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Lisa Dianne Langford

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Lisa Dianne Langford

Wed, 12/23/2020 - 5:00 am
1951-2020

Lisa Dianne Langford was born Dec. 22, 1951, in Lubbock, Texas, to parents Lester Jean Slentz and Wanda Rahe Mahon. Lisa went home to be with the Lord on Dec. 14, 2020, while in the COVID wing of Graham Oaks Care Center in Graham.

Lisa spent her early childhood years and first five years of school at Levelland. The family moved to Graham during the summer of 1963. A few months after the move, Lisa’s dad Lester Slentz was killed in a car wreck. The family remained in Graham where Lisa attended school, with her graduating in 1970.

After graduation Lisa worked as a sales representative for a distributing company. In May 1992, Lisa began working for Wells Oilfield Services as a secretary/receptionist. She worked at Wells for eleven and one-half years retiring from there in October 2003, to become a full-time rancher’s wife.

While working at Wells, Lisa met her future husband Robert Langford and in May 1995, she moved to the Link Ranch between Strawn and Caddo where Robert worked as the ranch foreman. Lisa and Robert were married on October 14, 1995, on top of a high bluff that overlooked the ranch headquarters. After the ceremony they rode horseback from the wedding site back to their home at the ranch. Lisa and Robert lived and worked at the Link Ranch until they were forced to retire in February 2019, because of Lisa’s health and Robert’s age. Lisa contracted Parkinson’s disease with severe dementia in 2014. In April 2019, they moved into the house in Graham that Lisa had purchased for her mother.

Lisa was a very loving and caring person for animals as well as people. She volunteered and helped with the Young County Humane Society for many years. She seldom passed up on a stray dog that she didn’t try to catch and take to the animal shelter or keep it herself. After moving to the ranch, she developed an affinity for cats also. She helped Robert many times in pulling a calf and in bottle raising orphaned calves and kid goats.

Lisa and Robert served as co-chairs for several years for the Stephens County Roundup of the Heart dinner and dance held around Valentine each year to benefit West Texas Rehab Center.

In September 1995, Lisa and Robert traveled with the Nail Ranch cowboys of Albany to Miles City, Montana, for the end of the Great American Cattle Drive, an event in which Longhorn cattle were driven from Fort Worth to Miles City just like in the old days. In November 1996, they again traveled with the Nail Ranch cowboys to Amarillo, to the first World Championship Ranch Rodeo put on by the Working Ranch Cowboys Association. Lisa and Robert joined the WRCA as life members and spent their vacation from the Link Ranch for twenty-two consecutive years volunteering in helping put on the annual World Championship Ranch Rodeo.

Lisa was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Teri Lynn Allison. She is survived by her brother, Michael Slentz of Lubbock; nieces Brittnay Johnson and Shaina Lane, both of Lubbock; and nephew Michael Jean Slentz of Tombstone, Arizona.

Special thanks are given to caretaker Bea Hawkins who helped care for Lisa for about a year while still at the ranch and for over a year and a half in Graham. Many thanks go out also to the ladies, especially nurses Amber and Emily and aides Kristal and Sandra, of Beyond Faith Hospice of Graham and to Robin, Mistie, Sadie, Beth, and LaTonya of Seniorly Yours, LLC in helping care for Lisa.

Due to COVID, graveside services only were held at the Necessity Cemetery at Necessity, Texas, on Monday, Dec. 21, at 10 a.m.

Memorials can be made to the West Texas Rehab Center or to the Working Ranch Cowboys Foundation Crisis Fund and can be left at the Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home office. Condolences can be made online at meltonkitchens.com.