Carlene Mae Tackitt

Carlene Mae Tackitt, of Mexia, passed away Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Providence Hospice Place in Waco, at age 80. A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, at the Heard’s Prairie Church, at Heard's Prairie Cemetery, (located in the Petteway Cemetery near Bremond), with Reverend Bill Wright officiating. Carlene was born June 26, 1934 to Ernest Hammond and Opal G. (McKinney) Hammond in Bremond. When she was a young teenager, the family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where her father went to work for General Motors. With no work in the area and depression times, her father and several more men caught the train in Bremond to go north looking for work in the new automobile factories. A year later, he sent money for the family to join him there. Carlene graduated from Chadsey High School in Detroit (where one of her classmates later became the famous singer, Dianna Ross.) Carlene had visited during the summers back in Bremond with her grandparents and family, and the summer she was eighteen, she met Charles Baker of Kosse. She stayed in Texas and married Charles in 1952. From then on, her vacation trips were up north every few years to see her Detroit family. Carlene and Charles lived in Marlin and later moved to Mexia. Their son Charlie was born at Doctor Cox’s hospital in Groesbeck, and he grew up in Mexia. Carlene was a wife, mother and homemaker all her life, being the one to raise Charlie while her husband worked out of town on pipelines most of the time. She also worked at the sewing factory in Mexia about fifteen years, with her friend Louise Willett of Groesbeck being her supervisor. She continued sewing for the public in her home for many years. Charles passed away in 1982. Carlene went to the Cowboy Club one night to hear Brenda Lee sing, and met C. A. Tackitt. They were married in 1985 and lived in Mexia, and were truly a couple who enjoyed each other and had a wonderful time together. Carlene had a loving spirit all her life, and never had a harsh word to say about anyone. She always looked for the best in everyone. She took care of both her mother and her father in her home in Mexia after their health failed,until their deaths. She dearly loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a terrific cook and was a gardener, especially raising tomatoes each year. Friday nights were Bingo night, and she and her good friend, Linda Calame made trips to play Bingo. Carlene was extremely lucky at both Bingo and at the Casino. One of the heartbreaking worries of Carlene’s life was the capture of her brother, Dennis Wayne Hammond, a U.S. Marine who was a POW in Vietnam. She was so close to Dennis growing up that it was always in her mind and heart worrying where he was and if he would ever be found. His remains were eventually located and identified through DNA in the early nineties, and gave her final closure when a military funeral was held at Petteway. (There is an awesome story of how he was identified found online, if one looks up “Dennis Hammond, POW.”) The family also has awesome stories of Carlene’s dreams about her brother being shot and captured (which was what actually happened) and about his death. Carlene let her family know of her wishes to be buried beside Dennis in the Petteway Cemetery. Carlene was loved and cherished by her family and they felt that “God ran short of angels and he chose the best this family could give him.” Carlene was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Opal McKinney Hammond; her first husband, Charles A. Baker; and her brother, Dennis Wayne Hammond. She is survived by her husband, C.A. Tackitt of Mexia; her son and daughter-in-law, Charlie and D’Anna Baker of Groesbeck; grandson and wife, Chad and Misty Baker and their son, Braiden Jace Baker of Wortham; granddaughter and husband, Ashlee and Justin Sparks and their daughter, Tynlee Faith of Katy; a brother and sister-in-law, Willie and Jean Hammond of Howell, Michigan; niece, Annette Hammond and great-niece, Katlin Hammond, of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.