Helen Arnold, 99, who joined FUMC on July 10, 2005 passed away on Friday, October 7, 2011 in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Visitation will be:

• Tuesday, October 11, 2011
• 7:00-8:00pm
• Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home

Here are the details on her graveside service:

• Wednesday, October 12, 2011
• 1:00pm
• Crestview Memorial Park Cemetary
• Rev. John Dillard will officiate
• Internment will be under the direction of Hampton Vaughan

Mrs. Arnold was born the oldest of ten children on July 9, 1912, in Falls County, Texas, to the late Jessie James Mercer and Emma Christine Lisette (Wolf) Mercer. She graduated from Ben Hur (Texas) High School in 1931. She was raised and worked on the family farm until the age of 24 when she moved to Roswell, N.M., and continued farm labor until her marriage to Robert C. Arnold on June 14, 1941. In 1954, Robert’s job as a long distance truck driver took them to Hobbs, N.M., and finally, to Albuquerque, N.M., in 1963 where they lived for 40 years. They then moved to Wichita Falls in 2003 and it was here that Robert preceded her in death in 2004.

Mrs. Arnold joined the First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls. She was active as a Girl Scout leader in Roswell from 1949 until 1954; in Hobbs from 1954 to 1956. In 1958 and early 1959, she helped prepare her daughter and 15 other Senior Girl Scouts from Zia Girl Scout Council for the 1959 Girl Scout Roundup held at Colorado Springs, Colo., in July of that year. Helen was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother.

Survivors include a daughter, Christina Peterson and husband, Harvey of Wichita Falls; siblings, Cleo Mercer, Houston, Texas, Laura Hasbrouck, Alamogordo, N.M., William J. Mercer, Kingsburg, Calif., and Freda Lynch, Pasadena, Texas; grandchildren, Kathy Naidicz, Austin, Texas, Brian Peterson, Wichita Falls, John DiFilippo, Burkburnett, Texas, Michael Peterson, Cudahy, Wis., Angeli Fernandez and Robert DiFilippo, both of Wichita Falls; great-grandchildren, Darvena Day, Shelby DiFilippo, Macie DiFilippo and Madelynn DiFilippo; great-great-grandchildren, Lorenzo de Mario Juarez and Angellina Day; also numerous nieces and nephews and friends.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by siblings, Pauline Mercer, Maureen Arnold, Gladys Alexander, Thomas Mercer and Walter Mercer.

The family suggests memorials to

American Lung Association
8150 Brookriver Dr
Dallas, TX  75247;

or

Wild Bird Rescue
4611 Lake Shore Dr
Wichita Falls, TX  76310.

Please, keep her daughter, Chris Peterson, and the rest of her family in your prayers.

Mary Patricia “Pat” Ringle, 78, who joined FUMC on March 29, 1981, died Tuesday, September 20, 2011.  Currently, her service is set for:

• Friday, September 23, 2011
• 11:00am
• Chapel of Owens & Brumley
• Rev. John Dillard will officiate.

Born January 29, 1933 in Oklahoma City, OK to parents Mr. & Mrs. Vernon R. Troop, Pat attended public schools in Oklahoma City, graduating from Classen High School in 1950. She attended Oklahoma State University for two years
studying home economics. She married Robert D. Ringle on August 9, 1952. She passed away September 20 and is survived by her husband and by two sons and a daughter and their families: Rob and Amy Ringle of Frederick, MD; Alan and
Michele Ringle of Bossier City, LA; and Nancy and Stafford Jones of Cedar Park, TX; and five grandchildren, Rebecca, Erica, Alison, Sara and Andrew. A kind soul, devoted wife and mother, Pat will be missed by those who have loved and known her.

Please, keep her husband Bob and their family in your prayers.

Luke Preston Ritchie was born to Josh & Laura Ritchie (and proud grandma, Kay Preston) on Friday, September 9, 2011.  At birth, he weighed 9lbs, 13oz and was 22.5 inches in length.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Did you know our very own Jim Hoggard has had a book published by Wings Press entitled, The Mayor’s Daughter? Here is a brief synopsis of the book:

In the north Texas oil-boom town of Kiowa Falls, civilization is just beginning to overtake frontier chaos. Ru-Marie, the daughter of the town’s mayor, is a well-read, young romantic and budding artist. Her tastes in love—her parents insist—are less refined. As they throw off the sham of sophistication, a family war erupts and, with it, frontier justice. Set in the 1920s, this novel utilizes several means in order to recount the intriguing events, including first-person accounts, letters, an interview, and murder trial excerpts.

“In the 1920s, a murder rocks a small Texas town. . . . There, artistic high-schooler Rue-Marie Coleman falls in love with Buster Lopreis. . . . Hoggard uses a variety of strategies to build up to his violent climax, combining straightforward narrative with what Ru-Marie conveys to John Evening through interviews.”  —Booklist

Anderlee Lake Dray was born to Tyler & Alise Dray (and proud grandparents, Fred & Connie Bunton) on September 7, 2011.  She weighed 7lbs, 5oz. and was 20 inches long at birth!

Sabine Tsai English was born to Ryan English & Lily Tsai (and proud grandparents, Doug & Carol English) on August 10, 2011.  She weighed 8lbs. and was 20.5 inches long at birth!

CONGRATULATIONS!