Grayson County, TXGenWeb

John E. Denton
19 November 1902 - 2 October 1975

Clara M. Denton
14 July 1908 - 6 March 2011

Clara Mae Denton, longtime Sherman resident, passed away Sunday, March 6 at The Homestead of Sherman. Clara was born on July 14, 1908 in Lone Oak, Texas, daughter of Walter Marion Ingram and Lillie Bell McCurdy Ingram. She was married to John Earl Denton Sr. of Whitewright, Texas on January 19, 1925. They enjoyed 50 years together until his death in 1975. She lived most of her life on various farms in North Texas; Lone Oak, Greenville, Whitewright, Ft. Worth, Savoy, Bonham, Sedalia, and Sherman were her homes. Clara lived at the family home on Howe Drive in Sherman for 63 years until an accident moved her to the Homestead in May of 2007. She was a member of Forest Avenue Baptist Church for 65 years.
Clara was a product of her agricultural environment. Her life was influenced by her experiences of the Great Depression and her life as a farm wife. She lived frugally, with a lot of hard work and many good times with family and friends mixed in. She could hold a marriage and family together in hard times, make a delicious meal out of the most meager of ingredients, work in the fields, keep a fastidiously clean house and raise her children in a wholesome Christian environment. If asked about her occupation, she would proudly say "farmer." She was fiercely independent and proud of her longevity even though she had outlived most of her friends and a large part of her extended family.
Of course, we do not know the secret to her long life, but Clara would likely say it was due to hard work, the fact that she never drank alcohol, never smoked tobacco, ate healthy food (much of it grown by her), and dealt with life's problems as they came, loved, lived and laughed a lot.
She is survived by sons, John Earl Denton, Jr. and wife, Barbara, of Pottsboro; and Charles Marion Denton and wife, Linda, of Lakeway; 8 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and 7 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded into eternity by her husband; daughter, Lillie Sue Denton Hill; grandson, Gary Ellis Hill; her parents; and brothers, Essie and Ollie Ingram.
A graveside service was held on Wednesday morning, March 9 at Akers Cemetery with Rev. Neill Morgan of Covenant Presbyterian Church officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home.