Clements Okey Richards

Clements Okey Richards was born in Stamford, Texas to Okey F. Richards and Myrtle Olson Richards at the beginning of the Great Depression and a time of great drought. He grew up on a farm where his parents taught their children to work hard and save.
In 1944, Clements graduated from Lueders High School at age 15. Needless to say, there was no money for attending college. He had excelled in public speaking in high school and aspired to pursue pre-law. He entered Tarleton Agriculture College where he planned to pay for this venture by working part-time. He worked from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. at a railroad depot, loading and unloading freight and then rushed off to his 8:00 a.m. class each day. While at Tarleton, he joined the Texas State Guard and participated in the 1945 Golden Gloves at Brownwood. Unfortunately, his class load and the job were too much. After one year he returned home to farming, but, he only farmed one year when he had to give up his land, through no fault of his own.
Clements sought work in Abilene and Dallas. He was employed by Austin Brothers Steel Company in office work. Clements was a young man– searching. On October 1, 1948, he enlisted in the United States Marines. While at basic training In San Diego, California, he was named the outstanding recruit of his platoon. After completing basic training, he went to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to attend disbursing school. He was named first in his class of 29 men.
In 1949, on furlough, he met Margaret Wendeborn from Sagerton on a blind date. They dated for the two weeks that he was on leave before he reported to Corpus Christie where he would be stationed. They continued their romance by writing to each other. She was an English major at McMurry University. Clements went back to Camp Lejeune after the Korean War broke out in 1950. Now a corporal, Clements came home in spring of 1951 on leave. He and Margaret were married in March 1951. She followed him to Camp Lejeune after she graduated in May of 1951. The couple lived in Jacksonville, N.C. Their first daughter, Pamela, was born at Camp Lejeune in March of 1952. The new family returned to the Stamford area after Clements was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant in the summer of 1952. Their second daughter, Sharon, was born in Stamford in 1953. Aside from farming, Clements found work tree dozing on the SMS Ranch to subsidize their income and Margaret did part time teaching.
They moved to a farm close to Stamford in 1958, and their third daughter, Deanna, was born in 1959. In1960, their son Brent was born but lived only two days. The family moved to Stamford in 1962. They bought a farm near Stamford which they called “Tranquil Acres.” Clements and Margaret were active in their church. They also kept busy with the Parent Teacher Organization in their daughters’ schools as well as attending their daughters’ piano recitals.
Clements received much recognition in soil conservation and land management. He was instrumental in forming the Jones and Haskell Grain Co-op and he served on the Stamford City Council. Clements attended the national convention of the Lutheran Church in America in 1975 in Baltimore and participated as a panel member with Dan Rather discussing church and society.

Later that year, he and Margaret entered the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. He did his internship in Poughkeepsie, New York and received his Masters of Divinity in 1979. He was a member of MENSA. He was considered as a potential election monitor sponsored by the LCA for elections in Namibia, Africa but civil war developed and his “might have been experience” was squelched. He was ordained in 1979 and was called to his first church, Lord of Life Lutheran, in Lancaster, Texas. During his three year tenure, the congregation built a new church. In 1982, he was called to serve the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Swiss Alp community near Schulenburg. He also received much recognition for land and water stewardship. After serving 11 years, he retired from the ministry. The couple moved to La Grange, Texas where Margaret concluded her teaching career. Clements enjoyed playing golf, taking care of his yard, and visiting with friends.
He and Margaret moved to their beloved “Tranquil Acres” near Stamford in 2011 where he delighted in tending the large wildflower garden he and Margaret planted on their 50th anniversary. As his health became more fragile, he and Margaret moved to Country Elegance Assisted Living in Stamford where he lived until his death on Friday, November 20 in the hospice unit at Hendricks Memorial Hospital in Abilene.
He is survived by Margaret, his wife of 64 years, three daughters: Pamela Weaks and husband, Roy, Sharon Kleypas and husband, Gary, and Deanna Cagle and husband, Gus. Also left to cherish his memory are grandchildren Sean Weaks and wife Valerie, Meagan Weaks and Elbert Howard, Jeff Kleypas and wife, Bonnie, Marci Johnson, and Matt Johnson and wife, Amanda. Great—grandchildren lucky enough to know their great-papa are William Weaks, Wesley and Alison Weaks, Kaitlyn and Jaclyn Kleypas, Breanna Johnson, and Carlie and Landon Johnson. He is also remembered by his sister, Barbara Burton of Garland and brother, Darrell Richards and wife, Clara of Stamford.
Clements will be remembered at a Memorial Service, 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, November 24, 2015 at the Tankersley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Gary Kleypas officiating. Burial will follow at the Bethel Lutheran Church Cemetery under the direction of Tankersley Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Hendrick Hospice Care P.O. Box 1922 Abilene, TX 79601