“A father’s legacy is not riches, possessions or worldly goods of any kind; it is the way he lived, the lives he touched, the promises he kept.  It is the kind of man he was.”

Vollney Royce Rayburn was born on January 11, 1943, in Beaumont, Texas.  His parents were Jesse J. Rayburn, deceased, and Lucille Woolridge Rayburn, deceased. His siblings are:  Marcelene Degeyter; Harold Rayburn, deceased; Joyce Deslatte, deceased; William Noel Rayburn, deceased.

V. R. is survived by wife, Sara Davis Rayburn of Lufkin; son, Scott Rayburn and his wife, Jana Martin Rayburn; granddaughter, Sara Anne Rayburn; grandson, Jackson Rayburn; son, Steven Rayburn and his wife, Leslie Soma Rayburn; grandsons, Tyler Rayburn, Ryan Rayburn, and Kyle Rayburn; nephews, Curtis Labby, Gary Rayburn, Jay Weeks, Kyle Rayburn, Mark Stiles, and Bob Weeks; nieces, Gayle Parr, Janice Constantine, and Gwen Abshire.   

V.R. grew up in Fannett, spending endless days hunting and fishing with his dad. He graduated from Fannett in 1962, the final year before consolidation with Hamshire.  As a proud Falcon, he played football and was an avid trumpet player. For years he was the pitcher on his baseball team.  V.R. had a lifelong love for sports, especially baseball with many trips to watch the Astros and countless hours watching the Rangers.  College games were his favorites with Texas A&M and Baylor top choices. Baylor girls basketball and the College World Series were family favorites.

After attending Southwestern in Waxahachie and Lamar in Beaumont, V.R. was employed by Goodyear Chemical in Beaumont for twenty years.  During those years he became a successful residential contractor in Jefferson and Chambers counties. In 1984, he purchased Gulfway Lumber Company in Winnie.  V.R. was known for his work ethic and his quality homes.  He took pride in having built his first home at age twenty-three.

Hunting and fishing were lifelong passions. The top trophy was his Boone and Crockett mule deer which remains the Utah record. He and his buddies from Winnie enjoyed hunting throughout the United States and Mexico. There was always a home on Rayburn Lake to enjoy. After moving to Lufkin, his good friends spent time on various lakes, hunting in beautiful East Texas, and setting hog traps. He relished hosting fish fries, making sausage, and tending his garden. Good food, good friends and family celebrations made for great days for V.R. and Sara.

Many memories were made as V.R. and Sara travelled. Trips were exciting whether it was Fredericksburg or weeks on the road.  He enjoyed going west while Sara’s choice was the east and south.  Being together in beautiful places was the ultimate pleasure; coffee in the shop or on the porch was what life was about to V.R.

A man of strong opinions, V.R. demanded much of himself. His greatest pride was in the achievements of his sons and grandchildren. He gave unwavering support to his wife of nearly fifty-three years. We will dearly miss this “rock.”

V.R. entered eternity on Saturday, August 27, 2016. He had fought the good fight having been diagnosed with brain cancer. 

Special thanks to Hospice in the Pines and to his fine friends and neighbors who helped lift his spirits during those challenging days.

A gathering of Mr. Rayburn’s family and friends will be from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 30, 2016, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 31, 2016, at Broussard’s, with Reverend Joseph Constantine, officiating. His interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Hospice in the Pines, 1504 West Frank Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75904 or to a church of one’s choice.