Charles Ray Hereford

Charles Ray Hereford passed away peacefully on March 14, 2017, following a lengthy illness.

Charlie was born on July 16, 1935, in Conroe, Texas. He was the youngest of three sons born to Sanford Raymond and Claudia Myrl Savage Hereford. He attended schools in Conroe and graduated from Conroe High School in 1953. Charlie studied at the University of Texas where he earned his accounting degree in 1956. After graduation, he went to work for Continental Oil in Oklahoma. He served as a member of the US Army Reserves from 1956 until 1962, reaching the rank of Master Sergeant and 1st Sergeant of his unit in Huntsville. He returned to Conroe in 1957 and took a job as a field accountant for Humble Oil and Refining Company (later becoming Exxon) in Houston.

Upon receiving his CPA certificate, Charlie opened his accounting office in Conroe in 1961. Charlie and Bert Lynch had been childhood friends and in 1967, they partnered to found Hereford, Lynch & Company, which grew into into one of the largest regional accounting firms in Texas during the 1970s-80s with offices in Conroe, Huntsville, Cleveland, Tomball, and Houston. Thomas Sellars and Debra Kirkham Young became partners in the firm at the time that Charlie retired in 1989. Charlie loved auditing and was recognized as an authority in auditing financial institutions. He was appointed to the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants Ethics Committee (1975-76) and Savings and Loan Committee (1978-79), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Committee on Credit Unions (1979-1982) and the Banking Committee (1989-91). Charlie taught continuing education courses across the country and served as an expert witness and in litigation support.

Charlie was a member of several community organizations. Following his father and older brother, he was a Mason in Lodge #748. He served as president of Conroe Jaycees (1961-62), secretary (1962-63) and president (1964-65) of the Conroe Rotary Club and was honored as Rotarian of the Year in 1969 and again in 1976. He was an Embassy Club Member of the Conroe Chamber of Commerce (1968-70) and served on the Board of Directors (1976-78). Charlie served as president of the Heritage Museum (2000-01) and president of the Montgomery County Genealogical & Historical Society (2002-03). When his sons became active in Boy Scouts, he served as Troop Committee Chairman for Troop 143. After Lee, Lyn and Larry earned their Eagle Scout rank, Charlie became the advisor for Post 143. He had 14 Eagle Scouts in the troop, many who were members of the CHS Tiger football team in 1972-74.

After his retirement, Charlie became an avid genealogy buff and discovered that he was descended from two of the "Old 300" families that came to Texas with Stephen F. Austin. He was a member of the Freedom Chapter - Sons of the American Revolution, the Houston Colony - Society of Mayflower Descendants (served as Governor 2003-05), the St. Bartholomew Chapter - The Huguenot Society of Texas and a former member of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. In 2004, he and Sue organized a Hereford Family Reunion to Herefordshire, England, in which American family members helped to raise the matching funds needed to renovate the Church of the Holy Rood.

Charlie's greatest pride was his family. Charlie married Bobbie Jean Vaught of Conroe in 1954 and together they had four children -- Charles Lee, Gerrie Lyn, Larry Duane, and Lori Renee. In 1973, Charlie married Sue Morgenroth Lentz, adding Suann Lentz Hereford and John Lentz Hereford to the family.

Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, Sanford Raymond and Claudia Myrl Savage Hereford, as well as his brothers, Otis Gerrie (Bill) and Raymond Duane (Bane) Hereford, his son, Larry Duane Hereford, granddaughter, Kendra Lynn Hereford, sister-in-law, Mary Ann Morgenroth Peklewsky, and the mother of his children, Bobbie Jean Vaught Hereford.

Charlie is survived by his beloved wife of 44 years, Sue Morgenroth Hereford; their five children, Charles Lee and Carolyn Downs Hereford of Fredericksburg, Gerrie Lyn and Sherrie Hauke Hereford of Wimberley, Lori Renee Hereford and Buddy Owens of Houston, Suann Lentz Hereford and Shane Dulin of Montgomery, and John Lentz Hereford and Laurie O'Brien of Huntsville; and daughter-in-law, Peggy Carter Freeman of Conroe, along with 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Harold Peklewsky, and Wilbert Lovelady, his caregiver of more than 10 years.

The family will receive visitors in the chapel at Metcalf Funeral Home on Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 10:00am followed by funeral services at 11:00am. Interment at Garden Park Cemetery will be private. Honorary pallbearers are Bert and Craig Lynch, Thomas and Cindy Sellars, Debbie Kirkham and David Young, all current and former employees of Hereford, Lynch, Sellars & Kirkham, grandsons Will Hereford, Gary Hereford, Larry Hereford, Luke Hereford, Max Ammons, Joshua Dulin, Jeremy Dulin, and Wilbert Lovelady, special family friend.

The family requests those wishing to honor Charlie with a donation consider a gift to the Heritage Museum of Conroe, the Montgomery County Genealogical & Historical Society, or the charity of your choice.

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