Herbert Stanley Church, Jr was born December 4, 1924 in Denton TX to Herbert Stanley, Sr and Nona Angela (Stubblefield) Church. He passed as quietly and gently as he lived on May 10, 2015. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nell (Cowan) Church; brother, Weldon Church and sister, Gladys Fern Packer.
Those left to hold and cherish his memory are his daughter, Elizabeth Dunnihoo (Clayton); grandsons, Gregory Dunnihoo (Barbara) and Jeffrey Dunnihoo (Angela); great grandson Johnathan; great granddaughters, Allyson and Olivia; nieces Lynn and Christine, nephew Gene, and special nephews Clark and Paul, along with several great nieces, other family members and, oh, so many friends.
Herbert attended elementary through high school in Denton, but World War II intervened before college & graduation. Herbert, along with several of his lifelong Denton friends joined up to do their part. He returned from U.S. Merchant Marine duty with many war stories and bought a surplus PT-19 open cockpit trainer which he flew in and around Denton during college.
Upon graduation from North Texas State Teachers College (now UNT) he immediately went to work in Grand Prairie TX for Chance Vought Aerospace. During his 30 years with Vought which became LTV, he worked on such programs as the early Regulus II cruise missile at Point Mugu CA, the F-8 Crusader and early Vertical Takeoff and Landing experimental aircraft.
His later years were spent in Ft. Worth and later in Granbury entertaining friends and performing true "shadetree mechanic" work on their cars, restoring his own antique Chevys and Cadillacs, listening and dancing to local Big Bands and his vast record collection including early
Texas Swing and Country. With his amazing memory for lyrics and performers he could talk for hours on the subject. He never lost his love of family, music and telling "hot air" tales. He was gregarious, smart, funny and generous of heart. He often quoted Bob Wills' standard, "Time Changes Everything." For so many, an old song will we hear, pause and remember him.
Visitation will be from 9:30 AM until service time at 11:00 AM Thursday, May 14, 2015 in the chapel of Mulkey-Mason, Jack Schmitz and Son Funeral Home. Interment will be at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, Denton, TX.