Contact Soapy Sudbury if you have additional information or to add a tribute
Philip Dee Seewald, 64, of Spring, formerly of Amarillo, died Friday, July 1, 2005.
Graveside services will be at noon Friday in Llano Cemetery with the Rev. Marty Lowberg of Westminster Presbyterian Church officiating. Arrangements are by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Memorial Chapel, Fifth Avenue and Pierce Street.
Mr. Seewald, devoted father, beloved son and brother, died Friday surrounded by his family following a courageous battle with cancer.
Mr. Seewald was born July 19, 1940, in Amarillo to Louis Seewald and Marjorie Roach Seewald. He attended Amarillo High School and graduated from Wentworth Military Academy. He received his BBA from West Texas State University. He had a highly successful career as a western wear clothing manufacturer sales representative. His love and devotion to his daughter and his family was unparalleled. As a grandson of two pioneer families of Amarillo, he had an avid interest in the Panhandle's history, as well as many types of collectibles to include his 1974 restored Corvette, which he drove on Sunday mornings. He will be greatly missed and remembered so fondly.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Dee Roach and Mr. and Mrs. Philip H. Seewald; and his father.
Survivors include his loving daughter, Kathryn Seewald and fianc, Kenneth Brown; his mother; two sisters, Elaine Lawhon and husband, William, and Gloria Frank; a brother, Dr. Stanton Seewald and wife, Marjorie; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
The family suggests memorials be to a favorite charity or MD Anderson, GU Clinic, 1220 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030.
Martha Smith Thomas Of San Rafael, born March 23rd, 1940 in Pampa, Texas, passed away peacefully at her home on January 12th, 2006 at the age of 65. A graduate of Connecticut College, she was a talented artist and piano teacher. She was a loving wife to Abraham Thomas and a devoted mother of two adult children, Jay and Sharon Thomas, and a proud grandmother of two. She was a beloved friend and will be dearly missed by all. There will be a Memorial Service at First Presbyterian Church of Novato on Saturday, January 28th, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.
Published in the Marin Independent Journal from 1/19/2006 - 1/21/2006
Remembering Martha
Dan Gibbon: I remember Martha as a very classy person but was always a lot of fun to be
around. Her passing is a loss to all of us."---Dan G.
GATESVILLE - James Nicholas "Nick" Smiley, 67, died Saturday, March 10, 2007.
Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Gatesville Funeral Home with the Rev. Johnny Miller officiating. Burial will be in Restland Cemetery.
Mr. Smiley was born Sept 5, 1939, in Texarkana to Chester and Eunice Ferrell Smiley. He was a member of the Associated General Contractors and First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Kay; two sons Steve of Saginaw and Scott of Abilene; three sisters, Wilma Tune of Fort Davis, Naomi Wilson of Estill Springs, Tenn., and Elaine Brown of Friendswood; and five grandchildren.
The family suggest memorials be to First United Methodist Church of Gatesville.
Dr. Hugh Sticksel, Civic Leader, Dies At Age 58
Amarillo Globe Times: Friday, January 29, 1999
Dr. Hugh Sticksel Jr., of Amarillo, a longtime optometrist, died Thursday, Jan. 28, 1999. He was 58. Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Saturday in First Presbyterian Church with Dr. Murray Gossett, associate pastor, officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in Llano Cemetery by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2820 Virginia Circle.
Dr. Sticksel was born in Dallas and moved to Amarillo when he was 6 months old. He graduated from Amarillo High School in 1958. He was a member of Amarillo High School's football team in 1957-58.
He married Pan Purdy in 1964 at Houston.
Dr. Sticksel received his associate of science degree from Amarillo College in 1960; a bachelor of science in optometry at the University of Houston in 1962; certificate of optometry at the University of Houston in 1963; and doctorate of optometry at the University of Houston in 1965.
He began his optometrist practice with his father, Dr. Hugh Sticksel Sr., in 1965 and worked with him until his father's death in 1969. He then went into practice with Dr. Stephen Cowan, Dr. W. Ken McCarty and Dr. William A. Sansing.
He was a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and held a membership in the American Optometric Association, the Texas Optometric Association, Panhandle Optometric Society where he also served as a president, Optometric Extension Program and American Optometric Foundation.
His involvement with the Boy Scouts of America on both the troop and council levels garnered him the Vigil Honor and the Silver Beaver Award. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout and went on to serve as an assistant scoutmaster and troop committee chairman. On the council level, he served as Roundtable Chairman where he conducted training of adult leaders, was a fund-raising chairman and was on the board of directors.
He was a member of the State Board of Examiners in Optometry from 1973 to 1979. In 1982, he was named Optometrist of the Year by the Texas Optometric Association.
