Cleve P. Batson, Jr., 85, passed away Sunday, January 14, 2018. Burial will be at Hollywood Cemetery in Houston.
Cleve was born in Normangee, Texas, the only child of the late Cleve Payne Sr. and Lucy Marie (Gustine) Batson. His father was a farmer and a Justice of the Peace, while his mother worked for a farm implement dealer in Normangee.
As a child, Cleve enjoyed riding his horse Dolly bareback. As a teenager at Normangee
High School, he was the assistant manager of the basketball team before he graduated in 1949. In 1951, Cleve enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served on the General William Mitchell, a troop transport ship. He served from 1951-1956, during the Korean War. He then went to school to become a GCA (Ground Control Approach) technician, helping to land planes in bad weather. He later graduated
from the University of Houston in 1962 under the G.I. Bill.
When Cleve returned from the Navy, he met his future wife, the girl next door. Billie was friends with Cleve Sr. and Lucy, and they proudly introduced her to their son. The rest was history. The two were married on February 1, 1958, at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Houston and were married 18 days shy of 60 years. They were blessed with one son, Bryan. He loved his wife and son dearly.
As an only child himself, Cleve always thought the world of his parents. Cleve
supported his family by working for Southern Pacific Railroad as an electronic engineer. He retired in 1994 after 30 years of service.
After retiring, Cleve volunteered at St. Marks United Methodist Church, doing
everything from repairs, to working with the food pantry, to helping in the office.
He was a compassionate man with a great attention to detail. A gentleman, he
always opened a door for a lady.
Cleve loved to tell jokes and was known as having an active sense of humor. Cleve loved University of Houston basketball games and
was an usher at home games for 11 years. He was a great tinkerer – he loved to take
things apart, but putting them back together was another thing. After moving to
Bryan, Cleve and Billie became active members of the First United Methodist Church of Bryan.
He suffered from Alzheimer’s the last several years before his death.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Billie; son, Bryan Batson and his wife, Theresa, of League City; nieces, Kay Flowers, of Idaho, and Karen Stephens and her husband, Denny, of Ohio; aunt, Reba Jack (Batson) Kilfoy, of Madisonville; other relatives and many friends. O5
Cleve was born in Normangee, Texas, the only child of the late Cleve Payne Sr. and Lucy Marie (Gustine) Batson. His father was a farmer and a Justice of the Peace, while his mother worked for a farm implement dealer in Normangee.
As a child, Cleve enjoyed riding his horse Dolly bareback. As a teenager at Normangee
High School, he was the assistant manager of the basketball team before he graduated in 1949. In 1951, Cleve enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served on the General William Mitchell, a troop transport ship. He served from 1951-1956, during the Korean War. He then went to school to become a GCA (Ground Control Approach) technician, helping to land planes in bad weather. He later graduated
from the University of Houston in 1962 under the G.I. Bill.
When Cleve returned from the Navy, he met his future wife, the girl next door. Billie was friends with Cleve Sr. and Lucy, and they proudly introduced her to their son. The rest was history. The two were married on February 1, 1958, at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Houston and were married 18 days shy of 60 years. They were blessed with one son, Bryan. He loved his wife and son dearly.
As an only child himself, Cleve always thought the world of his parents. Cleve
supported his family by working for Southern Pacific Railroad as an electronic engineer. He retired in 1994 after 30 years of service.
After retiring, Cleve volunteered at St. Marks United Methodist Church, doing
everything from repairs, to working with the food pantry, to helping in the office.
He was a compassionate man with a great attention to detail. A gentleman, he
always opened a door for a lady.
Cleve loved to tell jokes and was known as having an active sense of humor. Cleve loved University of Houston basketball games and
was an usher at home games for 11 years. He was a great tinkerer – he loved to take
things apart, but putting them back together was another thing. After moving to
Bryan, Cleve and Billie became active members of the First United Methodist Church of Bryan.
He suffered from Alzheimer’s the last several years before his death.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Billie; son, Bryan Batson and his wife, Theresa, of League City; nieces, Kay Flowers, of Idaho, and Karen Stephens and her husband, Denny, of Ohio; aunt, Reba Jack (Batson) Kilfoy, of Madisonville; other relatives and many friends. O5
Cleve P. Batson, Jr., 85, passed away Sunday, January 14, 2018. Burial will be at Hollywood Cemetery in Houston.
