Swisher County Obituaries 1944

Obituaries 1944

Arnold, Carcellus Sheridan	After a prolonged illness, Marcellus Sheridan Arnold, 77, farmer and ranchman of Happy, died at 11:30 Saturday night in an Amarillo hospital. His farms are scattered over four counties: Gray, Randall, Carson, and Swisher. The retired stockman had lived in Happy since 1919, when he moved here from Pampa. He was born on July 11, 1866, in Virginia, when his father returned from fighting in the Civil War. They moved to Kansas in 1876, later living in Oklahoma and finally in Gray County in 1906. Becoming interested in the petroleum business when oil was discovered on his Gray County land, Mr. Arnold developed his holdings there into one of the big projects of the area. His wife, the former CORNELIA BELLE STROHMEYER, died in 1920, just four days after their daughter, Elsie Arnold. Their only other child was a son Ralph, who is now a rancher at Canadian. Funeral services were held at the Boxwell Bros. Funeral Chapel in Amarillo Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock, immediately preceding burial beside his wife at Pampa. Rev. Elmer Crabtree, pastor of the Happy Methodist Church, officiated assisted by Dr. R. C. Snodgrass of the First Christian Church of Amarillo. Other survivors of the pioneer cattleman include two grandchildren; Mrs. Jack Frost of Hereford and Pat Arnold of Canadian, and two great grandchildren, William Sheridan Frost, age 3, and Robert Lee Frost, age one year. Other survivors are three brothers, E. F. Arnold of Espanola, NM; W. D. Arnold of Hudson, CO, and W. C. Arnold of Sand Creek, OK. Mrs. Arnold was a sister of Mrs. Earl Cowan of Happy, and when her mother died in 1899, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold took her into their home and reared her as one of their own. Mrs. Jack Frost was also reared in the home of her grandfather. Mr. Arnold was a member of the Christian Church but gave liberally of his means to other denominations. When the Methodists of Happy announced their plans for erecting a new church building, Mr. Arnold donated the building site for the church parsonage. The Happy Herald, 20 April 1944.
Brooks, C. H.	Funeral services for C. H. Brown, 45, were conducted at the Church of Christ in Tulia Wednesday afternoon, at 2 o'clock by Bro. H. L. Stewart. Interment was in Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Wallace Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Emmett Elkins, C. K. Bird, and T. D. Sims of Tulia. R. H. Nall, Alex Bicknell, and H. W. Wilkins of Happy. Mr. Brown died Monday night in an Amarillo hospital. His death was attributed to a brain ailment. He had been sick a very short time. He was born July 7, 1898 in Overton County, TN where he resided until 1929. He came from there to Swisher County where he lived until his death. He had made his home in Happy for the past year and was employed by the Consumers Supply Co. He married MISS LORA JANE SIDWELL on Feb. 8, 1920. To this union were born seven children, four of whom are living. Survivors are his wife, and children Loyd, Jenna Sue and Donald Ray Brown of Happy; Winfred H. Boren of the U. S. Navy; his parents, Mr. & Mrs. W. A. Brown of Granite, OK; two sisters, Mrs. A. L. Hunter of Mangum, OK; and Mrs. J. B. Breeding, Granite, OK; and five brothers, Orville, D. H. And Jessie Brown of Granite, OK; W. O. Brown of the U. S. Army; and Charlie Brown, Nampa, Idaho. The Happy Herald, 13 April 1944.
Burgess, John W.	Last rites for John W. Burgess were held Monday at 3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Canyon. Rev. Robert M. Jones, the pastor, with Rev. C. C. Armstrong, Rev. Joe Finley and Chaplain Long, assisting conducted the service. Mr. Burgess suffered a stroke early Monday morning while at the post office in Canyon. He was carried immediately to St. Anthony's Hospital in Amarillo but lived only a short time. The deceased was 57 years of age. He had lived 35 years in Swisher County near Happy. When he retired 5 yrs. Ago as farmer and stockman, he moved to Canyon. At the time of his death he was employed at WTSC airport. Surviving are his wife, four sons, Garland of Canyon, Sidney of San Diego, CA; Winston of New Guinea; and Edmund of Washington, D. C. and two daughters, Ann of Hobbs, NM and Estelle of Carlsbad, NM; his mother Mrs. S. J. Burgess of Corpus Christi, three brothers and two sisters. Interment was in Dreamland Cemetery at Canyon under the direction of Griggs‑Warren Funeral Home. The Happy Herald, 5 October 1944.
Schaeffer, Mrs. F.	Mrs. Lizzie Schaeffer, widow of the late F. SCHAEFFER, and pioneer resident of Swisher County died at her home in Happy Saturday morning after a long illness. She was born in Waterford, Vermont April 5, 1862, thus living to the ripe old age of eighty years, eight months, and twenty ‑eight days. Funeral services were conducted form the home Monday afternoon at 1:00 by R. H. Chambers of Austin. She did in the faith of the Non‑Denominational Christian Church. She is survived by four sons, George of the U. S. Army who is now overseas, Emil of Happy, Dr. L. E. of Amarillo and Dr. A. A. of Plainview; and two daughters, Mrs. W. E. Moore and Mrs. R E. Bryan, both of Happy. Besides these she leaves 17 grandchildren. Burial was in the Wayside cemetery under direction of Griggs‑Thompson funeral home of Canyon. She was laid beside of the loved ones who preceded her in death. The Happy Herald, 6 January 1944.
