Clara Flowerree

Clara Lorene (Rene) Ferguson Flowerree was born on July 16, 1924 in Alexandria, Louisiana to William and Ida Ammons Ferguson and passed from this life on January 11, 2016 at 91 years of age. She was a member of Wild Peach Baptist Church in Brazoria, Texas.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2016 at 10:00 am at Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia with Pastor Kevin Courtney and Cliff Donnelly officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm also at Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia. Burial will follow at Cedar Lawn Haven of Rest. Serving as pallbearers are Jonathan Flowerree, Jarrod Bigon, James Oliver, James Bigon, James Flowerree IV, and Russell Stewart.
Mom was a child of the Great Depression and her early years were difficult yet she was born with a strong sense of independence and strength that would serve her well all the years of her life. Her older brother, Howard Clayton, passed away at the age of seven but she was old enough to remember him fondly. When Mom was six years old, her baby sister, Lily Marie, passed away, leaving Mom to be raised as an only child. She and her parents, as many did during those hard times, traveled through many towns and states looking for work so permanence was not a part of her life. Because of their constant moving, Mom, who loved learning, was only able to go to school when it was convenient and only completed the sixth grade. Mom's dream to have a stable home, filled with children and flowers, began when she met and married James Paul Flowerree, Jr. They started their family while Jim served his country in World War II and she became resourceful and worked tirelessly to ensure that her children, and widowed mother, were cared and provided for, no matter what it took. She also loved and treated Jim's brothers and sisters like the siblings she never had. When Jim completed his service, they lived in Louisiana until she read about a plant that was starting in Freeport, Texas, called Dow Chemical. She had no idea what they made but knew that the logging industry was playing out and encouraged her husband to go to Freeport and find a job there, which he did. This left her in Louisiana to care for her children alone but she knew that this was an opportunity that Jim had to take. He did secure employment at Dow by going to the plant every single day, as Mom had suggested, asking to be hired until they finally gave him a job. They relocated to the Freeport area and continued to grow their family. Mom's dream of having lots of children came true as they had six, in sets of two, so that none of them would grow up alone as she had. Those years were busy for Mom as she wanted to make sure each child had what they needed. Money might have been tight but dresses were hand-sewn, vegetables and fruits were preserved and they always made sure that there was plenty of food on the table for not only the children but any guests that might have stopped by. No one was turned away from the Flowerree house for food or lodging! Mom could stretch a dollar like no one else. She took occasional jobs when the circumstance required it but her first and foremost responsibility was to make the home and be the best wife and mother that she could be. She was not one to lead the PTA but she could always be counted on to help in any way she could for any of her children's activities. Mom had a very calm nature in the face of difficult situations, shielding her fears and insecurities from her children so they wouldn't worry. When Hurricane Carla hit the coast, her children thought that the shelter they stayed in was a hotel! One child suffered from a brain tumor and another had major heart issues from birth but they both received excellent care from the best doctors available because when it came to her children and their welfare, Mom stopped at nothing. She would not take no for an answer and demanded that they receive only the best care. Both children not only survived but thrived into adulthood. What she lacked in formal education she more than compensated for in lessons in life. She insisted that all her children would at least graduate from high school, which they did. She and Jim celebrated fifty years of married life and he departed this life one week later.
Mom's love of nature was a part of her life until the day she died. She loved to walk and could name all the flowers, trees and birds. The trunk of her car always had a few paper sacks and a small shovel just in case she might run across a new tree or flower that needed replanting...in her yard. She shared many flowers with others and made friends across the country when she was involved with the daylily club in Lake Jackson. Her home in Lake Jackson then Brazoria was always filled with beds of flowers of every type and color. Her morning walk among them brought her peace and tranquility. She would sit on the front porch daily, no matter the weather, and watch the birds and squirrels play and loved nothing more than spoiling her cats and Bob, her daughter's dog. Animals loved her and she loved them. She loved reading, collecting recipes and visiting with family and friends.
Mom's home was filled with love and laughter. Everyone was welcome at any time and she was very proud of each of her children. She considered them her rewards and they were cherished, supported and loved beyond measure. She survived the loss of two of her sons, though she missed them both until the day she died. Mom was an amazing woman, wife, mother and grandmother. She was a fighter who never gave up on herself or anyone else. She was an example of generosity, forgiveness and love. Her desire to never be a burden to her children was met when the Lord graciously and mercifully allowed her heart to just cease, just as she had always wanted. Living to the age of 91 might seem old to some people but she never seemed old to her children because of her zest and enthusiasm for living. Her children are blessed to have had her for every day she was with us.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Judy Janell Teague of Enterprise, Alabama, Bonnie Marie Oliver and husband, James of Brazoria; Gary Justin Flowerree of Brazoria and Alecia Lorene Bigon and husband, James of Angleton; grandchildren, Alena Branch, Mindy Dollinger, James Flowerree IV, Lori Gardner, Ruth Pawlik, James Teague III, Suzanne Martin, Sherry Donnelly, Melanie Deluna, Lindsey Yost, James Jarrod Bigon, Jonathan Flowerree and Jessica Flowerree; 26 great grandchildren; 6 great great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, William Turner Ferguson and Ida Ammons Brown; husband, James Paul Flowerree Jr., brother, Howard Clayton Ferguson; sister, Lily Marie Ferguson; sons, James Paul Flowerree III and Kim Shannon Flowerree.

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