Garnet L. Vardeman

Garnet L. Vardeman, 82, peacefully passed away at Hillcrest Hospital, surrounded by his family, May 4, 2010, after a series of strokes. Funeral services for Garnet will be 2 p.m. Friday, May 7, at the First Baptist Church of Woodway, Highway 84 and Ritchie Road, Waco, with burial at Fairview Cemetery in Hubbard. Garnet was born in Hubbard, April 25, 1928, to Epsie Jones Vardeman and Alton Vardeman. He was a native Texan and a resident of Waco since 1948. He graduated from Hubbard High School in 1945, and joined the Army at age 17, and served in Korea for two years during the Korean Armed Conflict. Upon his return from Korea in 1947, he met his wife, Jean Trussell, and they married five months later on Feb. 4, 1948. Garnet graduated from Baylor University in 1951, with a Bachelor of Business Degree in Accounting. In 1955, he started his own accounting business in Waco, which he owned until he retired in 1992. He was an active member of First Baptist Church of Woodway since 1966, and a member of Baylor Singing Seniors Choir. He was preceded in death by his mother, Epsie Jones Vardeman; his father, Alton A. Vardeman; his brother, Alton Vardeman, who died at birth; and his grandparents, Haywood and Tennie Jones and Ed and Leila Vardeman. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jean; and his four children, Cindy Hester, Kathy Garner and her husband, Steve, Larry Vardeman, and Becky Vardeman. He is also survived by his brother, Gene Vardeman and his wife, Hazel, and David Vardeman; his sister, Dixie Lynn Vardeman Wilson; his step-mother, Zoie Vardeman; and his sister-in-law, Marcalene Welch. He had six grandchildren, Matthew Vardeman, Thomas Vardeman, Sarah Hester, Anne Hester Cates and her husband, Jacob, Lauren Vardeman, and Max Garner. He had one great-grandchild, Gibson Lee Hester; numerous nephews and nieces and their children. Pallbearers will be Matthew Vardeman, Thomas Vardeman, Max Garner, Jacob Cates, Danny Christian, and Jamie Welch. Honorary pallbearers will be James Bryan and the Senior Men's Sunday School Class at the First Baptist Church of Woodway. One of the activities Garnet enjoyed most was singing with the Baylor Singing Seniors Choir. He was also privileged to have been a part of the restoration of his beloved high school in Hubbard, which was truly a labor of love. Memorials may be made to Baylor Singing Seniors Choir, c/o Bill Cox, 340 Wildcat Creek Road, Axtell, Texas 76624-1231 and Historic Hubbard High School, c/o Nancy Kuykendahl, 106 NW 8th Street, Hubbard, Texas 76648. Garnet will be greatly missed by his loving wife, children, and grandchildren, and his large extended family and many friends. The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center for the kind, compassionate care they provided. April 25, 1928 - May 4, 2010 Sign the Guest Book at www.wacotrib.com