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Sue Goodall Witcher
Sue Goodall Witcher of Clifton died Tuesday, July 20, at the Goodall-Witcher Hospital. She was 91. Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church, Clifton, on Saturday, July 24, at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at Clifton cemetery. The family will receive visitors at the Witcher home on Friday, July 23, from 6 to 7 p.m. Sue Goodall Witcher was born in Valley Mills, on March 3, 1913, to Claude L. Goodall and Willie McNeill Goodall. Her father was a pioneer Bosque County physician and surgeon, who practiced in Valley Mills and later in Waco, until his death in 1931. Her mother, Willie, was the daughter of Bosque County pioneers Arthur Angus and Sue Sears McNeill. She received her early education in Valley Mills, prior to moving to Waco with her parents. She graduated from Waco High School in 1930 and received a Bachelor’s Degree from Baylor University in 1934. While at Baylor, she met Seth Lamar Witcher, who grew up in Gatesville. They were married
in Waco on June 29, 1935, following his graduation from University of Texas Medical School in May of 1935. Following the wedding, the couple lived in Galveston while he taught in the Anatomy Department. They then moved to Stephenville and practiced medicine at the Stephenville Hospital. In 1939, the Witchers moved to Clifton, to build a hospital and begin a lifelong partnership in the practice of medicine with Sue Witcher’s cousin, Van Doren Goodall and his wife, Valorie Shaw Goodall. The two couples worked to make the Goodall-Witcher Clinic and Hospital the well-known and respected facility which it is today. The Goodalls and Witchers celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversaries together in June of 1985 at a reception attended by family and friends. Sue Witcher was an active member of the community of Clifton. She served as the laboratory technician at the hospital when it was first built. In 1954, she became a Registered Record Administrator. She was a member of the American Medical Records Association and the Texas Medical Records Association. She continued working at the Goodall-Witcher Hospital in the Medical Records Department until she and Dr. Witcher retired in 1985. She continued to support the Foundation through membership in the Hospital Auxiliary. While living in Stephenville, Sue helped organize the Medical Auxiliary in Erath County. After moving to Clifton, she organized the Bosque County Medical Auxiliary. She served as President of the County Auxiliary; Northern Regional Vice-President and District Chairman. Mrs. Witcher was a longtime and active member of the First Baptist Church of Clifton. She served as the Director of the Nursery at the church for 25 years. She served the church as a member on two different building committees and was chairman of the Centennial Committee in 1979. She was also a leader in the Girl’s Auxiliary program and a member of the Woman’s Missionary Union. In 1939, she joined the Clifton Civic Improvement Society. She served as president of this organization. She was also the first director of the Clifton Baseball Association. She was a leader in both the Girl Scouts of America and Boy Scouts of America. In 1992, Mrs. Witcher was named a Woman of Distinction by the Bluebonnet Council of the Girl Scouts of America. She was also honored as an Honorary Member of the Future Homemakers of America for her support of that organization. She and Dr. Witcher were members of the Clifton Chamber of Commerce and the Bosque County Memorial Museum. The couple was honored by the Museum with its Lifetime Achievement, and the Clifton Chamber of Commerce chose her as the 2002 Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award to honor her contributions to Clifton. Mrs. Witcher was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 67 years, Dr. S.L. Witcher. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Goodall Witcher Thomas and husband Ronny of Corpus Christi; her son, Dr. Seth L. Witcher, Jr. and wife Jane of San Antonio. She is also survived by her grandchildren David Seth Thomas and wife Michelle of Corpus Christi; Jennifer Keath Witcher of Dallas, Robert Gene Thomas of Corpus Christi, and Seth Lamar Witcher III of Waco; and a great-grandson, Hayden Vern Thomas of Corpus Christi. She also leaves behind a host of family and friends. The family would like to thank the staff of Goodall-Witcher Healthcare for their loving care. Memorials may be made to Goodall-Witcher Healthcare, Clifton. Clifton Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Herman Carl Wurbs
Funeral services were held for Herman Carl Wurbs, 81, of College Station on Saturday, June 19, 2004, at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Caleb Schoeneck of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church officiating. One of six children, Wurbs was born to Max H. and Ida S. Wurbs, both of Germany, on Feb. 26, 1923, in Hamilton. He passed away on Thursday, June 17, 2004, in Anderson Hospital in Sheridan. Wurbs was confirmed to the Christian faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Clifton on June 5, 1938. As a child, he attended school in the small town of Aliman, near Hamilton. In 1936, the family moved to their farm north of Clifton on the Bosque River, where he grew up. He attended Cooper School until it closed, and transferred to the Clifton schools. Wurbs graduated from Clifton High School on May 8, 1942, and entered the U.S. Army Air Force in October 1942. He served as a sergeant and specialist electrician for planes during the Normandy air offensive and subsequent Rhineland battles. Among his recognitions were the Bronze and Silver Star Medals. On Nov. 13, 1948, he married
Edna Maxine Wurbs of Madisonville. The couple settled in Bryan, where Wurbs had begun a career at the Lone Star Gas Company as a service specialist. He retired from the company after 38 years of service. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine Wurbs; his parents, Max and Ida Wurbs; and three brothers, Max G. Wurbs, Clearence Wurbs, and Herbert Wurbs; and a half-sister, Elise Wurbs Young. Survivors include his three children, Ralph Allen, Eva Jane, and Donna Gale; his brother, Frank O. Wurbs and his wife, Pat, of Clifton; his sister, Mildred Newman and her husband, Buster, of McGregor; two sons-in-law; a daughter-in-law; many grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Pallbearers were Frank Wurbs Jr., Jeremy Wurbs, James Taylor, Darren Hibbs, Andrew Varga, and Dan Kelber. Interment
was at Bryan City cemetery under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home of College Station.
