Sharleen Wells Formby Rhoads

Sharleen Wells Formby Rhoads Sharleen Wells Formby Rhoads, 92, of Plainview, left this life to join her Father and Savior in heaven on Dec. 8, 2010, in Lubbock. Funeral services are going to be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, at First Baptist Church Sanctuary. Interment will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, at McAdoo Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Lemons Funeral Home. A visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, 2010, at Lemons Funeral Home. Sharleen had a most glorious and interesting life. Born Sept. 30, 1918, in Ohio, she moved as a young girl to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Hendersonville, N.C. Graduating as valedictorian of her high school class from Edneyville, N.C., she went to college and graduated again as valedictorian from Montivello College in Montivello, Ala., with a degree in English. From college in Alabama, Sharleen went to work at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., as a secretary to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Upon leaving Washington, D.C., she enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin to work towards her master's of education. Then it got interesting . . . In February 1946 while working at the on-campus playhouse, she met, as she was later told, "the most eligible bachelor in the state of Texas," Marshall C. Formby of McAdoo, Texas. Marshall had already been elected as county judge for Dickens County, the youngest man ever elected as a county judge, served as a state senator from his home district and also served in the Army Corps of Engineers in England and France. After dating for just six weeks, he informed her they were getting married and proceeded to do just that on Sept. 8, 1946, in Seale, Ala. Marshall and Sharleen's early years proved to be very busy times. Marshall received his master's degree in journalism. The Formbys then returned to the High Plains of Texas and put a series of radio stations on the air, the first being KPAN in Hereford. It was followed by stations in Tulia, Kermit, Colorado City, Snyder, Temple and Tyler. During all this time, Marshall and Sharleen decided to make Plainview home and he joined the law firm of Tudor, Tunnell, Lafont and Formby. 1105 S. Broadway became home and all were welcome. Two of the greatest events took place shortly thereafter: the birth and adoption of Frances Ann Formby on Nov. 7, 1955, and David Wells Formby on Dec. 10, 1957. While living in Plainview, Sharleen became a member of the D.A.R. (Daughters of the American Revolution) and P.E.O. Marshall always said he didn't know exactly what it stood for, but since the group always met for lunch he felt assured it meant "Please Eat Out." She also was involved with PTA at Hillcrest Elementary School and was homeroom mother, probably more than she wanted to be. Other activities included the Hale County Library Association. First Baptist Church was a very important part of her life as well as the life she and Marshall instilled in Frances and David. In later years, she became involved in Wayland Baptist University, sitting as a board of trustee, Texas Tech University College of Mass Communications and the College of Human Sciences. One of the things she and Marshall established was the Marshall and Sharleen Formby Foundation in the Southwest Collection of Texas Tech Library System. It is here that all of their papers, recordings, books, history and archived information are located. Sharleen and Marshall's life was an adventure, and where you saw one the other was usually not far behind. The greatest undertaking was Marshall's bid as a candidate for Texas governor in the early 1960s. The campaign ended, however, with a defeat to John Connally and a car accident that nearly took the lives of Sharleen, Frances and David. The two of them traveled extensively within the continental United States and to Hawaii. In the mid-1960s the entire family enjoyed a "round the world" trip, visiting the Azores Islands, England, Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia, South Africa and Australia. They were also extremely privileged to be aboard the first flight into Mainland China when relations were normalized in 1970 under President Nixon. Rotary International also was a big part of their lives as Marshall served as Rotary governor not once but twice, and Sharleen always accompanied him on these visits. The 1980s brought a different pace. Due to Marshall's failing eyesight but refusal to slow down, Sharleen became his eyes, driving him wherever he needed to be. You can't separate Sharleen from Marshall because they were a team. She was always at his side as his helper, wife and sounding board. Marshall preceded her in death on Dec. 27, 1984. In March 1994, she married Harvey Rhoads and moved to Midland. In this she began to verse herself in the oil industry and, as usual, became very active in that industry, learning all she could. One thing about Sharleen is that whatever her spouse was involved in she made that her world. Harvey also preceded her in death in November 2004. Upon his death she returned to her home, Plainview, Texas. To summarize her life, she was a giver - a giver of time, a giver of love. She was always by Marshall's side and Harvey's in later life. She was proud of her heritage as a "Southern Belle" and didn't expect less of others. She was an avid reader of books, newspapers and magazines, especially those dealing with politics, World War II and history. Sharleen never used a computer, preferring the old-fashioned way of a handwritten note or letter. In her later years she became much more of a homebody, enjoying her life with her cat and her wonderful caretaker, Janie Torres, by her side. Janie was our angel who allowed her to stay in her home, comfortable and happy. Those left to treasure their memories with her are her daughter, Frances Formby Seales and husband Kenneth of Lubbock and son David Wells Formby of Plainview; two granddaughters Lanie Seales Pugh (Marc) of Sanford, N.C., and Mandy Lee Formby of Plainview; four special grandchildren, Kent Seales of Littlefield, Sharla Seales Hamblin (Bill) of Littlefield, Greg Seales (Kelly) of Rockwall, Texas, and Kayla Seales Roach (Mark) of Lubbock; two great-granddaughters, Hayley Elizabeth Pugh and Kinsley Abigail Pugh of Sanford, N.C.; also seven special great-grandchildren, Shea and Bradley Hamblin, both of Lubbock, Chase Bray Seales of Lubbock, Hunter and McKenzie Seales of Rockwall, Texas, and Krisha Roach and Kaden Roach, both of Lubbock. Also surviving are her sister, Juanita Wells Hearn of Brevard, N.C.; and numerous nieces and nephews. A special thanks goes to Janie Torres who, without her, Sharleen would not have been able to remain as an independent person in her own home. Janie became a member of the Formby family and we all knew she was in good hands. Janie also made Sharleen a member of her family, taking her to her family gatherings and exposing her to an alternate culture which Sharleen grew to love and enjoy. Memorials may be made to the Marshall and Sharleen Formby Scholarship Fund, c/o Southwest Collection, Texas Tech University, Box 41041, Lubbock, TX 79409-1041 Online condolences may be made online at www.lemonsfunerals.com