Dr. Sticksel was a member of the state vision screening committee and a distinguished member of the Texas Optometric Association. He was a former member of the Texas Optometry Board and resident vision consultant for the Texas State Center for Human Development, the Regional Commission for the Blind and did consulting for the Education Service Center. He held a life membership in the PTA.
He was a visiting lecturer at West Texas State University graduate education classes, where he discussed vision as it relates to learning. For two years, he was an instructor in subnormal vision and visual therapy at the University of Houston College of Optometry.
In 1994, he and his wife were honored by the University of Houston as Parents of the Year. This annual award is presented by the Student Foundation to parents who demonstrate commitment to their children's education and the University of Houston.
In 1996, Dr. Sticksel was one of two volunteers selected to lead a community panel to pass a successful $42.2 million bond election for Amarillo Independent School District.
The Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame gave Dr. Sticksel a Distinguished Service Award for his spirit and dedication to Tascosa High School. In April, he was inducted into the Tascosa High School Rebel Hall of Fame. Although he did not graduate from Tascosa, he earned his inductee status through his contributions to the Rebel campus.
His two children graduated from Tascosa and, while they were there, he was instrumental in forming the Tascosa Excellence Council, which raises funds for projects and programs that help improve educational experience for Tascosa students. He also was a past president of the Tascosa High Booster Club.
He was a member and an elder at First Presbyterian Church and a coteacher of a New Testament class. He also served on the church nominating committee.
Recently, Dr. Sticksel served as chair of the UHCO "Vision 2000" campaign as part of a universitywide multi-million dollar fund-raising effort and in 1995, received the UHCO Distinguished Alumnus Award. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Optometric Association. His father had also received this award in 1968. His daughter, Dr. Heidi Sticksel Hawkins, joined him in his practice six months ago.
Survivors include his wife; his children, Scott Sticksel of Ozark, Mo., and Dr. Heidi Hawkins of Amarillo; a sister, Mary Nell Lemert of Amarillo; two brothers, Bill Sticksel of Amarillo and J.C. Sticksel of Dallas; and a granddaughter.
The family suggests memorials be made to the Hugh Sticksel Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston TX 77204-6052; the Boy Scouts of America Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, N.M. 87714; or the Tascosa Excellence Council, Tascosa High School, 3921 Westlawn St., Amarillo, TX 79102.
Remembering Hugh
Tascosa To Honor Sticksel Brothers
By Shanna Foust-Peeples
sfoustpeeples@amarillonet.com Web posted Sunday, May 13, 2001
Not everyone gets to design their own memorial, but Bill and Hugh Sticksel came as close as anyone could to mapping out the patch of plants and stone that bears their names in front of Tascosa High School. The brothers were working on a landscaping project for the high school when they died within months of each other in 1999. Already known for their enthusiasm for all things red and black, leaving something unfinished at Tascosa probably would have nagged them no end.
That's why the school's Excellence Council decided to remember the Sticksels' myriad offerings by finishing Rebel Plaza, said Susie O'Brien, president of the Tascosa Excellence Council and organizer of the plaza building committee. To raise the $50,000 needed to build the plaza, council members sold $40 personalized bricks.
"We just didn't have any problems selling those," O'Brien said. "As a matter of fact, we could've sold more. I still have people calling. Maybe we could build a back patio."
The money came easily because the Sticksels were so well-respected, said Gayle Callahan, chair of the committee that will dedicate Rebel Plaza at 5 p.m. Monday.
"When people heard the Sticksel name, they wanted to give," Callahan said. "Everyone was in awe of what they contributed to the school."
Even though the Sticksels were alumni of Amarillo High School, they worked on any project - from as small as getting more trash cans on campus to as large as re-modeling the teacher's lounge, said Bob Daniel, THS principal.
Daniel, along with emcee Ellen Robertson Neal, Hugh Sticksel's daughter Heidi Sticksel-Hawkins and son Dr. Scott Sticksel and Bill's son 2nd Lt. Matt Sticksel, will join Mayor Kel Seliger in proclaiming May 14 as "Hugh and Bill Sticksel Day" during the dedication. "We want everyone to come. It seems like there's no one who didn't know the Sticksels," she said.
Hugh Sticksel organized the Tascosa Excellence Council in 1985 and served as its president until 1990. Bill Sticksel later was chairman of the Excellence Council.
Web posted Saturday, January 1, 2000
Sticksels, Fancher named G-N men/woman of year
Amarillo Globe Times Web posted Saturday, January 1, 2000
For the first time, two men have been honored as the Amarillo Globe-News Man of the Year. We couldn't think of a finer pair than the Sticksel brothers, Hugh and Bill.
