Wendell Varner

Wendell was the son of Bryan and Jodie Moore Varner. Born near Milford, he grew up in Ellis County and graduated from Italy High School. After high school, he served in the U. S. Army during the Korean conflict. After he completed his tour of duty with the Army, he and Joyce Miles were married in Italy, Texas on July 1, 1955. In September of that same year, he began work for Texas Power & Light now TXU and would remain there for 37 years until retiring in 1992. The couple moved to Hillsboro in 1967, where they joined the First Baptist Church. He enjoyed youth sports and coached little league baseball. Much of his free time for 35 years was spent operating the clock at all football games at Eagle Field in Hillsboro. Preceding him in death were his parents and an infant son, James Gregory Varner in 1963. Survivors include his wife, Joyce Varner of Hillsboro; two children, Miles W. Varner of Austin and Dee Ann Dodd and her husband, David of Sulfur Springs; One sister, Winona Merrell and her husband, Ed of El Paso; and a brother-in-law, Mardist Miles and his wife, JoAnn of DeSoto, Texas. Memorials may be made to any of the Hillsboro Independent School District Libraries or the First Baptist Church Christian School, P. O. Box 271, Hillsboro, TX 76645.