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Texas |
1m. Melba
Elizabeth Collier 13 Jan 1940
(divorced 7 Jun1963)
b. 27 Apr 1916 Brownwood, Brown Co., TX
d. 4 Oct 2002 (age 87, 5 mo., 8 days) Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home,
Clifton, TX
buried: 7 Oct 2002, St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetary, (The Rock Church),
Cranfills Gap, TX (next to Buck)
her father: Walter Smith Collier
her mother: Mable Clara Thomas
| children with Melba Collier |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fredrick Walter "Fred" Johnson | b. 8 May 1963 Crane, TX | d. Dec 2008 Meridian, TX | m. Linda Joe Kettler 27 Oct 1967 Bosque Co., TX (two children) (div. 17 May 1982) |
| Robert William "Bill" Johnson | b. 14 Jul 1945 Crane, TX | d. | m. Tommie Lineal Watson 8 Sep 1968 - one child - Tyson Slade Johnson |
Buck Johnson was born as one of the last children and a twin to Bernt Johnson's second wife, Carrie Nielsen. Bernt had immigrated to Texas from Norway as a young man and became a well known mechanic for the local gin company. Carrie's family was Danish. The family spoke Norweigian in the home until the children started to school.
Buck learns early how to work hard on the large family farm among the several brothers and sisters.
Buck meets Melba after his older brother, Eddie Monroe Johnson, marries the divorcee Sadie Holloway Kirkland. The Kirkland family had remained close friends of the Collier family that had lived in Dallas. Buck's mother Carrie Johnson went to Dallas for cancer treatment and the Johnson's and Colliers became acquainted.
Buck and Melba marry. My mother had decided to leave the position as cook for the McElroy Ranch, Crane, (west) Texas because she wanted to start a family. She notified her cousin, Melba that the position was available. She and Buck took the jobs and moved to West Texas where they remained for number of years. For several years "Buck" was a cowboy and ranch hand taking care of 996 sectioins of land and cattle.
1981, March 23 -Buck Johnson dies
Funeral Notice.
"In the early 1950's the couple moved to the Mosheim area near Possum Trott Road and became residents of Bosque County. The couple raised their two sons here in Clifton and Mosheim area. Eventually, Melba would move to town to make her home on North Avenue U close to other family members. She was a dietician at Providence Hospital for many years. As her health began to fail a bit, and she suffered from some mobility problems, she entered the Clifton Lutheran Sunset Home to become a resident and friend here. " [obituary 4 Oct 2002]
"She loved to travel all her life, but in her senior years made trips to Europe, Alaska, and where ever she could catch a plane, a cruise ship, or a train ride. She was an avid reader, with a perky sense of humor and always a kind sweet word." [obituary 4 Oct 2002]
She also was very interested in genealogy and gave the author many documents on the Terry family through which we were both related. She did this research much before there was an internet and had sit long hours in libraries and archives going through records. She was very instrumental in my own genealogy interests.sources:





