Susie I. Sefzik

Susie I. Sefzik, 87, was born February 6, 1922, near De Leon, Texas, to Bertha Sides and Payne Slaughter. She passed away May 19, 2009, in Mesquite, Texas.

Sue accepted Christ at a summer revival at Round Grove Missionary Baptist Church near De Leon. She was baptized in nearby Armstrong Creek on a Sunday afternoon, July 25, 1940.

She married Harold Sefzik on April 18, 1943, at the home of her parents near De Leon. She is survived by three sons and their wives: James of Warner Robins, Georgia, Bill and Beth of Garland, and Roger and Jennifer of Washington State. She is also survived by one brother, Aubry, of Fort Worth, six grandchildren and 3 ½ great-grandchildren.

Sue attended Tarleton College in Stephenville, working as a student secretary while attending school; and, then, she worked as a full-time secretary there after graduation in May, 1941. She and Harold met in Stephenville where Harold had arrived to teach flying at a nearby airport. Their first date was in a Taylorcraft airplane, flying to Mineral Wells for lunch. After returning to Stephenville that Sunday afternoon, Sue joined her choral group as they sang "The Messiah" at the First Baptist Church that evening. Sue always said she wasn't a flyer and said that evening as she stood in the choir, the congregation seemed to float from one side of the sanctuary to the other! She was very relieved when the service was over.

After their marriage, they lived in Iowa until Harold went into the Navy Air Corps; and, then, they were in Florida. They returned to Iowa and lived there until May of 1956 when they moved to Commerce. For a number of years, they owned and operated the Western Auto Store from which Sue ran the Sub-Station for the Hunt County Motor Vehicle Department. In 1966 she began working in the Admissions/Records Office at East Texas State University, retiring from there in January, 1987.

Sue loved to sew and loved to write letters. She always said she was a "frustrated novelist"! She loved singing in the choir for a number of years. She always said she really couldn't sing but loved making "joyful noises"....as well as having one more seat in the choir loft filled.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, in 1996, her parents, two brothers, and one grandchild.

Funeral services will be conducted, Saturday, May 23, 2009, at the First Baptist Church of Commerce at 11:00 A.M., with Bro. Johnnie Henderson officiating. A private committal service will be held at Rosemound Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Friday, May 22, at Jones-Walker & Son Funeral Home from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.