Virginia Bird, 87, who joined FUMC on January 9, 1990, died on Sunday, July 10, 2011, in Wichita Falls.

• Family visitation was 9:00am until service time Wednesday July 13, 2011, at Womack Manard Funeral Home.
• Graveside service was Wednesday, July 13, 2011, at 10:00am in the Crowell Cemetery with the Rev. John Dillard officiating.
• Interment is under the direction of Womack Manard Funeral Home, Crowell.

Virginia was born on May 17, 1924, in DeNoya, Oklahoma, she was the daughter of the late Edward Wehba and the late Abreeza Eid Wehba. She was the wife of the late Mike D. Bird, he preceded her in death on December 16, 1997. She was a longtime resident of Crowell, moving to Wichita Falls in 1986. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Wichita Falls and Crowell. She was devoted to her children, her husband and to being a good homemaker. She worked with her late husband at Bird’s Dry Goods. She was a homemaker.

Surviving are three sons, Dan Mike Bird of Quanah, Texas, Robert Mike Bird of Atlanta, Ga., Terry Mike Bird of The Woodlands, Texas; one daughter, Trudy Beth Wilcox of Wichita Falls, Texas; two sisters, Betty Jean Huston of Wichita Falls, Texas, Kathleen Wehba of Rye, Colo.; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and three brothers, Edward Wehba Jr., Marvin Wehba and Charles Wehba.

Memorials may be made to the charity or organization of donors choice.

Leave a note below about what Virginia meant to you!

Did you know FUMC has a Prayer Shawl Ministry that seeks to provide shawls, lap robes, pillow cases, and more to critically ill or bereaved members of FUMC ?

Do you know someone who could benefit from receiving one of these tokens of love to remind them of God’s love that surrounds them?  If so, contact:

Nancy Orr
ibnpvandy@aol.com
940-704-5080

Contact Nancy or CLICK HERE to learn more about this ministry and how you can be involved!

Mary Ellen Ikard Gregory, 88, who joined FUMC on November 20, 1983, died Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in Wichita Falls.

Visitation will be:

• Monday, May 30, 2011
• 4:00-6:00pm
• Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home

Memorial services will be:

• Tuesday, May 31, 2011
• 10:00am
• First United Methodist Church
• With Rev. John Dillard officiating.
• Private family interment is scheduled prior to the service under the direction of Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.

Mrs. Gregory was a reading teacher at Kate Burgess Elementary School and the librarian at Kirby Junior High School.

Survivors include four children, Kay Preston, George Ikard, Alan Ikard, and Brian Ikard, all of Wichita Falls; sister, Alice Bruce of Kirkwood, Mo.; and three grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church or the Alzheimer’s Foundation.

Please, keep Mary’s family in your prayers.

Leave a note below about what Mary meant to you!

Clint Cozart, 88, who joined FUMC on December 6, 2009, passed away on Tuesday, May 17, 2011.  Services have been scheduled for

• Thursday, May 19, 2011
• 1:00pm
• At Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home Chapel
• Officiated by Reverend Paul Goodrich
• Interment will follow at Crestview Memorial Park.

Clint Cozart was born November 15, 1922 in Buffalo Springs, Texas, the youngest of six children. Clint was “born in a pasture and learned to fiddle behind the barn” at age 12. As a local legend, he carried on the influence of Bob Wills and the Texas Swing Music that he loved. In 2009 he was inducted into the Western Swing Music Hall of Fame and the Cowtown Society of Western Swing.

Mr. Cozart was a member of the very first graduating class of Midway High School. Clint served aboard the USS Belle Grove in the South Pacific during World War II. He fiddled along the west coast after he was discharged from the navy in 1946. He then came home and played all over Texas and Oklahoma. He married Kitty Dillard of Electra, Texas November 25, 1947.
In the 1940′s and 50′s, Cozart’s band backed artists coming through this part of the country from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City. In 1967-68, he owned the Guys and Dolls, a local dance hall that provided a place for the public to enjoy the music that he loved. He also served as president of the Musicians Union from 1951-1960.

