B.F. MOORMAN OLIVER, OBITUARY, SMITH CO, TX ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Copyright owned by Lawrence E. Oliver. Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Lawrence E. Oliver - oliverl@suddenlink.net May 13, 2001 http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ************************************************************************ Appeared in the Tyler-Morning-Telegraph on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 1998 ************************************************************************ B.F. MOORMAN OLIVER Our beloved father B.F. Moorman Oliver, passed into God's Glory from this world on December 6, 1998. Services in celebration of his life are scheduled for 2 PM on Wednesday at the Burke's-Walker-Tippit Funeral Home Chapel, 215 E. Front St. in Tyler, with the Reverend Dr. Michael Dent and Reverend Don Osada officiating. Burial will be in the Oliver Family plot at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler. The family will receive friends at 7-8:30 PM Tuesday in the funeral home. He was a member of Marvin United Methodist Church Of Tyler. Moorman was born on Dec. 1, 1906 in Rogers, Texas to Clarence Harrison Oliver Sr. and the former Lillian Louise Moorman. His childhood was spent in both Texas and Oklahoma. He attended two years at Hardin-Simmons College and one year at the University of Heidelburg, Germany. To complete his education, he worked in the oilfields and as an interior decorator in the construction of many theatres and clubs throughout the Central and Gulfcoast areas of Texas. He held Master Craftsman papers in four unions. During this time, he also obtained his First Class Seaman papers and worked on a cargo steamer, both to and from Germany. After completing his education, he came to Tyler in 1929 and opened a store specializing in the selling, making and refinishing of fine/custom furniture and in interior decorations. He also married Clara Louise Woodward, a teacher in the area schools. He continued his furniture business until World War II when he closed it in preparation of joining the Navy. Then, due to his age, he did not enter the service. At this time, he opened a horticultural business specializing in roses, bearded iris and daylilies. He also obtained his Private Pilots License and became known as "Tyler's Flying Nurseryman". In 1953, he purchased a horticultural corporation in California and the family moved there in early 1954. During the next 28 years, he twice built successful flower plant businesses and sold them and then retired. However, retirement was not to his liking and he then went into interior decorating for a firm in Santa Barbara, Calif. Upon retirement from the Interior Decorating firm, he began purchasing and selling antiques. He continued with his successful antiques business when he and Clara returned to Tyler in 1981. He lived in Tyler for the remainder of his life. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older brothers John William Oliver and Clarence Harrison Oliver Jr. His wife, of 54 years, Clara Louise Woodward Oliver died in 1989. All are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler. Moorman is survived by his two sons Moorman Oliver Jr., of Santa Barbara, Calif. and Lawrence Edward Oliver, of Tyler, Texas. He is also survived by two Grandsons Kevin Price Oliver and Kerry Alan Oliver, both of Calif. There are two Great- Grandsons and three Great-Granddaughters, all of Calif. Pallbearers are Moorman Oliver Jr., Lawrence E. Oliver, Kevin P. Oliver, Kerry A. Oliver, Charles Morrow III and Billy Tennyson. Honorary Pallbearer is Bill Griffin. The family would appreciate, in lieu of flowers, that donations be given in his name to the Hospice of East Texas, 4101 University Blvd, Tyler, Texas 75701.