Wacker, George F. – Heart Attack Fatal To George F. Wacker
George F. Wacker, owner of the G. F. Wacker store, died Wednesday night at 11 o’clock at his home at Pauls Valley, Okla, of a heart attack. He was 65 years of age.
Funeral services will be held Friday with burial in the cemetery at Pauls Valley.
Mr. Wacker was the owner of 52 stores in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana. He had visited the Jal store on several occasions.
Survivors include a married daughter and a the wife, Mona.
[Jal Record, Jal, New Mexico. 9 Feb 1950.]
Whitten, Henrietta – Last Rites Held Form Mrs, Whitten, Pioneer Lea Countian
Last rites were hald for Mrs. Henrietta Whitten, 68, long time resident of Lea County, Tuesday by Charles R. Hammer, minister of the Church of Christ.
She was buried in the family lot in Monahans beside her husband, the late J. W. Whitten.
Mrs. Whitten had been feeling fine recently but had a stroke Sunday and another one Monday which claimed her life.
For twenty-six years Mrs. Whitten had lived in Lea County. She was the mother of nine children, five of which are living.
Four children, two sons, Charles W. and Roy, and two daughters, Mrs. J. P. Fry and Dr. Lillie Whitten, all live here and a son, W. P. and his family of Carlsbad.
Mrs. Whitten has been a member of the Church of Christ for forty-eight years.
A large group of friends from here attended the funeral in Monahans. Many pretty floral offerings were also sent.
[Jal Flare, Jal, NM. 10 Oct 1940.]
Wood, Archie D. – Archie D. Wood Dies; Colorful Old-Timer
One of Lea County’s colorful old-timers died Saturday night after an illness of 31 days days. He was Archie Dow Wood, 79, a resident of the area which now is Lea County since 1896. Mr. Wood died in his ranch home, two and a half miles south of Lovington on the Arkansas Junction Road.
Funeral services were scheduled for today at 2 p.m. in the First Methodist Church of Lovington. The Rev. Harold Cates, pastor, assisted by the Rev. W. M. Beauchamp, will officiate. Pallbearers will be Curry Pruitt, Kyle (Son) Taylor, John Easley, W. A. Anderson, George Williams, Hobdy Gann, J. P. Morgan, Otto Dean, W. H. Fort, J. C. Abbott, Carl Johnson, Logan Beal and Ivan Patman. The Lovington Masonic Lodge No. 46 A.F. and A.M. will conduct graveside rites at burial in the family plot at Lovington Cemetery.
One of 16 children, Mr. Wood came to Lea County as a boy of 12, when this region was the Territory of New Mexico. Not long after his arrival he started to work for Cub Roberts, owner of one of the large ranches that flourished here in the days of the open range. When he was 18, Mr. Wood started his own ranch and engaged in this field, along with many other jobs until the time of his death. When Lea County opened up for homesteading soon after the turn of the century, Mr. Wood filed on a tract of land about two miles south of his present home.
A fine storyteller of the early days of this country, friends recall one of his favorites concerned a time when he operated a ranch in partnership with another man. The partner came to him one day and said: “Dow, the homesteaders are going to start coming in here by the droves soon. They’ll build homes, plow up the range, plant crops, put up schools and there will be towns. This will make taxes so high that we can’t pay them. I’m going to pull out.” Thereupon, the man made Wood a present of his share of the ranch and left.
Mr. Wood also was fond of telling that he not only saw what today is Lea County as three different counties in his time–with the northern half of Lea part of Chaves, and the southern half as Eddy. Later the two sections were split from these counties and Lea was formed in 1918 [1917].
Another story that friends recalled was the first car Wood ever owned. He bought it from man driving through this country when the roads still were only twisting sandy ruts winding from one ranch to another. The man was driving one car and towing a second. Wood, who had never driven a car in his life, bought the towed automobile and taught himself to drive it.
Wood became a deputy sheriff of Lea County in 1913 and served until 1933. This period was marked by the famed Hobbs oil boom which drew many tough men to Lea County. Wood was noted as fearless peace officer. He later became a state cattle inspector and held that job for 37 1/2 years.
Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Mary Beth Wood; one son Woodrow Wood of Lovington; two daughters, Mrs. James Cook, and Mrs. Johnny Eaves, both of Lovington; three sisters, Mrs. Martha White of Amarillo, Tex., Mrs. Birdie Lloyd of Tularosa, and Mrs. Ralph Windsor of Aspermont Tex.; eight grandchildren; and 11 great grandchildren. Smith-Yarbro Funeral Home is in charge or arrangements.
[Hobbs Daily News-Sun, Hobbs, New Mexico. 23 Jan 1961.]
Wood, Mrs. Myrtle – Telegram Announces Death of Myrtle Wood
Myrtle Wood died at an early hour Monday, at El Paso. A telegram was received by her husband, D. E. “Doc” Wood, to that effect, and he departed at once for El Paso, accompanied by his daughter, Ernestine. The message gave no details.
The late Mrs. Wood was well known locally, having resided both at New Hobbs and Hobbs, and was held in very high esteem by all friends and acquaintances, for her estimable qualities. The bereavement of the family will be greatly shared.
