Betty Forde Cook went home to be with her Lord on September 13, 2022. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 20, at Meadowbrook Baptist Church with Dr. Cary Killough officiating. Burial will follow at Rosemound Cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 5 – 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 19, at Pecan Grove funeral home.
She was born January 8, 1934 to Lawrence Forde and Laura (Gibson) Forde. Betty married Howard Woodrow Cook on December 2, 1950. She retired from Sears after 23 years. She then went to work at Lorena Elementary School and retired after 10 years. Betty moved to Robinson and worked for Robinson Medical Center for 6 years. She was a member of Meadowbrook Baptist Church and belonged to the Sonshine Class. She enjoyed traveling with her friends.
Betty was preceded in death by her loving husband Woodrow and her wonderful son Greg Cook; brothers, J.B. Markum, Bill Forde, Orville Lee Forde and Johnny Forde; and sister, Gwen Moore.
She is survived by her daughter, Judy Cook; seven grandchildren, Brian Schrader and wife Jessica, Sarah Schrader and husband Michael, Bekka Goolsby, Hunter Goolsby, Heather Davis and husband Mike, Blaine Cook and wife Natalie, and Adam Cook and wife Jen; great-grandchildren Ryan and Haley Davis, Deliya, Jaycob, and Ava Duran, Maci Schrader, Jackson, Colt and Deacon Cook; and one great-great-grandchild Kai Titus; two sisters, Louise Fincher and Sue Forde; and brother, James (Jimmy) Forde.
Betty Cook - Celebration of Life 10:00 am September 20, 2022
September 20, 2022
Bob Brashear - Celebration of Life 10:00 am April 9, 2024
April 9, 2024
In the early hours of April 4, 2024, we lost an amazing American hero here on earth, but heaven likely gained its best pilot yet. Renowned pilot, mechanic and fixer of all things, Bob Brashear, went peacefully into the presence of his Father in his sleep. All that knew him will miss hearing first hand accounts of things like life without electricity, indoor plumbing and the Great Depression. So, what about Bob? To be perfectly honest, you’d need a novel or mini-series to tell his story right. So, these will just be highlights. Well, he was born in Rising Star, TX July 10, 1926 to Edwin and Carl Oline Brashear. He was the 4th son and 7th child of the 8 born to his parents. He grew up on a farm, with his brother, Edwin, milked cows twice a day in addition to other chores. He learned how to build and fix things at an early age from his dad, who trusted him a great deal when he tried things like attaching an engine to a wagon so he would have the fastest wagon in town. But going fast on the ground wasn’t what captured Bob’s imagination. As a young boy he wandered down to the local airport and got himself invited to go on a flight in an airplane. When the pilot let him control the plane, the course for his life pretty much was set. Bob’s love affair with aircraft began that day in a small west Texas town and that flame burned well into his 90s, when he quit flying only because his body wouldn’t let him get inside a plane anymore. On one of his earliest unauthorized trips to the airport, his mom ratted him out to his dad and Papa Bear went to retrieve his delinquent son with a switch in his hand. Young Bob got his legs swatted all the way back home. The next time he wanted to go to the airport, he told his dad they were launching hot air balloons that day. Not believing his son, Edwin followed Bob to the airport. When he saw a hot air balloon sail into the sky for the first time, he never again swatted Bob for being amazed with flight. As a 13 year old, Bob’s parents split up, and his dad left. When his mom moved to Pennsylvania, it left him alone on the farm as a young lad. Through sheer determination and grit, he survived, finished school and joined the military. He built and flew airplanes consistently for over 80 years. Builders and pilots from all over brought their issues to Bob Brashear. Many picked his brain until he was well into his 90s. For many of the years he lived out on Ross Road north of Waco, there was a fuselage or car in his shop at all times. Bob quite literally helped people every day of his life. If he wasn’t fixing something someone else broke (never his grandsons), he was building something for himself or someone else to enjoy. It’s not an exaggeration to say that he was one of the finest mechanics worldwide. There was just something about his brain that made it easy for him to understand how things worked. He entered the military in 1944 to serve in World War II. Bob flew medical missions in the war that included landing his plane on the side of a mountain. To say he was a bit of a skilled pilot is an understatement. On May 29, 1943, Bob married Catherine Squires, a courtship that was cemented when he paid off her family’s bill at the local store and led to a long, happy 53 year marriage. The couple flew all over the country in Bob’s aircraft. Sometimes just to grab breakfast in a place it would take hours to drive or sometimes across America to a fly-in attended by pilots worldwide. Bob and Catherine had two children, Bob Jr. and Carline, born in 1946 and 1948, respectively. The Brashear family was taken to church on a regular basis. Bob was a part of quartets that sang at churches around Central Texas. Bob lived to love them and provide for them until their deaths in 2017 and 2018. Hard work was a part of every day of Bob’s life. He worked for Central Freight Lines for decades before retiring to his own personal shop in the early 1980s. Bob managed the shop at Central, supervising dozens of mechanics over the years that kept trucks on the road. After Catherine lost her battle with dementia and passed away, Bob was left putting his life back together. Several years later he was remarried to Sybil Williams. Tragically, dementia attacked her too and Bob sweetly cared for her until her death. Late in life, he reconnected with an old friend, Wanda Hamilton Yowell, and they married in 2019. So many mourn the loss of Bob Brashear: Of course his sweet wife, Wanda and her family, his son-in-law Wade Maybin, his daughter-in-law Edie Brashear and his 5 grandsons, Doug and Rick Brashear and Cale, Russell and Bradley Maybin and their families. From those 5 grandsons, Bob is survived by 23 great grandkids, and 18 great great grandkids. He led a remarkable life and will be missed terribly by his family and friends.
