Clarence L. Anderson

Clarence Leslie Anderson, 101, longtime resident of Amarillo passed from this life into a new life within the loving care of his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, April 2, 2016, after a long and fruitful life.  He was born in Miami, Texas on November 16, 1914.

Services will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, in the LaGrone-Blackburn-Shaw Coulter Road Chapel, 8310 S. Coulter Street. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.

He is survived by his children, C. Eugene Anderson and wife Daniela of Beverly Hills, Calif.; James C. Anderson and fiancee Michele DeRieux of Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Robert H. Anderson of Amarillo; and daughter-in-law Nancy Anderson of Kingwood, Texas; as well as grandchildren, Amy, Clarence Eugene “Andy”, Jr., Melissa, Tiffany, Brandon, Claressinka, Jonathan, Jennifer; great grandchildren, Emma, Carol, Winifred, Grace, Gwendolyn, Alex, Michael, David, Kate, Josh, Emily, Caelan, Declan, Jordan, Jamie, another great-grandson due in May, and two great-great granddaughters, Lyla and Ayden.

For 73 years, Clarence was the loving and faithful husband of Wilda Faye (Carey) Anderson who died April 2, 2011. Also predeceasing him are his son, Larry Wayne Anderson; daughter, Paula Maxine Anderson Carrell; and granddaughter, Ashley Carrell Habsburg; his parents, Henry Madison and Theodocia Isabelle Osborne Anderson, all his brothers and sisters, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Also known as “C.L.” and “Andy”, he was a graduate of White Deer High School, and attended West Texas Teachers College (now WTAMU.)  Clarence and Faye left WTTC because, at the time, the college discouraged marriage between students from attending fearing married students would create “moral issues.”  They began life together on the family farm in Gray County in 1937, followed by stints in White Deer and Borger before their move to Amarillo in 1943.
Prior to that move, the couple’s first two children were born in Pampa. Two additional children were born while in Amarillo and the last in Pampa while the family lived on a farm near Lefors. The family moved into Pampa in 1950 and later returned to Amarillo in 1956 where Clarence and Faye lived until 2009 when they moved to an assisted living facility in Kingwood.
Clarence’s personal motto was, “When the going gets tough – the tough keep working!”  He left his parents farm when he was 15 and worked wherever he could find a job to support himself.  Eventually, he owned a service station and two auto garages in White Deer until World War II began and shortages of fuel and tires forced their closure.  He then worked for Phillips Oil for a time before landing a job with Santa Fe Railroad.  He worked for Santa Fe for 32 years, first as a brakeman and part-time engine foreman, then later as a switchman.  Between the long hours of his jobs, Clarence had owned a farm near Lefors, then later worked the family farm near Groom and became majority owner.
Clarence and Faye had a wonderful retirement being able to travel to the Holy Lands, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Hawaii.  They were members of San Jacinto Baptist Church (now, The Church at Quail Creek) for 60 years where Clarence served as a deacon and on the finance committee for many years.  Clarence was honored as a Deacon Emeritus before moving to Kingwood where they found a new and wonderfully welcoming church family in Woodridge Baptist Church.

Visitation will be from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm,  Friday at the funeral home.

The family asks that memorials be made to The Church at Quail Creek, 801 Tascosa Road, Amarillo, TX 79124-1515; or to a charity of your choice.

Please visit our online guest book at www.lagroneblackburnshaw.com

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