Royce Acuff

June 29, 1934 - November 10, 2019

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Sunday 11/17, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Royce Acuff passed away on November 10, 2019. We will celebrate his life of 85 years at 2:00 pm on Sunday, November 17, 2019, at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. Friends are invited to share memories and expressions of sympathy for the family to cherish in the space provided at the bottom of this page.Royce Acuff was born on June 29, 1934 to Grady and Edna Mae Acuff in Big Spring, TX. He attended school in Coahoma and graduated from Lamesa High School. After attending Abilene Christian College and Texas Tech, he graduated in 1957 with a BBA. While at ACC he met and later married Frances Hammontree of Chattanooga, TN in 1956. They moved west of Ropesville where he built a cotton gin (Center Gin Company) with his father. Royce managed the gin operation and farmed for 37 years. In 1994 he started and managed a cotton burr composting operation (Nature Life, Inc.). Royce and Frances had two children, Gary and Pam, and the family sponsored a teen at the Children’s Home of Lubbock for many years.After moving to Levelland in 1962, Royce was named a director of the First National Bank of Levelland and in 1971 he was appointed to the Board of Trustees at Lubbock Christian College. He was an active member of the Cactus Drive Church of Christ where he taught Bible classes, directed the singing, and served as a deacon and an elder. His passion as a church leader was for missions, both international and domestic. In 1978 the family moved to Lubbock and attended the Broadway Church of Christ where Royce again served as a deacon and chaired the Missions Committee. He loved to travel and was an avid photographer.He is survived by his wife Frances; children Dr. Gary (Awilda) Acuff of College Station and Pam (Roger) Wilson of Hurst; grandchildren Paul (Deb) Wilson of Denton, Thomas Wilson of Brooklin, NY, Laura (Paolo) Tolentino of Colorado Springs, CO and Jennifer (Justin Fleer) Acuff of Blacksburg, VA. He had three great-grandchildren, Nicolas Mills, Ben Wilson and Dante Tolentino.Royce was preceded in death by his mother and father-in-law, Frank and Thelma Hammontree (known to Royce as Mom and Dad Hammontree) of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and his parents, Grady and Edna Mae Acuff of Lamesa.

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Frances and family, in searching for another obituary, I came across the one for Royce, and I am sorry to see he passed away. My mom passed last October, not long before Royce I see. I saw you many years ago at Broadway church. Of course, most of my childhood days, we knew each other at Cactus Drive and also friends with Pam and Gary. We all enjoyed great friendship through the years. A person could always count on getting big friendly smiles from you and Royce both. I always enjoyed his great song leadership as well. I am well aware of also losing a husband since mine has been gone been many years. I am glad to read about Pam and Gary and their families, grand kids, and your great grand kids. I was pleasantly surprised to see you both in the tv interview about the compost for the movie. Well, you know you all will be in my thoughts and prayers. Royce is surely missed. Take care, Love, Kathy (Searsy) Pellette

Frances and family, I am so sorry for your loss. Regretfully I did not see this until after Royce’s funeral. Have not seen you guys in a while but cherish our long friendship. You will be in my thoughts and prayers in the days and weeks ahead. May God comfort you. Lake Ridge offers many opportunities to help you with your grief. In time I hope you will be able to explore some of those. Over the last year and five months, I have found it helpful to be able to connect with others who, too, have lost their spouse. Love and prayers, Jeanie McCormick

I am so sorry for your family's loss and sincerest sympathy for the family. Royce and Dad had a long working relationship and friendship. Dad always said he was very grateful for Royce bringing him to Center Gin as his ginner and later on working on the farms. He was glad to have found a home to raise his family in the Ropesville community. There were lots of changes over the years with the business and they made a good team. I remember Gary and Pam as little tikes. And Glen and Gary playing on the driveway and having lots of fun. I remember babysitting a few times, too. The passing of Royce has sparked lots of memories the past few days and I have some wonderful memories of living and growing up out at Center Gin. Continued prayers for your family.-Sincerely, Brenda Cole Lowrie

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.

Royce Acuff

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