Clara Parsons

Clara Belle Kingham Parsons, 87, of Panhandle, Texas, passed away on November 30, 2019,in Flower Mound, Texas.  She was born October 12, 1932, to James Ralph Kingham and Annie Caroline Kingham, in Sweetwater, Oklahoma, and grew up in Sayre, Oklahoma.  She is predeceased by her husband, Billie James Parsons; her parents, one brother, Raymond Kingham, and two sisters, Flossie Ruth Weston and Buena Davis and one brother-in-law, Joe Parsons.  She is survived by her five children: son Dennis Martin and wife, Antha of Borger; daughter Paulette Dozier and husband, David of Panhandle; daughter Kay Williams and husband, C.E. of Panhandle; daughter Sabra Powell and husband, Dee of Flower Mound; and daughter Tonya Curtis and husband, Trent of Flower Mound; her brother, Dale Kingham and wife, Corene of Panhandle; sister, Iris Fern Montgomery of Lake Charles, Louisiana; sister, Donna Luthey and husband, Harold of Sayre, Oklahoma; brother-in-law Robert Parsons and wife, Martha of Greenville, Texas; sister-in-law Nancy Parsons of Wolfe City, Texas and sister-in-law Lola Fay Tucker of Round Rock, Texas.  She is also survived by 14 grandchildren Jerad Martin, Matt Martin, Amy Martin, Chris Richardson, Crystal Burdis, Jason Dozier, Becky Haiduk, Lance Williams, Courtney Neal, Shelbey Rogers, Kelly Schneider, Emily Curtis, Abby Curtis and Derek Curtis and numerous great grand-children and great-great grandchildren along with beloved nieces, nephews and friends.

Clara and Bill were married on September 2, 1960, and made their home in Panhandle for 59 years. Clara will be remembered for her amazingly beautiful quilts.  Each quilt that Clara finished carried a piece of her life with it.  She saw her quilts as her legacy and that was why she was so intent on creating one for each of her children and grand-children. But Clara’s legacy as a quilter extends far beyond her quilts.  Clara was a quilter not just of cloth, however, but of her children’s lives. She took pieces of herself and embroidered them into the lives of everyone she touched. Yet she neither intended nor understood that she was doing so. She was just being herself. But in being herself, she wove herself into so many lives and lived for all of us the example of a true Christian life.

One of the significant pieces that Clara quilted into the fabric of our lives was caring: not the showy kind that gets public recognition, but rather the daily kind that touches lives one-on-one. Clara had a hard time expressing feelings for her friends, so she was not one to write notes or sit with someone. Clara expressed her care through food. She loved cooking and would produce large quantities of wholesome, down-to-earth food. And in so caring for her neighbors, friends, and family, Clara taught us to care.  For anyone who visited The Bean Patch Restaurant early in the morning can testify for those delicious homemade rolls and cinnamon rolls.

Clara lived a life of simple but pure faith and service to God, family, and neighbors.  She has passed from death into her heavenly life and as Jesus promised, this day she is with him in Heaven.  None of us are sure what Heaven looks like, but we all pray for Clara it is full of love and laughter.

Funeral services will be 1:00 pm Saturday, December 7th at First Baptist Church in Panhandle. There will be a family and friends visitation Friday, December 6th from 5: 00 pm to 7: 00 pm at the funeral home. Burial will be in Panhandle Cemetery under the direction of Minton Chatwell Funeral Directors of Panhandle.

The family suggests sending memorial contributions to the First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 189, Panhandle, Texas 79068 or the West Texas Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association, 5410 S Bell St. Ste. 411, Amarillo, Texas 79109.