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JOAN M. ROWLETT
MOHAVE VALLEY, Ariz. -- Joan Melva Rowlett, 69, died Wednesday, April 24, 2002, at her home in Mohave Valley.
She was born May 20, 1932, in Vermont.
She married Bill Rowlett in 1982 in Liberal. He survives.
She and her husband lived in Tyrone, Okla., until 1987, when they retired and moved to Mohave Valley.
She was employed as the manager of the Liberal VFW and worked at Danny's Wise Liquor Store in Liberal.
She worked at Flamingo Casino in Laughlin, Nev.
Survivors include four sons, David Shatney, Independence, Thorp Shatney, Salisbury, Md., Tommy Ferguson, Fort Worth, Texas, and Tim Ferguson, Garden City, Idaho; three daughters, Sandy Ferguson and Susan Merz, both of Fort Worth, and Tina Ibarra, Liberal; one brother, Bob Maple, Morgan, Vt.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by one son, Richard Shatney; and one brother, Michael Maple.
Cremation has already taken place.
VERLA WHITTET
BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Verla Gooch Whittet, 78, Bentonville, formerly of Balko, Okla., died Sunday, May 12, 2002, at Bates Medical Center in Bentonville.
She was born Oct. 29, 1923 to Hans Edmund and Florence (Ruff) Gooch in Riverside, Idaho.
She married Lewis "Pete" Whittet Sept. 1, 1943, in Boise, Idaho. He survives.
She was a machinist at Gowen Field Army Air Base during World War II.
She and her husband moved to northwest Arkansas in 1989 from Beaver County, Okla., where they had lived for many years.
She was Postmaster of the Boyd, Okla., post office and later at the Balko Post Office after three rural offices were consolidated.
Her husband was a farmer and rancher before he retired.
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Bentonville and the Retired Postmaster's Association.
Other survivors include one son, Fred Whittet and wife, Margaret, Frankfort, Ky.; one daughter, Ruth Terry and husband, Phil, Tulsa, Okla.; one sister, Zelda Waddoups, Pocatello, Idaho; and two grandchildren, Mike Terry, Stillwater, Okla., and Sarah Terry, Tulsa.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Edmund, Eldon and Walter; and two sisters, Nila and Norma.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church in Bentonville with the Revs. Ben Hines and Dennis Spence presiding.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at Liberal Cemetery
in Liberal.
Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. today in the parlor of the First United Methodist Church in Bentonville.
Stockdale Funeral Services in Rogers, Ark., is in charge of arrangements.
RAMONA SPIRES
RUIDOSO, N.M. -- Ramona Keller Spires, 73, Alamogordo, N.M., formerly of Ruidoso, died Saturday, May 11, 2002, in Ruidoso.
She was born Dec. 2, 1928, in Snyder, Texas.
She had been a resident of Snyder until 1971 when she moved to Lubbock, Texas, where she lived until 1986, when she moved to Ruidoso. She had been a resident of Ruidoso until 1994, when she moved to Alamogordo.
She was a homemaker.
Survivors include one son, LeRoy Spires III, New Mexico; two daughters, Susan Spires Ruch, Ruidoso, and Cindy Ann Spires, Snyder; one sister, Wynona Keller Adams, Liberal; six grandchildren, Emily Asia Ruch, Michael Skylar Ruch, Ty Spires, Roy Spires, Jess Spires and Jorge Spires; two nephews, Kell Adams and Charles LeRoy Judd; and one niece, Kiki Dayton.
A memorial gathering will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the home of her daughter, Susan Ruch, 248 Country Club, Ruidoso.
Friends may call until 7 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at LaGrone Funeral Chapel in Ruidoso.
Memorials are suggested to the Ramona Keller Spires Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1043, Ruidoso, NM 88345.
THOMAS G. BLAKEMORE
NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Thomas George Blakemore, 79, formerly of Liberal, died Friday, May 17, 2002, at his home in North Palm Beach.
He was born Feb. 23, 1923, to Thomas Johnson and Edna (George) Blakemore in Liberal.
He married Francis Morton. She survives.
He graduated from Pembroke Country Day School in 1941 in Kansas City, Mo. He received a bachelor's of science degree in business administration from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., in 1950. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order while at Rollins College.
He served in the United States Army.
He moved back to Liberal after graduating from Rollins College and was active in the family business, Blakemore Brothers Grocery Company, which owned the Ideal Food Stores throughout Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. He served on the board of directors of the Blakemore Brothers Grocery Company.
He also served on the board of directors for the First National Bank in Liberal, the Blakemore Brothers Building Company and General Communications Inc., a television media company that was licensed in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and New Mexico.
Following the Blakemore Brothers Grocery Company Merger with ACF Wrigley Company, a national food chain, he moved to New York City and then Palm Beaches, where he had resided since that time.
