1943
Lester
2009
Lester Wayne Rivers
August 13, 1943 — June 27, 2009
Mr. Rivers was born Aug. 13, 1943, in Canadian to J. W. Rivers and Olene Hodges Rivers. He graduated from Amarillo High School in 1961, and then attended the University of Arkansas on a basketball scholarship. In 1964, he married Eveline Stanford in Conway, Ark., his college sweetheart, who remained his best friend and life partner for 44 years.
Wayne was a lifelong steward for the citizens of Amarillo. He retreated in his childhood years to the Maverick Boys Club to escape the entrapment of all of his sisters at home. In his adult years, he was an avid golfer with many weekends punctuated by his desire to heave his driver into the tree and his clubs into the lake.
Wayne served as a member of the Amarillo Independent School District Board of Trustees for six years, one of those years as president and was most proud of the accomplishment during this period in which each AISD high school built new athletic activity centers.
He was an active member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and the church's Men's Club. He also served on the board of directors of the Tri-State Fair and was a member of Leadership Amarillo.
Wayne's passion in life was the betterment of all children. He coached his children's Kids, Inc. teams as well as other teams, and he coached Little Dribblers basketball teams long after his own daughter graduated and went to college. Most importantly, he was a dedicated servant to Eveline for the Eveline Rivers Christmas Project and Eveline's Sunshine Cottage.
He was preceded in death by a son, Rusty Rivers, in 2003; his parents and father-in-law, W.K. Stanford.
Survivors include his wife, Eveline; a son, Todd Rivers and wife Dawn Rivers of Conway, Ark.; a daughter, Allison Floyd and husband Quintin of Amarillo; seven grandchildren, Lauren, Austin and Tanner Rivers, and Quinci, Linzi, Logan and Braxton Floyd; four sisters, Barbara Wooldridge and husband Clark, Sallie Amason and husband Tom, Lola Hornstra and husband John, Loretta Redmon and husband Chris, all of Amarillo, and Kay Cockrell and husband Mike of Houston; four brothers, David Rivers and wife Cindy, Michael Rivers and wife Robbi, and Johnny Rivers, all of Amarillo, and Steven Rivers and wife Kendall of Oysterville, Wash.; his mother-in-law, Edna Stanford of Conway, Ark.; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Tim Lewallen of Little Rock, Ark.; and an abundance of nieces and nephews. Also left behind are children who Wayne "tucked under his wing," Shree Standiford, Michael Willey and all of the families in Eveline's Sunshine Cottage.
We can't forget those darn pets that Eveline continued to bring home and he vowed "were not staying" that are all still here years later, Daisi, Lilli and Oreo, Wayne's "full figured" cat.
The family suggests memorials be to Eveline's Sunshine Cottage or the Eveline Rivers Christmas Project, 6104 Gainsborough Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106.
A reception will follow in the Monsignor Tash Parish Hall at the church.
Wayne was a lifelong steward for the citizens of Amarillo. He retreated in his childhood years to the Maverick Boys Club to escape the entrapment of all of his sisters at home. In his adult years, he was an avid golfer with many weekends punctuated by his desire to heave his driver into the tree and his clubs into the lake.
Wayne served as a member of the Amarillo Independent School District Board of Trustees for six years, one of those years as president and was most proud of the accomplishment during this period in which each AISD high school built new athletic activity centers.
He was an active member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and the church's Men's Club. He also served on the board of directors of the Tri-State Fair and was a member of Leadership Amarillo.
Wayne's passion in life was the betterment of all children. He coached his children's Kids, Inc. teams as well as other teams, and he coached Little Dribblers basketball teams long after his own daughter graduated and went to college. Most importantly, he was a dedicated servant to Eveline for the Eveline Rivers Christmas Project and Eveline's Sunshine Cottage.
He was preceded in death by a son, Rusty Rivers, in 2003; his parents and father-in-law, W.K. Stanford.
Survivors include his wife, Eveline; a son, Todd Rivers and wife Dawn Rivers of Conway, Ark.; a daughter, Allison Floyd and husband Quintin of Amarillo; seven grandchildren, Lauren, Austin and Tanner Rivers, and Quinci, Linzi, Logan and Braxton Floyd; four sisters, Barbara Wooldridge and husband Clark, Sallie Amason and husband Tom, Lola Hornstra and husband John, Loretta Redmon and husband Chris, all of Amarillo, and Kay Cockrell and husband Mike of Houston; four brothers, David Rivers and wife Cindy, Michael Rivers and wife Robbi, and Johnny Rivers, all of Amarillo, and Steven Rivers and wife Kendall of Oysterville, Wash.; his mother-in-law, Edna Stanford of Conway, Ark.; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Tim Lewallen of Little Rock, Ark.; and an abundance of nieces and nephews. Also left behind are children who Wayne "tucked under his wing," Shree Standiford, Michael Willey and all of the families in Eveline's Sunshine Cottage.
We can't forget those darn pets that Eveline continued to bring home and he vowed "were not staying" that are all still here years later, Daisi, Lilli and Oreo, Wayne's "full figured" cat.
The family suggests memorials be to Eveline's Sunshine Cottage or the Eveline Rivers Christmas Project, 6104 Gainsborough Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106.
A reception will follow in the Monsignor Tash Parish Hall at the church.
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