Bruce Samford Sr.

Bruce Riley Samford, Sr. was born August 14, 1937 in Tenaha, Texas, and died January 6, 2014 at his home in Timpson, Texas. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Bruce graduated in 1956 from Tenaha High School where he played football, basketball and ran track. He began a long and successful career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company at a young age, retiring after thirty years of service. Bruce was a member of Timpson Masonic Lodge #437 for forty-three years and was also a Shriner. He was elected Justice of the Peace for Precinct Five, serving for thirteen years. He also was the Municipal Judge for the City of Timpson until he became ill in 2011.

Bruce was very involved in the community where he served on the school board for Timpson ISD for six years. He was a big Bear Backer, enjoying his children and grandchildren in their endeavors. Pappa would occasionally cross over to cheer for the Kilgore Bulldogs. Bruce was always a Texas Longhorn fan and was extremely proud to have grandchildren attending UT. His Longhorn pride ran so deep that his grandchildren made him an "Honorary Longhorn" with a tile brick in his honor at the UT Alumni Center for all to see. Texas Fight!

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, Hoyal Samford and Ella Marie Tidwell, his father and mother-in-law Marcus and Emily Powers, and his loving grandparents Nugent and Cleo Samford by whom he was raised. Bruce is survived by his loving wife of fifty-five years, Patricia Powers Samford. He is also survived by his children Sandie Crawford, Terrie Nix and husband Milt, Jerrie Strahan and husband Robbie, and Bruce Riley Samford Jr. and wife Tina, all of Timpson. He is survived by his dearly-loved grandchildren: Jessica Strahan of Los Angeles, CA, Emily Crawford of Austin, Marcus Nix of Timpson, Mallory Strahan of Nacogdoches, Macy Nix of Austin, and Olivia Stokes and husband Taylor of Timpson; great grandson, Lynk Riley Stokes, of Timpson; sister Carolyn Hairgrove; and nephew Stephen Hairgrove of Grapevine.

As a beloved husband and family man, he will be sorely missed by friends and family alike.

Funeral service for Bruce Riley Samford, Sr. will be held at 3:00 PM, Wednesday, January 8, 2014, at First Baptist Church, Timpson with Dr. Josh Walters and Bro. Elmer Mathews officiating. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery, Timpson. Visitation for family and friends will be 5:30 - 7:30 PM, Tuesday, January 7, 2014, at Taylor Funeral Home, Timpson.

Serving as pallbearers will be Bradley Allen, Bobby Hamblin, Lloyd Grier, Doug Barr, Duncan Connell, Gary Rholes, Kerry Newman, and Hubert Walton. Honorary pallbearers are Larry Crawford, L. G. Allen, Charles Joe Hughes, David Pike, Leonard Hughes, George Butts, Jerry Bob Nix, Sidney Galbreath, and Johnnie Earl Robinson.