Obituary

Obituary of A. W. “Jake” Avis
(C. Avis Catalog entry #150)
(Document ID #508)

Wichita Falls Record News
3-16-1976
p. 1

A. W. Avis Dead At 82

  A.W. "Jake" Avis, 82, member of a pioneer Wichita Falls family, died Monday in Austin.
  Arrangements are under the direction of Weed-Corley Funeral Home, Austin.
  Avis was born in 1894, in Wichita Falls and was active in his father's business in Wichita Falls until he moved to Austin.
  His father, James David Avis, was a prominent Wichita County cattleman and owned several thousand acres of land in the county.
  His father owned a grocery business in Wichita Falls until 1896. He formed the Avis Hardware Co., in 1909, which became one of Texas' leading establishments of its kind.
  Avis' father was a vice president of First National Bank at Wichita Falls and was a director in Southern Wichita Life Insurance Co. Pictures of Avis' father hang on walls of the courthouse in Montague County as the first white child to be born in that county.
  Survivors include his wife Gladys; a sister. Ruby Dunkelberg of Wichita Falls and two grandchildren.

Obituary of A. W. “Jake” Avis
(C. Avis Catalog entry #149)
(Document ID #509)

Wichita Daily Times
3-16-1976
p. 4

A.W. Avis' rites slated in Austin

  Services for A. W. "Jake" Avis, 82, member of a Wichita Falls pioneer family, will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Weed-Corley Funeral Home in Austin.
  Avis died Monday in Austin.
  Born in Wichita Falls in 1894, Avis was active in his father's business until he moved to Austin. 
  James David Avis, his father, was a prominent Wichita County cattleman and owned several thousand acres of land in the county.
  His father owned a grocery business in Wichita Falls until 1896. He formed the Avis Hardware Co., in 1909, which became one of Texas' leading establishments of its kind.
  Avis' father was a vice president of First National Bank of Wichita Falls and was a director in Southern Wichita Life Insurance Co. Pictures of Avis' father hang on walls of the courthouse in Montague County as the first white child to be born in that county.
  Survivors include his wife, Gladys; a sister, Ruby Dunkelberg of Wichita Falls, and two grandchildren.

Obituary of A. W. 'Jake' Avis
(C. Avis Catalog entry #148)
(Document ID #507)

Austin American-Statesman
3-17-1976
p. D20

A.W. (JAKE) AVIS

  A. W. (Jake) Avis of 1110 Claire, an Austin resident for more than forty years, died Monday in a local hospital at the age of 82.
  Services are set for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Weed-Corley Funeral Home with Dr. Browning Ware and Judge Zollie Steakley officiating. Burial will be at Austin Memorial Park.
  Pallbearers will be Davis Avis, Charles Avis, Dan Felts, Bill Collins, Sr., Jay Barnes, Jack Roberts, Jr., Pat Robertson, and Jim Morris.
  Mr. Avis was born December 1, 1893 in Wichita Falls, the son of a prominent Wichita Falls pioneer family, the late Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Avis. He served with the 142nd infantry in France during World War I.
  He came to Austin in 1933 and from that time until his retirement in 1964
 was associated with the Texas Railroad
Commission.
  Mr. Avis is predeceased by his son Dr. Jake Avis, Jr.
  He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Gladys R. Avis; a sister, Mrs. Ruby Dunkelberg of Wichita Falls; grandsons, David M. Avis of Nashville, Tenn. and Charles C. Avis of Austin; and several nieces and nephews.

Obituary of A. W. 'Jake' Avis
(C. Avis Catalog entry #147)
(Document ID #506)

Austin American-Statesman
3-16-1976
p. B2

Avis, A. W. (Jake), 82, 1110 Claire, died Monday.  Services pending at Weed-Corley Funeral Home.  Survivors:  wife, Gladys Avis of Austin; sister, Rudy Dunkelburg of Wichita Falls; two grandsons; numerous nieces and nephews.
 

Avis Rites To Be Held Thursday

Obituary of Dr. Jake Avis, Jr.
(C. Avis Catalog entry #136)
(Document #499)

Austin American
2-22-1961
p. 1

Rifle Shot Fatal For Austin Man

  A well-known Austin dentist. Dr. Jake Avis Jr., 39, died Tuesday afternoon of a gunshot wound sustained shortly before noon at his home at 1510 Rainbow Bend.
  The tragedy was discovered by two painters working across the street.
  A. G. Wadford of 1201 Newton Road and A. P. Childers of 4608 Lyons Road told police they had just returned from lunch when they heard a man shouting at the front door of the Avis home. They said he frantically motioned for them to come to him.
  They raced across the street and found the dentist wounded. Wadford quoted Dr. Avis as saying he had shot himself accidentally. Wadford called a Hyltin-Manor ambulance while Childers remained with Avis. Although believed to have been wounded about 11:30 a.m., he still was conscious when he reached Brackenridge Hospital emergency room at 1:15 p.m. He died at 1:35 p.m.
  Police Lieutenant Merle Wells, Sergeant Ed Tramp and Patrolman Edward Silvanage said a gun closet was open in the living room of the Avis home. The death weapon, a .22 caliber rifle, was lying in front of the closet. Several other weapons were in the closet.
  A coroner's verdict was pending late Tuesday, Justice of the Peace J. H. Watson said.
  Avis attended the University of Texas and Texas A&M and graduated from the University of Texas Dental School. He had practiced dentistry here 10 years. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II, and was a member of the board of deacons of University Presbyterian Church.
  Avis is survived by his widow; two sons, David Martin Avis and Charles Chiles Avis; and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Avis Sr., all of Austin. Funeral services tentatively were scheduled for Thursday at Weed-Corley Funeral Home.

