Linda and Gary Lightfoot die in fatal Panhandle, Texas car crash

Linda and Gary Lightfoot die in fatal Panhandle, Texas car crash

Fatal Panhandle, Texas car crash death of Linda and Gary Lightfoot – Obituary

Linda and Gary Lightfoot, an elderly couple from Texas, were reported missing after failing to return home from a Thanksgiving visit with family in Panhandle. The couple, ages 81 and 82, had spent the holiday attending a gathering at a local Church of Christ before beginning what should have been a routine drive back to Lubbock.

Family members said the Lightfoots left Panhandle around mid-afternoon on Thanksgiving Day, planning to arrive home before nightfall. When they did not reach their destination and could not be contacted later that evening, relatives grew concerned and alerted authorities.

A search effort began, and the following day their vehicle was located in New Mexico, far from their planned route. On December 2, Linda and Gary Lightfoot were found deceased near their car on a ranch outside Tucumcari, nearly three hours away from Lubbock.

Linda’s sister, Barbara Scheller, reflected on the couple’s final hours with family, recalling a peaceful Thanksgiving meal, shared conversations, and heartfelt goodbyes before they departed. The discovery of their deaths days later left family and friends grieving and searching for answers surrounding how the couple ended up so far from home.