Ruth Justiss Hancock

While surrounded by family, our beloved mother and meme, Ruth Justiss Hancock was called home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 28, 2018, at BSA, in Amarillo.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 2, 2018, at the First United Methodist Church in Clarendon, with the Reverend Jay Gage, of Spearman, officiating and the Reverend E.C. “Buddy” Payne, III, pastor, assisting. Graveside services and interment will follow in Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon.

Mrs. Hancock will be available for viewing on Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., at the Robertson Funeral Home in Clarendon, located at 212 South Sully Street. Arrangements are under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

Ruth was born on October 21, 1941, at the Old Northwest Texas Hospital, in downtown Amarillo. Her parents were James Mack Justiss and Lorene Dye Justiss. As a member of a sixth-generation pioneer family, in Armstrong County, she grew up on the family farm located eight miles east of Claude before moving to Claude in the eighth grade. She was active in youth group at the First Baptist Church in Claude as well as in Girl Scouts. She attended school in Claude and graduated from Claude High School, in 1960. While in high school, she was a member of FHA, where she served as President. She was also a member of Annual Staff, Scribe, Chorus, the “C” Club, and Student Council. After graduating from high school, she attended Oklahoma State University and Texas Technological College, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics, in 1964.

Ruth married the Reverend Paul David Hancock on January 19, 1964, at the First Christian Church, in Clarendon, getting married the morning after graduating from college. She had been a resident of Clarendon since that time. From 1964 until 1967, she taught in the Clarendon, Claude, and Hedley schools. Paul and Ruth had two daughters, Amy was born in 1967 and Buffie was born in 1970. They were married for 19 years until Paul preceded her in death on March 31, 1984. From 1970 until 1995, she worked at the same location under the bank names of: Farmers State Bank, Farmers State Bank and Trust, First Bank and Trust, Herring Bank and Trust, and Herring Bank, where she retired as the President’s Secretary. As a diehard Republican, she worked many elections for Precincts 1 and 4 of Clarendon. She loved to travel and had visited many states in the United States, as well as traveled abroad. She enjoyed studying history and genealogy. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, Taylor, Tyler, Eric, Brooke, and Trent, who affectionally called her, Meme.

Ruth was a 54-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 6 of Clarendon where she was Worthy Matron twice. She was also Deputy Grand Matron for District 2, Section 5 of the State of Texas Order of the Eastern Star from 1980 to 1981. She was Clarendon Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year and also a 54-year member of the Les Beaux Arts Club. She was a founding member and board member of the Saints’ Roost Museum in Clarendon and served as the Vice President of Museum Operations since 1998. She was an Assistant Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 433 in Clarendon. She was a member of the First Christian Church from 1964 to 1973, while her husband, Paul was minister. She was also a member of the First United Methodist Church in Clarendon for 42 years and served on several committees. She was a member of the Skelton Sunday School class, at the First Methodist Church, in Clarendon.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Reverend Paul David Hancock, in 1984, her father, Mack, in 2003, her mother, Lorene, in 2013, and her sister, Evelyn Jean Justiss McGowan, in 2017.

Ruth is survived by her daughters, Amy Dorris and husband, Ken, of Amarillo and Buffie Smith and husband, David, of Clarendon; her grandchildren, Eric Dorris, of Amarillo, Taylor Smith, Tyler Smith, Brooke Smith, and Trent Smith, all of Clarendon.

Serving as pallbearers will be Taylor Smith, Tyler Smith, Trent Smith, Eric Dorris, Ken Dorris, David Smith, and Jim Riley.

The family asks that memorials be sent to the First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 157, Clarendon, Texas 79226 or the Saints’ Roost Museum, P.O. Box 781, Clarendon, Texas 79226.

The family will be at 400 South Goodnight in Clarendon.