Claud Leo Champion

Claud Leo Champion, 70, of Abilene, passed away Thursday, June 10, 2010 at a local hospital. Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, June 14 at Southern Hills Church of Christ. Pete Knight will officiate. Burial will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery, 5701 Highway 277 South. The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 9:00 pm on Sunday at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Claud was born in Cottonwood, Texas on October 2, 1939 to Calvin and Alice (Woody) Champion. He graduated from Cross Plains High School. Claud married Beverly Jo Barrett on October 16, 1959 in Abilene, Texas. He owned and operated Barrett Body Shop. Claud was a member of the Automotive Service Association for many years and had held several offices in the ASA Texas. He had been a member of the Optimist Club since 1966 and was also a board member of the Ben Richey Boy's Ranch, the Better Business Bureau and the Interact Business Club. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Glen Dale Champion, and his wife, Beverly Jo Champion on July 24, 2006. Claud is survived by one son, Rocky Champion and his wife Brenda, of Abilene; one daughter, Hayley Underwood and her husband Roy, also of Abilene; one brother, Robert Lee Champion and his wife Ray, of Denver City; one sister, Viola Turnbough and her husband David, of Lubbock; five grandchildren, Amy Murphy, Tyler Champion, Ryan Champion, Tanner Underwood and Toby Underwood, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins. He is also survived by his fiancée, Doris Sneed, of Teague, Texas. Glenn Caldwell, Curtis Watson, Ken Walker, Jeff Ayers, Glen "Butch" Champion, David Sumners, Corey Dennis and Terry St. Pierre will serve as pallbearers. Memorials may be made to the Ben Ritchey Boy's Ranch, P.O. Box 6839, Abilene, Texas 79608; or to the Breakfast Optimist Club for the Boy Scout Hut on Barrow Street, P.O. Box 1082, Abilene, Texas 79604.