Enterprise Photo / Roger Estlack
Honoring those who served
Enterprise Photo / Roger Estlack
Enterprise Photo / Roger Estlack
Patricia Ann Saunders
Patricia “Patsy” Ann Saunders, 58, of Hedley passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Childress.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at First Baptist Church of Hedley with Pastor Bruce Howard officiating. Burial will follow at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley.
Patsy was born on September 4, 1967, in San Antonio to Francisco Ramirez, Jr. and Consuelo (Zuniga) Ramirez. After graduating high school, she completed some college coursework which led her to work as a CNA at the McLean Nursing Home for several years.
She also worked as an attendant at the rest area in Giles for six years and later spent 12 years working as a housekeeper in her community that she loved. Hedley was her lifelong home. In addition, she enjoyed selling salsa and homemade goods on the side.
Patsy loved her family above all else, especially her grandchildren, whom she adored deeply. She never missed their football games, track meets, and other activities. She enjoyed talking to her daughters on the phone and would always say, “Watcha Cooking?”, or teasing her youngest by saying “Starlette go home”. Patsy also enjoyed traveling, going out to eat, and spending time with her friends. A faithful Christian, she attended the Hedley Methodist Church as well as First Baptist Church of Hedley.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Consuelo Ramirez; her husband, Bobby Jack Saunders; and her son, Frank Eric Saunders.
She is survived by her daughters, Kelsey Ramirez of Borger, Patricia Valles of Hedley, and Starlette Herrera of Memphis; father, Francisco Ramirez, Jr. of Memphis; brothers, Armando Banda of Yantis, Texas and Francisco Ramirez III of Wellington; sister, Consuelo Ramirez of Memphis; 10 grandchildren, Leonitis Sandlin, Tony Bowers Jr., Javier Valles, Ehmjey Martinez, Marilyn Martinez, Genesis Augustine Silvester, Jose Martinez, Isaiah Hernandez, Isaac Hernandez, and Sofiyah Herrera; niece, Cristal Ramirez of Memphis; and nephews, Franky Ramirez IV and Jacob Ramirez, both of Memphis.
Honored Service
CISD Photo
Pantex completes milestone production unit
The Pantex Plant has achieved a significant milestone in nuclear deterrence by completing the first production unit (FPU) of the W76 Mk4B reentry body.
This accomplishment highlights the dedication to the United States’ nuclear deterrent by sites from across the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
Enterprise Photo
Pantex completed the FPU three months ahead of schedule. The W76 Mk4B builds upon the W76 warhead, which comprises the largest percentage of strategic weapons in the US nuclear inventory and is a key component of the Trident II (D5) missile system. This milestone is of immense importance, primarily because it represents a critical step in maintaining and enhancing the United States’ nuclear deterrence capabilities
The effort was a collaborative achievement involving Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the United States Navy, and Lockheed Martin.
Each entity played an integral role, navigating challenges that included component producibility, testing-hardware availability, and facility capacity. Effective communication and collaboration among the sites were crucial to overcoming these challenges and achieving the FPU.
“Reaching this milestone required a great deal of effort not only from Pantex employees, but thousands of workers at NSE sites across the country, including NNSA and Department of Warpersonnel,” said Kelly Beierschmitt, president and general manager of PanTeXas Deterrence, LLC, the management and operating contractor for the Pantex Plant. “The success of this program has required the highest standards of safety, security, and quality from everyone involved. I personally want to commend these workers for their contributions to the effectiveness and completion of this milestone while ensuring our nation’s nuclear deterrence.”
Beierschmitt told the Enterprise Pantex expects to maintain the same level of productivity throughout the W76 Mk4B program.
“We’ve been managing the W76 units for many, many years,” Beierschmitt said. “Our production technicians are experts in this process. The tooling is specifically tailored to this program, and we see no major supply chain risks coming from Lockhead Martin, Kansas City, or any of the other production sites. We ought to have a smooth trajectory to the LPU – the Last Production Unit.”
Beierschmitt said the program’s LPU will be several years out.