Obituary of F. Piner Avis
(C. Avis Catalog entry #117)
(Document #503)

Wichita Daily Times
1-21-1958
p. 2

Pioneer Native Wichitan Dies After Long Illness

  F. Piner Avis, 72-year-old native Wichitan, died about midnight Monday in his home at 1105 Taylor, following a lengthy illness.
  Funeral services are scheduled at 10:30 a. m. Wednesday in the Hampton-Vaughan-Merkle Funeral Home chapel.
  Rev. L. McD Kennedy Jr., pastor of Fain Memorial Presbyterian Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery.
  Son of the first white man born in Montague County, Texas, Piner was born Dec. 17, 1885, in Wichita Falls. As a youngster, Avis saw his community spring from a few shacks and tents into a thriving city.
  A cowboy for much of his early life, because he wanted to be, Avis purchased one of the first automobiles in Wichita Falls back in 1908. Later this car was stolen, the first automobile theft reported in the state.
  Following his career as a cow-poke, Avis began working in the old Panhandle Bank (now the First National).
  One of Avis's proudest boasts was that he had never been thrown from a horse ("I could ride anything with hair”) and the pioneer Wichitan would recall that some of his happiest days were spent in the saddle.
  In past years, Avis was in the cattle brokerage business and operated the 4,394 acres remaining in the old Barefoot Bryant spread.
  A charter member of the Wichita Falls Elks Lodge, Avis was also one of the first to subscribe to a city chamber of commerce.
  Good-natured and friendly, the pioneer insisted friends call him by his given name.
  Many times in recent years attorneys sought the aid of Avis when seeking to clear up property disputes and the pioneer rancher always obliged but refused payment  for  his  services.
  Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Marvin L. McCullough, Wichita Falls; three sisters, Mrs. Lillian Baum and Mrs. Ruby Dunkleberg, both of Wichita Falls, and Mrs. Fred Weeks, Tyler, two brothers, Dave Avis, Wichita Falls, and Jake Avis, Austin; and a granddaughter, Miss Marilyn McCullough, Wichita Falls.

Obituary of J. D. Avis, Jr.
(C. Avis Catalog entry #116)
(Document ID #505)

Wichita Falls Times

Wichita Falls, Texas
Monday
January 4, 1960
Page 9

Dave Avis Rites Are Held

  Funeral services for J. D. "Dave" Avis, 72, pioneer rancher and a native of Wichita County, were held at 4 p.m. Monday in Hampton-Vaughan Funeral Home chapel.
  Officiating was Dr. Earle Crawford, pastor of First Presbyterian Church. Burial was in Memorial Park Mausoleum.
  Pallbearers were Bruce Campbell, Bryant Edwards, O. O. Ross, Jim Keith, Kenneth Keith, Harry Myers and Irvin Gore.    .
  Born Sept. 9, 1887, Avis was well known in Wichita and Clay Counties where he had been engaged in ranching all of his life.
  He resided at 1578 Carol Lane,
  Survivors include two daughters, Mrs, Buck J. Miller and Mrs. Clint B. Wood, both of Wichita Falls; two sons, Piner D, Avis of Wichita Falls and J. D. Avis III of Jolly; three sisters, Mrs. Lillian Baum and Mrs. Ruby Dunkelberg, both of Wichita Falls, and Mrs. Fred Weeks of Tyler; one brother, Jake Avis of Austin; and five grandchildren.

Obituary of Dr. Jake Avis, Jr.
(C. Avis Catalog entry #115)
(Document ID #496)

Wichita Falls Times

WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS
Page 20    WEDNESDAY
February 22, 1961
 

Former Wichitan Dies In Austin

   Dr. Jake Avis Jr., 38-year-old Austin dentist and former Wichitan, died Tuesday in his Austin home.
   The son of Mr. and Mrs. Jake Avis Sr., former Wichitans now residing in Austin, Dr. Avis was born here. He attended the University of Texas and Texas A&M College. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
   He was a member of several dental associations and a deacon at the University Presbyterian Church in Austin.
   Survivors, in addition to his parents, include his wife, Mrs. Peggy Avis, of the home; two sons, Mart and Charlie Avis, both of Austin; an uncle, L. C. Roberson, Houston; and five aunts, Mrs. Ruby Dunkelberg, Mrs. Lilian Baum and Miss Jennie Roberson, all of Wichita Falls; Mrs. W. F. Weeks, Tyler; and Mrs. R. H. Gracey, Austin.

Obituary of Mart Roberson
(C. Avis Catalog entry #66)
(Document ID #376a)

PIONEER RANGE RIDER IS DEAD

MART ROBERSON, COLORFUL FIGURE, CAME WEST 50 YEARS AGO

    Mart Roberson, for 50 years a range rider and well known in Amarillo, is dead.
    The death occurred recently at his home in Wichita Falls, according to word received here by Capt. Clark Cain, chief of detectives.
    While he was manager of a ranch at old Sunnyside, N. M., Mr. Roberson was a familiar figure at the Amarillo Hotel. He was picturesque and typical of early day Texans who braved the frontier.
    Although 75 years of age, Mr. Roberson remained active in the cattle industry until his fatal illness.
    As a youth of 19, Mr. Roberson secured his first work with the H. & N. Ranch, south of Olney. From then on range activities carried Mr. Roberson on many trail drives and round-ups all over the Panhandle, into Oklahoma and Kansas.
    Besides the widow, two sons and three daughters survive him. The sons are Harry Roberson of Durango, Colo., and Clyde Roberson of Fort Worth; the daughters, Mrs. R. H. Gracey of Oklahoma City, Mrs. Jake Avis of Wichita Falls, and Miss Jennie Roberson, an art supervisor in the Wichita Falls public schools.