Clarence Zabel, 90, passed away March 5, 2016. He was born July 15, 1925, at Hooker, Oklahoma to Fred and Emma Zabel. He attended the Buffalo Country School and the Frisco Country School and attended Guymon High School. Clarence married Jean Pickard on September 8, 1946. They were married 69 1/2 years . The first 6 months of their marriage was spent in Los Angeles attending LIFE Bible College. He realized farming was his first love and came back to Guymon and began custom farming in 1948. He continued his farming and ranching operation in the Hitchland, Texas area until he retired in 1997. He was named the Outstanding Farmer for the Soil Conservation in Hansford County in 1969. In 1970 he was named the Fort Worth Outstanding Farmer for Soil Conservation.

Clarence was a member of the Guymon Foursquare Church for over 60 years where he was an elder and Sunday School teacher. He has attended the First Baptist Church the last few years. He Loved spending time with family and friends and playing games. He enjoyed all of his grandchildrens' ballgames and activities. After retirement, he and Jean began traveling and spending the winter in South Texas. His hobby became restoring old tractors, about 20 in all. He donated many to the Heritage Museum in Boise City, Oklahoma. His favorite tractor was a 1929 Mcormick Deering Model 2236, because this was the tractor on which he learned to farm as a young boy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Wilbert Zabel and sister Norma Schrock.

Survivors are Jean of the home, daughters Judy Hayden ( T. John), of Guymon, Nancy Bickings ( Duane) of Little Rock, Arkansas; grandchildren Landry Hayden, Hitchland, Texas; Dr. Heath Hayden, Canadian, Texas; Kambry Ruby (Brian), Dallas, Texas; and Ashlyn Bickings, Dallas, Texas; also great-grandchildren Lawson and Bennet Ruby, sister and husband Jewel and Leonard Angel, Cameron, Texas; sisters-in-law Dorothy Ritchie, Guthrie, Oklahoma; Lois Demetro ( Rev. Phil), Midlothian, Texas and Pat Boston (Bob) Guthrie, Oklahoma.

There will be a visitation at Henson~Novak Funeral Home in Guymon, Oklahoma on Tuesday, March 8, from 6-8 p.m. There will be a private family burial Wednesday, March 9, and a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Guymon. Memorials may be given to the Heritage Center in Guymon.

 Service Information