Cleve was born in Normangee, Texas, the only child of the late Cleve Payne Sr. and Lucy Marie (Gustine) Batson. His father was a farmer and a Justice of the Peace, while his mother worked for a farm implement dealer in Normangee.
As a child, Cleve enjoyed riding his horse Dolly bareback. As a teenager at Normangee
High School, he was the assistant manager of the basketball team before he graduated in 1949. In 1951, Cleve enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served on the General William Mitchell, a troop transport ship. He served from 1951-1956, during the Korean War. He then went to school to become a GCA (Ground Control Approach) technician, helping to land planes in bad weather. He later graduated
from the University of Houston in 1962 under the G.I. Bill.
When Cleve returned from the Navy, he met his future wife, the girl next door. Billie was friends with Cleve Sr. and Lucy, and they proudly introduced her to their son. The rest was history. The two were married on February 1, 1958, at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Houston and were married 18 days shy of 60 years. They were blessed with one son, Bryan. He loved his wife and son dearly.
As an only child himself, Cleve always thought the world of his parents. Cleve
supported his family by working for Southern Pacific Railroad as an electronic engineer. He retired in 1994 after 30 years of service.
After retiring, Cleve volunteered at St. Marks United Methodist Church, doing
everything from repairs, to working with the food pantry, to helping in the office.
He was a compassionate man with a great attention to detail. A gentleman, he
always opened a door for a lady.
Cleve loved to tell jokes and was known as having an active sense of humor. Cleve loved University of Houston basketball games and
was an usher at home games for 11 years. He was a great tinkerer – he loved to take
things apart, but putting them back together was another thing. After moving to
Bryan, Cleve and Billie became active members of the First United Methodist Church of Bryan.
He suffered from Alzheimer’s the last several years before his death.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Billie; son, Bryan Batson and his wife, Theresa, of League City; nieces, Kay Flowers, of Idaho, and Karen Stephens and her husband, Denny, of Ohio; aunt, Reba Jack (Batson) Kilfoy, of Madisonville; other relatives and many friends. O5
Cleve was born in Normangee, Texas, the only child of the late Cleve Payne Sr. and Lucy Marie (Gustine) Batson. His father was a farmer and a Justice of the Peace, while his mother worked for a farm implement dealer in Normangee.
As a child, Cleve enjoyed riding his horse Dolly bareback. As a teenager at Normangee
High School, he was the assistant manager of the basketball team before he graduated in 1949. In 1951, Cleve enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served on the General William Mitchell, a troop transport ship. He served from 1951-1956, during the Korean War. He then went to school to become a GCA (Ground Control Approach) technician, helping to land planes in bad weather. He later graduated
from the University of Houston in 1962 under the G.I. Bill.
When Cleve returned from the Navy, he met his future wife, the girl next door. Billie was friends with Cleve Sr. and Lucy, and they proudly introduced her to their son. The rest was history. The two were married on February 1, 1958, at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Houston and were married 18 days shy of 60 years. They were blessed with one son, Bryan. He loved his wife and son dearly.
As an only child himself, Cleve always thought the world of his parents. Cleve
supported his family by working for Southern Pacific Railroad as an electronic engineer. He retired in 1994 after 30 years of service.
After retiring, Cleve volunteered at St. Marks United Methodist Church, doing
everything from repairs, to working with the food pantry, to helping in the office.
He was a compassionate man with a great attention to detail. A gentleman, he
always opened a door for a lady.
Cleve loved to tell jokes and was known as having an active sense of humor. Cleve loved University of Houston basketball games and
was an usher at home games for 11 years. He was a great tinkerer – he loved to take
things apart, but putting them back together was another thing. After moving to
Bryan, Cleve and Billie became active members of the First United Methodist Church of Bryan.
He suffered from Alzheimer’s the last several years before his death.
Survivors include his beloved wife, Billie; son, Bryan Batson and his wife, Theresa, of League City; nieces, Kay Flowers, of Idaho, and Karen Stephens and her husband, Denny, of Ohio; aunt, Reba Jack (Batson) Kilfoy, of Madisonville; other relatives and many friends. O5
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