Obituary

Funeral services for Elwin "Blake" Gooch, 77, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Grace United Methodist Church with Jess Hodge, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Levelland, and the Rev. Horace Abbott, pastor, officiating. Masonic graveside services will be conducted with burial in Parklawn Memorial Gardens by Lemons Funeral Home. Mr. Gooch died at 10:51 a.m. Sunday, June 27, 2004, in Carillon retirement home in Lubbock. He was born May 3, 1927, in Cooke County. On June 9, 1950, he married Ruth Swim in Putnam. He worked for the Texas Highway Department for 28 years, then was a deputy for the Hale County Sheriff's Department for 18 years, most of that time as chief deputy. After he retired, he served as baliff for the 242nd District Court. He was a 32nd degree Mason and past master of Plainview Lodge 709 and a member of Grace United Methodist Church. Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Judy Gooch of Lubbock; three sons, Jerry Gooch of Springtown, Gene Gooch of Vernon and Wes Gooch of Baton Rouge, La.; one brother, J.W. Gooch of Lubbock; and six grandchildren, Grant Gooch, Catherine Gooch, Richard Gooch, Meredith Gooch, David Gooch and Aaron Gooch. The family suggests memorials to the Alzheimer's Association, 4440 N. Big Spring, Midland, TX 79075.