Waldeen Ficke

Waldeen D. Ficke, 81, of Canyon, died Wednesday, January 29, 2003 in Amarillo. Services will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 1, 2003 at the First Baptist Church of Canyon with Rev. Robert Bennett, pastor of Freedom Baptist Church of Amarillo, and David Lowrie, pastor of First Baptist Church of Canyon, officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery. Waldeen was born on April 5, 1921 in Ochiltree County, Texas to Elbert C. and Rhoda Bess Dodson. They preceded her in death. She graduated from Perryton High School in 1938, and then graduated as an R.N. from Northwest Texas Hospital in May, 1942. She started the Vocational Nursing program at Amarillo College. She moved to Austin, Texas, in November, 1972, as Executive Director of the Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners. She retired and moved to Canyon, Texas, in December 1983. She married Hubert Bishop on August 22, 1942, in Amarillo, Texas. He preceded her in death on July 7, 1966. They had two children, Karen Barnes and Richard Bishop. She married Howard J. Wilson on June 8, 1968, in Amarillo, Texas. He preceded her in death on August 22, 1981. She then married George H. Ficke on May 28, 1987. She was Woman of the year of Charter Chapter of ABWA in 1966 and was a volunteer at Palo Duro Hospital from 1984 until the hospital closed. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Canyon and a member of the Quilt Ministry. She is survived by her husband, George H. Ficke, of Canyon; two children: Karen Barnes and husband, Orin, of Canyon, Texas, and Richard Bishop and wife, Stephanie, of Maize, Kansas; five grandchildren: Gay Burk & husband, Robert, of Frisco, Texas, Kam Barnes & wife, Holly, of Manchaca, Texas, Darin Barnes & wife, Brooke, of Canyon, Texas, Kevin Bishop of Kansas City, Missouri, and Kimberly Rogers & husband, Kevin, of Wichita, Kansas; six great grandchildren: Brad & Ryan Burk of Frisco, Texas, Logan & Ellie Barnes of Manchaca, Texas, and Lorin & Rilee Barnes of Canyon, Texas; four stepchildren: Nancy LaFavers of Amarillo, Texas, Barbara Higdon of Amarillo, Texas, Lynn Mann and husband, Jim, of Georgetown, Texas, and Margaret Ann Fox of Amarillo, Texas; nine step grandchildren: Robin Hunt & husband, Wayne, of The Colony, Texas, Sherree Bennett & husband, Robert, of Amarillo, Texas, Kristina Johnston & husband, Presley, of Amarillo, Texas, Ronny Higdon of Omaha, Nebraska, Joanna Higdon of Amarillo, Texas, Cinda Odneal & husband, Robert, of Amarillo, Texas, Paige Tebeest & husband, Donnie, of Plain view, Texas, Austin Dowell & wife, Stacy, of Amarillo, Texas, and Krisha Glenn & husband, Kyle, of Denver, Colorado; seven step great grandchildren: Joshua & Jacob Bennett of Amarillo, Texas, Blake & Mackenzie Johnston of Amarillo, Texas, Bailee Higdon of Amarillo, Texas, Mitchell Tebeest of Plain view, Texas, and Audrey Glenn of Denver, Colorado; one sister: Beryl Trew of Perryton, Texas; one brother: Jack Dodson and wife, Betty Dodson, of Tulia, Texas; and one aunt: Emily Suggs of Hereford, Texas.