Truman Flynt

TRUMAN OREAR FLYNT of Keith, Texas, formerly of Bryan, passed away Saturday, October 1, 2011. Visitation will be Wednesday, October 5 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Chapel in Brenham. The Memorial Service will be held at noon Thursday at Our Saviour''s Lutheran Church, 1001 Woodcreek Drive, College Station, with Pastor Erich Schaefer officiating. A light lunch will follow, provided by the women of the church, family and friends. Truman was born October 2, 1928, near Iola, Texas to Alton Mitchell and Myrtle Martin Flynt. His mother died when he was 4 years old and his stepmother, Gladys Crenshaw Flynt helped raise him from the time he was 6 years old. He attended public school in Iola and Blinn College in Brenham. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1948 to 1952 and was a weather observer in the Pacific Islands. While attending Blinn College, he worked part time at the Ford Motor Company in Brenham. By his marriage to Ella Nora Loesch in 1952, he became a member of the Loesch family, a large family that enjoyed gathering many times a year to celebrate birthdays, weddings and holidays. He and Ella moved to College Station in 1957 where he went to work for Texas Foundation Seed Service, a division of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. He spent most of his career as a research technician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Weed and Brush Control until his early retirement in 1978 after he developed sensitivity to the chemicals used in research, including Agent Orange. In 1980, Truman and Ella moved to the Flynt family ranch in Keith, Texas where he resided until his death. They worked as a team raising cattle and gardening. He took care of his cattle as though they were children and his tomatoes were a joy to receive. Truman loved being outdoors, especially hunting and fishing on Texas lakes and rivers. His father was a great teacher and companion on these excursions. At one time, Truman kenneled and trained pointers for quail hunting and made close friends with his hunting friends. He was a loving father, grandfather, uncle and loyal friend. He never met a stranger and could make a deal on almost anything he wanted to buy or sell. It was said that he could trade a hummingbird for a turkey. His greatest talent was an ability to build or configure almost anything mechanical. If he didn''t have a machine or attachment he needed, he built it. After his retirement he spent hours working in his shop repairing and refinishing furniture. He was an organizing member of the Iola Lion''s Club and received the Lion of the Year Award for 1987-1988. He served as a member of the Iola ISD school board for ten years and was a member of Our Saviour''s Lutheran Church in College Station since 1958. He was preceded in death by his parents Alton and Myrtle Flynt, his stepmother Gladys Flynt, sister Mavis Flynt Stewart and brother-in-law Calvin Stewart, brother Emory Alton Flynt, Sr., his sister-in-law Norma Loesch Meschwitz and his brothers-in-law Melvin Loesch, Arnold Loesch, Raymond Tegeler, Jim Buchanan, Roy Lorenz, Louis Meschwitz, Charlie Kenjura, Charlie Schroeder and Clarence Lohmeyer. Survivors include his wife, Ella Nora Loesch Flynt, his daughter Gwen Flynt Smith and her husband Bert Smith of Houston, grandchildren Abigail Flynt Smith of Dallas, Texas, Eleanor Claire Smith of Boston, Massachusetts, and Albert James Smith IV of Charlottesville, VA. He is also survived by his sister Linda and husband Lynnwood Lawson of Crockett, TX, sister-in-law Dyann Flynt of Houston, sisters-in-law Lydia Loesch, Elsie Tegeler, Hilda Lorenz, Alma Kenjura, Selma Wellmann and brother-in-law Robert Wellmann, all of Brenham, and his sisters-in-law Rose Lee Lohmeyer and Edna Schroeder of Washington, Texas, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Truman was blessed by loving caregivers and a wonderful team of doctors, nurses and staff at the Sheridan of Navasota who helped him go comfortably from this life to the next. The family would especially like to thank all of Truman''s friends and family who have helped Ella take care of his ranch and cattle, especially John and David Crenshaw, James Ray Trant, Tony Compian, Sr., Gary Deeren, Mike McKown, Jack and Elaine Sullins, and Daniel and Gary Wagnon. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Our Saviour''s Lutheran Church Building Fund, 1001 Woodcreek Drive, College Station, Texas 77845, or the charity of your choice. Arrangements are under the direction of Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 West Main, Brenham. To view the obituary online or post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.