The Globe-News Woman of the Year is Shirley Fancher, whose lifelong contributions to the community have been far-reaching.
Dr. Sticksel, a longtime optometrist, died in January at age 58. Four months later, Bill Sticksel died at 51. They left a legacy at Tascosa High School that is unmatched. Dr. Sticksel helped create the Tascosa Excellence Council, which raises money to provide a better educational experience for students. Bill Sticksel served as council chairman. Dr. Sticksel was past president of the THS Booster Club; Bill Sticksel was active in the organization.
Dr. Sticksel led a community panel that helped pass a bond for the Amarillo school district. Bill Sticksel served on boards of the High Plains Food Bank, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Opportunity School and United Way... And the Sticksel brothers' devotion to the community will be fondly remembered.
21 October 1980
William (Bill) E. Stewart,II
Hildon T. Stewart
Hugh A. Sticksel, Jr
Dorothy Gail Stotts
Nancy R. Swan
Jerry B. Spearman
Martha Smith
James N.(Nick) Smiley
Jerry Skaggs
Byron Singleton
Gary L. Shepard
Sally R. Shaffer
Phillip D. Seewald
James R. Scott
Mansfield---James R Scott, 58, an electrician, died Friday, October 31, 1997 at a Ft Worth hospital.
Funeral: 12:30 p.m. Monday at Greenwood Funeral Home. Burial: 11:00 a.m. Tuesday in Memorial Park Cemetery in Amarillo. Visitation 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Memorials: American Heart Association.
Mr Scott was born July 2, 1939 in Amarillo.
Survivors: Son, James W. Scott and wife, Dianne of Gainsville, GA; daughters, Micki Torres and husband, Eddie of Arlington, Shellie Melrose of Arlington, and Debbie Vazquez and husband, Alberto of Arlington; mother and stepfather, Kathryn and John Patterson; stepmother, Carmine Scott; half-brothers, Ricky C Scott of Little Elm, and Jerry Byrd of Lewisville; step-sister, Veenoy Frazier of Lewisville; grandchildren, Brandy, Jake, Jonathan, and Austin; uncle, James R Scott and wife Betty of Austin; and an aunt, Mildred Webb of Amarillo.
Ft Worth Star-Telegram, November 2, 1997
O'Neal Sharp
WELLINGTON - Oneal Sharp, 68, died Tuesday, March 24, 2009, in Amarillo.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Anthony Knowles of Hedley officiating. Burial will be in Plymouth Cemetery by Adams Funeral Home.
Oneal was born Sept. 1, 1940, in McAlester, Okla., to T.T. and Selma Lee Sharp. He graduated from Amarillo High School in 1958. He served in the Army Reserve. For many years, he drove a bus for Continental Trailways Bus Line. He married Gail Small on April 25, 1983, in Amarillo. He ranched in the Samnorwood community until his death.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Lloyd Sharp.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Neal Sharp of Dallas and Ray Sharp and wife Elizabeth of Amarillo; a daughter, Rhonda Hazelwood of Helena, Mont.; and four grandchildren, Jade and Bailey Hazelwood and Eric and Madison Sharp.
Amarillo Globe-News, March 28, 2009
Bill Sharp
Kevin Sharp, kjs1119@gmail.com:
Today, my dad passed away at 3:00 am, May 10, 2010. Please let all of the Class of ‘58 know. My dad always talked extremely high of the class and the tight connection that you all had together. I have received numerous emails from various classmates. All very supportive and pleasant, and all GREATLY appreciated.
We are going to have a viewing, then an open house at our house at 534 Watermelon where we have food and refreshments to remember the man he was.
The viewing will be at Pueblo West Funeral Home, 381 S. Joe Martinez Blvd, Pueblo West, CO 81007, phone (719) 547-5100, on Thursday, May 13th, 2010 from 1 to 3 pm.
Thank You for all the prayers and support,
Kevin and the Sharp family
Evva Jean Sellers
Evva Jean Neely, 71, of Amarillo died Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Griggs-Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 5400 S. Bell St., with the Rev. Ronnie Tucker of Friendship Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery.
Jean was born Dec. 30, 1939, in Amarillo to Arthur "Ike" and Geneva Sellers. She married John D. Neely on July 1, 1978.
She retired from Pantex and was a member of the Amarillo Chapter of the Eastern Star No. 787. She was a member of Friendship Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John Neely; and two brothers, Sam Sellers and Gary Sellers.
Survivors include three sons, Arthur Stapleton and wife Margie of Florida, Darrell Neely and wife Connie of Amarillo, and Frank Neely and wife Yvonne of California; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
