Clarence Golden Elkins

Clarence Golden Elkins, 84, passed away December 17, 2017 at home in Graham. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 20, 2017 at 2:00 PM in Morrison Funeral Home Chapel with burial at Newcastle Cemetery. Visitation at Morrison Funeral Home in Graham, from 5-7:00 PM on Tuesday, Dec. 19th. Morrison Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Golden was born May 18th, 1933 in Spur, Dickens County, Texas to Clarence “Jeff” Elkins and Atha Salyers Elkins. He graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1952 and attended Tarleton State College in Stephenville, in their architectural design and engineering program, and was captain of the Wainright Rifles in ROTC, at Tarleton. A proud veteran of the United States Army, serving in Germany during the Korean War, trained as a lab tech, medic, and later in mine warfare and demolition at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

Golden was a Master Plumber, licensed since he was 18 years old, and owner of Elkins Plumbing and Bath Boutique in Olney and Graham, and after retiring from Plumbing contracting, he went into real estate. He married Oletta Teague Nov. 6th 1983 in Graham, Texas.

Golden loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing with his family as they grew up, and he and his wife Oletta loved camping in the Rocky Mountains in their R.V. , and other travels. He was active in leading the singing at revivals all across the area, and had a beautiful voice in praising the Lord in song. He was a member of the Baptist church, having accepted Christ at an early age.

Golden served as Senate District #30 State Republican Executive Committeeman for one term, as well as Young County Republican Chairman, election judge, clerk, organizer of Republican events, and worked tirelessly in those roles that he strongly believed in the service of our country. Earning the Grand Prize Award in the Republican Party of Texas’s Precinct Chairman’s Incentive contest in 2002 for statewide achievement, with a trip to Alaska, and was Volunteer of the Year for both S.D. #24, before redistricting, as well as S.D. #30. He served several years on the Board of Directors for Turning Point Drug Counseling and Re-Hab. When Olney Lake became so dry as to the point of running out of water, Golden’s lifetime experience as plumber and pipefitting, he volunteered to lead the workers in laying a pipeline from Lake Kickapoo to Olney in record time. Then in 2000, Throckmorton was in the worse drought in decades, and fast running out of water. Golden volunteered his time to serve as foreman of that pipeline project, laying miles of line underground, for over 2 weeks, from Lake Graham to Throckmorton, during the hottest summer, temps ran 110- to days of 112. He made friends from all over the world. The news spread to points in places like Australia, England, and around the globe, and the New York Times and others sent reporters swarming into the little town, wanting to know if Texans really were that generous to help their neighbors in times of trouble. They quickly found out there were no traffic lights, and no high rise hotels within a hundred miles or more, and neighbors do actually help each other.

Preceded in death by his parents, 4 sisters, Pernie Marie Robinson, Elmyrta Hood, Betty Cook, and Floella Hill ,and by his first wife and mother of his 3 children, Janice Bundick Elkins.

Survivors include his wife Oletta Elkins, son Steve, and wife Brenda Elkins, of Graham, daughters Deana Elkins, of Graham, and Becky Perez, and husband Eddie of Fort Belknap, 3 step-daughters, Diana Herring, Linda Fullerton, and husband Kevin, all of Graham, and Teresa Roye, and husband Dr. Sonny Roye, of Waxahachie, grandchildren Shannon Cameron and wife Misty, Ranae Lane and husband Cody, Eddie Joe Perez and wife Victoria, Janice Perez Evans and husband Kevin, Zack Elkins, Golden Tye Elkins and wife Nikki, Stephanie Elkins Brumley, Josh Elkins and wife Bri, Amanda Hardy and husband Drew, Laura Herring, Robyn Bottem and husband Dr. Lee Bottem, Wade Roye and wife Tamara, Michael, Ryan, Katlyn, and Andi Alexi Roye, Kalli Doubleday and husband George, and Constance Fullerton, and 32 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff of nurses at Beyond Faith Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to American Kidney Foundation, or Cal Farley Boys Ranch, or a charity of choice.