Dateline: September 28, 2006

Venita Crocker Mastin, 84, died Saturday, September 16, 2006, in Clarendon.

Private burial was held at the Claude Cemetery on Monday, September 18, 2006. Services were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors, Inc., of Clarendon.

Venita was raised in a loving farm family in Godly, Texas. She had four sisters and one brother. As a young woman she moved to Dallas, Texas, married, and raised three children. In her retirement years, she moved to the Texas Panhandle. You may remember a silver-haired, blue eyed lady in a denim hat and red vest who could be seen at most garage sales for over 20 years.

Few knew she was an accomplished free lance writer with many published novels, magazine articles, newspaper columns in The Dallas Times Herald and wrote jokes for Phyllis Diller and Hinny Youngman. She even appeared doing stand-up comedy in the Amarillo Little Theater.

She also worked for Sears and as a secretary for the Dallas County Agriculture Department.

She always had a smile on her face and a scripture to share on Bible prophecy. Being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and sharing her knowledge on the Bible was her favorite thing to do. So if you missed out on getting to know our mother, you missed out on a real treasure. We love her and miss her.

Survivors include two daughters, Sharlee Snail of Closter, New Jersey, and Cherle Mastin of Oklahoma City; one son, David Mastin of Claude.