A.R. Horton

A.R. “Preach” Horton, 89, passed from this life on June 16, 2014. He was a strong, independent, decisive man who was a leader of men. He was patriotic, extremely loyal and dedicated to the principles and values upon which this country was founded. Born to Calvin S. Horton and Bessie O’Neal in Coke County, Texas on December 24, 1924, he moved to Comanche County at an early age. His school years were spent in the Beattie School, from where he graduated. Preach married Bonnie Jean Shoemaker on February 8, 1947 and they had a daughter, Cheryl Dianne. Preach and Jean later divorced and he married Jo Curry Berna in November, 1953. At that time, he became step-dad to Cheryl Kaye. Drafted into the Army in 1943, he served sixteen months in the European theater where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of France and the Rhineland Campaign in Germany. In Phillipsburg, France on January 6, 1945, heavy enemy fire killed or wounded all the non-commissioned officers so Preach reorganized the eleven surviving members of his platoon and initiated an assault that cleared half the town. When the rest of the platoon was killed, he single-handedly attacked a German pillbox with hand grenades, killing ten Germans and forcing twenty-two to surrender resulting in the capture of the objective by his company. He was awarded the Silver Star medal for his actions. On March 4, 1945, near Golden Brehman, Germany casualties again resulted in loss of leadership so Preach again took command of his platoon; he moved it forward under heavy enemy fire. Going from man to man and encouraging his squad, he led them to routing the enemy from strongly defended houses. His skillful, determined and aggressive action was highly material in routing the enemy and earned him a Bronze Star. In 1961, during the Berlin Crisis, Preach was recalled to active duty to serve with the 980th Engineer Battalion, Company C., comprised of young men from the Brownwood, Comanche and San Angelo areas. He was stationed at Fort Hood, and at Fort Carson, Colorado. Preach stayed in the Army Reserves and the Texas National Guard until he retired from the Army after 25 years of service. He also worked for Higginbotham’s for forty-four years, starting in the warehouse and working his way up to Vice President of Operations before his retirement. Before his mobility became limited, Preach was very active in the VFW in both Comanche and Brownwood. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of Hope Masonic Lodge #481 in Comanche. He was a past member of the Texas Game Warden Association where he served on the Board of Directors as an advisor, in addition to being a lifetime member of the North American Wildlife Officers Association. He was a lifetime member and very active in the 70th Division Association, the division with which he trained during World War II. Preach was an avid golfer, hunter and fisherman for most of his life, traveling to many areas of North America with Bill Works on hunting and fishing trips. He was also a member of the Dirty Old Men’s group which owned one of the first barbeque grills on wheels in the area and which catered barbeque dinners for many functions in the Comanche County area. Survivors include: daughter, Cheryl Dianne Lawson and husband, James; daughter, Cheryl Kaye Salois; grandchildren, Heather Vaspra, Ryan Vaspra and wife Jessica, Andy Salois, and Aaron Salois; great-grandchildren, Ryan, Noah, and Austin Vaspra; sister, Trudie Butler; brother, Cal Horton, Jr.; several nieces and nephews and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Calvin and Bessie Horton; wife, Jo C. Horton; sisters, Earlene Mull and Mary Brown; and brother, J.B. Horton. In honoring his request for no funeral or memorial, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to either Meals on Wheels in Comanche at this address: Comanche Senior Citizens, 209 W. Duncan, Comanche, Texas 76442; or the Salvation Army of Comanche, P.O. Box 783, Comanche, Texas 76442. Other options are the Comanche Volunteer Fire Department, The Comanche Public Library, or the charity of your choice. Because most local organizations need funding, your donation would have an impact on people in the town/county he loved.