Chamber Employee of the Month
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DCCF now taking grant applications
The Donley County Community Fund is now accepting applications from qualified non-profit organizations for up to $1,500 grant to be awarded this fall.
Those eligible to apply for the grants include local governments, schools, and non-profit organizations holding a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service. All grant applicants must be from Donley County.
Grant applications for any amount up to $1,500 must be received by Friday, November 24, at 5 p.m..
To receive a grant application and determine your organization’s eligibility to apply, contact Jacob Fangman 806-206-5737 or [email protected]. Applications are available from Fangman at Herring Bank or at the Clarendon Visitor Center.
The Donley County Community Fund is an affiliate fund of the Amarillo Area Foundation (AAF) with the focus of building an Endowed Legacy for the entire county for the benefit of future generations.
Turn the beat around
Election to decide 14 ballot proposals
Donley County voter will join other Texans next Tuesday, November 7, in deciding the fate of 14 proposed amendments to the state constitution.
Early voting concludes this Friday at the Donley County Courthouse Annex with extended hours 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
Voting on Tuesday will also be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Donley County voters in Precinct 303 will cast ballots at the First Baptist Church in Hedley, Precinct 101 votes at the Annex, and all other county voters cast ballots in the Courthouse.
The proposed amendments are also explained by the Texas Tribune at https://bit.ly/3FGW15M.
According to the Tribune, “many of the proposed amendments would create or alter funds to support: Higher education research, Water infrastructure, Gas-fueled power plants, Broadband infrastructure, Maintenance and creation of state parks.
“Several others would address taxes by: Raising the homestead exemption for homeowners from $40,000 to $100,000, Creating some tax exemptions for medical equipment and child-care facilities, Banning lawmakers from imposing “wealth taxes” without voter approval.
“Other amendments would affect Texans in certain professions by: Granting retired teachers cost-of-living raises, Raising the mandatory retirement age for state judges, Protecting generally accepted farming and ranching practices from state and local regulation.”
Brent Paul Shields
Brent Paul Shields of Clarendon, Texas, passed away Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Amarillo, Texas.
A private family memorial and celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choosing.
Cremation and Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Brent was born in June 7, 1966, to Jerry and JoAnn Shields. He went to school in Memphis and spent much of his young adult life in Amarillo. He enjoyed his later years as a resident of Clarendon.
Brent was an amazing cook. He had owned and worked in restaurants for many years. If you ever tasted his “famous” chocolate pie you would definitely want more. His sharing attitude and desire to help people will be missed.
He was preceded in death by his father, Jerry Shields; step-father, C.D. Dickens; his paternal grandparents, Colman Shields and Vida Shields; step grandmother, Sadie Shields; maternal grandparents, Joseph Stanley and Cellie Koen; step grandfather D. B. Koen, as well as several aunts, uncles, and great grandparents.
Survivors include his mother, JoAnn Dickens; brother, Todd Shields; son, Spencer Shields and wife Kaitlynn; grandson, Hunter Shields, who was one of his greatest joys, all of Clarendon; stepson, Scott Knox and wife Stacy; grandchildren, Libby and Nicholas Knox, all of Cleburne, Texas; several uncles, aunts and cousins; his best friend and the mother of his son, Kathy Shields.
All of Clarendon was like family to Brent, and he had many, many friends and acquaintances who will miss him dearly.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
Casey James Mills
Casey James Mills passed away October 14th, 2023, at his home in Lamar, Oklahoma at the age of 27.
Casey was born April 12, 1996, in Raton, New Mexico to Gerald Dewayne Mills and Kaye Lynn (Wilkerson) Mills. Casey graduated from Moss Public School. After high graduation, he attended Southeast School of Welding in McAlester. He worked as a welder for Platinum Cross Welding Inc. in Okemah, Oklahoma. Casey married Jessye Duckworth on November 23, 2018, in Holdenville, Oklahoma. Casey had his own fencing company at age 16. He was a hard worker and very talented at whatever he did. Casey was an awesome father, good provider, son and husband. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and fabricating. Casey was a perfectionist, always positive and had the best grin.
He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Dale Mills, Jan Curtis, Lawrence Wilkerson and Josie Mae Wilkerson.
He is survived by his wife Jessye Mills of the home, parents; Gerald and Kaye Mills, children; Kendall Dale Mills of Lamar, Nova Lynn Mills of Lamar, 3 brothers; Monty Mills and wife Alicia of Holdenville, Alex McClain and wife Kristen of Ft Worth, Texas, Kord King and wife Stacie of Shamrock, Texas, grandmother Mary Kay Mangum and husband John of Clarendon, uncles; Jeff Mills, Johnny Mangum, Bud Curtis and Aunt Frances Miller. Casey is survived by numerous other uncles, aunts, relatives, and friends.
Pallbearers are Monty Mills, Alex McClain, Hagen Mills, Keith McCoy, Kyle Linaueaver and Jarrod Johnston. Honorary pallbearers are Chad Rogers, Mike Goodson, John Goodson, Jimmy Jett, Bill McCoy, Kyle Cates, Paul Camp and Jason Lambert.
