Clarence Dingman

Our gruff teddy bear, Papa Lew Dingman, departed peacefully on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. He first met headstrong Barbara Gatlin in 1st grade Sunday School in Paris, Texas, and life kept bringing them together. At 79, Lew transitioned peacefully in our Odessa, Texas home, assured of his family’s love both here and across the country.

We will celebrate Lew’s life at Sunset Memorial Chapel on Saturday, February 12, at 1:00 PM. Lew’s pastor and friend, James McCrary, will lead us in prayer and remembrance.

Clarence Lewis Dingman was born to Clarence and Elizabeth Dingman in Paris, Texas on June 30, 1942, and he grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Midland, Texas; and Grand Prairie, Texas. He was drum major for the Grand Prairie Gophers, and then a TCU Horned Frog while earning his bachelor’s and master’s Degrees. After proud service in the U.S. Army, enjoying German food and biergartens, Lew then began his teaching career in the Dallas area. An avid sports fan, Lew wore the stripes and refereed high school football. He later switched to technology and enjoyed each day with the I.T. gang at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. Lew was then a technology project manager for Crossroads Church, and he oversaw technology at First Methodist in Midland, where Pastor Tim Walker became his treasured friend.

In 1991, Lew Dingman married our mother, Barbara Gatlin Haley. In the bargain, he got three adult children who immediately loved him. Lew and Mom enjoyed the open road in their motorcycle years, and then he helped raise his Odessa grandchildren in a happy busy three-generation home. Lew loved traveling with Barbara and did cruises in Europe for sightseeing and in the Caribbean for gospel music. He took us on many awesome camping trips and made the BEST barbeque ribs and baked beans. Lew also loved driving, especially to see his granddaughters and all their extra Welch family in Austin.

Lew loved us wholeheartedly here and is now joyfully reunited with his family in Heaven: many beloved Dingmans and Golemans, his parents Clarence and Elizabeth, and his brothers Bailey and Tommy. Heaven just gained another TALL angel from this family!

Keeping Lew in our hearts, with love and gratitude, are his wife Barbara Dingman; children and their spouses Rhonda Haley, Sharon and Pat Purcell, and Travis and Lisa Haley; and the Haley grandchildren who delighted him; Brytini, Evan, Carson, Gabriel, and Corbyn. God has blessed us all together. Danielle Dingman Garrett is Lew’s daughter from his first marriage, and she was always in his heart. “Uncle Lewis” was also well loved by his nephew Jason Dingman and niece Kristen Dingman Colopy.

With Papa Lew, our family extends heartfelt thanks to Home Hospice for their care and comfort for him and their kind support of us. We are blessed to have shared Lew’s peaceful transition with love in our home.

Lew Dingman had big presence and a hearty laugh, and biggest of all was his love for us. We’ll miss his encyclopedic knowledge for random questions at our dinner table, and Papa Lew will still know it all when we see him again someday.