SPEARMAN - Erlis Elias PITTMAN, 95, died Wednesday, February 25, 2004.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Friday in First Methodist Church with the Rev. Ken Cole and Frank Pittman officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home.
Mr. PITTMAN was born June 18, 1908, at the family farm south of Gray, Oklahoma, the son of Amcey Emmett and Grace Coward PITTMAN. He was the oldest of seven children and learned early in life the habit of rising early and working long hours. One of his first jobs was as a cowboy for Tab PUGH of Perryton.
When he was 15, his mother, Grace died in the flu epidemic of 1923. He left home at the age of 18 to discover what was around the next bend. Erlis and a friend, George GARNER, rode freight trains north and survived by working on harvest crews, playing cards and shooting pool.
Erlis spent one winter with a logging crew in Wisconsin, where his job was to haul the logs out of the forests using teams of horses. In 1926 one of his jobs was as a custodian for Union School. It was there he met his future wife and lifelong partner, Ethel WINDSOR of Turpin, Oklahoma.
By 1928, Erlis was living in Hansford County with his brother, Wendell, where they were partners in the farming and cattle business. Wendell would work for the neighbors to earn enough money for Erlis to do the farming. After a seven-year courtship, on May 21, 1933, Erlis and Ethel were married and moved to the farm in Hansford County. Ethel, Erlis and Wendell remained partners in the farming business until Wendell left on the first bus of World War II draftees from Hansford County.
When Wendell returned from the war in 1944, Erlis and Ethel paid him his half of what the partnership was worth. Ethel worked side-by-side as a partner with Erlis in their farming and ranching business. They lived in the same house nine miles northwest of Morse for 54 years until they moved to Spearman in 1994. Electricity came in the early 1950s and a telephone in 1960.
Erlis served as director of First State Bank of Spearman, was on the original board of directors of Hansford Soil and Water Conservation District and was director of Perryton Equity for 15 years. He served three terms on the Morse School Board, served several years on the Hansford County School Board and was a member of Hansford Appraisal District Board of Equalization.
He was also active with the Boy Scouts and received the Silver Beaver Award. In 1957, Erlis became a partner with Jimmy Shieldknight in the Excel Chevrolet Co. located in Spearman. They remained friends and partners in various businesses until Jimmy's death in September 2003. Erlis said that he and Jimmy did not always agree but they never had a cross word. O. C. HOLT of Spearman and Carl FRANKS of Guymon, Oklahoma, were also treasured partners for many years.
He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; two brothers, Wendell and Emmett; two sisters, Ethel and Helen; and a grandson, Kip.
Survivors include two brothers, Waymon of Warden, Washington, and Leonard of Fritch; two sons, Frank and Lucy of Morse and Bill and Ginger of Spearman; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and his friend and caregiver, Marilyn ANDERSON.
The family suggests memorials be to Hansford County Library or a favorite charity.
The family will be at 1106 Linn St. in Spearman.
(Published in The Amarillo Globe-News (TX), February 26, 2004.)
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Friday in First Methodist Church with the Rev. Ken Cole and Frank Pittman officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home.
Mr. PITTMAN was born June 18, 1908, at the family farm south of Gray, Oklahoma, the son of Amcey Emmett and Grace Coward PITTMAN. He was the oldest of seven children and learned early in life the habit of rising early and working long hours. One of his first jobs was as a cowboy for Tab PUGH of Perryton.
When he was 15, his mother, Grace died in the flu epidemic of 1923. He left home at the age of 18 to discover what was around the next bend. Erlis and a friend, George GARNER, rode freight trains north and survived by working on harvest crews, playing cards and shooting pool.
Erlis spent one winter with a logging crew in Wisconsin, where his job was to haul the logs out of the forests using teams of horses. In 1926 one of his jobs was as a custodian for Union School. It was there he met his future wife and lifelong partner, Ethel WINDSOR of Turpin, Oklahoma.
