Howard West “Sonny” Golden passed away on Oct. 16, in Waco, at the Regent Care Center of Woodway, at the age of 89 years. Funeral services were held at the Clifton Funeral Home at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19, with the Rev. Jeff Hutcheon officiating. Interment will be at the Stanford Chapel Cemetery on Chapel Road in Hewitt. Golden was born on July 19, 1916, in the family home near Clifton, at the foot of what was called the “Golden Mountains,” to Robert Lee Golden and Maud (West) Golden. He was the ninth of ten children born into this family. He attended Clifton and Valley Mills schools. As a young boy, he was baptized into the Church of Christ. In 1952, he was baptized into the First Baptist Church of Clifton, where he remained a member until his death. He loved his Lord, family, country, and Bob Wills music. He played bingo and 42 when he wasn’t watching a rodeo of TV. He was particularly proud of his great-granddaughter, Lindsey, as a day never went by in her life that he didn’t mention her to anyone who would listen. Golden was a rancher and a carpenter, also working as a guard at the Gatesville Reformatory and working for the Santa Fe Railroad during WWII transporting soldiers. He loved ranching and touring with the rodeo circuit, participating in calf roping events, and cutting horse contests. He also trained cutting horses. He and his wife “Reecie” owned a ranch at Cranfills Gap for many years before selling it an purchasing a hardware store in Clifton that they operated for several years. He continued living in Clifton until his health deteriorated and then moved to Waco, where he lived out his life in Assisted Living facilities. Golden was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, Bessie Olson, Etta Lou Dahl, and Maudine Golden; along with six brothers, Archie, Paul, Leo, Carroll, Ben, and Ray Golden; his son-in-law, Donald Bearden. He is survived by one daughter, Sue Bearden of Lorena; and one son Bobby George Golden and his wife, Karon of Groesbeck; one granddaughter, Sherri Hutcheon and her husband Jeff, of Castle Rock, Co.; and one great-granddaughter, Lindsey LaDon Hutcheon. In addition, he is survived by his ex-wife, Bama “Reecie” Golden and one sister-in-law, Ruby Golden. Pallbearers were his nephews. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Hewitt, First Baptist Church of Groesbeck, or the First Baptist Church of Clifton.