Obituary of Ed Horsford

Graveside services for Ed Horsford, 93, of Hale Center, TX, will be held at 10:00 am Saturday, July 11, 2020, at the Center Plains Cemetery, Cotton Center, TX with Pastor Ty Horsford officiating. The family invites those attending to bring a lawn chair. The family will gather to receive friends from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm Friday, July 10, 2020 at Abell Funeral Home. Services are under the direction of Abell Funeral Home & Flower Shop of Abernathy, TX. “Edgar Burton Horsford was born in McCone County, Montana, on January 25, 1927 to Thomas F. and Annie B. (Sharp) Horsford. During his years at Gallatin Valley High School, he worked for the United States Forest Service in Idaho. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age 17. He was a veteran of World War II, where earned a Purple Heart in the Pacific Theater and was honorably discharged. After the war, he finished high school and attended Montana State College before moving to Cotton Center, Texas, in 1949. There he met and eventually married Wanda Mae Barrett on August 26, 1951. At his death, they were married for 68 years. In Cotton Center, he was a cotton farmer for many years. He was a member at the First Baptist Church of Cotton Center, where he was baptized. His joy, however, came from coaching little league teams for many years. Ed and Wanda had four sons and six grandsons. He was his grandsons’ biggest fans. They – and all their friends – knew him as “Grumps.” Ed was an avid reader of poetry, history, and westerns. He loved bluegrass and gospel music, and he looked forward to regular camping trips with his family. Ed died on July 8, 2020, at the age of 93, loved by the family he cherished so much. He is preceded in death by one son, Gregory Lane; his parents; four sisters, Annie Lee Boyum, Reba Erwin, Ruby Lindsay, and Millie Burch; and two brothers, Bill and Earl Horsford. He is survived by his wife, Wanda; three sons, Tommy and wife Melinda, of Hale Center, TX, Stanley and wife La Don of Abernathy, TX, and Lance and wife Dinah of Stratford, TX; six grandsons, Wes and wife Laura of Smyrna, GA, Jared of Lubbock, TX, Ty and wife Elizabeth of Abernathy, TX, Tate of Lubbock, TX, Kaleb and wife Renae of Stratford, TX, and Kyle and wife Shayla of Stratford, TX; and ten great-grandchildren, Kyle, Will, Lane, Hayes, Parker, Heston, Greg, Barrett, Brighton, and Holt. Grumps cherished them all and bragged on them to anyone who would listen.” The family suggests memorials be sent to the First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 287, Cotton Center, TX 79021, or to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101