Clint passed along his love of Western Swing through three generations of his family. He taught his son-in-law, Frank, to fiddle in 1983, and they played twin fiddles ever since. He also introduced his youngest daughter, Cathi, and three grandchildren to the fiddle, and had already passed his love of Western Swing along to his great-granddaughter, Kate.

Clint retired from Texas Electric in 1976. He spent his retirement carrying on the legacy of the music he loved. He played such places as the MB Corral, the Wichita Pavilion, and many local events. From 1990-1999, he spent his summers as the headlining band at the Fun Valley Resort in South Fork, Colorado. In the winter months, he played all over south Texas. As a Clay County native, he loved to play for the annual Pioneer Reunion. He was the headlining band at the rodeo from 1939-1980. Then, he continued playing on the courthouse lawn after the parade until 2010.

In 1965, Clint started the Maverick Band. He led the band for over 46 years. In April of 1990, Clint and the Mavericks played for the crew members of the USS Lexington to welcome them to port in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Clint won numerous fiddling contests from Texas to Colorado.

Clint was preceded in death by his father, Arlie E. Cozart, his mother, Lula (South) Cozart, his brothers, Charlie, Elton and Taylor Cozart and his two sisters Velma Todd and Jewel Alexander.

He is survived by his wife, Kitty, of 63 years; two daughters and sons-in-law, Christi and Frank Farnsworth, and Cathi and Mark Elgin, all of Wichita Falls, three grandchildren, Lori Farnsworth of Houston, Texas, Cara Farnsworth and Kevin Farnsworth both of Wichita Falls, and one great-granddaughter, Katherine Farnsworth.

The family requests that memorials be made to Hospice of Wichita Falls or the American Cancer Society of Wichita Falls.

The Donald B. Cowan Legacy Choir will perform June 25, 2011 at Memorial Auditorium here in Wichita Falls, and our own YES Committee will be providing transportation (up to 14 people) to the event from the FUMC parking lot at 7:15pm.  A sign up sheet is available in the church office for you to sign up on – first come, first served.

You will need to buy your own ticket ($20) in advance for the concert from the MPEC office (940-766-5555 or CLICK HERE for other options).  Do not try to purchase tickets with the rest of the group from the church as no blocks are reserved.

Questions?
Contact Judy Ballard (692-0261) or  Sue Babb (767-1079).

The Donald B. Cowan Legacy Choir in Wichita Falls, Texas is a chorus of talented Rider High School A Capella Choir alumni who are dedicated to honoring their director, Don Cowan, who served as choral director at RHS from 1961 – 1993. Mr. Cowan instilled into the hearts of all choir members, under his direction, an exceptional love and reverence of beautiful music. That spirit and music lives again!

If you just can’t make the June 25 event here in Wichita Falls, they will also be performing July 9, 2011 at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth.  CLICK HERE for more information for tickets about that performance.

Ben Collins passed away on Sunday, May 1, 2011.

Visitation will be:

• Tuesday, May 3, 2011
• 6:00-7:00pm
• At Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home

His service will be:

• Wednesday, May 4, 2011
• 10:00am
• Crestview Memorial Park Mausoleum
• With Rev. John Dillard officiating
• Under the direction of Hampton Vaughan Funeral Home
• Entombment will follow in the Garden Mausoleum at Crestview Memorial Park.

Mr. Collins was born on February 23, 1923 in Tigertown, Texas to the late John Young Collins and Catharine A. (Cox) Collins. Ben served as a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Corps during World War II and saw action in Manchuria, Italy as a waist gunner in a B-24. He married Willadean Ann Jackson on February 14, 1947 in North Pleasanton, Texas and they made their home in Wichita Falls where they attended First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls. He was a member of VFW Post 2147 here in Wichita Falls and worked for Ray Cannedy Security Services for many years until his retirement in 2009.

Mr. Collins is survived by his wife, Willadean Ann Collins, Wichita Falls; son John Collins and wife, Ellen of Wichita Falls; sister, Marie Bell of Honeygrove, Tx.; nephews, Elvin Bell, Paris, Tx. and Bill Bell, Honeygrove, Tx. He was preceded in death by his brother, Neal Collins of Akron, Ohio and a nephew, Eddie Bell.

Please, keep his wife, Ann, and his other family and friends in your prayers.

Leave a note below about what Ben meant to you.