“Achieving the W76 Mk4B FPU ahead of schedule demonstrates the NSE’s ability to accelerate mission delivery to meet the nation’s needs,” said Pantex Field Office Manager Jason Armstrong. “The collaboration among NSE labs, plants, and sites that led to this milestone is truly commendable and is what enables us to deliver to the Navy what’s required to meet our national security objectives.”
“As Pantex began working with the other sites on the program, we identified the opportunity to complete the FPU early, which benefits the nation by delivering the NNSA’s national security mission ahead of schedule,” said Pantex W76 program manager Norbert Chmura. “Recently, Pantex successfully completed a number of production responsibilities early, which meant our facilities were available for an earlier start time on the W76 Mk4B. While that sounds easy, pulling a program forward requires additional effort from all of the NSE sites working on the program. The accelerated timeline is indicative of the great teamwork by all involved.”
With the W76 Mk4B FPU now complete, Pantex and its NSE partners continue to work together to navigate future challenges and strengthen the nation’s defense.
Broncos awarded All-District accolades
By Sandy Anderberg
The 2026 Bronco baseball team did a good job on the field this season and were recognized for their achievements.
Several Broncos were named to the All-District first team and some were named members of the second team.
Junior Braylon Rice did a good job on the mound this season and was named the Pitcher of the Year in our district. Along with Rice, Brentley Gaines was named to the first team because of his effort from the mound as well. First team outfielders were Caleb Herbert and Klay Wilkins and Parker Haynes was honored the First team Utility player.
Second baseman Shaun Childers and Hayden Moore were named to the second team All-District in the first baseman and outfielder respectively. Congratulations to all those named to the district teams.
Tuesday fire burns H’wick properties
Home of one resident is total loss, fire chief says
A Howardwick man lost his home after an early morning fire tore through his Janny Street neighborhood Tuesday, May 19.
CHVFD Photo
Fire Chief Jacob Hodge said the City of Howardwick Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched at 1:07 a.m. after residents were alerted to a fire by the sound of what was probably a propane tank exploding.
Hodge said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined and said it wasn’t clear if the explosion caused the fire or a fire caused the explosion. Another tank later exploded in the blaze.
Emergency personnel began immediately evacuating residents in the area, and one resident who could not walk had to be removed physically.
Hodge said a strong north wind drove the fire which was moving erratically.
One occupied mobile home – the residence of John Smithers – was totally destroyed along with an outbuilding, the fire chief said. Smithers was not home at the time of the fire.
The fire then burned a neighboring storage building and a carport with a van under it.
A camper was destroyed as well as a shop building on Olita Drive, and another trailer house was substantially damaged, but Hodge said it was unclear if it was presently occupied.
Mutual aid was received from volunteer fire departments in Clarendon, Hedley, Groom, and McLean; and by 4:00 a.m., the fire was contained. Most units left the scene by 7:30, but some Howardwick firefighters were still watching hot spots at noon.
“Without the cooperation of area departments and the mutual aid, we could not have done this,” Hodge said.
Local officials remind everyone to be very cautious of fire because it can spread quickly in the present drought conditions.
CHS names Frausto and Hayes as top graduates
Clarendon High School has announced Elliot Frausto and Kenidee Hayes are the top students for the Class of 2026.
The two outstanding young ladies will be recognized during graduation ceremonies on Kenny King Field at Bronco Stadium this Friday, May 22, at 7 p.m.
Elliot Belle Frausto is the valedictorian with GPA of 6.25833 and is the daughter of Brandon and Jill Frausto. She distinguished herself as an exceptional student, leader, and athlete throughout high school. She graduated at the top of her class while earning an Associate’s Degree from Clarendon College. Frausto served as Senior Class Vice President, National Honor Society Vice President, and FCCLA Vice President. She was a multi-sport athlete and competed in cheer, cross country, powerlifting, softball, and track.
Frausto also served as cheer co-captain and helped lead the team to a top ten finish at UIL Spirit Competition. She placed fifth at the THSWPA State Powerlifting Meet. She was a member of the softball team that played in the state semifinals, earning All-District honors. She was accepted to numerous colleges and received multiple offers to compete in collegiate athletics.