Viewing was 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Oct 17th and 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Wednesday, Oct 18, and the family greeted guests from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Wednesday, Oct 18, at Hudson Phillips Funeral Home, in Holdenville, Oklahoma.
Funeral service was be 3:00 p.m., Thursday at the First Baptist Church in Holdenville, Oklahoma with Pastor James Poulain officiating.
Interment will follow at Lamar Cemetery.
Services are under the direction of Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home in Holdenville, Oklahoma.
John Wayne Stepp
John Wayne Stepp entered into the gates of Heaven on Monday, October 9, 2023, at the age of 86. He joined his wife Mary Ann Stepp to dance eternally in the Grace of God. He was born on October 3rd, 1937, in Abilene, TX to the late John Conley and Ruth Beatrice McMinn Stepp.
John Wayne graduated from Lelia Lake High School and a few short years later married Mary Ann Douglas, and they were happily married for 66 years. John worked in the Agriculture Industry, he started at The Donley County Office in Clarendon, TX, and later retired in 1996 as the County Executive Director from the Calhoun County Farm Service Agency, in Port Lavaca, TX.
John Wayne is survived by his daughters, Denise Ann Stepp Pozzi (Zane Hartman), and Carrie Jean Stepp Spence (Jeff Spence). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi (Garrett Tonozzi), Travis Spence (Veronica Spence), Brooke Pozzi Smith (Blake Smith) and Colt Spence. Also, great grandchildren Jaedynn, Haley, Chris, Bryce, Taylor, and Aubrey Spence, Tinlee Tonozzi, and Sloan Smith, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Our Dad and Grandad brought so much joy and laughter, not only to his family, but to everyone who ever met “The Real” John Wayne as he would say. He was known to tell a joke or two, but all jokes aside, he was a good man that would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. In his retired years in Victoria, TX John Wayne enjoyed his days on the golf course, his evenings at Klotch with friends, and always time with family.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann Stepp, and they’re grandson Dillon Spence.
Services will be held at Grace Memorial Chapel, 8819 U.S. Hwy. 87 North Victoria, TX 77904 on Saturday, October 28th, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. A reception will follow next door at Son Valley Ranch, 8973 U.S. Hwy. 87 North Victoria, TX 77904. To leave a comforting message, or to share a fond or funny memory, please visit www.gracefuneralhome.net.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Gentle Hearts Assisted Living, 1101 Salem Rd. Victoria, TX 77904.
Poem: In loving memory of Dad: Those we love don’t go away; they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near. Still love, still miss and always very dear.
Blade Cash Barker
Blade Cash Barker, 58, of Clarendon died Wednesday, October 18, 2023, in Clarendon.
Services will be 10:00 AM Monday, October 23, 2023, in Calvary Baptist Church in Clarendon with Joe Neal Shadle officiating. Burial will follow in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.
Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Blade was born September 22, 1965, in France to Billie Elwin and Martha Jane Rich Barker. He had been a lifetime resident of Clarendon where he worked as a cook at several restaurants. Blade was a collector of many things such as model cars, football helmets, and hot wheels. He enjoyed working on bicycles and cooking on the grill. Blade loved to tell loud and wild stories.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a nephew, Steven Howell; and a great niece, Ashley Herndon.
Survivors include his daughters, Shelina Wilkins and husband Chris of Howardwick and Sarah Barker and Jon Mark Yankie of Clarendon; his sons, Justin Barker of Oklahoma City and Brandon Barker and wife Amy of Clarendon; his brothers, Billie “Trooper” Barker and wife Pam of Stinnett, Flint Barker of Clarendon, Shawn Barker of Amarillo, and Duel Barker and wife Misty of Stinnett; his sisters, Naomi Tolbert and Martha Jett both of Clarendon; and Starlet Taylor and husband Robert of Canyon; 10 grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.
The family request memorials be sent to Citizens Cemetery Association in Clarendon.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
Clarendon man dies after train strikes car downtown
A Clarendon man lost his life Wednesday, October 18, when the car he was riding in went around railroad cross arms and was struck by a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train.
Donley County Deputy Kelly Hill said the train conductor and engineer separately said two vehicles went around the cross arms traveling north at the Kearney Street crossing at about 3:00 p.m. The first car made it through, but the second car, driven by 70-year-old Naomi Tolbert of Clarendon, was struck by the westbound BNSF train. The accident was also captured on the railroad’s video, Hill said.
Tolbert’s brother, 58-year-old Blade Barker, also of Clarendon, was thrown from the car and was later pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Pat White.
Tolbert was extricated from the vehicle by the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department and the Associated Ambulance Authority. She was awake and alert at the scene, according to Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn. Hill said Tolbert was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo and later transferred to University Medical Center in Lubbock.
No citations or charges have been filed in the accident, which remained under investigation Thursday afternoon.
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