Lavon CAVINESS

Buster Leroy
January 13, 1922-September 11, 2003

Please see military marker

Lavon Ostrom
September 27, 1923-January 22, 2014

Married July 17, 1946
Forever in Love

Photo, courtesy of Edith Guynes Stanley


*Obituary Buster
Buster LeRoy Caviness, 81, of Amarillo died Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. today in Polk Street United Methodist Church with Dr. Jim Garret, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery in Borger by Minton/Chatwell Funeral Directors of Borger.

Mr. Caviness was born in Emzy, N.M., on Jan. 13, 1922, to James Everett Caviness and Fronie Caviness.

He graduated from high school in Causey, N.M., and attended New Mexico State University, where he was president of his class, a cheerleader, a member of the student council and a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Buster joined the Army Air Corps at the beginning of World War II, and served at various stations including Saipan. In 1946, Buster married Elna Lavon Ostrom in Borger.

From 1946 until 1955, Buster was a partner in Caviness Cattle Co. in Raton, N.M., a partner in Caviness and Ostrom Sales in Phillips, and an insurance agent in Amarillo. In 1955, Buster moved to Borger and became president of First Savings and Loan, a position he had for 27 years.

While in Borger, Buster was involved in numerous civic affairs including, Rotary Club, Knife and Fork, Methodist Men and Borger Chamber of Commerce.

Buster was co-founder of the "Worlds Largest Fish Fry" sponsored by Borger Chamber of Commerce. Buster also served as chairman for HOPE activities, which raises funds for the local cancer foundation.

Buster and Lavon moved to Amarillo in 1995, where he was employed by St. Anthony's Hospital and Amarillo High School. He became the Sandies' biggest fan and he loved working with both students and faculty.

Buster was a member of SPRINT, an organization which raised funds for the construction of a new track at Amarillo High School. While in Amarillo, Buster was active in Methodist Men, serving as chairman of Polk Street Methodist Annual Golf Tournament, and the Downtown Lions Club, where he served as director.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Karla Hayes of Amarillo and Darla Howard of San Antonio; a brother, Herschel Caviness of Portales, N.M.; a sister, Ruby Thomas of Dallas; three grandsons, Lane Rose of Dallas, Kurt Howard of San Antonio and Brent Turner of Amarillo; a granddaughter, Lyndsy Rose of Houston; a great-granddaughter, Miriah Solis Turner of Amarillo; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family suggests memorials be to Polk Street United Methodist Church, 1401 Polk St., Amarillo, TX 79101.

The family will be at 3412 Danbury St. in Amarillo.

Amarillo Globe-News, Sept. 13, 2003

*Obituary Lavon
Elna Lavon Caviness
September 27, 1923 - January 22, 2014

Lavon Ostrom Caviness died Wednesday January 22, 2014 in San Antonio. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Monday at the Minton Memorial Chapel with Rev. Roy Dittmar, a cousin, of Oklahoma officiating. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery next to her husband, Buster under the direction of Minton Chatwell Funeral Directors of Borger. There will be a family visitation Sunday from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Lavon was born on September 27,1923 in Jinks, Oklahoma. She is the eldest of four daughters born to Delbert (Fritz) Ostrom and Pearl Streeter Ostrom. The family moved to the oil refinery town of Phillips, Texas in 1926.

Lavon was raised Baptist and later converted to the First Methodist Church of Phillips. She was an active member of both her churches and later taught the fourth grade Sunday School class for over ten years. She attended kindergarten through high school in the Phillips school system and graduated in 1940. An avid athlete, Lavon played both volleyball and basketball for the Phillips Blackhawks. She also joined the pep squad, was a member of the Phillips High School concert and marching band, playing the french horn. Lavon was one of the original members of the Tes Trams social club and as an adult and mother; she sponsored Tes Trams for over ten years.

Lavon attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas and Brookhaven School for Girls in Brookhaven, Mississippi. In 1944, during World War II, Lavon moved to Los Angeles, California, with her sister, Gwendolyn and worked in a defense plant. While there, she appeared in an amateur play produced by the "Stars of Tomorrow" and began an amateur modeling career.

Lavon later returned to Texas where she met Buster Caviness, a young sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Force. They married in July, 1947. One of the many passions they had in common was the strong love and care of animals. That passion led Lavon to care for more than 75 dogs and numerous cats and wild animals in her lifetime.

As a young girl and a young, married adult, Lavon worked at the Ostrom Dry-Goods & Grocery Store in Phillips, while Buster managed the C&O Sales Hardware Store (Caviness and Ostrom). After the birth of their two daughters, Karla in 1947, and Darla in 1950, Lavon stayed home to raise her family and Buster served for 29 years as President of the First Savings and Loan of Borger. Lavon eventually went to work at Panhandle Bank and Trust where she faithfully spent 19 years as a switchboard operator.

Over the years, Lavon became very active in civic clubs in Borger and Phillips, including Rainbow Girls, Girl Scout sponsor, Eastern Star, Woman of Rotary, the Lady Lions; she was a charter member of the Knife and Fork Club. She also engaged in many social organizations and activities. One of her joys was co-chairing and working with HOPE cancer drive and auction held at the Borger Dome. Lavon did an outstanding job and her passion to help others was obvious to all who knew her. Always a beautiful and exceptional lady, known for her love of fashion she frequently participated in runway modeling for the local civic clubs and area department stores at the Borger Country Club, an activity she greatly loved and enjoyed. She also owned and operated a wig salon, an antique store, and a Lavon's Shoe Salon all in Borger, TX.

Lavon and Buster moved to Amarillo, Texas in 1999. There they joined the Polk Street Methodist Church. She was an active fan of the Amarillo Sandies, she and Buster were members of S.P.R.I.N.T., an organization which raised funds for the construction of a new track at Amarillo High School Lavon's later years were spent in San Antonio. She moved there in 2006 where she endured a lengthy illness and was cared for by her daughter, Darla.

She is preceded in death by her son-in-law, Billy Howard of Houston in 1984, husband Buster, in 2003, sister Gwendolyn Ostrom of Amarillo in 2004 and brother-in-law Bud Evans of Houston in 2013.

Lavon is survived by two daughters, Karla and husband Joe Bill Hayes of Amarillo, and Darla Howard of San Antonio; four grandchildren, Brent Turner and wife Mary of Buda, Texas, Lane Rose and wife Kelli of Dallas, Lyndsy Calato and husband Chris of Houston, Kurt Howard and wife Kimberly of San Antonio, five great-grandchildren, Mariah and Faith Turner of Buda, twins, Jax and Cade Calato, of Houston, Claudia Rose of Dallas. Lavon is also survived by her two sisters, Dr. Elnita Ostrom Stanley of Groves, TX, and Carolyn Ostrom Evans of Houston, brother-in-law Don Coyne of Borger, eight nieces and nephews: Dennis Ostrom, Lynn Hokanson, Karen McCord, Cheryl Lahane of Houston, Gayle Eudy and Michael Coyne of Amarillo, Joe Cash of Halletsville, and O'Brien Stanley of Groves.

Lavon left a host of loving friends and family and will be sorely missed. The family would appreciate that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Disease Research, your local Humane Society or the Polk Street Methodist Church, 1401 S. Polk St., Amarillo, TX 79101.

(Published by Minton/Chatwell Funeral Directors, January 24, 2014)

Contributed on 5/21/21

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Record #: 420479

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