Obituaries

John Joseph Dwyer, Jr., Col, USAF (Ret)
John Joseph Dwyer, Jr., Col, USAF (Ret), passed away September 12, 2011. Funeral services are set for 1:00PM, Thursday, September 15, in the chapel of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home, with Joe Williams of the Edgemere Church ofChrist officiating. Burial will follow at Crestview Memorial Park, under the direction of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home.
John was born September 5, 1923 to Joe and Bertha Dwyer in Archer County, TX, the Black Flat community. Hewas known as Jodie to his friends and family until he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943.
In WWII, John flew in China-Burma-India theater of operations, where he ferried fuel and supplies to China.Upon returning from one mission, flying over mountainous terrain, he and his crew had to bail out due to engine failure.One crew member was lost and John grieved for him the rest of his life.
During the Berlin Airlift, John piloted C-54's ferrying food and supplies from Rhein Main AB, Germany toBerlin. John and Lera Stegall were married in January of 1945. The couple had four children. During John's Air Forcecareer, which he cherished, he took his family to San Antonio, Grand Prairie, Travis AFB, Norton AFB, McGuire AFB,Keesler AFB, Rhein Main AB, and Lajes Field, Azores. During his career, John was awarded the Legion of Merit,Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (3 OLC) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Medalfor Humane Action w/Berlin Device, and Air Force Commendation Medal.
John liked to write. He wrote about his early life, his brothers and sisters, his dreams and thoughts andself-published them to share with family and friends. He wrote many letters to the editor and shared his valued opinionswith legislators about the affairs of the day.
John was preceded in death by his daughter, Laine, and son, Roger. He is survived by Lera, his wife of 66years, his children, Dennis and his wife Linda Dwyer, Niceville, Florida, their daughters Amanda, (husband Mike,grandsons Dylan and Chad), Jennifer, and Melissa; Robert and his wife Beth Dwyer of Dade City, Florida, their son,Rustin, and daughters Emily and Cara; Roger's daughters, Amber and Michelle, and Laine's four son's Simon, Raymond,Robin, and Jody. In all, there were twelve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends and visitors from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, atLunn's Colonial Funeral Home, Wichita Falls, Texas.
Memorials for Col. Dwyer may be sent to the Edgemere Church of Christ, or to a charity of your choice.
Following the burial, the Dwyers will receive family and friends at John and Lera Dwyer's home in WichitaFalls.
Condolences to the family may be made online at www.lunnscolonial.com.

Ruby Green
Published: April 28, 1999 Wichita Falls Times Record News
Ruby Green, 99, of Iowa Park died Monday, April 26, 1999, in Iowa Park.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Holliday, Texas, Church of Christ with Gil Peters of Hollidayofficiating. Burial will be in Holliday Cemetery under the direction of Dutton Funeral Home.
Mrs. Green was born Oct. 1, 1899, in Ft. Belknap, Texas. She and Harvey Green were married April 3, 1917,in Benjamin, Texas. He died in 1972. She was a homemaker and a member of Holliday Church. She had been a resident ofIowa Park for 99 years.
Contributed by Christina Kurimski

Edna Celeste Taylor Messimer Harper
Edna Celeste Taylor Messimer Harper, 70, of Seymour, passed away Friday, September 9, 2011 in Seymour.
Services were held Monday, September 12, 2011 at 10:00 a.m., at the First Assembly of God Church, Seymour,Texas, with Rev. Jared Berry , officiating.
Cremation Arrangements were under the direction of Archer Funeral Home.
Edna Celeste Taylor Messimer Harper was born May 9, 1941 in Spruce Hill Township, Juniata County, PA, toHarold L. and Dorothy L. Haines Taylor. She graduated from Juniata High School. She was a homemaker, worked as anauditor for retail stores and later worked at Super Stop. She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Tanja Annmessimer on May 2, 1982.
She is survived by:
3 Daughters - Brenda L. Littlepage of Beaver Crossing, NE; Celeste A. Audis and husband, Wiley of ChinoValley, AZ; and Karen R. Leal and husband, Tony of Seymour
2 Sons - Bruce L. Messimer, Jr. and wife Tammy of Megargel and Matthew D. Harper and Tina Garrett of IowaPark
3 Sisters - Leona J. Shellenberger and husband, Leo; Louella A. Varner and husband, Robert; and Mary T.Sanders and husband, Tracy, all of Mifflintown, PA
3 Brothers - James H. Taylor and wife, Nancy of Cadiz, OH; Norman Blair Taylor and wife, Jane of Lewistown,PA; and Robert F. Taylor and wife, Kathy of Spanaway, WA
Numerous nieces and nephews; great nieces and nephews; and great great nieces and nephews.
The family suggests memorials to Hospice of Wichita Falls; or Team Briley in Seymour.

