This is a man whose comrades in arms are a dying breed. He belonged to the last generation of a undivided America.He also was the best teacher I had in 16 years of schooling. He taught because he cared for his students.
He also whipped some serious BUTT when You messed up.
About 25 years ago one night while travling by his farm, I saw him parked in his truck. I had a scraggly beard,driving a pulp wood truck, overalls on,& no shirt like Marcel Ledbeter, Jerry Clower's buddy. He looked at me sort of funny, so I asked him if he knew who I was. He replied "no sir". I then laughed & said as many times as you whipped my butt, You do not know me? He then called me by name.
America is a better place on account of great men like Edward Westbrook & heaven will now be a better place.
Westbrook, Edward W.
Edward W. Westbrook, 93, of Linden, Texas, passed away peacefully Saturday, August 16, after a brief illness. He was born May 9, 1915 on the family farm, which his ancestors from Georgia homesteaded in 1838. He loved this land with all his heart and took great joy in raising cattle, timber, farming, and hay production, all of which he was able to do until a few years ago. Mr. Westbrook attended Cass County schools through the 11th grade, and then rode his horse to Naples, Texas, his senior year, as Marietta did not have a 12th grade. He then graduated from East Texas State University in 1937 with a degree in social studies. He taught school and coached at Laney and Bivins, and then attended Sam Houston State University to obtain a master of agriculture degree under the Smith-Hughes Act. While in college, he joined the National Guard and later enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was a soldier in the 36th Division. He was selected for officer training school at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Gainesville, Florida, and ultimately rose to the rank of captain. He was stationed at Camp Brownwood and was at a movie with some of his fellow soldiers when they got the call to return to base immediately as Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese. One week later, his division was split, and he was assigned to the 84th Infantry, also known as the Railsplitter Division. He was sent to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to guard the Norden bombsight. After D-Day on June 6, he was shipped out of Brooklyn, New York, with 6000 soldiers to land in Liverpool, England. He was then shipped across the English Channel, landed on Omaha Beach and went through Paris to the front lines in the Ardennes Forest for six months. He was wounded by German fire at a battle in the Hurricane Forest during the Battle of the Bulge. His comrades took him back to company headquarters, and when the medics pulled his shoes off, his feet were frozen. He then came home on an army hospital ship and recalls the joy of seeing the Statue of Liberty as they entered New York Harbor. After a long recovery, he was honorably discharged and received the Purple Heart as well as numerous other awards for his service to the country he so dearly loved. He married Dale Law of Huffines March 5, 1943, in Texarkana, and they were married for 58 years, until her death in 2001. Mr. Westbrook happily returned to ranching and teaching after World War II. He taught at several Cass County schools and was principal at Linden Elementary School. He later served as Cass County superintendent of schools until his retirement. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Linden, the American Legion, the Lions Club and the Masonic Lodge of Marietta. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dale; his parents, Edgar and Minnie Westbrook; and his sister, Mary Lou Westbrook. He is survived by his two daughters, Marsha Lindsey of Atlanta and Sandra Skoog of Longview; his son-in-law, Eric Skoog; his grandchildren, Hunter Skoog of Longview, Cecily Lindsey of Dallas and Amber Lindsey Raymond and her husband, Joshua Raymond, of Little Rock, Arkansas. Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 19, at First Baptist Church of Linden. Burial, with military honors, will follow at Linden Cemetery. Visitation will be at Reeder-Davis-Schindler Funeral Home in Linden 6-8 p.m. today. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Linden, Linden Cemetery Association or Good Shepherd Medical Center in Linden. The family wishes to extend special thanks to Terry Elders and Dr. Kathleen Sharp of Good Shepherd Medical Center in Linden, his church family at First Baptist Church of Linden, and his wonderful Linden neighbors. Online guestbook may be signed at www.reeder-davis.com
Praise the Lord, all nations! Glorify Him, all peoples! For great is His faithful love to us; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Hallelujah!Psalm 117