Ivy Mae Hampe
Funeral services were held for Ivy Mae Hampe, 77, on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel, 6101 Bosque Blvd. in Waco, with the Rev. Bill Smith officiating. Hampe was born to Elmore and Lillian Watson on Dec. 3, 1927, in Jewett. She passed away Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2004, peacefully and with grace. On June 12, 1948, she married
Ralph Henry Hampe of Clifton. She received her nursing degree from Hillcrest Memorial Hospital on Sept. 1, 1948. Despite being stricken by polio at an early age, she continued to be an inspiration to others her entire life. She was a true servant to God, her family, and friends. She lived her life with humility, determination, dignity, and grace. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Elmore William Watson, Jr.; and nephew, Bobby Watson. Survivors include her husband, Ralph Henry Hampe of Waco; daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Kelly Bryan of Fort Davis; son and daughter-in-law, Dr. David and Robin Hampe of Plano; grandchildren, Tiffany Bryan Johnson and husband, Lee of Fort Worth, Corby Brennan Bryan, and Casey Tee Bryan both of Lubbock; and many nieces and nephews. The family invites friends and loved ones to leave a message or memory in the funeral home’s “Memorial Guestbook” at (www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com). Burial followed at Waco Memorial North under the direction of Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home.
Lila Blakely
Funeral services were held for Lila Jones Blakely, 77, at First Baptist Church in Clifton with the Rev. Jerry Smith officiating. One of two children, Blakely was born to Otho and Mattie Miears Jones on Sept. 12, 1927, near Meridian. She passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2004 at her home in Clifton after a lengthy illness. She graduated from Meridian High School in 1944. She attended Clifton Junior College until her marriage to Bill Pumphrey in 1945. They made their home in Bosque County then moved to Fort Worth. Her first marriage lasted 19 years. She remarried
in 1965 to Leonard Blakely. The couple made their home in Hurst. She was employed as an administrative assistant at Bell Helicopter. They moved to Texarkana in 1975 and lived there until they retired and moved back to Clifton in 1993. Lila was a member of the First Baptist Church of Clifton. She was preceded in death by her parents, Otho and Mattie Jones; and a brother, Dennis Jones. Survivors include her husband Leonard Blakely of Clifton; two sons, Bill Pumphrey and his wife, Shari, of Hamilton, and Tom Pumphrey of Dallas; a sister-in-law, Beth Holt Jones and family in Iowa; a grandson, Clark Pumphrey of Hamilton; an aunt, Bonnie Fay Miears Sorley of San Antonio; and other extended family members. Pallbears included Keith Blanton, James Crosley, Claude Dowdy, Paul Hollingsworth, Ralph Robinson, and Jerry Wall. Arrangement were made through Clifton Funeral Home.
