Herman Goldsmith

Mr. Herman Goldsmith passed away Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at Denton Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held Sunday, August 9, 2009 from 7-8 p.m. at Peoples Funeral Home.

Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, August 10, 2009 at 1 p.m. at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. Interment will immediately follow funeral services in Oakwood Cemetery.

Mr. Goldsmith is preceded in death by his father, Herman Goldsmith, and one sister, Eddie “Moose” Ridge.

He is survived by his mother, Dorothy Manuel; his loving wife, Sandra Goldsmith; seven children, Jermaze and LaTericka Goldsmith, Herman and Lashonda Darrough, Kimberly and husband Ricardo Diaz, Latoya Carson and Dill Pitts; ten siblings; eleven grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Clyde M. Sanders, Sr.

Clyde M. Sanders, Sr., 76, of Sanger, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 in Denton, Texas.

He was born on May 18, 1933 in Haskell County, Texas to Leonard Grayson and Mary Magdalene (Grantham) Sanders. On March 26, 1954, he married Alice Marie Bowman in Justin, Texas. Clyde worked as a plumber for Texas Woman’s University for 22 years until his retirement in January 1998. He was a member of the Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Bolivar, Texas.

A private funeral service was held for the family on Friday, August 7, 2009 at Coker Funeral Home in Sanger. Dr. E.L. McNeal officiated the services. Interment was in the Sanger Cemetery, Sanger, Texas.

He is survived by his wife, Alice of Sanger; daughter, Becky Lynch and husband Dennis of Montgomery, TX; four sons, Clyde M. Sanders, Jr. and wife Karla of Sanger, Len Sanders and wife Elaine of Sanger, Ken Sanders and wife Phyllis of Sanger, and Monty Sanders and wife Sheri of Ponder; 13 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that memorials be made to: Trevor Sanders Heart of Gold, 11510 Hill Country Circle, Ponder, TX 76259.

LaRue Westbrook

Westbrook

LaRue Westbrook left this earthly place with the angels after a long and courageous battle with Huntington’s disease. From the moment she tested positive for the gene that determines Huntington’s to her last breath, she put up a gallant fight and remained eternally optimistic and downright joyous up until the bitter end. She was a positive force who touched the lives of all those with whom she came in contact. LaRue was born on May 24, 1941 in Paris, Arkansas. She grew up in Clarksville, Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas where she met the father of her children, Paul (Randy) Payne to whom she was married for 13 years. LaRue spent most of her career helping and educating children; her specialty was early childhood development and learning disabilities. Her passion to be an advocate for those with little or no voice changed lives.

LaRue lived in Denton, Texas for many years … a place she still considered home. She raised her children and met some of the most influential people of her life there. Later her life’s journey took her to Taos, New Mexico and eventually to San Marcos, Texas where she enjoyed a second career at one of the university bookstores. As the disease progressed and her ability to work diminished, she elected to return to her roots and live close to her best friend, her loving sister, Rebecca Plunkett in Fort Smith, Arkansas. LaRue spent the last four years, the most incredibly difficult days of our lives, at Greenhurst in Charleston, Arkansas where she received kindness, compassion and care until her last breath.

She is survived by her children, daughter Savanna Payne Bogardus and husband Tom of Austin, Texas; son Josh LaRue and wife Jamie of Silver Spring, Maryland; surrogate son Jeff Payne of Washington, D.C.; grandchildren Jackson and Katharine Bogardus and Iris LaRue; sister Rebecca Plunkett and husband Phillip of Fort Smith, Arkansas; brother Kent Westbrook, M.D. and wife Jonnie of Little Rock, Arkansas; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a network of lifelong friends, Shelly Torres, Karen Parr and Anita Long.

LaRue will be dearly missed and remembered not only for the things she taught us but for the way she lived her life. She was gifted with the ease of making friends, helping those in need and living life by the Golden Rule. She instilled in her children compassion for others, love of life and learning and gentleness with nature. She loved to be spontaneous and have fun; camping and canoeing were some of her favorite passions. She loved to laugh and dance; we recall many Christmas celebrations dancing in the living room to holiday music. She loved good music (especially Bob Dylan with whom she shared a birthday, Joni Mitchell, Terri Hendrix, Talking Heads and Chicago) and Mexican food! She loved her pets and we know LaRue will be united with Otis Dog once again! She loved her sister Rebecca most of all and together they not only survived life’s many challenges but lived every moment to the fullest; being a support and caretaker to each other in times of need. LaRue was always the hippest mom; wearing the most fashionable clothes and styles. She was always the most beautiful woman and turned heads wherever she went. She could manage to pull off her Neiman Marcus taste on a Wal-Mart budget. LaRue was one in a billion. There is no one like her. Our hearts are filled with sadness because we will miss her so much; but we find comfort that she is no longer suffering and is with the angels above.

A celebration of her life will be shared by her family and friends at Smith Mortuary in Charleston, Arkansas on Monday, August 10, 2009 at 11 a.m.

The family wishes to express special thanks to Mary Jane Christenberry and the exceptional staff at Greenhurst for their loving dedication and tenderness in caring for LaRue throughout her last years.

In lieu of flowers, those who desire may send a memorial donation to Huntington’s disease Society of America in memory of LaRue Westbrook at HDSA.org or HDSA, 505 8th Avenue, Suite 902, New York, NY, 10018; or to a charity of your choice.