This is my grandmother. One of the greatest ladies I ever knew. I loved being with her, being at her house, being with my grandpa too, playing in their big backyard with my cousins. Always a happy place for me; even doing nothing. But before she was my grandma she had a whole life. And after she was my grandma, she still had 30+ years of life. Her name was Blanche Cordelia Wimberley but somewhere along the line her husband's family started calling her "Pat."
Blanch Cordelia was born March 11 (or 10*) in Lyra, Texas to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gyger and Henry Wimberley, whom are step-siblings but not blood relatives. She was their second child, their only daughter. Henry and Lizzie would have another son together. Henry worked in the coal mines; and they lived in tent cities when their children were young. Lizzie died of tuberculosis and the children were still very young; Henry Haywood "Woody" 10, Blanche 8, William "Leo" only 2. Lizzie's death at home in the coal mining camp was very traumatic. Young Woody was sent in the middle of the night to run and ask the doctor to come. 8 year old Blanch was left to help her father tend to her mother. Lizzie was hemorrhaging blood. Buckets of blood had to be emptied all night until her poor mother faded away. This is a story my grandmother never told to anyone except me. She told me a few months before she passed. I asked a professional about it once. She said the trauma was something my grandmother could not share before, but she wanted to relieve herself of the burden of carrying what had happened, or share it, before leaving this world.
Henry returned to the home of Lizzie's family and took a wife with his sister-in-law, Naomi "Dolly" Gyger Clonch. We called her Grandma Doll. Lizzie and Dolly had several sisters. One which was very close to Blanche all through the years was Aunt Jo. Grandma told me once that she didn't get along very well with her step-mother as a child. She said, once she got in trouble and ran away, "way down the road!" I was kind of stunned to hear she had disobeyed a rule. She always had a way to talk to us grandchildren and we behaved around her and at her house.
Henry and Dolly would have one daughter, Doris. The family was Baptist, and they raised their kids Baptist, and some of their kids raised their kids Baptist too (grandkids like me). Blanch was intelligent. After finishing school, she became the teacher at the local schoolhouse before she married. One of my cousins referred to her as "the encyclopedia" as he would call her when he needed help with his homework. She liked to do the daily newspaper crossword puzzle and could complete every question. She loved to watch TV game shows, especially Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
My grandparents grew up in the same area of Texas. There were two very large families, the Gygers and the Wimberleys. The widower and the widow of each of these families married each other, and that's where things get muddled. Go to Grandma Vina's memorial to understand it better.
Clarence Phillip Gyger and Blanch Wimberley married March 4. Together they raised eight children, two boys and six girls. Their home was where all their friends would come to hang out for fun. The Gygers moved to Martinez, CA in the early 50s; following their son Charles "Sonny" and brother-in-law John Morris to work in the oil refinery business. Their two eldest daughters, Tommie Lee Allen and Jimmie Rene Pennington remained in Houston with their husbands. Henry and Dolly Wimberly and Dorris Morris and her children were all with Blanch and Clarence in Martinez. Later, they moved to a larger home in Concord on Clayton Rd. In 1972 they moved nextdoor to me on Nulty Dr. I was so lucky to have my grandparents and favorite aunt Nita Gyger (2nd mom) and cousin Anita Dalton (like a little sister) next door.
Blanch was preceded in death by her husband, and three grandchildren Karen Allen, Stephen Pennington, and Melinda Stanley. She is survived by two sons Charles R. Gyger (Mary Lou) of Lubbock, Texas, and John Henry Gyger of Harris County, Texas; six daughters Tommie Allen (Jake) of Onalaska, TX, Jimmie Pennington (Dale) of Texas, Nita Gyger of Concord, CA, Patricia Stanley (Charles) of Concord, CA, Deanna Gooden (John) of Onalaska, TX, and Sharon Eddy (Ralph) of Sparks, Nevada; granddaughter Anita Dalton raised in her home, 12 add'l grandchildren and growing, two step-grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and growing, and 7 step-grandchildren; sister Doris Morris of Martinez; brothers "Woody" Wimberley (Nola) of Willits, CA, and Wm. Leo Wimberley; sisters-in-law "Tommie" Gyger and Verna Gyger of Texas; nephews Edwin "Bubba" Gyger, Don Morris, Bill Morris; nieces Shirley Roberds, Jan Morris, Carolyn Joan Gonderman, Gwendolyn Underhill, Lorraine (Wimberley), and Deanza Ward (Herman) of Huson, CA.
