Denson D. Westbrook Jr.'s Obituary
Westbrook, Jr., Denson D. “Wes” Denson D. “Wes” Westbrook Jr., 78, of Dallas, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, September 26, 2010. He was born on June 22, 1932, in Dierks, Arkansas, and was the son of Denson D. Westbrook and Anna Crisp Westbrook. Wes accepted Christ when he was 13, and was baptized in the Holly Creek. He was a graduate of Dierks High School, and he always enjoyed going back home to attend reunions and reminisce with old friends. Wes attended Henderson State University and was a graduate of East Texas State University, where he earned a bachelor of business administration degree. Wes served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-1957. During that time, he was on active duty at Lackland and Hondo Air Force Bases in Texas, and at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He then served as a Captain in the Air Force Reserve from 1957-1967. Following his active duty, Wes moved to Dallas and worked for more than 35 years in sales and administration of medical and life insurance, as well as pensions, annuities and employee benefits. From 1957-1981, Wes was Vice President of Reinsurance at Republic National Life Insurance Company. Wes was a Fellow of the Life Office Management Association’s Life Management Institute, with his specialty being pension planning. In addition, he was a Registered Principal of the National Association of Securities Dealers, and was licensed as a Group I Life Insurance Agent and a Variable Contract Agent with the State of Texas. Wes met Doris Herrington in January of 1964, when they went on a blind date to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. He was smitten, and they were married on November 28, 1964, at First Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. Doris was the love of his life, and they were blessed to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary just last year. In recent years, Wes was proud to serve as a volunteer at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, where he was loved by staff and volunteers who worked with him. Wes was a member of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, where he faithfully attended for more than 40 years. He loved playing golf at Dallas Athletic Club, watching football (especially the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Dallas Cowboys), going out to lunch once a week with friends at Marshall’s Bar-B-Q, and attending Jim Denison’s Men’s Bible Study. Wes always wanted to get a hole in one while playing golf. But we know now that he has finally met that goal in heaven, and we’re sure he is playing on the most beautiful course he’s ever seen. Wes was preceded in death by his parents, Denson D. Westbrook and Anna Crisp Westbrook; his brother, William Thomas Westbrook; and his sisters, Mamie Westbrook Mauldin and Bernice Westbrook. Survivors include his wife, Doris Gladys Herrington Westbrook; his two daughters and their husbands, Karen Ann Westbrook Stogner and Dan Stogner of Celina, and Sarah Denise Westbrook Evetts and Keith Evetts of Plano; four grandchildren, Hailey Denise Stogner, Blake Daniel Stogner, Kirk Andrew Evetts and Molly Grace Evetts; his sisters, Florine Westbrook Icenhower of Center Point, Arkansas, Wanda Westbrook Pinkerton of Nashville, Arkansas, and Iris Westbrook Grisham of Hot Springs, Arkansas; his brother-in-law Don Grisham; his brother-in-law and wife, Jack D. Herrington and Patsy Herrington of Salado; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. The Westbrook family would like to thank Dr. Christopher Maisel and his nurse Linda from Texas Oncology at Baylor Medical’s Sammons Cancer Center, along with Compassionate Hands Hospice and the nurses from Acapella In Home Care. A visitation with family and friends will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, September 29, at Restland Funeral Home. A celebration of Wes’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 30, at Park Cities Baptist Church, 3933 Northwest Parkway, Dallas, Texas, 75225, following a private family burial at Restland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, Texas, or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, North Texas Chapter, 8111 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas, 75251.
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