Cleathel Randall (C.R.) Rand

Cleathel Randall (C.R.) Rand, 86, of Groesbeck went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, November 04, 2016, at Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas. Services with be at 10 a.m., Monday, November 7, 2016 at the First Baptist Church of Groesbeck with the Rev. Troy Brooks and the Rev. Tracy Sims officiating. Burial will follow at the Faulkenberry Cemetery in Groesbeck. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Sunday, November 6, at The Groesbeck Funeral Home. Randall was born to Garvin and Elna Rand January 25, 1930 in the LaSalle community. Randall attended LaSalle Grammar School, until the family moved to Groesbeck, where he attended Groesbeck Grammar School and then attended Groesbeck High School until his graduation in 1947. Randall was an outstanding football player for the Groesbeck Goats and was football co-captain in 1945 and unanimous all-district in 1946. After graduation from GHS, Randall attended Tarleton State College 1947-1948 on a football and track scholarship, where he was the starting running back for Tarleton as a true freshman. However, his love for his high school sweetheart was more important to him than football. Randall then started the rest of his life by marrying the love of this life and high school sweetheart Elizabeth Jane Browder on August 6, 1948. Randall and Jane quickly started a family and before long had three sons, Doug, Don, and Ricky. The Rand’s started their life in Fort Worth and quickly moved to San Diego where Randall worked for Convair from 1955-1961. Randall worked for General Motors in Kansas City and Indianapolis on jet engines, rockets and the minute man missile program. Upon moving back to Groesbeck, Randall and Jane opened their own business, Rand’s Phillips 66 and Rand Oil Company in 1961. The Rand family continues to operate Rand Oil Company today. Randall was a tremendous athlete and a self taught “scratch” golfer in his early twenties. His closet is full of numerous 1st place amateur golf trophies and it was stated by many that had he had the opportunity to continuously work on his golf game, he could have made a living competing professionally in golf. He loved his Groesbeck Goats and Dallas Cowboys and was very proud of the fact that a member of his family represented the Groesbeck Goats in athletics for eight continuous decades, starting with him in the 40’s and still counting today. He was a business visionary and was responsible for numerous businesses locating in his hometown of Groesbeck. He was a member of several organizations and has been supportive of many community projects and fund raisers. He has been a past president of the Groesbeck Chamber of Commerce and the Groesbeck Ex-Students Association. He was a Mason as well as a member of the Groesbeck Lions Club. He has been a faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Groesbeck for many years and has served that church in many capacities. Randall is also retired as a member of the Board of Directors of the Farmers State Bank of Groesbeck where he served on the banks board for 31 years. Jane and Randall were also original and continuous cast members of the long running “Groesbeck Red Stocking Follies”. One of their greatest loves was travel and they were fortunate enough to have literally traveled the world for many years with their traveling buddies, Martha and Tom Longbotham, as well as with their family and many others. He was preceded in death by Jane, his wife of 62 years, his parents, Garvin and Elna Rand; brother Jimmy Joe Rand and sister Peggy Rand Smith and two great-granddaughters, Breckyn Bradley and Mika Terry. He is survived by sons, Doug and wife Marlene Rand, Don and wife Mary Rand, and Ricky and wife Tammy Rand, all of Groesbeck; grandchildren, Dr. Chris Rand and wife Deana Rand, Rachel Rand Bradley and husband Jimmy Bradley Jr., all of Groesbeck, Michele Rand Terry and husband Mikey Terry of Maypearl, Keith Rand and wife JJ Rand, Nicole Rand Pringle and husband Derek Pringle, also of Groesbeck, Kathryn Rand Prose and wife Amber Prose of San Antonio, Kimberly Rand of Denver, Colo., Chance Lowenthal of Odessa and Ashleigh Rand of Groesbeck; great-grandchildren, Madison Terry, Brayden Bradley, Jake Pringle, Dylan Rand, Macy Terry, Kylie Rand, Breann Bradley, Tyson Pringle, Carley Rand, Bryce Rand, Brittyn Bradley, Adleigh Sims, and Beckett Prose; and numerous loving nieces and nephews, in-laws and many, many friends. Pallbearers will be grandsons Dr. Chris Rand, Jimmy Bradley, Mikey Terry, Keith Rand, Derek Pringle and great-grandsons Brayden Bradley, Jake Pringle, Dylan Rand, Tyson Pringle and Bryce Rand. Honorary pallbearers will be Elmer Beene Jr., Jack Forrest, Jimmy Harryman, Jim Longbotham, and Chuck Phillips. The family would like to thank the many wonderful doctors and nurses at Limestone Medical Center as well as at Providence Hospital, especially Dr. Steven Elwell, Randall’s attending physician while in Providence. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Groesbeck, the Limestone Medical Center of Groesbeck or the charity of your choice.