* When Pat applied to collect her social security benefits she found the doctor had filed her birth certificate with a different date of birth than what she and her family had celebrated her whole life. This happened to many people of her generation. Legally it's what the doctor files on the birth certificate.
Blanch Cordelia was born March 11 (or 10*) in Lyra, Texas to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gyger and Henry Wimberley, whom are step-siblings but not blood relatives. She was their second child, their only daughter. Henry and Lizzie would have another son together. Henry worked in the coal mines; and they lived in tent cities when their children were young. Lizzie died of tuberculosis and the children were still very young; Henry Haywood "Woody" 10, Blanche 8, William "Leo" only 2. Lizzie's death at home in the coal mining camp was very traumatic. Young Woody was sent in the middle of the night to run and ask the doctor to come. 8 year old Blanch was left to help her father tend to her mother. Lizzie was hemorrhaging blood. Buckets of blood had to be emptied all night until her poor mother faded away. This is a story my grandmother never told to anyone except me. She told me a few months before she passed. I asked a professional about it once. She said the trauma was something my grandmother could not share before, but she wanted to relieve herself of the burden of carrying what had happened, or share it, before leaving this world.
Henry returned to the home of Lizzie's family and took a wife with his sister-in-law, Naomi "Dolly" Gyger Clonch. We called her Grandma Doll. Lizzie and Dolly had several sisters. One which was very close to Blanche all through the years was Aunt Jo. Grandma told me once that she didn't get along very well with her step-mother as a child. She said, once she got in trouble and ran away, "way down the road!" I was kind of stunned to hear she had disobeyed a rule. She always had a way to talk to us grandchildren and we behaved around her and at her house.
Henry and Dolly would have one daughter, Doris. The family was Baptist, and they raised their kids Baptist, and some of their kids raised their kids Baptist too (grandkids like me). Blanch was intelligent. After finishing school, she became the teacher at the local schoolhouse before she married. One of my cousins referred to her as "the encyclopedia" as he would call her when he needed help with his homework. She liked to do the daily newspaper crossword puzzle and could complete every question. She loved to watch TV game shows, especially Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
My grandparents grew up in the same area of Texas. There were two very large families, the Gygers and the Wimberleys. The widower and the widow of each of these families married each other, and that's where things get muddled. Go to Grandma Vina's memorial to understand it better.
Clarence Phillip Gyger and Blanch Wimberley married March 4. Together they raised eight children, two boys and six girls. Their home was where all their friends would come to hang out for fun. The Gygers moved to Martinez, CA in the early 50s; following their son Charles "Sonny" and brother-in-law John Morris to work in the oil refinery business. Their two eldest daughters, Tommie Lee Allen and Jimmie Rene Pennington remained in Houston with their husbands. Henry and Dolly Wimberly and Dorris Morris and her children were all with Blanch and Clarence in Martinez. Later, they moved to a larger home in Concord on Clayton Rd. In 1972 they moved nextdoor to me on Nulty Dr. I was so lucky to have my grandparents and favorite aunt Nita Gyger (2nd mom) and cousin Anita Dalton (like a little sister) next door.
Blanch was preceded in death by her husband, and three grandchildren Karen Allen, Stephen Pennington, and Melinda Stanley. She is survived by two sons Charles R. Gyger (Mary Lou) of Lubbock, Texas, and John Henry Gyger of Harris County, Texas; six daughters Tommie Allen (Jake) of Onalaska, TX, Jimmie Pennington (Dale) of Texas, Nita Gyger of Concord, CA, Patricia Stanley (Charles) of Concord, CA, Deanna Gooden (John) of Onalaska, TX, and Sharon Eddy (Ralph) of Sparks, Nevada; granddaughter Anita Dalton raised in her home, 12 add'l grandchildren and growing, two step-grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and growing, and 7 step-grandchildren; sister Doris Morris of Martinez; brothers "Woody" Wimberley (Nola) of Willits, CA, and Wm. Leo Wimberley; sisters-in-law "Tommie" Gyger and Verna Gyger of Texas; nephews Edwin "Bubba" Gyger, Don Morris, Bill Morris; nieces Shirley Roberds, Jan Morris, Carolyn Joan Gonderman, Gwendolyn Underhill, Lorraine (Wimberley), and Deanza Ward (Herman) of Huson, CA.
* When Pat applied to collect her social security benefits she found the doctor had filed her birth certificate with a different date of birth than what she and her family had celebrated her whole life. This happened to many people of her generation. Legally it's what the doctor files on the birth certificate.
