Rayburn Alton Atwood

Rayburn “Alton” Atwood passed away gently on December 4, 2015. He began his eventful life on November 26, 1942 in Ballinger, Texas. While Texas was always home in his heart, he travelled the world through his dedicated 20 years of service in the United States Air Force.

Alton attended school and graduated from Paint Rock High School. As a young man, he worked on the family “Home Place” farm and ranch. According to his surviving brother, Delton Atwood, they were chopping cotton one day when Alton told him that was enough for him and he was going to join the military to get away. That’s exactly what he did.

Alton honorably served his country in Vietnam and also spent a year in South Korea. Early in his military travels, he met an English Rose in England. Through that union, he was blessed with two of his surviving children, Scott and Samantha Atwood. Through his son, he was blessed with his beloved grandson, Matthew Atwood.

Later in life, after retiring from the USAF, Alton again fell for an exotic foreign beauty. This time, through his union with his beloved “Turkey”, he was again blessed with his surviving stepdaughter, Gamze. Alton’s great later-in-life gift was the blessing of his last surviving daughter, Jeylan.

The constant theme in Alton’s life was his love of his children. They brought him great joy and challenged him to the very end.

One of the other loves of his life was his Cowboys. A true Texan, he stuck with them through thick and thin from Landry and Staubach to Jones and Romo. Alton was also a great fan of Westerns shows and movies and knew Louis L’Amour books by heart.

Alton spent the last 13 years of his life at Ballinger Health Care and Rehab Nursing Home. The family would like to recognize the staff for their nurturing care of Alton. He was treated as a member of their extended families. The staff at Ballinger Hospital also provided wonderful care to Alton. We sincerely thank these two facility staff for taking such good care of him.

He is survived by his three daughters, son, grandson and dedicated brother. After Alton went to Ballinger Health Care, Delton was attentive and dedicated to him. He visited him several times a week and watched out for his little brother to the end. He is also survived by the many members of the Atwood and Hallmark clans.

Alton was preceded in death by his wonderful parents, Dudley and Novalene Atwood.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, December 9, at 1:00 pm at Lange Funeral Home Chapel in Ballinger. Burial will follow in Paint Rock Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Paint Rock Cemetery Association, PO Box 3, Paint Rock, Texas 76866.