Jim Rather
1928 - 2015
Thomas James Rather, Jr., age 87, of Medina, passed away on June 28, 2015, in Medina. He was born in Kenedy, Texas, to Thomas J. and Inez Russell Rather on June 10, 1928. He married
the love of his life, Peggy Calhoun, on Jan. 26, 1962 in San Antonio.
He went to school in Houston and was a veteran of World War II serving in the US Navy. Jim was the facilities engineer manager at Southwest Research Institute and retired in 1991. Throughout his career he worked with many well known architects such as Atlee B. Ayers and Reginald Roberts.
Jim's passion was studying and teaching Bible in San Antonio and Medina. He was proficient in Greek and spent many hours translating the Bible and writing manuscripts. In addition, he was a consummate artist, being gifted in woodworking, leather craft, pencil and watercolor. He was an outdoorsman and loved hunting, fishing and skeet shooting.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, sister and daughter, Terri Lynn McHugh.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Peggy; daughter, Cynthia Rather Hatfield and husband Dan of Comfort; son, Brian Rather and wife, Jessica of Round Rock; grandchildren, Morgan McHugh, Nathan McHugh and Caleb Rather.
A Celebration of Life will be held 2 pm, Thursday, July 2, at the Medina Baptist Church with Dr. Allie Balko officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Gentiva Hospice of Kerrville or the Medina Baptist Church.
Smiley Owens
1953 - 2015
Michael Edward "Smiley" Owens, age 62, of Bandera passed away on June 19, 2015 at his home in Holiday Villages. He was born in Baytown, to Eugene and Opal Owens, on April 11, 1953. He married
Linda "Goldie" Deatherage on Oct. 12, 1978, at Dell Avenue Baptist Church.
He went to school in Channelview, Texas. He was self employed as a carpenter for 35 years. He was a proud veteran of the Marine Corps.
Michael is preceded in death by Eugene and Opal Owens.
Michael is survived by his wife, Linda; children, Brian Owens, Crystal Owens, Traci and Dan Bryant; brothers, Glen, Jimmy, and Kenny Owens; grandchildren, Kaynin McMurtry, Toryn Winfrey, Rebekah, Jeremiah, and Joshua Owens; and great-grandchild, Paisley Jean Owens.
A Celebration of Life service was held at the Holiday Villages Clubhouse on July 2.
The family extends sincere thanks to all of friends and family who have given them such great support.
Cherrie Hulsey
1943 - 2015
Cherrie Hulsey, 70, passed away Sunday, July 5, in Bandera. She was born June 15, 1945, in Pennsylvania to John and Mary Clark. She married
David Hulsey in Amarillo, Texas, in 1981.
Cherrie moved to Bandera and was a resident here for the last five and a half years.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband.
Graveside services will be held at 10 am Friday, July 10, at Memorial Park cemetery, Amarillo. Arrangements are by Griggs Schooler Gordon Funeral Directors.
Scooter Fries
1931 - 2015
Scooter Fries, 83, of Bandera, passed away on June 25 in San Antonio. He was born in Bandera to Damon E. and Isabel Fries on Sept. 21, 1931.
He married
Sheila Reynolds on Nov. 6, 1983 in Bandera.
His uncle took Scooter as a toddler on many of the trail rides with the guests at the U-Bar. By the time he was three years old, Scooter was turned loose on his own little cow horse named Sweetheart. He joined his uncle Bennie and ranch guests on trail rides to town. He also began to help his uncle with some light ranch work.
Along about the same time, Bennie stuck a rope in Scooter's hands and began to teach him how to rope. Soon little Scooter was roping everything that moved - dogs, chickens, sheep, goats - including the dudes at the ranch. Impressed neighbors called him a prodigy with a rope.
Scooter roped his first calf from a horse when he was five. He began to win small rodeos and his reputation grew. By the time he was eight, he was contracted to do roping exhibitions at rodeos in Mansfield Park, San Antonio, New Braunfels, Kingsville, Beeville, and other small towns around Texas.