Frausto has signed with Angelo State University in San Angelo to continue her cheerleading career. She will pursue a kinesiology degree and plans on becoming a physical therapist.
Kenidee Jade Hayes is the daughter of Brenna Buker and Victor Hayes and is the salutatorian with a GPA of 6.20833. She played varsity basketball for the Lady Broncos for four years. Her freshman year she was awarded with Newcomer of the Year, sophomore year earned 1st Team All District, and junior and senior year received defensive MVP.
Hayes was awarded Lady Bronco Player of the Year her sophomore and junior year along with getting All Region recognition. She was the captain of the Lady Bronco Basketball team her senior season. She also ran cross country and track her freshman, sophomore, and junior year of high school. She was an involved member of National Honor Society, Gifted and Talented, and UIL Academics. She will also graduate from high school with her Associate’s Degree from Clarendon College. She plans on attending Texas Tech University and majoring in elementary education.
For more information about Clarendon and Hedley graduates, see the special graduation magazine edition included in this week’s Clarendon Enterprise.
HHS names Moore, Villarreal top students
Madison Moore and Adrianna Villarreal are the top students for Hedley High School’s Class of 2026 and will be recognized during graduation ceremonies on Thursday, May 21, at 6 p.m. at the Hedley School Library.
Moore will be the class valedictorian with a GPA of 94.6785. She is the daughter of Dallas and Elizabeth Moore. She has attended Hedley from pre-k through her senior year. She participated in FFA events all four years of high school. Maddie also played basketball during her freshman, sophomore, and junior years. She also competed in track during her freshman and junior years of high school. She was involved in many organizations, including the National Honor Society, UIL Academics, and FFA. She has shown goats and lambs since the third grade and recently started showing heifers.
Moore participated in UIL Mathematics, Calculator, and Number Sense. During high school, she was on the Clarendon College Dean’s List. She plans to attend West Texas A&M this fall, where she will major in Animal Science, focusing on genetics and preparing for veterinary school.
Adrianna Villarreal is the daughter of Monecia Villarreal and will be the class salutatorian with a GPA of 92.55.
Adrianna has attended Hedley schools for 10 years and during that time she has played basketball, cheerleading, FFA and been a member of NHS.
After graduating high school, Villarreal plans to attend Clarendon College.
Legion plans Memorial Day service at Rowe Cemetery
The Adamson-Lane, Post 287 of The American Legion in Hedley will hold its annual Memorial Day service at the Rowe Cemetery, Monday morning, May 25, 2026, at 10:00.
If there is inclement weather, the service will be held at the Lions Club Building, downtown Hedley.
The Post members will place American Flags on the graves of 250 Veterans buried in the Rowe Cemetery. The Flags will be placed on the graves on Friday at 9:00 a.m. on May 22, 2026, and remain till 3:00 p.m. Monday. This will be in honor of our departed comrades that have served this Country.
The Memorial Day program will be conducted by members of the American Legion that will include the raising of the colors, the National Anthem, Pledge to the Flag and the ceremony honoring the missing in action and the prisoners of War still unaccounted for.
The Memorial Day address will be given by Jackie Bell, resident of Donley County.
Carlton Turvaville will read the names of the 250 Veterans buried in the Rowe Cemetery.
The program will be concluded with the laying of the memorial wreath and the playing of taps by Chance Fox.
Primary runoff set for next Tuesday
Early voting started Monday in Texas Republican and Democratic Primary Runoff Elections and continues through Friday May 22.
Polling will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Donley County Courthouse Annex for the early voting.
Republicans will be choosing their favorite candidates for US Senate, Texas Attorney General, Texas Railroad Commissioner, and Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3. Democrats will be choosing their candidates for Lieutenant Governor and Texas Attorney General.
Runoff Election Day will be next Tuesday, May 26, with Democrats voting at the Annex and Republicans voting at the Fellowship Hall of the Clarendon Methodist Church from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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