Patsy “Pat” Stanbrough died Tuesday, May 15. Funeral services are planned for 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 19, in the Hampton-Vaughan Chapel with Rev. John Dillard officiating.

Mary Stacks died Monday, May 7, 2012 and her funeral services are scheduled at FUMC this Thursday, May 10, at 2:00 p.m. Mary volunteered in the church office and was known for her quiet demeanor. To read the full obituary, click this link to go to the article in the Wichita Falls Times Record News.

Funeral services for Virginia Bowersock are set for 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in the church sanctuary. Click here to read the obituary record published in the Wichita Falls Times Record News.

George Pricer, long time member of FUMC and the Keystone Sunday School class passed away today. Services are planned for 10:00 a.m. Thursday in Perkins Chapel preceeded by family visitation at the church beginning at 9:00 a.m. Mr. Pricer is predeceased by his wife, Charlsie and daughter, Kay. He is survived by his daughter, Karol Cargill of Spring, Texas.

Edward L. True passed away March 12, 2012. Memorial services were held Saturday, March 17. Click this link to read the full obituary.

Lola Defer, who joined FUMC on August 29, 1999, peacefully passed away at home February 14, 2012 after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer disease.

Visitation will be:

• Thursday, February 16, 2012
• 6:00-7:00pm at Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home

Services will be held at:

• Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home
• Friday, February 17, 2012
• 10:00am
• With Chaplain Darrell Highsmith officiating.
• Interment at Crestview Memorial Cemetery will follow the service.

Born in Plymouth County, Iowa September 15, 1920 to Edna and Carl Winterowd, she was the youngest of their four children. She was preceded in death by her parents, a daughter Jermaine Russell, sisters Bernice Vannoy and Beatrice Knudsen and a brother, Kenneth Winterowd. She was a member of First United Methodist Church.

After retiring from Stanley Home Products, as a branch sales manager and moving to Wichita Falls in 1969 Lola joined Southwestern Life Insurance Company and later opened her own brokerage firm. She was an excellent motivational speaker and won numerous sales awards.

She is survived by her loving husband Pete, a daughter Jerene Russell, granddaughter Robin Bookter and husband Ray, granddaughter Jill Hawkins and great-grandson William Hawkins.

Lola dearly loved life and all the people she met. She enjoyed cooking and gardening and was the ultimate hobbyist who handcrafted many award winning quilts and needlepoint pieces. When the Alzheimer’s stole her ability for craft work, she and husband Pete traveled extensively.

Travel proved to be good therapy for her. They took numerous cruises and would often fly to her favorite destinations of New Orleans and Cozumel Island.

She was a star high school basketball player and a huge Dallas Mavericks fan. Her real passion, however, was fishing and she caught and released many large marlin and sailfish. The largest of which was a 300 plus pound blue marlin.

In the last few years the Alzheimer’s clouded her memories and dimmed her sweet smile but she remained a pleasant loving person until the very end. Robert Frost, the poet, once remarked that he could define the universe in three words. Life goes on. And it will, but it will be a much lonelier place without Lola.

Memorials can be made to:

Hospice of Wichita Falls
4909 Johnson Road
Wichita Falls, TX  76310

or

the Alzheimer Association.

Please, keep the Defer family in your prayers, and feel free to leave a note below about what Lola meant to you!

Marjorie Arthur, 91, who joined FUMC on February 14, 1971, passed away on Friday, January 13, 2012.  Her service will be:

• Sunday, January 15, 2012
• 2:00pm
• In the FUMC Sanctuary
• Rev. John Dillard will officiate
• Owens & Brumley will direct the proceedings

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Please, keep Marjorie’s family in your prayers.

Leave a note below about what Marjorie meant to you.

Bob Ringle, 81, who joined FUMC on March 29, 1981, passed away on Tuesday, December 13, 2011.  His service will be:

• Friday, December 16, 2011
• 11:00am
• Owens & Brumley Chapel
• Rev. John Dillard will officiate.

Bob was born January 26, 1930, in Independence, Kansas. He moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in 1933. He graduated from College High School in 1947 having played baseball for the school team and trombone in the orchestra. He attended Oklahoma A&M University, where he met and fell in love with Mary Patricia Troop. They wed on August 9, 1952. Bob earned a BS in Personnel Management in 1952, and returned to his alma mater to obtain an MBA in 1960.

Upon his graduation in 1952, Bob was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and served in active duty until his retirement in 1973 as a Lt. Colonel. During his years with the U.S.A.F., Bob attended Squadron Officers School, Air Command and Staff College, and Academic Instructor Course after which he was retained as an instructor for five years.

Of his civilian jobs, he was most proud of his years as Personnel Director at Midwestern State University. He left MSU and retired for good in 1997. During his many years as a Wichita Falls resident, Bob was an active member of the Wichita Falls North Rotary Club, First United Methodist Church, Win-Some Sunday School Class, and United Way of Greater Wichita Falls.

Bob was a loving and genuinely compassionate man with a rare skill for making homemade peach ice cream. His passion for golf was second only to his love of family, especially his grandchildren. He liked to tell jokes, work in the yard, and watch the Texas Rangers.

Bob is predeceased by his wife, Pat; parents, Otho A. Ringle and Fern Ringle; brothers, Delbert and Dean and sister, Doris. He is survived by his two sons and one daughter, and their families: Rob and Amy Ringle of Frederick, Maryland; Alan and Michele Ringle of Bossier City, Louisiana; and Nancy and Stafford Jones of Cedar Park, Texas. Grandchildren include Rebecca, Erica, Alison, Sara and Andrew.

Bob will be missed by any and all who knew him.

The family expresses sincerest thanks for the loving care provided by Hospice of Wichita Falls and special thanks to the caregivers at The Gables of Rolling Meadows, who were our parents’ “second family.”

Please, keep the Ringle family in your prayers.

Leave a note below about what Bob meant to you!

Gladys Ross Blackburn Boyd, 97, who joined FUMC on August 19, 1945, died Tuesday, December 6, 2011, in Plano, Texas.  Funeral services will be:

• Monday, December 12, 2011
• 10:00am
• At the chapel of Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home
• With the Rev. John Dillard officiating.
• Burial will be in Crestview Memorial Park under the direction of Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home.

Mrs. Boyd was a retired accountant and office manager.

Survivors include son, Larry Ray Boyd of McKinney, Texas; two grandsons and four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to

First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls
909 10th St
Wichita Falls, Texas 76301-3411.

Leave a note below about what Gladys meant to you.

On December 4, 2011, First United Methodist Church welcomes the family of David and Susie Tanner along with their son, Andrew as new members! The Tanners have found a home in the Aldersgate Class that meets on the third floor at 9:15am and Andrew is in the School For Little People.