Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

June 11 Obituaries

Alton “Jack” Dewbre, 94

Mr. Alton “Jack” Dewbre, 94, of Portales, died Wednesday, June 9, 2004, at Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales.

He was born on Oct. 10, 1909, in Brownwood, Texas, to Etta and Alvey Dewbre.

He grew up in communities of Texas and Oklahoma. He married Roxie Mae Huskey on Oct. 7, 1933, in Ryan, Okla. The family lived in various places before moving to Portales in 1954. He worked in farming for many years and in the city for a short time before retiring at the age of 72. He enjoyed visiting with family and friends about old times and was an avid gardener.

A luncheon will be served at 11:30 a.m. at the Church of God Fellowship Hall on 1427 E. Amazon in Portales.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Doc, Mack, Milton and an infant; two sisters, Velma Dewbre and Syble Wilds; and by his wife.

Survivors include two sons, Jerald Dewbre (and wife Catherine) of Fort Sumner and Billy Dewbre (Kathy) of Rio Rancho; a daughter, Jean Lambert of Portales; a sister, Dorothy Jean Roundy of Moore, Okla.; nine grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Portales Cemetery. The Rev. Donald Hay will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Portales Cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers are all family members and friends.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Harry Gunn, 74

Harry L. Gunn, 74, of Portales, died Saturday, June 5, 2004, at his home.

He was born on July 22, 1929, in Caddo, Texas, to Wayne and Orleena Gunn.

He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1951 with a degree in petroleum geology. He worked as an independent consulting petroleum geologist in the Carlsbad/Artesia area from 1951-55. He married his wife Sandra on June 24, 1988, in Roswell. They resided in Artesia until 1992, then moved to Portales. He was an environmental scientist with the state environment department’s USTB division, retiring in 1999. He was a member of Alpha Phi Omega and the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists. He was an Eagle Scout and remained involved in the Boy Scouts for many years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Will Gunn of Odessa, Texas; a daughter; Lori Gunn of Midland, Texas; and a step-son, Gary Johnson of Carlsbad.

He is survived by his wife; an ex-wife, Peggy Gunn of Midland, Texas; three sons, Kellan Gunn of Midland, Russell Gunn (and wife, Deborah) of Spartanburg, S.C., and Anthony Gunn (Cindy) of Allen, Texas; two daughters, Rebecca Tidwell of Portales and Lynda Silver of Kaufmann, Texas; a sister, Martha Buckley of Fort Worth, Texas; a sister-in-law, Frances Gunn of Odessa, Texas; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday at the Christian Campus House at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales. Radford Lane will officiate the services.

Helen Hale, 86

Helen Hale, 86, of Portales, died Thursday, June 10, 2004, at Lubbock Healthcare Nursing Home.

She was born on Feb. 25, 1918, in Red River County, Texas, to Mae Ola and Oco Norris.

She was adopted by her aunt and her husband, Maggie and J. Coy Williams. She graduated from Sam Houston High School in Houston in 1934. She attended the College of Industrial Arts and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1938. She married George M. Hale on July 1, 1938, in Clarksville, Texas. She then earned a master’s degree from East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas. She taught for 21 years in Clarksville before retiring in 1973. She served as a school board member from 1973 until 1984.

She moved to Portales in 1985, where she was a volunteer teacher’s aid. She was involved in education as a student, teacher, school board member and volunteer for 75 years. She also served as a Volunteer In Mission at McCurdy School in Espanola. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Portales, United Methodist Women, AARP and the Retired Teacher’s Association.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, George Williams; and by her husband.

Survivors include three sons, George A. “Jack” Hale (and wife, Mary) of Portales, Joe N. Hale (Carol) of Fruita, Colo. and Guy M. Hale of Tacoma, Wash.; a daughter, Cynthia Brandt (Phil) of Austin, Texas; a sister, Nell Ray of Vidor, Texas; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and many friends.

Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church in Portales. The Rev. Harry Riser will officiate the services.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Frances Hawkins, 79

Frances M. Hawkins, 79, of Bovina, died Tuesday, June 8, 2004, at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock.

She was born on Nov. 17, 1924, in Kado, Okla.

She married Lloyd Gober on Dec. 19, 1946, in New Mexico. She married Erith Hawkins in 1995, in New Mexico. She worked for Security State Bank in Farwell and First National Bank in Bovina. She was a homemaker and a member of the Bovina United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her first husband; a brother, James Roach; and a sister, Billie Barber.

Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Kim Gober of Ruidoso; a son, Lane Gober (and wife, Liz) of Victoria, Texas; three step-sons, Chet Hawkins of Tulia, Texas, Daryl Hawkins of Portales and Erith Hawkins III Payallup, Wash.; a granddaughter, Chelsea Gober of Victoria, Texas; a grandson, Jeff Gober of Victoria, Texas; five step-grandchildren; and a step-great-grandchild.

Services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. (CDT) Friday at Bovina United Methodist Church. The Rev. Gene Hawkins, the Rev. Jimmy McGuire and the Rev. Quita Jones will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Bovina Cemetery.

Arrangements are by Blackwell Funeral Home of Friona.

A. Mozell Martin, 89

Mrs. A. Mozell Martin, 89, of House, died Thursday, June 10, 2004, at Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis.

She was born on Aug. 1, 1914, in Merkel, Texas, to John Melton and Martha Cordelia Evans Henry.

She was raised in House from the age of 7. She made her home in Roswell from 1954 to 1967 before moving to Warner, Okla., in 1967. She returned to House in 1989. She worked as a school nurse at Connors Junior College in Warner, Okla., for 20 years and assisted in other school activities including working at the ballgames and serving as dorm mom. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Warner, Okla.

She was preceded in death by three brothers, Alvin, Jeff and Wilton Henry; and four sisters, Ethel, Norma Lee, Beulah and Lucille.

Survivors include two sons, Stanley B. Martin (and wife, Karen) of Phoenix and Sherman Martin (Becky) of House; 11 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

Visitation is scheduled from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Friday at Chavez Funeral Home in Fort Sumner.

Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Chavez Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Sumner. The Rev. Sherman Martin will officiate the services.

Burial will be at House Community Cemetery.

Pallbearers are her grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Baptist Children’s Home, P.O. Box 629, Portales 88130.

Arrangements are by Chavez Funeral Home of Fort Sumner.

Obituary Policy

The Portales News-Tribune does not charge to publish obituaries. Space constraints and deadlines may limit what is published. Information for obituaries must come from funeral homes.