District champs
Hill graduates from DPA academy
Kelly Hill of Clarendon was one of 57 men and women who became Texas Highway Patrol troopers last week after reciting the state’s law enforcement oath and receiving their badges during a ceremony in Austin.
Texas State Representative Larry Phillips, Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, was the keynote speaker during the graduation ceremony held at the LBJ Library Auditorium on the University of Texas campus.
“I congratulate the fine men and women who are graduating today and becoming Texas Highway Patrol Troopers. You have agreed to protect and defend the people of Texas, and we appreciate your service,” he told the graduates.
“Every day of the year, and every minute of the hour there is a Texas State Trooper combating crime and terrorism throughout this great state, and when you leave here today you will be joining them on the frontline of this important battle,” said Colonel Steven C. McCraw, Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The troopers began the 18-week training academy in August. Instruction covered more than 100 subjects, including counter-terrorism, traffic and criminal law, arrest and control procedures, accident reconstruction, first aid and Spanish.
They also received extensive use of force, communication skills, firearms, driving, criminal interdiction, cultural diversity and physical fitness training.
In several weeks, the troopers will move to their new duty stations. They will spend the first six months in on-the-job training with a senior trooper.
Anyone who is interested in becoming a state trooper can call the toll-free line, 1-866-TXTROOP (898-7667), or visit the DPS Web site at www.joindps.com, for more information.
Lady Broncos win district title
Eight District games plus eight wins equals a District Championship for the Clarendon Lady Broncos.
The ladies sealed the deal Friday night in an unfriendly environment as they clobbered the Wellington Lady Rockets for the second time this season 42-34 in front of a packed house.
Count back 11 years and you will find the most recent District championship until now. Coach Molly Weatherred knew the Lady Broncos had to be patient and the wins would come with time and they did just that.
They are headed to post-season play with the same aggressiveness and determination that put them at 21-4.
In a game that was nip and tuck for most of the way, the Lady Broncos shined deep into the fourth quarter when they hit 12 of 15 shots from the free throw line. Anna Ceniceros shot 9 of 10 for 90 percent on the night, which added to her 11 points for the game. Point guard Deborah Howard turned a cold nightat the beginning of the game into a hot ending at the charity stripe hitting all five of her attempts after missing four in the early minutes of the game.
But it was the teamwork and determined defense that sparked the Lady Broncos. Feeding McKayla Cartwright in her post position proved productive for the ladies as she finished with 11 points from the inside.
“I was very proud of the girls Friday,” Weatherred said. “I thought they played extremely hard. Offensively, we struggled, but we were able to get stops on the defensive end. I thought the girls handled every situation that came at them.”
The Lady Broncos let their momentum slip late in the game and Wellington took advantage of that.
Scoring: Cartwright 11, Ceniceros 11, D. Howard 9, Jentry Shadle 5, Ryann Starnes 4, and Trevela Dronzek 2.
Last Tuesday, the ladies took on Wheeler at home and easily defeated them 55-26. After a close first quarter, the Lady Broncos changed gears and went on a scoring frenzy to put the game out of touch for the Lady Stangs. Cartwright and Marqueda Gaines finished with 12 each and Dronzek added 10 for double figures on the board.
Also scoring: Shadle 9, Lydia Howard 7, Ceniceros 2, Starnes 2, and D. Howard 1.
The ladies will receive a bye in the first round because of their District championship and continue their season in the second round of the playoffs with a time and team to be announced.
Basil Bascom Banister
Basil Bascom Banister of McKinney died February 2, 2012.
He was born in Collinsworth County Texas on July 22, 1937. He went to college at Clarendon College and then Texas Tech University. He retired from ARCO and ran his own business in McKinney, -BBB- Fertilizer Company.
He was preceded in death by his parents Hollis Martin Banister and Mary Ellen Craig Banister of Lelia Lake, Texas, his daughter Holly Gwynn Banister and his younger brother Kelsey Gale Banister of Amarillo.
He is survived by his daughter Laina DeLynn Banister Mayo and son-in-law Dr. Kip Mayo of New Braunfels, and their children Kaden Elijah Mayo, Kyler Samuel Mayo, and Kaybri Ellen Mayo who will greatly miss their “Poppa BB”. He is also survived by the mother of his children Kathleen Gartung Banister and his sisters Sue Leeper of Clarendon and Patricia “Patti” Johnston of Canon City, Colorado. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their children from all over the state of Texas.
Donald “Jack” Montgomery
Services for Donald “Jack” Montgomery, 75, of Memphis, were held at 10 a.m. Friday, February 3, 2012, at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Bruce Howard, officiating and Rev. Chris Fobbs and Dr. O.K. Bowen, assisting. Burial followed in Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Hughs Funeral Home of Memphis.
Jack passed away Tuesday, January 31, 2012, in Memphis.
Jack was born November 13, 1936, in Leslie, to the late Mr. Paul Montgomery and Mrs. Gladys Adams Montgomery. He was a 1955 graduate of Memphis High School. He then went on to attend Trinity University in San Antonio, and also attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Jack was a farmer in the Hall County area from 1959 to 2007. He served on various boards such as Brice-Leslie Water District Board, Leslie Co-op Gin Board, ASCS Farm Service Board in the 1960’s and the Memphis City Council. He was also a member of the First Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry Lon Montgomery.
