Walter Joe Lenamon

Walter Joe Lenamon, of Groesbeck, and formerly resident of Robinson, passed away Saturday, August 18, 2018 at Providence Hospice after a recent health issue. Visitation will be held Wednesday, August 22, from 6-8 PM in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Services will be held at 2 PM on Thursday, August 23, 2018 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel.  Burial will follow in Cobb Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Hannah Lenamon, Hope Lenamon, Brandie Lenamon, Sammy Lenamon, Francisco Ramirez, Doug Folsom, and Gary James. Walter Joe was born September 14, 1941 in Groesbeck to Walter Benjamin “Bennie” Lenamon and JoReta Banks Lenamon.   He attended Box Church school around third grade, but the family moved to Mart, and Walter Joe graduated from Mart High School in the Class of 1960.   He did spend a lot of time in rural Groesbeck visiting grandparents, H.G. “Doc” and Wanda Banks and Clifton and Carrie Lenamon.  Walter Joe was united in marriage with Brenda Ann James in Mart on December 23, 1961. After attending some college courses at Navarro, he moved to Houston where he worked for a company that provided him on-the-job training as a machinist.   He moved back to Mexia around 1965-66 and worked at Varo until it closed.  He then worked at Fort Parker State Park and attended Navarro College until he obtained an Associates degree.  He moved to Brownwood to serve as Assistant Park Superintendent, and then moved to Weches in East Texas to serve as Park Superintendent at Mission Tejas State Park. Hunting and fishing had always been an important part of Walter Joe’s life and he enjoyed his time at the State Parks, and kept enjoying deer hunting even until this year.   He always got a deer every year and made jerky for the sons and grandchildren. But Walter Joe left the park system to go back to his trade as a machinist, and the family moved to Waco where he worked at Hercules at nights.  When an opportunity came up, he became a machinist instructor at TSTI for fourteen years.  During this time, he and his wife had built a home in Robinson, with Walter Joe doing a large amount of the work himself and sub-contracting the rest.   He and Brenda lived in Robinson 37 years, until recently moving to Groesbeck in the past year and a half. As well as loving time outdoors, he also enjoyed wood working.   He spent many years as Secretary-Treasurer of the Cobb Cemetery, making frequent trips to Limestone County to check on the selling and locating of lots, and overseeing the cemetery business.   His dedication included making many iron crosses to mark unidentified grave spaces.     He loved family and friends and attending the events and activities of his grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Brenda Lenamon of Groesbeck; son and daughter-in-law, James and Michelle Lenamon of McGregor and their children, Hannah Lenamon and her fiancé Francisco Ramirez, and Hope Lenamon; and son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Penny Lenamon of Thornton and their children, Brandie Lenamon and Sammy Lenamon; and his aunt, Nan Folsom in Salix, Iowa. Anyone interested in making memorial donations may consider donating to Cobb Cemetery, or Providence Hospice, or any charity of their choice.