Soon roping calves in record time, he was still too small to do tie downs. Here, his friendship with older cowboys was demonstrated when rodeo champions like Ray Wharton and others would run from the sidelines and tie his catch. Scooter was tested many times to prove his mettle by competing against some of the really tough champion cowboys, like Jim Bob Altizer and others, in highly publicized match ropings.
In the late 1940s, Scooter began a string of victories, starting at Mansfield Park, already made famous by so many of Bandera's cowboys and champions.
In June 1947, Scooter qualified for his first high school state championship rodeo, held in Hallettsville, Texas, and showed great promise of becoming a rodeo champion.
In June of 1948, he returned to Hallettsville to beat all rivals for the state championship tie-down roping title. He was presented with a Frank Rooke quarter horse and a trophy saddle by the Governor of Texas, Coke Stevens.
In 1950, Scooter again won the state championship in steer wrestling and roping, which made him eligible for the national high school rodeo championships in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, where he won the national title in roping.
Not yet finished with his high school rodeo career, he returned to Hallettsville in June of 1951 and once again won the state roping championship. Competing in the national finals in Sulpher, Louisiana, he came home with the reserve champion title.
Scooter is one of several famed champion cowboys whose names are inscribed on a monument standing in a place of honor on the courthouse lawn in Bandera. The monument gives everlasting tribute to those champion cowboys from Bandera County who campaigned for and promoted the sport of rodeo.
Scooter was also a co-founder and lifetime member of the Cowboy Capital Rodeo Association, a PRCA Gold Card member, and was inducted into the Seguin Cowboys Hall of Fame.
He was preceded in death by his son, Troy Fries; sister, and brother, DE Fries.
Survivors include his wife of 31 years Sheila; sons, Gary Fries and Tony Fries; nieces, D'Ann Fries Bournias and Lola Fries Frisbie.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 10 am, Friday, July 10 at Bandera United Methodist Church with the Rev. Larry McRorey officiating.
The family requests memorials be given to The Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, 101 Pro Rodeo Dr., Colorado Springs, CO. 80919, or donate online at www.justincowboycrisisfund.org. Please mention Scooter Fries. Memorials also may be sent to Bandera United Methodist Church.
James Nolan Ivy
1932 - 2015
James Nolan Ivy, 83, of Utopia, passed away on July 3 in San Antonio. He was born in Station C, Texas to Alvin and Mary Ivy on June 6, 1932.
He married
Ella Nelson on April 5, 1991in Bandera.
He is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Ruby Jane Luck.
James is survived by his wife, Ella Ivy; son, Lew Ivy of Tucson, Arizona; sisters, Dorothy Rosenbaum of Richmond, Texas, Edna McFadden of Pasadena, Texas.
A Celebration of Life was held Wednesday, July 8 at Utopia Baptist Church with the Rev. Bevley Lee officiating.
In lieu of cut flowers please send living plants.
Milton E. Edwards
1920 - 2015
Milton E. Edwards, 94, of Florence, Montana, passed away June 12 of heart failure. He was born Oct. 10, 1920, in Pipe Creek to John Elmer and Minnie Alice (Downum) Edwards.
Milt graduated from Pipe Creek High School and enlisted in the Marine Corps on July 2, 1942. Serving in three major South Pacific battles, he was awarded many combat medals and the Presidential Citation.
After returning to the states in 1944, Milt met and married
Esther Mae Meier.
The couple farmed in Texas for two years before moving to Missoula, Montana, in 1948 where he was employed by the Northern Pacific Railroad in the bridge and building department until 1957. During this time he also built and sold several homes in Missoula.
He later moved his family to a small ranch and began working for the Hoerner Waldrop Pulp Mill as a millwright until his retirement in 1982.
After retirement, Milt and Esther spent winters in Quartzsite, Arizona, where he enjoyed golfing and bowling. He was an avid hunter and fisherman.
He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Bethel Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years, three sons: Denny and wife, Shari, of Florence; Terry of Salinas, California; and John and wife, Chrissy, of Missoula; seven grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, two great great grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and lots of cousins in Pipe Creek.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Lema Edwards Lynd.
Burial was June 20 at the Florence-Carlton cemetery followed by services at the Bethel Baptist Church in Missoula.