By 1928, Erlis was living in Hansford County with his brother, Wendell, where they were partners in the farming and cattle business. Wendell would work for the neighbors to earn enough money for Erlis to do the farming. After a seven-year courtship, on May 21, 1933, Erlis and Ethel were married and moved to the farm in Hansford County. Ethel, Erlis and Wendell remained partners in the farming business until Wendell left on the first bus of World War II draftees from Hansford County.
When Wendell returned from the war in 1944, Erlis and Ethel paid him his half of what the partnership was worth. Ethel worked side-by-side as a partner with Erlis in their farming and ranching business. They lived in the same house nine miles northwest of Morse for 54 years until they moved to Spearman in 1994. Electricity came in the early 1950s and a telephone in 1960.
Erlis served as director of First State Bank of Spearman, was on the original board of directors of Hansford Soil and Water Conservation District and was director of Perryton Equity for 15 years. He served three terms on the Morse School Board, served several years on the Hansford County School Board and was a member of Hansford Appraisal District Board of Equalization.
He was also active with the Boy Scouts and received the Silver Beaver Award. In 1957, Erlis became a partner with Jimmy Shieldknight in the Excel Chevrolet Co. located in Spearman. They remained friends and partners in various businesses until Jimmy's death in September 2003. Erlis said that he and Jimmy did not always agree but they never had a cross word. O. C. HOLT of Spearman and Carl FRANKS of Guymon, Oklahoma, were also treasured partners for many years.
He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; two brothers, Wendell and Emmett; two sisters, Ethel and Helen; and a grandson, Kip.
Survivors include two brothers, Waymon of Warden, Washington, and Leonard of Fritch; two sons, Frank and Lucy of Morse and Bill and Ginger of Spearman; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and his friend and caregiver, Marilyn ANDERSON.
The family suggests memorials be to Hansford County Library or a favorite charity.
The family will be at 1106 Linn St. in Spearman.
(Published in The Amarillo Globe-News (TX), February 26, 2004.)
SPEARMAN - Erlis Elias PITTMAN, 95, died Wednesday, February 25, 2004.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Friday in First Methodist Church with the Rev. Ken Cole and Frank Pittman officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home.
Mr. PITTMAN was born June 18, 1908, at the family farm south of Gray, Oklahoma, the son of Amcey Emmett and Grace Coward PITTMAN. He was the oldest of seven children and learned early in life the habit of rising early and working long hours. One of his first jobs was as a cowboy for Tab PUGH of Perryton.
When he was 15, his mother, Grace died in the flu epidemic of 1923. He left home at the age of 18 to discover what was around the next bend. Erlis and a friend, George GARNER, rode freight trains north and survived by working on harvest crews, playing cards and shooting pool.
Erlis spent one winter with a logging crew in Wisconsin, where his job was to haul the logs out of the forests using teams of horses. In 1926 one of his jobs was as a custodian for Union School. It was there he met his future wife and lifelong partner, Ethel WINDSOR of Turpin, Oklahoma.
By 1928, Erlis was living in Hansford County with his brother, Wendell, where they were partners in the farming and cattle business. Wendell would work for the neighbors to earn enough money for Erlis to do the farming. After a seven-year courtship, on May 21, 1933, Erlis and Ethel were married and moved to the farm in Hansford County. Ethel, Erlis and Wendell remained partners in the farming business until Wendell left on the first bus of World War II draftees from Hansford County.
When Wendell returned from the war in 1944, Erlis and Ethel paid him his half of what the partnership was worth. Ethel worked side-by-side as a partner with Erlis in their farming and ranching business. They lived in the same house nine miles northwest of Morse for 54 years until they moved to Spearman in 1994. Electricity came in the early 1950s and a telephone in 1960.
Erlis served as director of First State Bank of Spearman, was on the original board of directors of Hansford Soil and Water Conservation District and was director of Perryton Equity for 15 years. He served three terms on the Morse School Board, served several years on the Hansford County School Board and was a member of Hansford Appraisal District Board of Equalization.
