Tammy Odell, 59, of Friona, Texas passed away on Friday January 20, 2023, in Friona, Texas. There are no scheduled services at this time. Arrangements and cremation services have been entrusted to Mendez & Mullins Family Funeral Home of Hereford, Texas.
Tammy was born on October 25, 1963, in Tulia, Texas, to Sam and Doris Richards. Tammy has been a resident of Friona most of her life. She graduated from Friona High School in 1981.
Tammy married Wayne Odell on February 12, 2000. She worked a couple of years at Heritage Estates Assisted Living in Friona, Texas and was a proud homemaker. She loved her family and especially her son Evan Odell. She was a scout leader in her younger days. Tammy enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, especially her best friend Lupe Taylor of Friona, Texas.
Those left to cherish her memories are her husband Wayne Odell of Friona, Texas, her son Evan Odell of Friona, Texas; four nieces Shaonda Bentley of Hereford, Texas, Valerie Lopez of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Allison Fluck of Rockwall, Texas, and Melissa Francis of Lubbock, Texas; two nephews Jeremy Bentley of Lubbock, Texas, and Corey Bentley of Aztec, New Mexico. Her best friend of 53 years Lupe Taylor of Friona, Texas.
Tammy is preceded in death by her parents Sam and Doris Richards, a sister Rhonda Bentley and one brother Randy Richards.
You may go online and sign the guest book at www.mendezandmullins.com
Harold Bernard Gowens, 88 of Friona peacefully passed to his heavenly rest on January 31, 2023. Viewing was held from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM with family visitation from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Sunday, February 5, 2023 in the Ron Smiley Memorial Chapel of HANSARD FAMILY with Celebration of Life Services conducted at 11:00 AM Monday, February 6, 2023 at First Baptist Church in Friona with Elder Michael Gowens, Elder Ronnie Hedges and Elder Wayne Venable, officiating. Burial with military honors following in the Friona Cemetery by HANSARD FAMILY Funeral Home of Friona.
Bernard was born April 29, 1934 in Crosbyton, Texas, the first of six children, to Sylvester B. and Minnie Bass Gowens. He was a graduate of the 1952 class of Lubbock High School. He attended Texas Tech University in the fall of 1952, while working at Furr's Supermarket in Lubbock to help in the support of his family. The need to work interrupted his collegiate career, but he was at Texas Tech long enough to become a lifelong Red Raider fan. In 1955, he was drafted into the United States Army. After completing Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Bliss, Texas, he was deployed to the army base at Wiesbaden, Germany where he spent the next 18 months as part of a heavy artillery battery, radar specialist and mechanic. When he returned to the States, he continued his education at Draughon's Business College in Lubbock. There he met a pretty redhead from Roswell, New Mexico, named Maxie Lynn McBride. Intrigued, Bernard decided to make his move before several other young men had an opportunity, and ask her on a date. They were married just six weeks later on September 17, 1957.
Over the next decade, Bernard and Lynn lived in Roswell, NM, where he worked as bookkeeper for a local radio/television station, and in Tulia, Texas, where he worked for the next five years as a staff accountant for Brown, Graham & Company, Certified Public Accountants. While working in Tulia, he took a number of accounting classes at West Texas State University, and sat for his CPA exam in 1966, which he passed on the first attempt. Before long, Bernard was promoted to a Senior Managing Partner of the firm.
Bernie and Lynn (as many locals know them) relocated to Friona from Tulia in 1968, where he assumed management of Brown, Graham & Co.'s Friona branch. He served in that capacity until 2001,when the Friona office was consolidated into the Hereford office. He spent another few years with Brown, Graham & Co. Then, from 2005 to 2013, he worked for Donna West CPA, PC in Hereford, where he retired after a dedicated career as a Certified Public Accountant. After his retirement, Bernard was recognized by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for 50 years of licensure as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas.
Public accounting, however, was not the only vocation in which Bernard was employed. In September 1968, he was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry at Muleshoe Primitive Baptist Church, Muleshoe, Texas. Over the next 54 ½ years, Elder Gowens traveled extensively to serve Primitive Baptist Churches in Texas and Eastern New Mexico, as well as preaching on appointment in Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and California. He pastored churches in Tucumcari, NM, Clovis, NM, Muleshoe, TX and Snyder, TX, as well as filling monthly appointments for years in Perryton, TX, Andrews, TX, and Brownfield, TX.
Brother Bernard was reared in a godly, Christian home, attending Primitive Baptist churches from his earliest days. He was baptized into the fellowship of Anton Primitive Baptist Church at the age of nine. At his death, his membership was with Fairview Primitive Baptist Church in Clovis, NM, where Elder Steve Baldock is pastor. He sincerely believed the doctrine of grace as proclaimed by the Primitive Baptists, and maintained an honest conviction for its practical simplicity. He was known as a doctrinal preacher, but made it a point to teach the whole counsel of God. Elder Gowens served the Lord and His people with dedication, self-sacrifice and humble devotion throughout his ministerial career. His tender heart, humble attitude and love for the cause of Christ endeared him to the people he served.
Bernard Gowens was a man of integrity, good humor and compassion to others. He worked hard, from the time of very modest beginnings in the wake of the Depression, to the more stable retirement years. His consistent Christian gait in community life and his faithful service to the Lord's people under his care was exemplary. Although he has entered the Lord's glorious presence and is no longer with us, his legacy will live on in the hearts of those whose lives he touched with his characteristic love and kindness.
Bernard was predeceased by his father, Elder Sylvester Gowens, his mother, Minnie Gowens, his sister, Gwendolyn Gentry, and a precious preborn child.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 65 years, Lynn Gowens of Friona, three sons - David (LaDelle) Gowens of Dripping Springs, TX; Michael (Lori) Gowens of Calabash, NC; Daniel (Lisa) Gowens of Inver Grove Heights, MN - fourteen grandchildren - Amber Ferrell, Bradley Gowens, Ashley Penn, Jared Gowens, Bethany Gowins, Hayden Gowens, Zachariah Gowens, Hannah Gowens, Jaycie Gowens, Kaylie Gowens, Evelyn Gowens, Briana Simek, Elivia Gowens, Alexandra Gowens - twelve great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Fairview Primitive Baptist Church, c/o David Norton, Treasurer, 401 US Hwy 60, Farwell, TX 79325.
You may send blessings to the family and sign the online guest book exclusively at: hansardfamily.com