Grandpa Chock was born April 17, 1934, in Fort Worth to Benjamin Franklin and Josie Adell Rawlins Clay. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Marines and was decorated with two Purple Hearts. He was very patriotic and active in the VFW following his return from Korea.
In 1954, Chock married Shirley Jo Hubert, and they had three children. They divorced in 1975, and the mistakes he made in this marriage would haunt him for the rest of his life. Despite being a kind, intelligent and hard-working man, he could never forgive himself for not being perfect. He worked tirelessly to make sure his grandchildren did not make the same mistakes he had made. Of course, we all told him to relax and give himself a break!
Chock was a lot of fun to be around. He had a dry wit and enjoyed a good laugh. He had worked for Miller Brewing Co. for many years, and he stood by his product. He respected his mother, though, and would not allow drinking while she was at his home. My favourite video of him involved a family gathering and a serendipitous cut of the camera. The shot captured my aunt Judy pulling out of his long driveway with his mother and cut to him waving, then turning to say, "OK, everyone - beer's on the house." He was called Chock because he had a deep and abiding love for chocolate.
To you, Gramps: "And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend... who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good."
I owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter Judy and her beau, Billy Butteris, for taking care of Gramps in his final months.
11.15.09 - Texting with Judy tonight, I was reminded just how proud Grandpa was of his medals. He displayed them atop his dresser, laid out very carefully. It seemed he could be at the other end of the pasture, and one of us would be in the house leaning toward touching the medals. He would suddenly appear and say, "Don't touch those." I really miss him.
|||For Genealogists|||
Father: Benjamin Franklin Clay, 1891-1965, son of Henry and Susie Bryan Clay.
Mother: Josie Adell Rawlins, 1908-1996, daughter of George Pendergraph and Mary Maudie Wyatt Rawlins.
Siblings: Helen Jean [Nelson] (1927-2006), Margalee Fay [Denham] (1929), and William R (1932-1979).
Wife: Shirley Jo Hubert, 1936, daughter of Carl Doerr and Mildred Elizabeth Wells Hubert.
Children: Dennis Allen, 1956; Beverly Sue, 1957; Judy Kay, 1958.
Grandchildren: Melissa Margaret Abernathy, 1972, born to Beverly Sue Clay and Jimmy Royce Judd; Amanda Harrison, 1979, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Alvin Edward Harrison III; Ashlee Michelle Randall, 1983, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Charles Albert Randall; Kyle Allen Clay, 1987, son of Dennis Allen Clay and Donna Lynn Wills; and Carlee Nicole White, 1991, daughter of Beverly Sue Clay and Bobby Dale White.
Ashlee Smashlee gave him his three great-granddaughters: Abigail Rose, 2004, and Josephine Grace, 2006, with Cody William Mitchell; and Izabella Kinlee, 2009, with Joshua Robinson.
In 1954, Chock married Shirley Jo Hubert, and they had three children. They divorced in 1975, and the mistakes he made in this marriage would haunt him for the rest of his life. Despite being a kind, intelligent and hard-working man, he could never forgive himself for not being perfect. He worked tirelessly to make sure his grandchildren did not make the same mistakes he had made. Of course, we all told him to relax and give himself a break!
Chock was a lot of fun to be around. He had a dry wit and enjoyed a good laugh. He had worked for Miller Brewing Co. for many years, and he stood by his product. He respected his mother, though, and would not allow drinking while she was at his home. My favourite video of him involved a family gathering and a serendipitous cut of the camera. The shot captured my aunt Judy pulling out of his long driveway with his mother and cut to him waving, then turning to say, "OK, everyone - beer's on the house." He was called Chock because he had a deep and abiding love for chocolate.
To you, Gramps: "And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend... who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good."
I owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter Judy and her beau, Billy Butteris, for taking care of Gramps in his final months.
11.15.09 - Texting with Judy tonight, I was reminded just how proud Grandpa was of his medals. He displayed them atop his dresser, laid out very carefully. It seemed he could be at the other end of the pasture, and one of us would be in the house leaning toward touching the medals. He would suddenly appear and say, "Don't touch those." I really miss him.
|||For Genealogists|||
Father: Benjamin Franklin Clay, 1891-1965, son of Henry and Susie Bryan Clay.
Mother: Josie Adell Rawlins, 1908-1996, daughter of George Pendergraph and Mary Maudie Wyatt Rawlins.
Siblings: Helen Jean [Nelson] (1927-2006), Margalee Fay [Denham] (1929), and William R (1932-1979).
Wife: Shirley Jo Hubert, 1936, daughter of Carl Doerr and Mildred Elizabeth Wells Hubert.
Children: Dennis Allen, 1956; Beverly Sue, 1957; Judy Kay, 1958.
Grandchildren: Melissa Margaret Abernathy, 1972, born to Beverly Sue Clay and Jimmy Royce Judd; Amanda Harrison, 1979, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Alvin Edward Harrison III; Ashlee Michelle Randall, 1983, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Charles Albert Randall; Kyle Allen Clay, 1987, son of Dennis Allen Clay and Donna Lynn Wills; and Carlee Nicole White, 1991, daughter of Beverly Sue Clay and Bobby Dale White.
Ashlee Smashlee gave him his three great-granddaughters: Abigail Rose, 2004, and Josephine Grace, 2006, with Cody William Mitchell; and Izabella Kinlee, 2009, with Joshua Robinson.
