Thomas Regan "Tick" Granger, 85, journeyed to his Heavenly home on Monday, January 18, 2010, to live eternally with his loved ones who have gone before him forever in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 21, 2010, at St. Helen Catholic Church in Orangefield under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend George Kidangen of St. Helen Catholic Church and Reverend Tom Phelan of St. Francis Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Granger Cemetery in Duncan Wood on Mansfield Ferry Rd. off of FM 105.
Visitation will be held at St. Helen Catholic Church on Wednesday beginning at 5:00 p.m., followed by a Wake and Mass at 6:30 p.m. and a Rosary at 7:00 p.m.
Tick was born at home on December 26, 1924. His parents were T.R. "Tick" Granger, a former County Commissioner of Precinct #3 and Maggie Regan Granger. He was a lifelong resident of Orangefield where he graduated from Orangefield High School and met Sarah Smith, the love of his life. They were married on January 21, 1948.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Christine Elizabeth Granger; brothers, Wade and Robert Granger; sister, Irma Jean Bell; half brothers, Irvy, Kirby, Aaron, Pete, Ruby and Alvis "Boo Boo" Granger; and half sisters, Ether Wilson and Dolly Horn.
Those left to cherish his memory are his lovely wife, Sarah; daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and George Crawford of Mansfield, Bonita and Charles Eaves and Lisa and Bubba Smith both of Orangefield; sons and daughters-in-law, Tommy Granger and his fiancée, Peggy Stewart, Stephen and Glenda Granger, both of Orangefield and Glenn and Barbara Granger of Spring; and brother-in-law, Odie Bell of Orangefield.
He was a loving "Paw-Paw" to 38 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; and one great great-grandchild.
Tick was a lifelong member of St. Helen Catholic Church, where he served on the Building Committee, Finance Council and Counting Committee. Tick was also a member of The Knights of Columbus #13070. He served his country in the U.S. Navy and a veteran of WWII. He worked in the Orangefield Oilfield before he was employed by E.I. DuPont Sabine Riverworks in Orange on May 24, 1948, where he worked until he retired on December 31, 1980, to begin his term of office as Precinct 3 County Commissioner. He served and completed one 4-year and didn't run for a second term because of health problems. He also served on several civic organizations as the Orangefield ISD School Board, Orange County Drainage District and the Orange Memorial Hospital Board of Directors.
Tick was a talented steel guitar musician and formed and played in a number of bands. Playing his steel guitar was one of the joys in his life. He started out in the 1940's playing a single neck lap steel, and then graduated to a pedal steel. One of his first bands, The Dixie Ramblers which with his brother, Wade and a cousin, Leslie Sorter and others played in some of the areas honkey tonks. He later formed the Tick Granger and the Country Cousins, where some of his children were members; Linda, Bonita and Stephen; along with cousins, Leslie Sorter, Britt Godwin; and friends, Marcia Duncan and Jimmy Burnett. The Country Cousins played many different venues, and played for many chartity events.
Another love of Tick's was flying his plane, and planting a large garden every year for all of the family and friends to partake. Thomas was a very loving, caring husband, daddy and "Paw-Paw". He never met a stranger, and one could say that he certainly had a "gift for gab".
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his memory to St. Helen Catholic Church Parish Fund, 8105 FM1442, Orange, Texas 77630.
Serving as Pallbearers will be Christopher Crawford, Thomas P. Granger, Jr., Brian Granger, Brandon Granger, Glenn Granger, Jr., Thomas R. Granger, II, Coby Granger and Mark Thomas, Jr.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Shane Granger, Slade Granger, Daniel Eaves, Blaine Eaves and Brent Smith.