Robert Pounds

Robert James (R. J.) Pounds, passed away on April 17, 2013. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 20, at OakCrest Funeral Home with Kip Osborn officiating.

R.J. was born in Newcastle, TX to Robert and Allie Ferris Pounds, June 27, 1915. After his father’s death in R. J.’s teen years, he helped his mother raise and take care of his 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Always making sure that they were provided for, R. J. took on any job to help out and also used his fishing and hunting skills to help feed the family during the Great Depression. Those hunting and fishing skills in later years fueled a hunger for the outdoors that ranged from fishing Colorado trout streams to the jetties in Galveston, from hunting deer in the panhandle, elk in mountains, dove in Young County and quail in south Texas.

Some of his fondest memories, told again and again, were teaching his grandson, Randy Woodruff, to fish. They started at Lake Houston when Randy was young, and in later years ventured to Galveston to fish for speckled trout, usually bringing home ice boxes full.

R. J. married Velma Ruth Smith on August 19, 1937, and during World War II they moved to Fort Worth to build war planes. After the war ended, they moved to Borger in the Texas panhandle, where R. J. worked in the administration office of Gulf Oil Company for 15 years. Their daughter, Jerrie, graduated from Borger High School in 1957. At that time, R. J. moved the family to Fort Worth and made a career change to real estate.

After Jerrie’s marriage and the birth of his grandson, R. J. and Velma moved to Houston. In Houston, R. J. formed his own real estate company, R. J. Pounds Realty, and was a successful broker until his retirement. After retirement, R. J. and Velma moved to Brenham where, for many years, he enjoyed his other hobby of gardening - keeping his family, friends and neighbors supplied with fresh vegetables.

R. J. was baptized at First Baptist Church in Borger and at the time of his death was a member of Western Heights Baptist Church in Waco.

Preceding him in death, were his parents, Robert and Allie Pounds, sisters Lucy Mae Pounds Smith of Dallas, Irene Pounds Stewart Donaldson of Arlington, brothers Edgar Pounds of Newcastle and Ferris Pounds of Newcastle.
R. J. is survived by his wife Velma of Waco, daughter Jerrie Pounds Woodruff Paul of Waco, grandson Randy Woodruff and wife Gae Woodruff of Robinson, great-granddaughter Lauren Woodruff of Waco, and his sister, Clara Bell (C.B.) Pounds Anderson of Grand Prairie. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their appreciation for the staff at Regent Care Center of Woodway for the love and support during the years R.J. lived there. In addition, the family would like to express their appreciation for the doctors and nurses at Hillcrest Hospital for the care they provided in R.J.’s last few days and Dr. Arthur Sudan for the care he provided over the last ten years.