophy and theology courses were pursued at DeMazenod Scholasticate (now Oblate School of Theology) in San Antonio. It was there that he took perpetual vows on May 31, 1955. Upon the completion of his theology studies, he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Robert E. Lucey at St. Mary's Church, San Antonio, June 1, 1958.

Fr. Ray's first obedience was in 1959 as a professor at DeMazenod Scholasticate. In the spring of 1960, he went to Catholic University, in Washington, D.C., for higher education, and in November of 1960, he went to the Studium Superius Generale, in Rome, and obtained a degree in canon law at Gregorian University in June of 1962. He was transferred to DeMazenod Scholasticate - Oblate College of the Southwest in San Antonio as bursar and professor in September 1962. Other assignments included: Assistant Pastor to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Harlingen; Pastor to St. Ignatius Parish in Ranchito; Pastor to Sacred Heart in McAllen; Associate Pastor of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville, and Pastor to St. John the Baptist in San Juan.

In January of 1986 he served as the Associate Director of college level seminary formation program at St. Edwards University, Austin. In 1988 he was assigned as Parochial Vicar to St. Louis of France Cathedral in New Orleans, then in 1990 to St. Patrick's Parish in Houston. In 1991, he was Associate Director of San Juan Shrine in San Juan. He then served a six-year term as Pastor at St. Ann's in Colorado City. In June of 2000 he was assigned and remained until his death Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and Shrine in Midland. Fr. Ray was also an Official of the Matrimonial Tribunal of the dioceses of Brownsville, San Antonio, and San Angelo. He was Defender of the Bond of Marriage for the Texas Appellate Court in San Antonio and had also been a local Oblate Superior in several Texas Districts.

“Fr. Ray was a committed and faithful servant of the Church, especially as Missionary Oblate to Mary Immaculate,” said Fr. Ed DeLeon, pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe. “He always gave 110 percent if not more. He was a true confessor, and people always felt God's mercy especially in the confessional. He was an excellent preacher and a good friend.”

Fr. Ray is preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Alma Wilhelm, J.P. Wilhelm, Edwin Wilhelm, E.V. Tumlinson, his uncles, and Maggie Schlein, his aunt.

He is survived by his sister Mary Oswald and brother-in-law, Louis Oswald of Houston; his three nephews, Brent A. Oswald, of Houston, Kelly V. and Stacey Oswald of Houston, Louis A. and Crystal Oswald of Littleton, Colo.; and his dearest friend the Rev. Frank Montalbano, OMI of San Antonio.

“Fr. Ray was so special, so knowledgeable, so educated,” said Toni Bustillos, a parishioner at Our Lady of Guadalupe and a friend of Fr. Ray. “You could ask him anything and he would tell you, and if he didn't know, he would find out. He was so gentle and always such a loving and kind person.

A Rosary, to be led by Fr. Ed DeLeon, Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and Shrine, will be held Friday, July 7, 2006, at 7 p.m., at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and Shrine in Midland. A Mass of Resurrection will be held Saturday, July 8, 2006, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and Shrine in Midland with The Most Rev. Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI, Bishop of San Angelo, the principal celebrant and Fr. Ed DeLeon homilist. Fr. Ray's body will be taken to San Antonio for additional services. A Rosary will be held at the Oblate School of Theology's Immaculate Conception Chapel on Sunday, July 9, 2006, at 7 p.m. His Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated on Monday, July 10, 2006, at 10 a.m. at The Oblate School of Theology's Immaculate Conception Chapel followed by burial at the Oblate Community Cemetery on the same grounds in San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, make donations to Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, Midland. Arrangements are under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home, 801 Andrews Hwy., Midland, Texas 79701 (432) 683-5555. To place on-line condolences visit www.mem.com.

Haldean "Dink" Cave

ROTAN — Haldean "Dink" Cave, 77, died Sunday July 9, 2006 at a Lubbock Hospital. Services will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at the First Baptist Church in Rotan. Burial will be in Belvieu Cemetery directed by Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home.

Born March 20, 1929 in Clairemont, Dink was a son to the late Mark and Ruby (Dennis) Cave. He was a life long resident of Kent County. Dink married Norma Dry on January 20, 1951 in Rotan and they were together 55 years. Dink was a rancher and always enjoyed working his horses and cattle. He was a member of the First Baptist Church.

Dink is preceded in death by his parents, one brother (Ted Stanley Cave), one sister (Mary Beth Aaron) and two grandsons (Aaron and Randall Cave).

Survivors include his wife Norma Cave of Kent County; one daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Glen Murphree of Sweetwater; four sons and daughters-in-law, Kent and Teresa Cave of Rotan, Reid and Chaucy Cave of Rotan, Bryan and Vanessa Cave of Snyder and Jeff and Amber Cave of Ballinger; one brother, Mark Cave, Jr. of Rotan; twelve grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Monday from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to the American Heart Association.