OBITUARY
Garrett C. PARNELL, 59, prominent Hemphill and Lipscomb count farmer and rancher, was found dead at about 11 o’clock on Monday morning in his pickup on a country road two miles off Highway 60, some five miles from Glazier, and about a mile from the PARNELL ranch in Lipscomb county. He had been shot in the back of the head with a .22 caliber rifle which he habitually carried, and a Lipscomb county coroner’s jury, after thorough investigation, returned a verdict of accidental death.
Sheriff Everett Tarbox of Lipscomb county, who led the investigation, said there was no doubt from the evident that death was accidentally, “although” he added, “we can only guess at what actually happened.”
Mr. PARNELL’s body was found slumped in his stalled pickup at about 11:00 o’clock by Oran Price of Glazier, owner of a neighboring ranch. Price summoned Sheriff Harry Rathjen of Canadian, who, in turn, called Sheriff Tarbox from Lipscomb when it was determined the the accident had occurred over the Hemphill county line in Lipscomb county.
All evidence pointed to the fact the pickup was still in motion at the time Mr. Parnell was shot, officers said, theorizing that he had probably reached back over his head for the gun . . . which was habitually carried behind the seat of the pickup . . . and that it had accidentally discharged.
The pickup had traveled some distance down the road, apparently out of control, before running into a sand bank at the side of the road and coming to a halt. The ignition switch was still on, but the motor had stalled.
Officers guessed that the time of the accident had been shortly after 8 o’clock.
Mr. PARNELL had stopped in Glazier between 7:30 and 8 o’clock Monday morning, indicating he was on the way to the ranch from his home in Canadian.
The last rites for Garrett C. PARNELL were conducted at the First Methodist Church.
Rev. T. G. Craft, pastor, was in charge of the services; and interment will be at the Canadian cemetery where members of the Canadian Masonic Lodge will conduct graveside rites.
Mr. PARNELL was born in Boone County, Arkansas, on July 15, 1896. He had been a long time resident of Canadian and of Hemphill and Lipscomb counties. Surviving him are his wife, Mrs. Ophelia PARNELL of Canadian; two daughters, Mrs. Harry JAMISON of Higgins and Mrs. J. C. WYATT of Locust Grove; and two sons, Ben PARNELL, now convalescing from an attack of polio at Warm Springs, Georgia; and Sid PARNELL, who is with the U. S. Armed Forces in Korea; and three brothers, T. PARNELL and Wallace PARNELL, both of Perryton; and Ralph PARNELL of Phoenix, Arizona.
(Published in The Canadian Record (TX), July 21, 1955.)
(Submitted by Angie Mitchell Martin)
OBITUARY
Garrett C. PARNELL, 59, prominent Hemphill and Lipscomb count farmer and rancher, was found dead at about 11 o’clock on Monday morning in his pickup on a country road two miles off Highway 60, some five miles from Glazier, and about a mile from the PARNELL ranch in Lipscomb county. He had been shot in the back of the head with a .22 caliber rifle which he habitually carried, and a Lipscomb county coroner’s jury, after thorough investigation, returned a verdict of accidental death.
Sheriff Everett Tarbox of Lipscomb county, who led the investigation, said there was no doubt from the evident that death was accidentally, “although” he added, “we can only guess at what actually happened.”
Mr. PARNELL’s body was found slumped in his stalled pickup at about 11:00 o’clock by Oran Price of Glazier, owner of a neighboring ranch. Price summoned Sheriff Harry Rathjen of Canadian, who, in turn, called Sheriff Tarbox from Lipscomb when it was determined the the accident had occurred over the Hemphill county line in Lipscomb county.
All evidence pointed to the fact the pickup was still in motion at the time Mr. Parnell was shot, officers said, theorizing that he had probably reached back over his head for the gun . . . which was habitually carried behind the seat of the pickup . . . and that it had accidentally discharged.
The pickup had traveled some distance down the road, apparently out of control, before running into a sand bank at the side of the road and coming to a halt. The ignition switch was still on, but the motor had stalled.
Officers guessed that the time of the accident had been shortly after 8 o’clock.
Mr. PARNELL had stopped in Glazier between 7:30 and 8 o’clock Monday morning, indicating he was on the way to the ranch from his home in Canadian.
The last rites for Garrett C. PARNELL were conducted at the First Methodist Church.
Rev. T. G. Craft, pastor, was in charge of the services; and interment will be at the Canadian cemetery where members of the Canadian Masonic Lodge will conduct graveside rites.
Mr. PARNELL was born in Boone County, Arkansas, on July 15, 1896. He had been a long time resident of Canadian and of Hemphill and Lipscomb counties. Surviving him are his wife, Mrs. Ophelia PARNELL of Canadian; two daughters, Mrs. Harry JAMISON of Higgins and Mrs. J. C. WYATT of Locust Grove; and two sons, Ben PARNELL, now convalescing from an attack of polio at Warm Springs, Georgia; and Sid PARNELL, who is with the U. S. Armed Forces in Korea; and three brothers, T. PARNELL and Wallace PARNELL, both of Perryton; and Ralph PARNELL of Phoenix, Arizona.
(Published in The Canadian Record (TX), July 21, 1955.)
(Submitted by Angie Mitchell Martin)
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