Cecil Self

Cecil Ray Self- also known as "Red", "Spud, and "PawPaw" passed away peacefully at his home in Happy Valley, Texas on March 27th, 2023, after a fierce battle with cancer. Visitation will be Friday, March 31st from 6-8pm at the Winters Funeral Home in Winters, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday April 1st, 2023, at the Wingate Baptist Church where he was a member for 40 years. Lauren Garduno and Mike Graham will be officiating the service. Burial will follow at Shep Cemetery. Arrangements are by Winters Funeral Home. Cecil Ray was born on Valley Creek to Holmes Cecil and Vicie Self on September 24th, 1937. He went to school in Shep from the 1st - 4th grade, and then 5th-12th grade at Blackwell High School in Blackwell, Texas after their consolidation. He married the love of his life, Leva Mae Reagan on July 22,1967 at the Shep Church of Christ in Shep, Texas and spent 55 ½ wonderful years together. He started work at 14 years of age for Smith and Sweet Masonry and after High School he became a Bricklayer. He was a Master at his trade and eventually owned his own company of Midwest Masonry for many years. His work took him all over the state, but some of his greatest accomplishments included the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum, the Petroleum Building, Hilton Hotel, Lubbock Coronado High School, Pioneer Bank, and 5 buildings on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock, Texas. He also built the Goodfellow Airforce Base dormitories, the Angelo State University Science and Nursing Building where his daughter would later attend Nursing School, Shannon Women's and Children's Hospital, Shannon Heart Center, Shannon Emergency Room, and numerous schools across the state; way too many to name. He was a veteran and served his country in the Army from 1960-1962. He was involved in The Wingate Lions Club, Scottish Rites, Shriners, and the Wingate Masonic Lodge. He served as a Master Mason receiving the Golden Trowel Award in 2011and his 50-year certificate in 2018. He served as The Master of the Lodge several times through the years as a Master Mason. Cecil Ray was an avid Blackwell Hornet fan, starting with is daughter as she played basketball and other sports during Jr.High and High School. In 2000 he was able to retire from Bricklaying and start his favorite job as "Pawpaw" later that year in March. He took on his new role like a pro. In 2003 when 2 more Grands came along, he remarked that "he didn't know your heart could be so full". When the grandkids got into sports PawPaw and Mammie were the most devoted and dependable "fans in the stands" from 2011- 2021, never missing an event. He loved sports and loved watching his Grandkids and all their friends through the years. He was everyone's Pawpaw and loved by so many. If you knew him, you knew how proud he was of his family- but especially his 3 Grandkids! Cecil Ray is preceded in death by his parents H.C and Vicie Self, his baby sister Ruthabea, sister Sue Sweet, In-laws Jessie and Lucille Reagan, Brother-in-laws Rex and Tony Reagan, Sister-in-law Edna Ruth Self and nephews Kyle and Bubba Sweet. Cecil Ray is survived by his loving wife; Leva Mae, his daughter and her husband Marla and Cary Panzer of Wingate, Brother Thurman Self of Wingate, Texas; Brother-in-law Sonny Sweet of Blackwell, Texas and his pride and joy Grandchildren; Shelby and Allison of Lubbock, Texas and Zachary of Wingate, Texas; precious nieces and nephews and numerous life long friends. Cecil Ray was a strong, faithful servant to the Lord! He greatly loved his family and friends and always enjoyed life. Conversations with him always made you feel special and appreciated. He was a mentor to many and a generous man by nature, truly caring about people and their wellbeing. He was a proud father and Grandfather. Some might say a "Storyteller extraordinaire", always finding something to make someone smile or laugh, with a twinkle of mischief in his amazing blue eyes. He was a loving brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather and friend to many who will be greatly missed. Pallbearers will be Ed Poehls, Gary Antilley, Bill Cathey, James Lee Sanderson, Frank Jackson, and Jim Abernathy. Memorials may be made to The Shep Community Center of Shep, Texas or Hendrick Hospice in Abilene, Texas. The family of Cecil Ray wishes to extend our sincere thanks to all the wonderful family and friends that prayed for and supported him, all the nurses and doctors that took care of him, and to Hendrick Hospice Staff that cared for him during the last few days of his battle with Pancreatic Cancer.

Cecil Self

March 27, 2023