Grandpa Chock was born April 17, 1934, in Fort Worth to Benjamin Franklin and Josie Adell Rawlins Clay. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Marines and was decorated with two Purple Hearts. He was very patriotic and active in the VFW following his return from Korea.
In 1954, Chock married Shirley Jo Hubert, and they had three children. They divorced in 1975, and the mistakes he made in this marriage would haunt him for the rest of his life. Despite being a kind, intelligent and hard-working man, he could never forgive himself for not being perfect. He worked tirelessly to make sure his grandchildren did not make the same mistakes he had made. Of course, we all told him to relax and give himself a break!
Chock was a lot of fun to be around. He had a dry wit and enjoyed a good laugh. He had worked for Miller Brewing Co. for many years, and he stood by his product. He respected his mother, though, and would not allow drinking while she was at his home. My favourite video of him involved a family gathering and a serendipitous cut of the camera. The shot captured my aunt Judy pulling out of his long driveway with his mother and cut to him waving, then turning to say, "OK, everyone - beer's on the house." He was called Chock because he had a deep and abiding love for chocolate.
To you, Gramps: "And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend... who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good."
I owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter Judy and her beau, Billy Butteris, for taking care of Gramps in his final months.
11.15.09 - Texting with Judy tonight, I was reminded just how proud Grandpa was of his medals. He displayed them atop his dresser, laid out very carefully. It seemed he could be at the other end of the pasture, and one of us would be in the house leaning toward touching the medals. He would suddenly appear and say, "Don't touch those." I really miss him.
|||For Genealogists|||
Father: Benjamin Franklin Clay, 1891-1965, son of Henry and Susie Bryan Clay.
Mother: Josie Adell Rawlins, 1908-1996, daughter of George Pendergraph and Mary Maudie Wyatt Rawlins.
Siblings: Helen Jean [Nelson] (1927-2006), Margalee Fay [Denham] (1929), and William R (1932-1979).
Wife: Shirley Jo Hubert, 1936, daughter of Carl Doerr and Mildred Elizabeth Wells Hubert.
Children: Dennis Allen, 1956; Beverly Sue, 1957; Judy Kay, 1958.
Grandchildren: Melissa Margaret Abernathy, 1972, born to Beverly Sue Clay and Jimmy Royce Judd; Amanda Harrison, 1979, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Alvin Edward Harrison III; Ashlee Michelle Randall, 1983, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Charles Albert Randall; Kyle Allen Clay, 1987, son of Dennis Allen Clay and Donna Lynn Wills; and Carlee Nicole White, 1991, daughter of Beverly Sue Clay and Bobby Dale White.
Ashlee Smashlee gave him his three great-granddaughters: Abigail Rose, 2004, and Josephine Grace, 2006, with Cody William Mitchell; and Izabella Kinlee, 2009, with Joshua Robinson.
In 1954, Chock married Shirley Jo Hubert, and they had three children. They divorced in 1975, and the mistakes he made in this marriage would haunt him for the rest of his life. Despite being a kind, intelligent and hard-working man, he could never forgive himself for not being perfect. He worked tirelessly to make sure his grandchildren did not make the same mistakes he had made. Of course, we all told him to relax and give himself a break!
Chock was a lot of fun to be around. He had a dry wit and enjoyed a good laugh. He had worked for Miller Brewing Co. for many years, and he stood by his product. He respected his mother, though, and would not allow drinking while she was at his home. My favourite video of him involved a family gathering and a serendipitous cut of the camera. The shot captured my aunt Judy pulling out of his long driveway with his mother and cut to him waving, then turning to say, "OK, everyone - beer's on the house." He was called Chock because he had a deep and abiding love for chocolate.
To you, Gramps: "And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend... who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good."
I owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter Judy and her beau, Billy Butteris, for taking care of Gramps in his final months.
11.15.09 - Texting with Judy tonight, I was reminded just how proud Grandpa was of his medals. He displayed them atop his dresser, laid out very carefully. It seemed he could be at the other end of the pasture, and one of us would be in the house leaning toward touching the medals. He would suddenly appear and say, "Don't touch those." I really miss him.
|||For Genealogists|||
Father: Benjamin Franklin Clay, 1891-1965, son of Henry and Susie Bryan Clay.
Mother: Josie Adell Rawlins, 1908-1996, daughter of George Pendergraph and Mary Maudie Wyatt Rawlins.
Siblings: Helen Jean [Nelson] (1927-2006), Margalee Fay [Denham] (1929), and William R (1932-1979).
Wife: Shirley Jo Hubert, 1936, daughter of Carl Doerr and Mildred Elizabeth Wells Hubert.
Children: Dennis Allen, 1956; Beverly Sue, 1957; Judy Kay, 1958.
Grandchildren: Melissa Margaret Abernathy, 1972, born to Beverly Sue Clay and Jimmy Royce Judd; Amanda Harrison, 1979, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Alvin Edward Harrison III; Ashlee Michelle Randall, 1983, daughter of Judy Kay Clay and Charles Albert Randall; Kyle Allen Clay, 1987, son of Dennis Allen Clay and Donna Lynn Wills; and Carlee Nicole White, 1991, daughter of Beverly Sue Clay and Bobby Dale White.
Ashlee Smashlee gave him his three great-granddaughters: Abigail Rose, 2004, and Josephine Grace, 2006, with Cody William Mitchell; and Izabella Kinlee, 2009, with Joshua Robinson.
