Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Jan. 7 Obituaries

Sherry Page, 53

Mrs. Sherry Page, 53, of Portales, died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales.

She was born on Aug. 7, 1951, in Kansas City, Mo., to Virginia and Robert Smith. She grew up in Pomona, Calif., where she attended schools. She then attended Eastern New Mexico University in Portales and graduated in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. She spent most of her life as a homemaker and had worked for the Wagon Wheel Café in Portales, Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis, and most recently had worked for Broad Horizons Day Care Center in Portales. Her hobbies included crocheting, pottery making, drawing and painting, and spending time with family and friends, especially children.

She was preceded in death by her father.

Survivors include her husband, Eric Page of Portales; a son, Scott Page of Portales; a daughter, Tracy Lynn Courtney of Centerville, Mich.; her mother, Virginia Smith of Cullman, Ala.; four grandchildren, Shawn, Joshua, Matthew, and Crystal Keith; and two brothers, Danny Smith of Cullman and Bobby Smith of California.

Services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Portales Church of God.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Oscar Poff, 75

Mr. Oscar Poff, 75, of Portales, died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock.

He was born on May 13, 1929, in Littlefield, Texas, to Maude and James Michael Poff. He moved to Portales with his family in 1931. He was working on a ranch in Elida when he contracted Polio in 1949. After he was able to work again, he drove tractors for area farmers. He belonged to the University Baptist Church. Family members said he enjoyed playing dominos and working jigsaw puzzles and as long as he was able to go, he enjoyed hunting and fishing even though he was unable to walk. Family members said he was very outgoing and friendly and was always willing to render help to anyone with anything he was able to do. Since 1991 he had been a resident at Golden Acres where family members said he enjoyed the fellowship of many friends and he also enjoyed the time he spent at Portales Senior Citizens.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Millard, Cecil and Archie Poff; and three sisters, Lorene Turner, and Cleo and Velma Summers.

Survivors include two sisters, Bertie Wallace and Opal Johnson, both of Portales; and his housekeeper and friend, Rita Ornelas of Portales.

Services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel in Portales. The Rev. M. V. Summers will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Portales Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Orvel Turner, Monty Johnson, Lynn Poff, Travis Johnson, John Wallace and William Summers.

Honorary pallbearers are Emory Ferguson, Clifford Lee, the residents of Golden Acres, the members of Portales Senior Citizens, his friends from Adult Day Care along with all his other friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wells Fargo Bank to help the family defray various expenses.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Velma Townsley-Chamblee, 86

Mrs. Velma Townsley-Chamblee, 86, of Portales, died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at Laurel Ridge Nursing Home in Clovis.

She was born on March 18, 1918, in White County, Ind., to Nina Ruth and Loren F. “Bus” Davis. She grew up on a farm in White County, Ind. She met Merrill E. Townsley in Montecello, Ind., and they married on March 8, 1942. They made their home in Lafayette, Ind., for many years. During that time she was employed as a cashier at a grocery store. When she was no longer able to work due to arthritis, she retired. Shortly after her retirement, they moved to Denver in 1970. In 1975 they came to Portales to make their home. She married Alfred Chamblee in Friona, Texas, in 1991. For most of her life, she was a member of the Baptist Church. In recent years, she became a member of the Church of Christ. Family members said she loved to sew, and was very talented, and she also enjoyed working crossword puzzles.

She was preceded in death by both of her parents; a brother, Leon F. Davis; a daughter, Bonita “Bonnie” Burget; two grandchildren; and her first husband, Merrill E. Townsley.

Survivors include her husband, Alfred Chamblee of Portales; three sons, Gary E. Townsley of Portales, Pat A. Townsley of Lafayette, and Loren E. “Easy” Townsley (and wife, MiCha) of Aurora, Colo.; two daughters, Sue D. White of Chicago and Sandra R. Simensen (Tom) of Portales; 13 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Bernadine Davis of Lafayette; and a brother-in-law, Carl Burget of McCalla, Ala.

Services are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Portales Cemetery. Bill Wallace will officiate the services.

Memorial Contributions may be made to either the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or the American Heart Association.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

TuHa Yi, 50

Mr. TuHa Yi, 50, of Portales, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock.

He was born on Sept. 24, 1954, in South Korea to Chom Sul (Choe) and Won Chin Yi. He grew up near Teagu, South Korea. He met and married Debbie R. Jones in S. Korea and they moved to the United States in 1981. The family lived at Beale Air Force Base in California, where he worked in food service for 10 years. They then lived at Loring Air Force Base in Maine for two years before moving to Clovis in 1994. They moved to Portales in 2004. He had worked for The Vineyard for several years and for the past seven years was employed by Wal-Mart. Family members said he enjoyed hiking, camping, fishing, reading and working in his garden.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Jessica Jean Yi of Portales; his grandson, Parker Alan Yi of Portales; a brother; and three sisters, all of South Korea.

No services are planned at this time. Open visitation is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday at Wheeler Mortuary of Portales. Family and friends are welcome.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Services Pending

Don Huddleston, 79, of Portales, died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 10, 2005, at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.