Ronnie Lee Fulton
Funeral services for Ronnie Lee Fulton, 45, of Meridian, were held Sunday, Aug. 29, 2004, at Meridian First Baptist Church. Fulton died Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2004. He was born Jan. 20, 1959, in Memphis, Texas, to John and Jan Fulton. He grew up in Arlington, where he attended school and was a member of Hillcrest Park Baptist Church. He worked at Meridian Ace Hardware for many years, where he made many friends and had many satisfied customers. He was a gifted woodworker, had a passion for guns, and was an avid hunter. He is survived by his daughter, April Fulton; grandsons Dylan, Wyatt, and Garrett, all of Neosho, Mo.; parents John and Jan Fulton of Meridian; grandmother Opal Clayton of Memphis; brothers Rick Fulton of Arlington and Kent Fulton of Grapevine; and many other relatives and a host of friends. Pallbearers included Chester McAnulty, Dennis Clark, Cole Word, James Pennington, Bill Moore, and Gene Harville. Memorials may be made to the Right Step Foundation, P.O. Box 132043, Houston, TX 77219. Lawson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Marion Elizabeth Eklund Pederson
Funeral services for Marion Elizabeth Eklund Pederson, 94, of Clifton, were held Monday, Aug. 30, 2004, at Trinity Lutheran Church, the Rev. Glenn Kramer officiating. Interment
followed in Clifton Lutheran cemetery. She died Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004. She was born Nov. 7, 1909, in Cloquet, Minn, to Hedvig and Carl Einar Eklund, Swedish emigrants to America. She weighed 2½ pounds at birth, being delivered by her maternal grandmother, Christina Nelson. She was baptized almost immediately by Pastor Carl Swenson of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church as it was feared she would not survive. She was later confirmed into the Lutheran faith at Zion Lutheran Church in Cloquet by the late N.J.W. Nelson on May 24, 1927. She was educated in Cloquet schools, graduating on May 27, 1927, from Cloquet High School. In June 1927 she worked in the general office of Wood Conversion Company, a subsidiary of Weyerhauser lumber interests, working up to the position of private secretary to the president. She transferred to St. Paul, Minn., in 1933, when the sales department was moved, and remained in the company for 21½ years. Active in church and civic organizations, she served in several offices of the Luther League at local, district, and synod levels, was a Sunday School teacher and officer for many years, sang in the choir, and was a member of the Missionary Society. She continued her active service at Gloria Dei Lutheran and Zion Lutheran, both in St. Paul. On Nov. 13, 1948, she married
Odie Carroll Pederson at Zion Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The late Rev. Arthur E. Olson conducted the wedding. Pederson became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Fort Worth, by transfer, on Dec. 10, 1948, and continued being active there in Sunday School, choir, women’s organizations, as a Luther League sponsor with her husband, and working part-time in the church office. The two transferred membership to Trinity Lutheran Church in Clifton when he was called to become the first administrator at Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home. She immediately became active in women’s work, serving as president, secretary, and in other offices. The couple once again sponsored the Luther League, and she sang in the choir. At CLSH, she set up office procedures and was editor of the Sunset Home News, which she originated. For the six years (March 1965-March 1971) that he was on the staff of Texas Lutheran College, she worked with him in various capacities on campus, along with work at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Seguin, where they were members. In March 1971, they retired to a farm in the Womack community, and again became active members of Trinity Lutheran Church until his health demanded curtailment. Pederson was preceded in death by her parents, Hedvig and Carl Eklund; brothers Paul, Harry, Carl, Dick, and Roy Eklund; sister Edna Eklund Johnson; and husband Odie C. Pederson. She is survived by stepchildren Martha Pederson Petersen and husband Harold Petersen of Ferndale, Wash., and Charles Owen and wife Mary Kay Petersen of Altoona, Fla.; step-grandchildren Charles M. Peterson, Carolyn Petersen Nelson, Tom C. Petersen, Michael Pederson, Karen Pederson Stephens, Tanya Pederson Edwards, and Chris Pederson; nephews the Rev. Harry A. Eklund Jr. of Isanti, Minn., Steven Eklund of Carlton, Minn., and Bruce Eklund of Bemidji, Minn.; nieces Peggy Eklund Griggs of Orlando, Fla., Patricia Eklund Murry of South Port, N.C., Julie Eklund Ripley of Stillwater, N.C., Marion Elizabeth Eklund Adineh of Rockville, Md., and Mary Beth Eklund Wirtz of Esko, Minn.; and a host of friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church, Clifton; Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home; or the Odie C. and Marion E. Pederson Scholarship, c/o Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. Clifton Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
D.D. Simmons
