Dates
Richard Earl Black, 87, of San Angelo, Texas, died Friday, September 2, 2016, at Senior Care of Meadow Creek. Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 411 Main St., Sudan, at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 9, with Pastor Larry Springer officiating. Burial will follow in the Sudan Cemetery under the direction of Harper Funeral Home.
Richard was born June 6, 1929, in rural Bailey County, Texas, to Earl William Black and Margaret Routh (Malone) Black. He attended Circle Back Elementary, Sudan High School, and Eastern New Mexico University. On February 12, 1950, he married Anna Lee Holtkamp of Lamb County in Littlefield, Texas. They were married 66 years until Richard’s death. Richard, Anna, and family were members of St. Martin Lutheran Church in Littlefield and later First United Methodist Church of Sudan. He served as Sunday school teacher and on several committees in the church.
Richard was a farmer, also working as a mechanic during the drought years of the 1950s. In later years, he became a water dowser, successfully locating water wells throughout the South Plains and New Mexico.
Richard was a director for the Five Area Telephone Cooperative and also served a term on the Lamb County Appraisal Board and the Sudan School Board.
Preceding him in death were his parents and two sisters, Ellen Sullivan and Margaret Zedlitz. He is survived by his wife Anna; sons Richard Lee (Janell Elliott) of Austin and James Anthony (Beth Ann Riggs) of Coppell; daughters Susan Elizabeth (Don Gervin Ball) of San Angelo and Sheryl Lynn (Nathan Lee Ray) of Katy; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Also surviving are brothers Kenneth Black and wife Nan of Odessa, and Houston Black of Sudan; and sister Nancy Ashford of Bellevue, Washington.
Pallbearers will be Brian Ball, Jacob Ray, Caleb Ray, Alan Black, David Harper, and Don Harper.
Memorial Donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church, Sudan, Texas.