This is my grandmother. One of the greatest ladies I ever knew. I loved being with her, being at her house, being with my grandpa too, playing in their big backyard with my cousins. Always a happy place for me; even doing nothing. But before she was my grandma she had a whole life. And after she was my grandma, she still had 30+ years of life. Her name was Blanche Cordelia Wimberley but somewhere along the line her husband's family started calling her "Pat."
Blanch Cordelia was born March 11 (or 10*) in Lyra, Texas to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gyger and Henry Wimberley, whom are step-siblings but not blood relatives. She was their second child, their only daughter. Henry and Lizzie would have another son together. Henry worked in the coal mines; and they lived in tent cities when their children were young. Lizzie died of tuberculosis and the children were still very young; Henry Haywood "Woody" 10, Blanche 8, William "Leo" only 2. Lizzie's death at home in the coal mining camp was very traumatic. Young Woody was sent in the middle of the night to run and ask the doctor to come. 8 year old Blanch was left to help her father tend to her mother. Lizzie was hemorrhaging blood. Buckets of blood had to be emptied all night until her poor mother faded away. This is a story my grandmother never told to anyone except me. She told me a few months before she passed. I asked a professional about it once. She said the trauma was something my grandmother could not share before, but she wanted to relieve herself of the burden of carrying what had happened, or share it, before leaving this world.
Henry returned to the home of Lizzie's family and took a wife with his sister-in-law, Naomi "Dolly" Gyger Clonch. We called her Grandma Doll. Lizzie and Dolly had several sisters. One which was very close to Blanche all through the years was Aunt Jo. Grandma told me once that she didn't get along very well with her step-mother as a child. She said, once she got in trouble and ran away, "way down the road!" I was kind of stunned to hear she had disobeyed a rule. She always had a way to talk to us grandchildren and we behaved around her and at her house.
Henry and Dolly would have one daughter, Doris. The family was Baptist, and they raised their kids Baptist, and some of their kids raised their kids Baptist too (grandkids like me). Blanch was intelligent. After finishing school, she became the teacher at the local schoolhouse before she married. One of my cousins referred to her as "the encyclopedia" as he would call her when he needed help with his homework. She liked to do the daily newspaper crossword puzzle and could complete every question. She loved to watch TV game shows, especially Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
My grandparents grew up in the same area of Texas. There were two very large families, the Gygers and the Wimberleys. The widower and the widow of each of these families married each other, and that's where things get muddled. Go to Grandma Vina's memorial to understand it better.
Clarence Phillip Gyger and Blanch Wimberley married March 4. Together they raised eight children, two boys and six girls. Their home was where all their friends would come to hang out for fun. The Gygers moved to Martinez, CA in the early 50s; following their son Charles "Sonny" and brother-in-law John Morris to work in the oil refinery business. Their two eldest daughters, Tommie Lee Allen and Jimmie Rene Pennington remained in Houston with their husbands. Henry and Dolly Wimberly and Dorris Morris and her children were all with Blanch and Clarence in Martinez. Later, they moved to a larger home in Concord on Clayton Rd. In 1972 they moved nextdoor to me on Nulty Dr. I was so lucky to have my grandparents and favorite aunt Nita Gyger (2nd mom) and cousin Anita Dalton (like a little sister) next door.
Blanch was preceded in death by her husband, and three grandchildren Karen Allen, Stephen Pennington, and Melinda Stanley. She is survived by two sons Charles R. Gyger (Mary Lou) of Lubbock, Texas, and John Henry Gyger of Harris County, Texas; six daughters Tommie Allen (Jake) of Onalaska, TX, Jimmie Pennington (Dale) of Texas, Nita Gyger of Concord, CA, Patricia Stanley (Charles) of Concord, CA, Deanna Gooden (John) of Onalaska, TX, and Sharon Eddy (Ralph) of Sparks, Nevada; granddaughter Anita Dalton raised in her home, 12 add'l grandchildren and growing, two step-grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and growing, and 7 step-grandchildren; sister Doris Morris of Martinez; brothers "Woody" Wimberley (Nola) of Willits, CA, and Wm. Leo Wimberley; sisters-in-law "Tommie" Gyger and Verna Gyger of Texas; nephews Edwin "Bubba" Gyger, Don Morris, Bill Morris; nieces Shirley Roberds, Jan Morris, Carolyn Joan Gonderman, Gwendolyn Underhill, Lorraine (Wimberley), and Deanza Ward (Herman) of Huson, CA.
* When Pat applied to collect her social security benefits she found the doctor had filed her birth certificate with a different date of birth than what she and her family had celebrated her whole life. This happened to many people of her generation. Legally it's what the doctor files on the birth certificate.