He is survived by Janet Montgomery of Memphis; two daughters, Stephanie Stone and husband David of Seminole; Jackie Jenkins and husband Daniel of Turkey; two sons, Mat Montgomery and wife Tanya of Memphis; Mark Montgomery and wife Alicia of White Deer; two brothers, Mike Montgomery and wife Velma and Lacy Montgomery and wife Nancy all of Memphis; 11 grandchildren, Zach Stone, Lee Stone, Sara Stone, Jordan Jenkins, Kristen Jenkins, Jessica Montgomery, Paul Montgomery, Brandon Montgomery, Braden Montgomery, Brady Montgomery and Brooklyn Montgomery.
The family suggest memorials be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
You may send condolences online at www.hughsfuneralhome.com.
Betty Nell Patterson White
Betty Nell Patterson White. 82, died Wednesday, February 1, 2012, in Amarillo.
Services were held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 4, 2011, at the Church of Christ in Clarendon with Tom Harguess and Bright Newhouse, officiating. Burial followed at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Services were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Betty was born February 8, 1929, in Dodson to Fred and Lucy Mae Greenfield Patterson. She was a graduate of Dodson Schools. Betty married Perry Elvis White on June 19, 1949, in Collingsworth County. She was an Insurance Agent owning White’s Insurance Agency in Wellington for a number of years and also served Collingsworth County in the 1950’s as County Clerk. She loved to sew, cook, and spend time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Betty was a faithful member of the Clarendon Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 62 years, Perry Elvis White, on November 15, 2011; her great-granddaughter, Kaylee; two brothers, Fred Lee Patterson and Harry Lowell Patterson; and nephew, Eddie Gerald Patterson.
She is survived by her son, Ricky White and wife Nanette, of Wellington; daughter, Tammy White, of Clarendon; sister-in-law, Ruby Patterson, of Wellington; five grandchildren, Devin White and wife Amber, of Amarillo, Jordan White of Amarillo, Jeff Needham and wife Joanie, of Wellington, Jacob Needham and wife Julie, of Erik, OK, and Jonathan Needham and wife Stephanie, of Wellington; seven great-grandchildren, Wesley, Chloe, Preston, Jalie, Jaci, Logan, and Anna; nephew, Harry Glen Patterson, of Amarillo; numerous cousins, Eunice Stockton of Dallas, Vaughn, Edith, and O.V. Patterson all of Batesville, AR; and her very special dog Phoebe.
The family request memorials be to the Donley County Senior Citizens, Clarendon, Texas 79226.
Sign our online guestbook at www.RobertsonFuneral.com.
City to create new tourism/development position
The City of Clarendon will create a new position to guide tourism and economic development issues following a called meeting of the Board of Aldermen last Tuesday.
City Administrator Lambert Little proposed the idea of a paid position that would work with city and the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation and give guidance to the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce. Little said the city has $20,000 budgeted for tourism promotion to help fund the position this fiscal year and said he expects the Clarendon EDC to help fund the position in the future.
The funds are the same money that the city has historically given to the Chamber of Commerce for tourism promotion, but the city cut funds to the Chamber last May. As envisioned, the new position would help get the Chamber better organized, and Little says he expects the Chamber would eventually contribute to the cost of the position.
Little said he expects the position to pay about $25,000 to $30,000 per year in order to draw applicants who are experienced in Chamber work or economic development work. The board agreed that experience would be key in finding the right person for the job.
“We need someone who has experience,” Mayor Larry Hicks said.
Alderman Will Thompson agreed with Hicks and said, “The right attitude and the right knowledge can go a long ways.”
New Chamber board member Bonnie Campbell welcomed the city’s proposal and said the Chamber wants to be more involved with local merchants and get more tourism into the city.
Earlier last week, the Clarendon EDC gave its backing to the idea of a joint position and appointed CEDC board member Steve Hall to work with Little to draw up guidelines for the position.
Wheeler accident kills two with local ties
Two men from Donley County were killed in a two-vehicle accident in Wheeler County Saturday night, January 28, which also left a Lubbock man dead.
Randy Tolbert, age 43, and Brody Lockeby, age 25, were both dead at the scene of the accident by Wheeler County Justice of the Peace Rick Walden, according to Department of Public Safety Trooper Daniel Hawthorne.
The DPS said Lockeby was driving southbound on FM 453 west of Shamrock in a 2007 Chevy Silverado when he cross the center stripe shortly after 8 p.m. A northbound 2005 Chevy Tahoe driven by 36-year-old Christopher Ryan Sanders of Lubbock attempted to evade Lockeby’s vehicle but was struck in the front and driver’s side door.
Sanders was also pronounced dead at the scene. Hawthorne said Sanders was wearing his seatbelt, but Tolbert and Lockeby were not.
Services for Tolbert were held in the First Baptist Church of Clarendon on Tuesday. He is survived by his wife, Vicky of McLean; his mother, Verna Lewis of Panhandle; his stepmother, Brenda Tolbert of Amarillo; three daughters, Kristen Archer of Amarillo, Kimberly Johnson of Howardwick, and Kirsten Tolbert of Clarendon; two sisters, Suzie Tolbert of Amarillo and Kristy Glenn of Lubbock; four grandchildren and one on the way.
Services for Lockeby will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday in the First Assembly of God in Clarendon. He is survived by his father and mother, Huey and Sheila Lockeby of Crowley; his wife, Gabby Lockeby of Clarendon; two sisters, Chrissy Wisener of Slaton and Jodie Lockeby-Landers and husband Steven of Crowley.
Watch out
Talent on display
- Aiden Word and Tandie Cummins perform with the Clarendon PIPs during the Lady Broncos’ game last week. The group will be performing during a Harlem Globetrotters appearance in Amarillo next week.
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