C.B. Luther, Jr. was born January 31, 1938 in Elk City, Oklahoma. He passed from this life on October 24, 2026.  Viewing will be Thursday, October 29, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, October 30, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, October 31, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., all at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home in Perryton.  A funeral service will be held Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at Key Heights Baptist Church in Perryton, Texas, with burial following in Ochiltree Cemetery in Perryton, Texas.  The service will be officiated by Rev. Duce Cooper, and arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home Inc. of Perryton, Texas.

Junior grew up on a farm near Elk City, Oklahoma. He was a talented athlete, but his responsibilities on the farm prevented him from playing organized sports in his youth. He assisted his father in farming about 200 acres. His dad farmed with horses and mules until his father purchased a small Case tractor in 1944, which Junior drove to help his dad.

He met the love of his life, Joyce Guthrie, when they were just children. For Junior, it was love at first sight. He first saw Joyce in 1951 in Elk City as she was walking into the movie theater. Joyce was 11 and Junior was 13. Even though he did not know her, Junior told his brother, “That’s the girl I am going to marry.” A few years later in 1956, they were married. Theirs was a love story which spanned over 75 years. From this union, 4 children were born, Cathy, Paul, Don and Richard (Turkey).

After their marriage, Junior and Joyce moved to California where Junior found work picking cherries and strawberries. Realizing he needed stable income, Junior and his family relocated to Perryton in 1959 where he worked for his brother-in-law at a used car business. He held many interesting jobs in those early years. One of his favorites was serving as a milkman making store deliveries and home deliveries in Perryton and the rural areas of Booker, Darrouzett, and Follett. The milkman job demonstrated both Junior’s work ethic and trustworthiness because people would leave their houses unlocked for him. He would knock on the door and yell, “Milkman,” then enter the home and put the milk in their refrigerators. At the end of the month, he’d leave the bill in the refrigerator with the milk. The following visit, the customer would leave a check in the refrigerator (ice box) for payment. He enjoyed sharing stories from those early jobs with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Generations of his family benefitted from witnessing and hearing how hard he worked to provide for his family.

While their children were growing, Junior served as a firefighter and EMT for the City of Perryton. After 3 years as a fireman, he was promoted to Fire Chief. He served in the Perryton Fire Department for 40 years, 32 as paid staff and 8 as a volunteer after his retirement in 2001.

As Fire Chief, Junior’s natural quality of caring about others was evident, as he was responsible for several important measures. He implemented the policy of taking the ambulance to all home football games to ensure emergency response was available for injured players. When Junior began working at the City of Perryton, employees had only the city’s retirement benefits. Junior successfully advocated for the City of Perryton to pay into the federal system to ensure employes could also qualify for social security benefits. In addition, he successfully lobbied the city council to add paramedics to the staff to greatly improve the emergency response available to the citizens of Perryton through the fire department and ambulance services. For many years, he volunteered his time to instruct firefighters at the Canyon Annual Fire Control School.

In addition to working full-time, Junior started Luther Fire Extinguisher Service in 1985 with a pair of pliers, a crescent wrench, and a screwdriver, repairing and recharging used fire extinguishers and selling new ones.

When his children were young, he enjoyed volunteering his time to coach football and basketball through the YMCA. He also coached baseball through the Babe Ruth League in Perryton, which Junior was responsible for bringing to Perryton. Joyce and Junior were also members of the Wheel-Go Motorcycle Club Started by Elbert and Lou Smith. Every September for many years, they would ride their motorcycles to Ruidoso, New Mexico, for the Golden Aspen Motorcycle Rally. Over the years, Junior and his family attended many Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans with his brother Gene and his family.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce, and children Paul Luther and Cathy Dunsworth and husband Jim, 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a large extended family of nieces and nephews.

Junior was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Gene, Vera, Lola, and Margaret Sue. Two sons, Don and Richard, grandson Stewart Luther, and great grandson Justin Dunsworth.

Junior lived a full life. His chosen career of selfless service as an EMT, firefighter, and fire school instructor exemplified his character and the extraordinary man that he was. As a leader, he often sacrificed weekends and other time off to ensure his employees had time with their families.

Junior had an unfailing love for wife and his family, which he regularly demonstrated through his words and his actions. When he was not working, Junior devoted his time to his family, often attending sporting events or special occasions in the lives of his grandchildren, nieces, or nephews. Junior also lovingly served as second father to many nieces and nephews after the passing of their own parents. His courage, wisdom, support, compassion, and sense of humor will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Texas Panhandle 100 Club, P.O. BOX 589 AMARILLO, TX 79105, a charity for emergency responders who are injured or killed in the line of duty.