Funeral Services for Delbert Rufus Denson will be held on Friday, April 17, 2:00 p.m. at Greenlawn Southwest Chapel, 2739 Panama Lane. Delbert Rufus "Speed" Denson passed away peacefully in his home on April 13, 2009. He was born January 27, 1911 in Jud, Texas to Rufus and Maime Denson. He grew up with his older brother, Raymond, and sister, Maude, on a farm in Haskell County Texas. According to family history, all the other children would go home directly from school. About dark, Speed would come in, after having picked up every rock between school and home. Perhaps this habit helped to develop hand eye coordination as a marksman. He was always a great shot. His family moved to Guthrie, TX when he was 15. He had a old Ford Model T he raced around the area, earning him the nickname "Speed". At 17 he drove a hoodlum wagon on the 6666 Ranch. He also worked for the Texas State Highway Department. On June 8, 1935 he married the love of his life, Oleta Katherine Yancy, in Paducah, Texas. They were married 63 years and had two sons, Lynwood and Lyndle. In May, 1941 they moved to San Diego, CA. where he worked for North American Air Craft for 2 years, then Consolidated for 1 year. In 1945 they moved to Frazier Park, CA where he resided for the rest of his life. He had the distinction of being the longest living resident in Frazier Park. Speed worked for Richfield Oil Company until his retirement in 1976. An avid baseball fan who followed the Angels, Speed listened to the games on a transistor radio in the early years, later watching the games on a large screen TV. He also was an accomplished trapshooter, enjoying many days shooting trap with his sons. When he was 92 years old, he shot a handicap score of 92 at the California State Trapshoot at Kingsburg. Grandpa Speeda, as he was fondly called by his granddaughters, was the family icon. He wore a size 14 shoe, but his feet were dwarfed in comparison by the size of his heart. He took care of his wife, Oleta, through the ravages of Alzheimers disease. He was a father, mentor and friend to his sons, and he was beloved by his grandchildren. Speed is survived by his sons, Lynwood and Lyndle Denson; his daughter-in-law, Linda Denson; 5 granddaughters, Diane Furukawa, Judy Spencer, Carrie Omiotek, Kelly Kurian and Susan Hierekorn; and 11 great-grandchildren, Katie and Allison Furukawa, Courtney and Paige Spencer, Sam and Emily Omiotek, Cole Cleland, Evan and Dax Kurian and Jacob and Dylan Hiersekorn. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Speed's memory to Optimal Hospice, 4700 Stockdale Hwy, Bakersfield 93309. Delbert Rufus Denson "Speed" 1911 - 2009 Greenlawn Southwest Memorial Park & Mortuary

Published in Bakersfield Californian from 4/15 to 4/16/2009