Wendell Bruce Wilks LUBBOCK-Open air services for Wendell Bruce Wilks, 77, were held Friday on a beautiful, misty September morning among the plush green, mesquite-filled hillsides surrounding Spur Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements were under the care of Zapata Funeral Home, with Wendell's grandson Hunter Ward presiding. Following a resounding rendition of Willie Nelson's Amazing Grace, family members shared personal remembrances.
Wendell was born in DeQueen, Arkansas on July 11, 1937, to Charlie and Mable Wilks, and died Sept. 18 in Crown Point Health Suites, where he had been residing. He worked almost 10 years for the railroad, and later in air conditioning, hospitality, and real estate. He and his wife Margaret Anne (White) had two daughters, Linda and Sherry. In 1986 Wendell married Duffy Austin Ratheal in San Antonio and the couple moved to Lake Buchanan, TX, where they spent the happiest years of their lives together. Wendell loved trains and the outdoors-hunting, boating and fishing tournaments. He also received several awards for his photography.
Survivors include Duffy; daughters, Linda Ward and her husband Frank, and Sherry Archer, all of San Antonio; Vicki Emmons and her husband James of Denver, Juli Burnett and her husband Phil, Randy Ratheal and wife Christy, and Rodney Ratheal, all of Lubbock; grandchildren, Kaleb Ward, Tyler Ward, Hunter Ward, Dustin Archer, Haylee Archer, Ryan, Kailye, Laura and Michael Ratheal; Karisa and Jarron Udy; Becky and Jonny Webster; great-grandchildren, Aaliyah, Amerie and Adam Archer and Eugene Ward, Liam Ratheal and Aidan, Cian, Liam, and Jenna.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Robert Wilks and Johnny Wilks.
Published in The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal on Sept. 21, 2014
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