J. C. Wendeborn

After a battle with cancer, JC Wendeborn has gone to his eternal home. JC died July 26, 2015, at his home on the farm in Sagerton, just as when he was brought into this world on April 5, 1929.
JC grew up on the farm through the Great Depression, losing a brother, LA, at Salerno Beach, a call to duty in the Korean War, and the beginning of the drought of the 50’s. He graduated from Sagerton High School where he played ball for Coach Irene Stewart. Reared in the Sagerton Lutheran church, he married Margaret Mahood on February 27, 1954, at First Baptist Church in Stamford, where he was also baptized. In 1954, fast pitch softball was the working man’s game and JC had a chance to work in the new gas fields of Farmington, New Mexico, so he could make a team. JC ended up playing short stop for El Paso Natural Gas and they gave him a job opening gates and hauling product with surplus army trucks. JC ended his career 32 years later with El Paso Natural Gas as the Products Superintendent of the San Juan Division. Upon retirement, JC moved back to the family farm in Sagerton.
While in Farmington, JC helped build the 1st softball park in town and played in several national tournaments. JC coached his four sons in the game of baseball. Dad loved the game within the game and coached on that level. Dad taught us how to slide holding Dixie cups of water in each hand so our form was just right. He would blindfold us and hit outfield to us so that we got used to hearing the ball come off the bat. Dad felt that if you saw someone hit twice in summer league ball you should know where they were going to hit through their high school career. It was ok to give up a hit in front of you but never past you. When he wasn’t coaching baseball he was playing golf, following Texas Longhorn sports and the St Louis Cardinals. JC was young when the Longhorn football program was having their big run in the 60’s and it was not uncommon to see Dad jump up at the end of a close game and run around the entire block where we lived yelling “Hook ‘em Horns!” JC lived and breathed the game of baseball so much that his eldest son was named John Gehrig after the famous Lou. As for his beloved Cardinals, well-- he started listening to them in “39” and named his second son, Mark Stanley, after Stan Musial. Dad was playing in a National fast pitch tourney in Florida when Jay was born. Dad called Mom to tell her about the game and check on her. The story goes that the ball team was all trying to listen to the call and Mom asked dad what ball player he wanted to name this one after. Well in the game that just ended Dad had made a great play to end the game and all the guys were telling Mom there wasn't a better ball player than JC, so that's how Jay Clayton got his moniker. JC’s brother was a noted ball player in his own right, and was killed in action during WWII. When JC and Margaret’s youngest son was born on Sept 9, 1963, it was within hours of the same recorded time that LA was killed in 1943, hence Lee Alton got his name. J C was an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Dad enjoyed his golf game. He was very competitive, didn’t care for sand baggers, wished he’d started before he turned 40 and learned to putt left hand down. Dad loved the farm life and got back to it as soon as he could. It is a quiet place and Dad was a “why use two words when one word will do” kind of person. You could stop by the house and he would pour a fresh brewed cup of coffee and JC might say “Come in and thanks for stopping by” and you’d feel like you had a great visit. Dad had a big smile and the doctors and nurses and hospice and care givers appreciated him and went far beyond expectations to take good care of him and his family.
Dad was the fourth of five children born to John and Tillie Wendeborn, three of whom preceded him in death – a brother, LA Wendeborn; and two sisters, Geneva Carlton and Ruby Carpenter.
JC is survived by his wife of 61 years, Margaret Mahood Wendeborn; youngest brother, JD Wendeborn, of Laredo; four sons, John and wife, Taimi of Stamford, Mark and wife, Cindy, of Farmington, NM; Jay and wife, Gloria, of Farmington, NM, and Lee of Phoenix, AZ; 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
Funeral services for J. C. will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 30, 2015 at the St. John’s United Methodist Church in Stamford with Rev. John Erwin officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at the Highland Memorial Cemetery in Stamford under the direction of Tankersley Funeral Home.
The family will be receiving friends at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 6 until 7 p.m.
The family requests that memorials be sent to Hendricks Hospice Care, P O. Box 1922, Abilene, Texas 79601.