March 23, 1932 – April 10, 2022
NOCONA – Virgil Hugh Phemister, 90, passed from this life on April 10, 2022.
A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. on April 14, at the Nocona Church of Christ with Austin Wright officiating, under the direction of Scott-Morris Funeral Home. The family will receive visitors at 1 p.m. at the church. After the funeral, a burial will follow at Montague Perpetual Care Cemetery.
Hugh was born March 23, 1932 in Haskell, TX to Virgil and Ida Phemister and was one of nine children. From 1953-1954, Hugh proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was deployed to the demilitarized zone, where he served as a tanker. In civilian life Hugh worked in the oil and gas industry, mostly as a pipeline operator for Lone Star Gas Co. He worked for Lone Star for 31 years until his retirement, then he enjoyed retirement for 31 years.
Hugh met Norma Lou Clapp and fell in love. They married June 1, 1974. They shared a deep, devoted love and from that day on, they were nearly inseparable. If Hugh wasn’t at work, he and Norma were almost always doing something together. Norma preceded Hugh in death on February 23, 2012.
Hugh loved to travel. He was proud to be able to say he had been to all of the world fairs and that he had set foot in all 50 states. He and Norma drove all over the country on vacations, including multiple trips to Branson, MO. As a thanks for his military service, Hugh was blessed to enjoy an Honor Flight, which included traveling to Washington D.C. to visit the Korean War memorial and various other sites.
Hugh loved his family. His siblings all had children and over the generations they grew to have a very large extended family. There were plenty of family members to love and Hugh loved them all. One of the greatest joys in Hugh’s life were the great family reunions they shared.
In his later years, Hugh moved in to Cherry Street village in Nocona. His friends there became a second family. Hugh was a faithful Christian all his life. He was very active member of the Nocona Church of Christ for several decades. Always the servant, Hugh was glad to serve his church wherever he was needed. He loved to sing and he led singing at church for many years. Over his lifetime Hugh served in every capacity, “except preaching, being an elder or a deacon.”
Hugh always arrived at precisely 9 a.m. Even when he did not have a specific role he was serving, he was committed to welcoming everyone who came in the door and making sure to shake every person’s hand. His friends at Cherry Street noted how every Sunday morning Hugh moved with purpose as he headed to church.
Anyone who know Hugh knows that he was a faithful, devoted Christian man. His life truly reflected the love of Jesus day-in and day-out. While Hugh will be greatly missed, he has gone to be with the Lord he loved all his life and to be reunited with his beloved Norma. Hugh lived out Philippians 1:21: To live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Hugh was preceded in death by his beloved wife; parents; brothers, Carlos, Marvin and Roy and sisters, Alma, Helen, Edith, Retith and Jenell.
He is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great great-nieces and great great-nephews.
For those who wish to make a donation in Hugh’s memory, please consider Cherokee Home for Children, which held a special place in Hugh’s heart, as well as the Nocona Church of Christ youth fund, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.
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