He was active in many entrepreneurial endeavors, including The Pulsar, which was the forerunner of the WaterPik showerhead and toothbrush. He became the major investor in a new product, then in the early patent stages, in 1970, a concept placing illuminated advertising on the rooftops of taxicabs in New York City. The company, Vango Media Inc., of which he was chairman of the board, prospered and expanded into several other larger cities. Today, it is a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications.
He became the principal owner and pioneer of another business, Horoscopes-by-phone, in the early 70s -- first in New York City and later in other major cities. The company employed well-known astrologers who provided daily horoscopes for each astrological sign, which were retrieved by dialing a local telephone number. It was the first company of its type.
He was a member of the Bethesday-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church.
He was a member of the Bath and Tennis Club, the Old Port Yacht Club and a former long-time member of the Everglades Club, all in the Palm Beaches, and the Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, N.Y.
Other survivors include three daughters, Anne Holden Blakemore, New York City, Deborah Vaughn Blakemore, Spring Valley, N.Y., and Dorothy Ray Blakemore, Sonoma, Calif.; two step-children, Edith Gaines Morton, Atlanta, Ga., and Andrew Galyon Morton Sr., Knoxville, Tenn.; three step-grandchildren, Andrew Galyon Morton Jr., James Tyler Morton and Ethan White Morton, all of Knoxville; one brother, Milton H. Blakemore, Santa Fe, N.M. and Scottsdale, Ariz.; one niece, Cecilia Blakemore, Swampscott, Miss.; and one nephew, Steven Blakemore, Boca Raton, Fla.
Funeral services will be at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Knoxville.
Quattlebaum-Holleman-Burse Funeral Home in West Palm Beach and Rosemann's Mortuary in Knoxville are in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Hospice of Palm Beach County, 5300 E. Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33407.
MYRTLE J. ROBINSON
SUBLETTE -- Myrtle June Robinson, 87, Olsburg, died Thursday, May 16, 2002, at Mercy Health Center of Manhattan in Manhattan.
She was born Feb. 20, 1915, to James and Anna (McCullouth) Lyons in Blaine.
She married Artie Ellsworth Robinson in June 1930. He died Aug. 1, 1963.
She married Cecil Robinson Dec. 24, 1970. He died July 13, 1989.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Olsburg.
Survivors include two sons, Wayne Robinson, Olsburg, and Donald Robinson and wife, Loretta, Garden City; two daughters, Dolores Angell and husband, Lloyd, Estes Park, Colo., and Patricia Burch and husband, Donnie, Sublette; nine grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and numerous of other relatives.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; one son, Jackie Darrell Robinson; and three sisters, Frances Anderson, Mary Powell and Irene Fairbanks.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Sublette with the Rev. Mary Al Titus presiding.
Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery
in Liberal.
Friends may call from 2-8 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the Haskell County Funeral Home in Sublette.
Memorials are suggested to the Heart Fund in care of the Haskell County Funeral Home, P.O. Box 607, Sublette, KS 67877.
BEVERLY V. STOTESBERY
HUGOTON -- Beverly Violet Stotesbery, 59, Hugoton, died Friday, May 17, 2002, at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City.
Funeral services are pending and will be announced by Garnand Funeral Home in Hugoton.
BARBARA G. HALE
SATANTA -- Barbara "Gail" Hale, 73, Satanta, died Saturday, May 18, 2002, at Via Christi RMC St. Joseph Campus in Wichita.
She was born Oct. 6, 1928, to Tom Sr. and Willie Pearl (Phillips) Bodine in Bowie, Ariz.
She married Ray Davis in 1947. He died in 1948.
She married Joe Kenneth Augerot July 13, 1949, in Amarillo, Texas. He died Sept. 23, 1975.
She married Bill Hale Jan. 15, 1977, in Satanta. He survives.
She moved to Satanta in 1942 from Borger, Texas.
She was a homemaker.
She had worked as a teller at the Satanta State Bank in Satanta. She was the first female county commissioner of Haskell County, where she served 14 years.
She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, and a former Secretary of the board of trustees of the Satanta Hospital District from 1979 until 1982. She also served as Director of the Satanta State Bank from 1992 until 1993.
She attended the First Baptist Church in Satanta.
Other survivors include two daughters, Beverly Wasinger and husband, Robby, Hays, and Blenna Hoenig and husband, Robert, Tulsa, Okla.; four step-sons, Kenneth Hale and wife Pat, La Junta, Colo., Henry Hale and wife, La Vonne, Satanta, Bill D. Hale, St. Helens, Ore., and Jeffrey A. Hale and wife, Kathy, Scappoose, Ore.; one brother, Tom Bodine Jr., Amarillo; one sister, LaVerine Campbell, Portsmouth, Va.; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Satanta with the Pastor Ray Tweed presiding.
Burial will be at Dudley Township Cemetery
in Satanta.
Friends may call until 8 p.m. today at Haskell County Funeral Home in Sublette.
Memorials are suggested to the Satanta Long Term Care Unit in Satanta in care of Haskell County Funeral Home, Box 607, Sublette, KS 67877, or dropped at Shopping Stop True Value in Satanta.