Carl Travis Lancaster

Carl Travis Lancaster of Slaton, Texas passed away peacefully on his birthday, Friday, December 17, 2021. He was 78 years old. The family will have a visitation, Wednesday, December 22, 2021 from 6 to 7:30 pm at Englunds. Service will be 10 am Thursday, December 23, 2021 at First Baptist Church of Slaton under the direction of Englunds Funeral Service.

Travis was born in 1943 at Mercy Hospital in Slaton to Pete and Frances Lancaster. They resided in Garza County, where Travis attended Southland schools. He ran track and was a star football player for the Eagles, graduating in 1962. Travis joked with his kids that after high school he went on to play football at Fluvanna Jr. College. His youngest child actually believed this for many years of his life until he drove through Fluvanna and discovered there was no college there. This story was just one example of Travis’ amazing sense of humor. He had many tall tales and was always ready to have a laugh with friends, family, and strangers alike. Travis was an excellent golfer as well, shooting low scores into his late 60’s, and on one occasion Travis finally made a hole-in-one, but unfortunately it was on the wrong hole.

When he wasn’t golfing, Travis was hard at work farming cotton from the time he was 10 years old until he retired in 2018. He farmed in Garza County, and in 1976 Travis was named The Slaton Farmer Of The Year.

On December 5, 1963, Travis married his soulmate and childhood sweetheart, Dorothy Joanne Thomas, from Slaton. They lived on the farm for the first few years but decided to move to the big city of Slaton in 1971. There they raised 1 Slaton Tigerette, Karla, and 2 Slaton Tigers, Kraig, and Kyle.

Joanne, known for her Mac & Cheese, and Travis, known for hating cheese, is one of the most unbelievable examples of how opposites do attract. For 58 years of loving marriage they were able to make this arrangement work, but mainly because Joanne knew the key to Travis’ heart: fried chicken strips. Travis will be missed, but his memories will continue to put a smile on the hearts of all who had the pleasure of knowing him. 

Survivors:

Travis is survived by his wife, Joanne, daughter, Karla and husband Kirk Wolfe of Wichita Falls (Matthew Wolfe, Kaylie Wolfe), sons, Kraig Lancaster and wife Tracye of Lubbock (Berkley Lancaster, Drew Lancaster) and Kyle Lancaster and wife Jenny of Austin (Kyler Lancaster, George Watson), sister, Hazel Biddy of Lubbock and brother, Curtis Lancaster and wife Bonnie of Waco, three nephews and one niece.

In Lieu of flowers, please donate to

The Weekend Snack Program (Slaton ISD)

PO Box 54

Slaton, TX 79364

Meals On Wheels

230 West Lynn Street

Slaton, TX 79364

First Baptist Church Slaton

www.fbc-slaton.org

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.