Blanch Cordelia was born March 11 (or 10*) in Lyra, Texas to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gyger and Henry Wimberley, whom are step-siblings but not blood relatives. She was their second child, their only daughter. Henry and Lizzie would have another son together. Henry worked in the coal mines; and they lived in tent cities when their children were young. Lizzie died of tuberculosis and the children were still very young; Henry Haywood "Woody" 10, Blanche 8, William "Leo" only 2. Lizzie's death at home in the coal mining camp was very traumatic. Young Woody was sent in the middle of the night to run and ask the doctor to come. 8 year old Blanch was left to help her father tend to her mother. Lizzie was hemorrhaging blood. Buckets of blood had to be emptied all night until her poor mother faded away. This is a story my grandmother never told to anyone except me. She told me a few months before she passed. I asked a professional about it once. She said the trauma was something my grandmother could not share before, but she wanted to relieve herself of the burden of carrying what had happened, or share it, before leaving this world.
Henry returned to the home of Lizzie's family and took a wife with his sister-in-law, Naomi "Dolly" Gyger Clonch. We called her Grandma Doll. Lizzie and Dolly had several sisters. One which was very close to Blanche all through the years was Aunt Jo. Grandma told me once that she didn't get along very well with her step-mother as a child. She said, once she got in trouble and ran away, "way down the road!" I was kind of stunned to hear she had disobeyed a rule. She always had a way to talk to us grandchildren and we behaved around her and at her house.
Henry and Dolly would have one daughter, Doris. The family was Baptist, and they raised their kids Baptist, and some of their kids raised their kids Baptist too (grandkids like me). Blanch was intelligent. After finishing school, she became the teacher at the local schoolhouse before she married. One of my cousins referred to her as "the encyclopedia" as he would call her when he needed help with his homework. She liked to do the daily newspaper crossword puzzle and could complete every question. She loved to watch TV game shows, especially Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
My grandparents grew up in the same area of Texas. There were two very large families, the Gygers and the Wimberleys. The widower and the widow of each of these families married each other, and that's where things get muddled. Go to Grandma Vina's memorial to understand it better.
Clarence Phillip Gyger and Blanch Wimberley married March 4. Together they raised eight children, two boys and six girls. Their home was where all their friends would come to hang out for fun. The Gygers moved to Martinez, CA in the early 50s; following their son Charles "Sonny" and brother-in-law John Morris to work in the oil refinery business. Their two eldest daughters, Tommie Lee Allen and Jimmie Rene Pennington remained in Houston with their husbands. Henry and Dolly Wimberly and Dorris Morris and her children were all with Blanch and Clarence in Martinez. Later, they moved to a larger home in Concord on Clayton Rd. In 1972 they moved nextdoor to me on Nulty Dr. I was so lucky to have my grandparents and favorite aunt Nita Gyger (2nd mom) and cousin Anita Dalton (like a little sister) next door.
Blanch was preceded in death by her husband, and three grandchildren Karen Allen, Stephen Pennington, and Melinda Stanley. She is survived by two sons Charles R. Gyger (Mary Lou) of Lubbock, Texas, and John Henry Gyger of Harris County, Texas; six daughters Tommie Allen (Jake) of Onalaska, TX, Jimmie Pennington (Dale) of Texas, Nita Gyger of Concord, CA, Patricia Stanley (Charles) of Concord, CA, Deanna Gooden (John) of Onalaska, TX, and Sharon Eddy (Ralph) of Sparks, Nevada; granddaughter Anita Dalton raised in her home, 12 add'l grandchildren and growing, two step-grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and growing, and 7 step-grandchildren; sister Doris Morris of Martinez; brothers "Woody" Wimberley (Nola) of Willits, CA, and Wm. Leo Wimberley; sisters-in-law "Tommie" Gyger and Verna Gyger of Texas; nephews Edwin "Bubba" Gyger, Don Morris, Bill Morris; nieces Shirley Roberds, Jan Morris, Carolyn Joan Gonderman, Gwendolyn Underhill, Lorraine (Wimberley), and Deanza Ward (Herman) of Huson, CA.
* When Pat applied to collect her social security benefits she found the doctor had filed her birth certificate with a different date of birth than what she and her family had celebrated her whole life. This happened to many people of her generation. Legally it's what the doctor files on the birth certificate.
Inscription
GYGER with Christian praying hands
CLARENCE P. BLANCHE C.
1906 - 1979 1908 - 1994
Gravesite Details
Granite headstone in good condition
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