Judge B.G. 'Bill' Holder
November 16, 2003
Judge B.G. "Bill" Holder, age 78, of Frisco, Texas, passed away Friday morning, Nov. 14, 2003, at SettlersRidge Nursing Home in Celina, Texas.
Services will be at 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 16, 2003, at First Baptist Church of Archer City with Dr. DavidDarnell, Central Christian Church of Frisco, officiating. Interment will be in Archer City Cemetery under the directionof Aulds Funeral Home.
Mr. Holder, the son of William L. Holder and Maydell Hill Holder, was born Sept. 2, 1925, in Parker County,Texas. He was a graduate of Graham High School and Hardin Jr. College. He and Allene Carter were married Aug. 4, 1971,in Megargel, Texas.
He moved to Archer City in 1948, and owned and operated Holder's Jewelers from 1947 to 1976. He served on theCity Council from 1954 to 1955, was Mayor from 1955 to 1957, and was elected County Judge in 1958. He retired in 1990with 32 years of dedicated service. He formed the 1950s Little League Baseball Organization in Archer County, organizedthe 1960s Federal Grant Funds to build Archer County Hospital, and was the 1980 Chairman of the Archer County CentennialCelebration. He was a member of the Archer City Lions Club for forty years, the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Texassince 1950 and was a past Master. He was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite in Fort Worth and was a former Shriner in WichitaFalls. He was a former member and Deacon of the First Baptist Church of Archer City and was a current member and Deaconof the Central Christian Church in Frisco.
Survivors include his wife, Allene of Frisco; one son, Billy G. Holder, Jr., and wife, Rocki, of WichitaFalls; one daughter, Karen Atchley of Austin; step-children, Mike Douglas and Annette Harrington, both of Frisco; fivegrandchildren, Ali Holder of Wichita Falls, Andrea Wurmstein and husband, Joe, of Cheyenne, Wyo., Trey Eckhardt ofHunstville, Texas, Kristi Johnston of Sherman, Texas, and Keith Harrington of Frisco; and three great-grandchildren,Patricia Marie "Trish" Wurmstein of Cheyenne, Kennedy and Dylan Johnston, both of Sherman, Texas.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Patricia "Pat" Eckhardt on Nov. 22, 1986.
The family suggests memorials to the Patricia Holder Eckhart Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Archer City ISD,P.O. Box 926, Archer City, TX 76351 or to the charity of your choice.
Submitted by: Lola Thomason

William Thomas "Tommy" Mankins
William Thomas "Tommy" Mankins, 74, of Dundee, passed away Saturday, September 10, 2011, after a final boutwith cancer. The funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 13, 2011, in the chapel of Lunn's ColonialFuneral Home with Wayne Sharp and Roger Deerinwater officiating. Interment followed at Dundee Cemetery under thedirection of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.
Tommy was born August 23, 1937, to the late Willie R. and Joelene Thomas Mankins and reared on a farm andranch in Dundee, Texas. He was a 1955 graduate of Holliday High School in Holliday. He attended Texas Tech Universityand graduated in 1959 with a degree in animal husbandry. He was a lifelong member of Dundee Baptist Church where heserved as deacon.
Tommy married his high school sweetheart, Linda Lou Lester, on August 28, 1958. After college graduationheand Linda returned to Dundee to farm and ranch. Together, they reared their four children: Mark of Olney; Joel ofWindthorst; Leslie Bradley of Fort Worth; and Laurie Martin of Saint Jo.
Stewardship is an apt word to describe Tommy. As a steward of the land, he was a dedicated servant to hisprofession and lifestyle, taking care of the resources God had entrusted to him. To his wife and children, and toextended family and friends in the community, he was fully devoted, whether walking alongside through difficultcirc*mstances or celebrating milestones or just enjoying the fellowship of the relationships that brought such richnessto his life. He was a No. 1 fan and supporter of his kids and then his grandkids, traveling all across the state tocheer them on. He served his community through leadership on various boards and committees, including Holliday ISDschool board, Dundee Cemetery Association, and the Wichita Valley Water Supply Board. He leaves behind family, friends,and community forever changed by his presence in their lives.
In addition to his wife and children, Tommy is survived by grandchildren Lynsey Mankins McCormick and husbandMichael of Brownwood, Ryan and Reed Mankin and their mother Judy Mankins of Olney; L.Cpl Jerod and his wife Devynn,Derek and Andrea and their mother Carla Mankins of Windthorst; Will, Jacob, Adam, and Matthew Bradley and their fatherJohn of Fort Worth; and Emma and Sam Martin and their father Mike of Saint Jo. He also is survived by his sister NancyJo Hubbard of Euless and sisters-in-law Freddie Jean Hewitt of Holliday and Janell Lester of Anadarko, Oklahoma, andmany nephews, nieces, cousins, and a host of dear friends.
The family will be at the funeral home from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday for visitation.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Dundee Cemetery Association Fence Fund.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lunnscolonial.com.

