Earl Clay Dallas

Earl Clay Dallas, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, 96, of Amarillo, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Masonic Rites will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at Brooks Chapel. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. 

Earl was born on June 11, 1929, in Cincinnati, Ohio to Earl Richard and Marie Caroline (Moore) Dallas. He and his siblings were raised in an orphanage after his father lost his sight in the flood of 1929, and having no access to extended family, his nieces and nephews later became his true, cherished family.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving as Staff Sargent from 1948 to 1968, and was awarded a Bronze Star with Valor Medal in 1950 while in Korea where he was a member of the Military Police. The medal was presented 63 years later by Congressman Mac Thornberry. Although he was very humble about his accomplishments, he received numerous other medals while serving in France, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam where he led the operations for Petroleum, Lubricants and Oils, keeping troops and helicopters in action with gas and supplies. He was also a mentor to many on the firing range, helping them develop their skills.

After an honorable discharge from the military, Earl worked as a handy man and owned a gas station. He moved to Randall County in 1975 and married Clarissa Raef on May 1, 1976. He received his certificate of Construction Engineering from Amarillo College and worked as a carpenter at West Texas State University. Upon retirement, he was employed at Pantex.

Earl was a member of Palo Duro Masonic Lodge for over twenty years and served as past Master of the Tascosa Masonic Lodge. He was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, and America Supports You Texas.

Earl was a man of many interests. For 49 years, he and Clarissa enjoyed traveling extensively across the U.S. in their RV, and he particularly enjoyed riding ATV’s. He also loved woodworking, making anything from picture frames to plant holders and was known to supply many doctors with his handmade pens, crafted from exotic wood. He enjoyed gardening, raising rabbits, hunting, and fishing, but his greatest joy was his children and taking them on trips.

Earl is preceded in death by his sisters, Josephine Platt and Juanita Morin, brothers, Lonnie and Pete Dallas, half-sister, Judy (Garland) Burke, half-brother, ‘Buddy’ Garland, son, Ranes Edward Rollins, and brother-in-law, Edward Meister.

Survivors include his wife, Clarissa Ellen (Raef) Dallas of Amarillo; daughter, Deirdre Therisse (Rollins) Campos of Jacksonville, NC; daughter-in-law, Tong Rollins of Canyon; sister, Mary Meister of Cincinnati, Ohio; brother, Ronald Dallas and wife, Susan of Jacksonville, FL; nine grandchildren; four great grandchildren; those he loved as his own, Mark Dallas and Jennifer Dallas, both of Prescott, AZ; many nieces and nephews that he loved dearly; and numerous Masonic and organizational friends.

The family suggests memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Shriners Hospitals for Children, PO Box 1525, Ransom, WV 25438.