OBITUARIES
James Lewis Hacker
December 11, 1941 – December 25, 2022
COLLEGE STATION – James Lewis Hacker, 81, passed away on Dec. 25, 2022, making his transition into God’s loving care. Jim joins his beloved wife Anne who passed in September 2014 after 54 years of marriage.
Jim grew up in North Texas with three siblings, Peggy, Billye and Dan. He graduated from Bowie High School where he was active in sports. In football, he was an All-State End, Honorable mention All-American and selected for the Texas All-Star game. In track, he was a sprinter on the team that won State in both his junior and senior years and set records in the 440 relay. While at Bowie High School, Jim met his loving wife, Anne.
He attended Texas Tech University on a scholarship, lettering in football. Upon graduation from Texas Tech, he joined the U.S. Treasury Deptartment as a national bank examiner working in Austin, Dallas and Houston. After seven years, he left the examiners and joined the banking community in Houston, working for Capital, Cullen, Western and American/Whitney National Banks. Jim served in positions from commercial lender to president and retired in April 2008 from Whitney as Houston’s regional senior credit officer.
Jim and Anne had two children, Janét and Jimmy, and they had many great times together as a family. Jim was always planning a new adventure, whether it was camping in the beautiful United States of America, boating, hunting, fishing or numerous trips to foreign lands. His petite and very lady-like Anne would always join the adventure, including anything from getting certified for scuba diving to taking part in Jim’s pilot training when he obtained his license. However, Anne always made sure that time was made for the ballet, symphony, museums and theater. The family were members of, and active in, Chapelwood Methodist Church, later St. Paul’s and Unity Church in Houston. Jim later joined Christ Church in College Station. He was a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and spent 20 years as a volunteer, mostly on the steer auction committee.
After retirement, Jim and Anne enjoyed world travel and acquired a new Airstream trailer. They would travel across this beautiful country for three to four months at a time with their wonder-dog Sherlock. They made trips from Houston across most of the country from Key West to Maine, across to California, up to Alaska and many place in between. Some of their favorites were the Grand Tetons, Yellow Stone, Glacier National Park, Canada, and Alaska. They lost their trusty sidekick Sherlock in 2010 after many quail were pointed and many miles were traveled.
After 50 years in Houston and six years after Anne’s death, Jim moved to the Langford Methodist Retirement Community in College Station to be near his daughter and her family. There he met and enjoyed a fun and wonderful group of great new friends. Jim sends thanks to all his business colleagues who helped him along the way and sends a special adios to his wonderful hunting and campfire buddies.
Jim is predeceased by his wife, Anne Orton Hacker; parents, Dan and Mollie Hacker; sisters, Peggy Church and Billye Lippincott and brother, Dan T. Hacker.
He is survived by his son, Jim A. Hacker and wife Jeanne; daughter, Janét Falcone and husband Gregg; grandchildren, Brett, Christopher and Ross and wife Jessica; his first great grandchild, Faye; cousins, Clifford and Billy Ray, many great nephews and nieces and wonderful sisters-in-law, Rebecca, Nancy Elizabeth and Susan and their husbands Bob, Tom and Larry.
“I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith,” II Timothy 4:7
From Jim: A special good-bye to my Langford Family and especially my dearest Nancy. Thanks also to my friends and help at Hospice Brazos Valley and Senior helpers. They were so thoughtful and kind. I don’t want friends and family traveling from far and near for a service. I would just ask that you take a moment to recall a fond memory and send me a prayer and a good-bye. I know that I will hear you. Love to all.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to Ballet Brazos, Aggieland Humane or the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
Paid publication
November 11, 1944 – April 19, 2025
BELLEVUE – Gary Leo Fergueson, 80, died on April 19, 2025.
A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on April 24 at Vashti Cemetery with Michael Brannon and Jeff Brannon officiating.
He was born on Nov. 11, 1944 to Vera (Chappell) and Lewis Fergueson. He worked in the food and grocery industry at multiple store chains beginning in Fort Worth and ending in Bowie. He also worked as a rancher at his family farm in Vashti. Fergueson proudly served his country in the United States Army, he completed his basic training in San Fransico and was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Alta Fergueson Brannon.
He is survived by his nephew, Jeff Brannon; niece, Krista Brannon Blackrock; brother-in-law Michael Brannon and a very special friend of 60 years, Helen Ulbig.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
November 8, 1939 – April 19, 2025
BOWIE – Dr. Calvin Charles Carmen, 85, died on April 19, 2025 in Bowie, TX
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. on April 26 at the Bowie First Methodist Church. Interment will be at the DFW Military Cemetery.
Dr. Carmen was born Nov. 8, 1939 in Niagara Falls, Ont. to Florence Delia and Charles Carmen. Dr. Carmen attended New York schools until 1957 when he dropped out to join the Navy at just 17 years old. While in the Navy, he completed high school and was selected for officer candidate school. He graduated with the rank of second lieutenant and served as a communications officer aboard the naval battleship USS Hailey for four years. He later served as a naval reserve chaplain.
Dr. Carmen received his bachelor and master degrees from Central Bible College, and his Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Springfield, MO. He then earned his PhD in clinical psychology from Union Graduate School. As a clinical psychology intern at the Tufts University Behavioral Health Unit in Boston, MA, he received a commendation for outstanding service to his patients. He completed his postgraduate studies at Colgate Rochester Divinity School. Dr. Carmen served as pastor of South Park United Methodist Church in Buffalo, NY for nine years, and was pastor at Plymouth Bay Assembly of God in Pembroke, MA for an additional nine years.
Dr. Carmen then accepted the position of clinical director at Houston Medical Center. From there, he established Dr. Carmen and Associates, a practice serving the greater Houston area. He was then called to initiate a graduate counseling and psychology program at Nelson University (formerly Southwestern) in Waxahachie. There, he authored textbooks on counseling, psychology and the Christian faith.
Nelson University awarded Dr. Carmen both the distinguished professor award and professor emeritus award. He was a member of The American Association for Counseling and Development, the Christian Counselors of Texas, the American Psychological Association, and Psi Chi, National Honor Society. Dr. Carmen served several years as a member of the Texas state board of certification for licensed professional counselors. At his passing, he was the associate pastor of Bowie First Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Charles Carmen.
He is survived by his wife, Annette (née Gruppo) Carmen; daughter, Noelle Carmen; son, Benjamin Carmen and nine grandchildren.
Donations will be gratefully accepted to Nelson University on behalf of the Dr. Calvin C. Carmen Counseling and Psychology Scholarship Fund online at: nelson.edu/give.
Arrangements through the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
January 28, 1940 – April 8, 2025
CANYON LAKE – Daniel Morris Butler, 85, died on April 8, 2025.
A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on May 3 at the White Family Funeral Home in Bowie. Burial will follow at Hopewell Cemetery in Stoneburg.
He was born on Jan. 28, 1940 to Lena (Lyons) and Dave Butler. He married the late Barbara Jameson Nov. 23, 1964, in Houston. Together they raised three children. He worked as an electrician at Mauch Electric and later owned and operated DB Electric from 1989 to 2002.
He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Barbara Butler and son, Kenneth Patrick Butler.
He is survived by his children, Diana Craig and James Butler, both Canyon Lake; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie, Texas.
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