Bette Sue Smith - Celebration of Life 10:00 am January 27, 2023
January 27, 2024
Bette Horn Smith, age, 85, of Robinson, Texas was welcomed into Heaven by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Sun, January 21, 2024. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, January 27 at Meadowbrook Baptist Church, Robinson with Dr. Cary Killough and Pastor David Cozart officiating. Burial will immediately follow at Waco Memorial Park. There will be a visitation from 5 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 26 at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, Waco. Bette was born September 9, 1938 in Waco Texas to Lloyd Marion Horn and Flora (Sue) Estelle Patterson. She graduated from Waco High School and after taking some journalism classes at Baylor University she became a reporter for the Waco Tribune Herald for 10 years. She then worked as a copy writer at KWTX Radio for 10 years. She retired in Dec 1998 after almost 10 years working for Quala-T Imprints. She met the love of her life, Jerry Smith, of Caruthersville, Missouri while he was stationed at Connally Air Force Base and they were married January 1, 1960. They moved to Robinson from Waco in 1974 and joined Meadowbrook Baptist Church. Her passion was teaching children about Jesus. That included Preschool Sunday School, Kindergarten and 29 years as director of Children’s Worship. After that she became the director of the Meadowbrook Homebound Ministry. She was a dedicated servant of Jesus Christ for 50 years. Her hobbies included painting, reading, crocheting, country music and playing cards and dominos with family and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother-in-law Alfred Smith. Bette is survived by her husband Jerry Smith, daughter Shelley and husband Jim Trainor of St. Petersburg, Florida; brother-in-law Roy Smith and wife Judy of Jonesboro Arkansas; sister-in-law Martha Cruz of Yellville, Arkansas as well as several cousins and many treasured friends. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the Meadowbrook Baptist Church Homebound Ministry or Bldg. Fund, 1207 N. Old Robinson Rd., Robinson, TX 76706. The family wishes to express appreciation to the MBC Homebound Ministry and St. Anthony’s Care Center.
Reneatha DeEtte Golmon - Celebration of Life 5:00 pm January 11, 2023
January 11, 2024
Reneatha DeEtte Golmon Reneatha DeEtte (Little) Golmon, 93, of Waco, Texas and formerly of Beeville, Texas walked into the arms of Jesus Saturday, January 6, 2024. Reneatha was born November 22, 1930, in Canadian, Texas to Eddie Presley Little and Oralee (Morehead) Little. She was a graduate of Canadian High School and then went on to graduate with a business degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. While attending Hardin-Simmons, Reneatha fell in love with one of their star football players. On August 15, 1953, she married Bill Golmon. Reneatha became a teacher and Bill became a coach. They were married almost 50 years, living in Big Spring, Grand View and finally retiring in Beeville, Texas. Reneatha was a caring daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, and grandmother. She was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Beeville, and a part of the Watchcare program at First Baptist of Hewitt when she moved to Waco. Reneatha loved to travel! She enjoyed seeing God’s creation everywhere. She loved to see leaves changing colors, waterfalls, snow covered mountains, beaches (from inside an air-conditioned building), and oceans. She LOVED cruises. Once, she even took her beloved caretaker and friend Jamie Perez, and her hairdresser Ducky Bledsoe! Even after her knees started giving out, she’d get on her scooter and she and Tony would travel the world. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents; and her sister, Georgia Mae Talley. She is survived by her son, Tony Golmon of Waco who was the best caretaker in the world (his sister says); her daughter, Debra D’Herde and husband Ralph of Hewitt; her granddaughter, Christi Warwick and husband Jim of Hewitt; grandson, Case D’Herde of Hewitt; brother-in-law, Gene Golmon and wife LaJoyce of Dallas; two nieces; four nephews; and many wonderful friends. Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, January 13, at First Baptist Church in Beeville followed by the funeral service at 11 o’clock with Rev. Greg Traylor officiating. Burial will be private. Pallbearers will be Roger Perkins, Billy Burris, Vic Barris, Chuck Knowlton, Richard Zander, Ronnie Gossett, John Bond and Bob Wingenter. We would like to thank Dr. Sam Ralston and staff, Scott & White Medical Center-Hillcrest and St. Anthony’s for taking care of her while she was at their facilities. We’d also like to thank Gentiva Hospice, who was there for us at any time we needed them, day or night. Thank you for being so attentive to our wishes. Thank you, Brett, with “The Grandson Home Care.” You and your staff did an excellent job of taking care of our mother. Kelsey was a special bonus to us. Mother enjoyed teasing her and giving her a hard time. They became close buddies. Elizabeth Piech, we could never have done this without you! You have been with us since the beginning. You have put up with us and taught us so much! Thank you for your love and devotion to our mother. Ronnie Gossett, you became the 2ndbest caregiver in the world when Tony needed to go out of town. You became her 3rd child, and you treated her like she was your own mother. Thank you for caring for her and being there for us all these years. We love you!During this time, he married Julie Tandy. They were married almost 48 years, having two daughters, Melissa and Audrey. Bill was a civil engineer and worked in construction for many years. He was a long-time member of Meadowbrook Baptist Church where he was a tireless volunteer. He also gave of his time and talents to Little League Baseball, Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry, Beloved and Beyond Camp, and anyone who needed a hand. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Rosalie Morgan. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife Julie, daughter Melissa Buck and husband Cody, daughter Audrey Morgan and partner Miranda, 3 grandchildren; Emerson, Garrett, and Hadley, sister Marsha Hudson and husband J, nephew Jonathan Hudson, and many other relatives and friends who will miss him dearly. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Robinson Little League, P.O. Box 11024, Waco, TX 76716.