Charlotte Christine Harber

Charlotte Christine Hammers Harber passed away on Aug 23, 2022. A Living Tribute was held in her honor on Aug 8, 2022, at Sunset Church of Christ. She was able to watch it over and over and said every time it was perfect.

Christine was born on Christmas Eve, Dec 24, 1929, to Warren and Bewel Hammers in Abilene, TX. Christine married Joe Harber, the love of her life, on October 10, 1946, in Baird, Texas. Christine became the homemaker she always wanted to be, raising her 3 girls. She taught many people to sew, and her girls were the best dressed around, with whole closets just to hold every color of their cancans! She taught 2- and 3-year-olds at Sunday School for years and years.   For many years in Odessa, she sold Avon and was one of the top producers, being rewarded with diamond and pearl pins! She sewed her whole life, making hundreds of little girls’ dresses, each one an original, with bound seams and bells on the petticoat!  She has books and books with every little girl’s name and with a swatch from the dress.  To this day, there are many dresses still being passed down to the next generation!! When Joe became a preacher, she became a preacher’s wife and held that role eloquently.  She and my dad never missed a grandkid’s game!! In later years we called her our weather girl or sports announcer!  She would call and report on every game and every team!! Oh, how we will miss that!!!  Throughout all our entire family’s life, whether you were a great, great great, or wherever you fell in the family, you got a birthday card with $10 in it!! She never missed a person!!

Survivors include her daughter, Pennie Roberts, and husband, Don of Lubbock; eight grandchildren, Ric Whatley (Rhonda), Tom White (Lorie), David Pinkstaff (Brendi), Elizabeth Brinkley, Jason Whatley (Kim), Shana Holmes, Cole Roberts (Shauna), and Ashleigh Paulk (Glendon); 22 great-grandchildren; 18 great-great-grandchildren; and a brother, Don Harber (Julie) of Graham and many loved nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by her dog Sparky who never left her side!

She was preceded in death by her husband Joe (Dec 20, 2019), her parents; two daughters, Sandy (San) Whatley (Oct.2019), husband Bill Whatley (Jan 2020), and Debbie (Deb) Watson (June 2019) and husband Lenard (Sept.2019); sister Myrtle Beth Harker and husband Homer and two grandchildren, Christy and Robbie White.

A heartfelt thank you to our precious caregivers, Hospice of Lubbock and Dr. Crow

“Together Forever” is what my dad always wrote in his letters to Christine, intertwining the letters in a cross; they are finally together forever! At a later date, her ashes will be taken to the Veterans Cemetery in Abilene to be placed with my dad.  About a month ago, she said, “Now, when you take my ashes to put with Daddy’s… As you leave, I want everyone to wave a white handkerchief, waving me goodbye. I have the white handkerchiefs for everyone and a blue embryoid, one for each family that has Nanny and PaPa Harber, their wedding anniversary, and “Together Forever” in a cross in blue, and it is for each great grand, great-great grand, and so on to carry in their weddings!” She loved it! Ever since my dad passed away, there has never been a day that she didn’t say, “I am ready to go, I just want to be with Daddy and San and Deb!” I know they are young and healthy and celebrating with my sisters!  What a reunion it must be with all of their loved ones gone on before! Any donations may be sent to Sunset School of Preaching.  One of the last things she said to me was, “Are you going to put the Mexican goulash recipe in my obit?” So here it is! I love you Mama. -Pen

Nanny’s Mexican Goulash

Recited to me on 8/9/22

Brown 2 pounds of lean hamburger meat with one chopped onion

• Can of cream of chicken soup
• Can of cream of mushroom soup
• Can tomatoes and green chiles
• Can enchilada sauce
• Package elbow macaroni

1 pound Velveeta cheese

Cook meat and onion and a little salt and pepper.  Take out a spoon full of meat for the dog!

Add all sauces add cooked macaroni, and then add cubed Velveeta!

Enjoy with crackers on a cold day!

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