Warner Cleveland Smith, Jr.
Warner Cleveland Smith, Jr., 70 died peacefully holding hands with his wife, Sherry Shaw Smith in the earlymorning hours of September 4, 2011. Although fading into the grip of dementia the last three years, he lived a full &happy life.
Cleveland ran amusem*nt parks for a living and was instrumental in the development of Six Flags over Texas.Cleve started with Six Flags Over Texas the first day it opened in 1961 as a ride operator, then ride supervisor.
In 1964 he became the New York World's Fair General Manager for Rides. During 1966 to 1969 Cleveland was theGeneral Manager and then promoted to Operations Manager for Six Flags Over Georgia.
In 1969 Cleveland was promoted to Executive Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of Six FlagsInc. In 1971 W. Cleveland Smith & Associates was formed which later became Fun Corporation of America. Cleveland alsowas the Vice President and member of the Board of Directors with Wynne Enterprises, Inc., owned by Angus G. Wynne Jr.,the founder of Six Flags, from 1972 to 1982. Over the decades, one of his best friends and mentors was Luther D. Clark.
Cleveland also held management roles at Lion Country Safari and Old Chicago.
In 1982 Cleveland became the General Manager for the Entertainment Area at the World's Fair in Knoxville,Tenn. From 1984 to 1989, he was the President of the State Fair of Texas Midway games, novelties and concessions.
As Vice President of Overseas Development for Wet 'n Wild, Cleveland worked closely with George Millay, thefounder of Sea World and Wet'n Wild.
He traveled extensively for work and pleasure, visiting Brazil, Japan, Alaska, Peru, Ecuador & Australia.
In his earlier years, Cleve worked on oil rigs, and as an assistant purchasing agent for Neiman-Marcuswherein he was bonded to drive to homes to deliver clothes, jewelry, shoes for the buyer's discretion.
Cleve was born in Jacksboro in 1941 because his father, Warner Cleveland Smith insisted on seeing the birthand no hospital in Dallas at that time would allow that. His mother Emma Jean (Powell) Smith was agreeable to that gameplan. Growing up in Dallas, Cleveland finished high school in Dallas and studied business administration at theUniversity of Texas Arlington.
He is survived by his wife, Sherry Shaw Smith of Plano, Texas; daughter, Amber Suriani of Manlius, NY; son,Trey Smith of Charlotte, NC; seven grandchildren, two of whom have Cleveland as their middle name in his honor; sister,Beverly Hendrickson of Terrell; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Also family to Cleveland werehis canine children, Cuervo who died last year, and Tag.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service honoring Cleveland will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 atTed Dickey West Funeral Home. On Sept. 18 we will honor Cleveland's caregivers at Silverado Senior Living of Plano.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Warner Cleveland Smith, Jr. Memorial BenchFund, through Legacy Texas Bank Plano, 1573 Alma Dr. Plano, Texas 75075. Memorial benches are being created to placenear the carousels in the amusem*nt parks that were dear to Cleveland and those innovators of the amusem*nt industrywith whom he worked.
Courtesy of Ted Dickey West Funeral Home