He was also active with the Boy Scouts and received the Silver Beaver Award. In 1957, Erlis became a partner with Jimmy Shieldknight in the Excel Chevrolet Co. located in Spearman. They remained friends and partners in various businesses until Jimmy's death in September 2003. Erlis said that he and Jimmy did not always agree but they never had a cross word. O. C. HOLT of Spearman and Carl FRANKS of Guymon, Oklahoma, were also treasured partners for many years.
He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; two brothers, Wendell and Emmett; two sisters, Ethel and Helen; and a grandson, Kip.
Survivors include two brothers, Waymon of Warden, Washington, and Leonard of Fritch; two sons, Frank and Lucy of Morse and Bill and Ginger of Spearman; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and his friend and caregiver, Marilyn ANDERSON.
The family suggests memorials be to Hansford County Library or a favorite charity.
The family will be at 1106 Linn St. in Spearman.
(Published in The Amarillo Globe-News (TX), February 26, 2004.)
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Friday in First Methodist Church with the Rev. Ken Cole and Frank Pittman officiating. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home.
Mr. PITTMAN was born June 18, 1908, at the family farm south of Gray, Oklahoma, the son of Amcey Emmett and Grace Coward PITTMAN. He was the oldest of seven children and learned early in life the habit of rising early and working long hours. One of his first jobs was as a cowboy for Tab PUGH of Perryton.
When he was 15, his mother, Grace died in the flu epidemic of 1923. He left home at the age of 18 to discover what was around the next bend. Erlis and a friend, George GARNER, rode freight trains north and survived by working on harvest crews, playing cards and shooting pool.
Erlis spent one winter with a logging crew in Wisconsin, where his job was to haul the logs out of the forests using teams of horses. In 1926 one of his jobs was as a custodian for Union School. It was there he met his future wife and lifelong partner, Ethel WINDSOR of Turpin, Oklahoma.
By 1928, Erlis was living in Hansford County with his brother, Wendell, where they were partners in the farming and cattle business. Wendell would work for the neighbors to earn enough money for Erlis to do the farming. After a seven-year courtship, on May 21, 1933, Erlis and Ethel were married and moved to the farm in Hansford County. Ethel, Erlis and Wendell remained partners in the farming business until Wendell left on the first bus of World War II draftees from Hansford County.
When Wendell returned from the war in 1944, Erlis and Ethel paid him his half of what the partnership was worth. Ethel worked side-by-side as a partner with Erlis in their farming and ranching business. They lived in the same house nine miles northwest of Morse for 54 years until they moved to Spearman in 1994. Electricity came in the early 1950s and a telephone in 1960.
Erlis served as director of First State Bank of Spearman, was on the original board of directors of Hansford Soil and Water Conservation District and was director of Perryton Equity for 15 years. He served three terms on the Morse School Board, served several years on the Hansford County School Board and was a member of Hansford Appraisal District Board of Equalization.
He was also active with the Boy Scouts and received the Silver Beaver Award. In 1957, Erlis became a partner with Jimmy Shieldknight in the Excel Chevrolet Co. located in Spearman. They remained friends and partners in various businesses until Jimmy's death in September 2003. Erlis said that he and Jimmy did not always agree but they never had a cross word. O. C. HOLT of Spearman and Carl FRANKS of Guymon, Oklahoma, were also treasured partners for many years.
He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; two brothers, Wendell and Emmett; two sisters, Ethel and Helen; and a grandson, Kip.
Survivors include two brothers, Waymon of Warden, Washington, and Leonard of Fritch; two sons, Frank and Lucy of Morse and Bill and Ginger of Spearman; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and his friend and caregiver, Marilyn ANDERSON.
The family suggests memorials be to Hansford County Library or a favorite charity.
The family will be at 1106 Linn St. in Spearman.
(Published in The Amarillo Globe-News (TX), February 26, 2004.)