Funeral services were held for D.D. (Dorris Dean) Simmons, 76, on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2004, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with Pastor Terry Atkins and lifelong friend Brother Bill Schibler officiating. Simmons was born to Earle and Lillie (Troll) Simmons on March 23, 1928, in Hamilton County. He passed away on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2004, in Cranfills Gap. He attended school at Mt. View and Cranfills Gap. As a youth, he worked at the feed mill for LeRoy Troll. Simmons married
Anna Marie Surley on Nov. 23, 1946, in Bosque County at the St. Olaf Parsonage by Pastor B.R. Makkasted. They lived in Dallas where he was employed by Borden Ice Cream Plant. They later moved to Tulia where he worked for Alton Lee until December 1951 when his fathered died. They moved back to Cranfills Gap to help his mom when the farm. He also returned to work parttime at the feed mill. Simmons became a member of St. Olaf through baptism and confirmation as an adult in 1955 with Pastor Iner Jorgenson. In 1956 he bought the feed mill. After selling the mill he went to work for the Gap Implement Company owned by James Lee and Carroll Knudson at the corner of Hwy. 22 and Hwy. 219. He did welding. When they began having monthly auctions, Simmons began driving a truck to haul equipment. He served on the Cranfills Gap School Board. In 1971, Simmons and R.C. Reierson bought their own business, Belton Equipment Company. Simmons repaired and painted equipment and Reierson ran the business. After his partner’s untimely death in 1976, Simmons sold the business. In 1982, he was among the first to have angioplasty. He was the second in Waco. Fourteen years ago, he underwent quadruple bypass. Simmons went back to work for Carroll Knudson at Clifton Tractor Auction and later bought into partnership with Knudson and Kenneth Wiese. In 1989, the business was sold. He went to work for the Tractor Salvae in Cranfills Gap. He continued to work at Gap Tractor Parts which is owned by his son Larry. Three children were born into this family: Darla Simmons Kinney, Larry Don Simmons, and Linda Simmon Thiele. He was a charter and active member of the Gap Fire Department. He enjoyed and looked forward to the St. Olaf men’s breakfast. He loved hunting and looked forward to going to the “Hamilton Hilton” and fellowship with the guys during hunting season. He loved the outdoors including gardening. We looked forward to the fresh rewards he shared. Simmons was a character. He loved to tease, joke, and laugh. We have many wonderful memories. He was very serious when it came to his family. Supporting them, making sure they were happy, and making sure they were well taken care of were priorities to him. A line of a popular song says, “It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it’s what you leave behind you when you go.” That is important and was exemplified in his life. He lived his life to the fullest right up to the end. What more could you ask for? He will be greatly missed and we pray God will get us through one day at a time. He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Lillie Simmons; and his sister, Joyce Martin. Survivors include in wife of 57 years, Anna Marie Simmons; his three children; seven grandchildren, Brad Kinney and his wife, Shana of Round Rock, Blake Kinney and his wife, Christi, of Mertzon, Brandi Kinney of Clifton, Larissa Reierson Montes and husband, Alex, of Clifton, Ashley Thiele of Cranfills Gap, Kyle Simmons of Waco, Krista Simmons of Bryan; three great grandchildren, Makayla, Avery, and Brenley Kinney; and a host of friends and relatives. Pallbearers included his grandsons, Brad Kinney, Blake Kinney, Kyle Simmons; grandson-in-law, Alex Montes; nephews, Bobby and Tommy Martin; and hunting buddies, Rance and John Dulaney. The Cranfills Gap Fire Department honored Simmons with a last call ceremony, the highest tribute to a fellow fireman. The ceremony was beautifully done, so touching and will never be forgotten. It is believed he was the oldest active fireman in the county. Interment
was held at Boggy Cemetary on Aug. 21, 2004.
Paul Lackey Hutton
Funeral services for Paul Lackey Hutton, 86, of Clifton, were held Sunday, Aug. 29, 2004, at the Clifton Funeral Home Chapel, the Rev. Bill Schibler and Dr. Tom Beaty officiating. Interment
followed in Fairy cemetery with a Masonic Graveside Ceremony conducted by the Fairy Lodge. Hutton died Friday, Aug. 27, 2004, at his home. He was born in the Fairy community to William Andrews and Lela Lackey Hutton. He graduated from Fairy High School. On Dec. 2, 1939, he married
Vance Hutton. The couple had two children. Hutton was retired from the Skelley Oil Company. They moved to Clifton in 1991. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Clifton, and was a member of the Fairy Masonic Lodge. He enjoyed fishing and playing dominoes. Hutton is survived by his wife, Vance Hutton; son Richard Hutton of Lubbock; daughter and son-in-law Ann and Dick Gruber of Edmond, Okla.; grandchildren Mike and Danita Gruber, Sherri Gruber, Terri Gruber, Alisha Hutton, and Stephanie and Brian Cotton’ three grandchildren; and two sisters, Jean Henderson and Margie Wolfe, both of Cleburne. Clifton Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