[Hobbs News, Hobbs, NM, 27 Jul 1934.]
Woolworth, Col. C. D. – Col. C. D. Woolworth Dies in San Angelo Friday – Prominent Lea County Oil and Cattleman Dies After Illness Of Several Months.
Col. C. D. Woolworth, widely known politician and prominent cattle and oil man, died Friday night, October 28th at 10:30. He was receiving treatment in the Shannon hospital in San Angelo, Texas at the time of his death. He had previously spent several months at Johns-Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Col. Woolworth, who formerly was a resident of Lea county and of Jal, had been ill for the past several months. Col. Woolworth was well-known as a philanthropist.
Funeral services were held at Robert Massey Funeral Home in San Angelo, and were conducted by Rev. Foreman. A large and beautiful floral offering was presented.
Col. Woolworth was buried in the Fairmont Cemetery in San Angelo.
He is survived by five sisters, Misses Clara, Litie, Mae , and Elizabeth Woolworth of San Angelo, and Mrs. Watkins of Henderson, Texas; one brother, Dr. Woolworth of Shreveport, Louisiana and an aunt, Mrs. Litie Paxton of San Angelo.
Those who attended the services from Jal were Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bish, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Wilson, Messers. Bill Danner, Johnny Stuart, Penn Combest, and M. I. Humphries.
[Jal Flare, Jal, NM. 3 Nov 1938.]
Yearwood, Bess – Services set for Mrs. Bess Yearwood
A veteran school teacher, and widow of a pioneer Lovington banker, Mrs. Bess Yearwood, passed away Monday afternoon at Lea General Hospital. Mrs. Yearwood had been in ill health for a number of years.
Born in 1902 in Doris, Texas, she was 67 years of age. Services are planned September 9 at 4:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. Rev. John Carlberg will conduct services. Former students will be pallbearers and close friends will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Survivors are two brothers and their families, R. C. Eaves and John S. Eaves.
Active in community affairs and in educational circles, Mrs. Yearwood held a lifetime teacher’s certificate. She was a member of Supreme Chapter of PEO Sisterhood, Lovington Woman’s Club, American Association of University Women, 1927 Bridge Club, and Saturday Night Supper Club since 1946.
She was elected to the Teachers Hall of Fame for the Southeastern District of New Mexico Education Association at the meeting in Roswell in 1967, and was considered one of the outstanding English teachers in the nation, friends say. Her students have consistently been in the top percentages in their classes at various colleges over the nation.
Mrs. Yearwood taught school in the Knowles Community in 1920 and then was instructor at Bent, N. M. from 1923 until 1925. She went to Hanover, N.M. from 1925 to 1929 and taught at Lovinton beginning in 1932. She remained a member of the faculty of the local schools until 1960.
Her husband C. C. Yearwood preceded her in death. He was a long time resident of the Lovington area, and was first vice president of New Mexico Bank and Trust in this community for several years. The Yearwoods were married May 14, 1926 at Silver City, N.M. They made their home in that area until moving to Lovington in the early 30s.
According to friends, Mrs. Yearwood was beloved in the community because of her many humanitarian acts, even when ill health was a constant problem.
[Lovington Daily Leader, Lovington, NM, 8 Sep 1970.]
Yearwood, C. C. “Cliff” – Long Time Lovington Citizen Passes Away
C. C. (Cliff) Yearwood, a long-time resident and civic booster of Lovington, died at 2 a.m. Saturday morning at St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston, Texas.
He had been hospitalized in Lubbock for two weeks prior to being transferred to the hospital in Houston last week.
Funeral services have been set for 3 p.m. Monday at the Presbyterian Church in Lovington, with the Rev. Gordon Garlington, minister, officiating.
Mr. Yearwood, who was vice-president and manager of New Mexico Bank and Trust Company in Lovington until his retirement over a year ago, had been one of Lovington’s most active civic workers.
He was born in Georgetown, Texas, in 1898, where his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Yearwood owned and operated the “Hereford Home Ranch.” The ranch is still being operated today by Mr. Yearwood’s brothers and sisters.
Mr. Yearwood served in the army in World War I and saw active duty in France. Following the war, he came to New Mexico where he met and married Bess Eaves of Lovington.
The couple left Lovington for a while but returned in 1932 and made their home here ever since. He entered the banking business in 1934 and in addition to his business activies, had a part in almost every major aspect of community development.
He was the first recipient of the “citizen of the year” award of the Lovington Chamber of Commerce, which was presented in 1951. He served as president of the Lovington Rotary Club and had been treasurer of the club since its beginning in 1938.
Mr. Yearwood was widely known for his active support and participation in the Boy Scout Council, serving as a member of the council for many years.
He was one of the organizers of the Lea County Fair Association, a member of the Lovington City Council for many years and a member of the Lovington Volunteer Fire Department for several years.
He was instrumental in organizing the Community Concert Association of Lovington, he served on each major committee of the Lovington Chamber of Commerce, and he was one of the original members of the Civic Projects Advisory Council.
He served for many years as Lovington chairman for the Salvation Army finance drive and he was a member of the Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include his wife Bess; two brothers and four sisters.
[Lovington Daily Leader, Lovington, NM, 15 Mar 1964.]
Old Lea County, N.M. 