Sluder, Mrs. Ida	Mrs. Ida Sluder, 86, and a resident of the Wayside community for many years, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M. E. Counterman in Happy, Saturday at 7:00 o'clock pm. She was the widow of WILLIAM J. SLUDER. Survivors in addition to Mrs. Counterman are two daughters, Mrs. W. R Franklin, Wayside; Mrs. William Payne, Dumas; two sons, Marvin C. and James Sluder of Happy; 22 grandchildren and five great grandchildren; three brothers, J. M. McGehee of Logan, NM; John T. and M. L. McGehee of Wayside; four sisters, Mrs. Emma Rogers, Mrs. Mary Jenkins, and Miss Sallie McGehee of Canyon; and Mrs. W. T. Lane, Wayside. Funeral services were conducted at the Wayside Community Church Sunday afternoon by Rev. Marvin Menefee, assisted by Rev. Ebner Crabtree, with burial in Wayside cemetery. Mrs. Sluder had been a member of the Methodist Church for 72 years. The Happy Herald, 27 April 1944.
Smith, Mrs. W. D.	Mrs. W. D. Smith, mother of Mrs. W. R. Ash, passed away at her home in Osceola, Texas last week after an illness of fourteen weeks following a stroke of paralysis. She was 79 and had she lived one week longer would have been married 62 years. Besides the husband, who is 84, she leaves ten children, six boys and four girls, all scattered from coast from coast. Another daughter passed away a few years ago. She leaves a number of grandchildren, five of the boys serving today in overseas duty. She had been a faithful member of the Baptist church for 47 years. Funeral services were conducted from the home where they had lived for the past 45 years. Her family physician was Dr. Foster of Itasca, a brother of Mrs. Ed Sprowls of Happy. The Happy Herald, 20 July 1944.
Wade, Gertrude Estella	Last rites for Mrs. Gertrude Estella Wade were held Monday, October 23 at 2:30 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Canyon with Rev. C. C. Armstrong conducting the services assisted by Rev. Abner Crabtree. Mrs. Wade, 83, passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C. M. Dowlen, in Canyon Saturday at 4:50 p.m. after an illness of nine months' duration. She was born 21 February 1862 in Griggsville, Illinois. She married John K. Wade 21 October 1880 in Griggsville. Predeceased by her husband on 1 January 1905. She moved to Clay County, Texas in 1900, later moving to Wellington,. She came to Canyon about twenty-five years ago. Survivors: Daughters, Mrs. C. M. Dowlan of Canyon, Mrs. S. L. Robinson of Happy, Mrs. Edna Musgrave of Bronough, Missouri, Mrs. George Parsons of Patterson, California and Mrs. Arthur Neilson of Sacramento, California; thirteen grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Arrangements by Griggs-Warren Funeral Home in Canyon; interment in Dreamland Cemetery. The Happy Herald, 26 October 1944.
Wilbanks, V. E.	V. E. Wilbanks, 83, passed away Wednesday night, September 13 at his home in Amherst, after a lingering illness. He is the father of Mrs. Hall Wrenn and Mrs. Collier with whom he made his home a part of the time. They were with him when the end came. The Happy Herald, 21 September 1944.
Woodall, Mrs. N. T.	Monday morning at 2:30 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. L. E. Talbert, Mrs. N. T. Woodall quietly fell asleep after more than three years of failing health, the last year of which was fraught with much suffering. Mrs. Woodall's home was in Waco and in earlier years she visited many times in the home here of Mrs. Talbert. Her charming personality punctuated with a rare degree of dignity won for her many friends who mourn her passing. Mrs. Woodall was the mother of two children. Mrs. L. E. Talbert of Happy and a son who passed away just as he was entering young manhood. She leaves two grandsons, Leslie Talbert who is in service and Wayne of the home. She was a loyal member of the Methodist Church of Waco to which place her body was taken for burial by Griggs‑Thompson funeral home, Monday afternoon. The Talbert family accompanied the body overland. The Happy Herald, 10 February 1944.
Young, Luther Allen	Luther Allen Young, who formerly was employed on farms near Tulia and around Happy, was killed Sunday morning in a collision involving a bus loaded with field personnel and an automobile at the intersection of highways 60 and 66 east of Amarillo. Young was the 20 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Young of Hereford. He formerly worked for Newt Gray, southwest of Happy. The Happy Herald, 21 September 1944.
Zoeller, Herman	Mr. Charles Zoeller received word here last week of the death of his brother, Herman Zoeller, in Falls City, Nebraska on July 25. He was 81 years old. Old timers here will remember him since he has visited his brother many times since he has been on the Plains. The Happy Herald, 10 August 1944.

Special thanks to Zoe Smith for her many contributions and to Elaine Stone for her many submissions. Ladies, without you, this page would be blank.

Swisher County Obituary Index