Sidney Wilbert VanLoh

Sidney Wilbert VanLoh passed from his earthly life in his home on March 8, 2013 to join his heavenly Savior. Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 PM Monday, March 11, 2013 at Immanuel Baptist Church with Dr. Ron Milne officiating. Burial will follow at Bellwood Memorial Park. The family will receive visitors from 2-4:00 P.M. Sunday, March 10, 2013 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home. Sidney was born to Wilbert Fredrick and Olga Jenkinson VanLoh on September 6, 1942 in Salem, Oregon. The family later moved to Wichita Falls, Texas where he grew up. He received his bachelor and master degrees in engineering from Texas Tech University and served his country during the Vietnam conflict. Sidney retired from the federal government after 41 years. When his children were young, Sidney enjoyed coaching their sports teams. Later in life, he enjoyed gardening and photography and was a member of Bell County Master Gardener, Master Naturalist and Photography club. He was also a member of Immanuel Baptist Church. He met Marlene Frerichs while a member of the Stardust Ballroom Dance Club and they married in November of 2000. They enjoyed dancing, traveling and spending time with their grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by four children: Wil VanLoh and wife Jennifer of Houston, Texas; Laura VanLoh-Penn and husband Erik of Los Angeles, California; Gabrielle VanLoh Fraunfelder and husband Nick of Atlanta, Georgia; and Daniel VanLoh and wife Cara of Atlanta, Georgia. He has nine grandchildren: Grace, Sarah and Mary VanLoh of Houston, Texas; Asher, Keilan and Piper Fraunfelder of Atlanta, Georgia; and Hudson, Chloe and Dillon VanLoh of Atlanta, Georgia. He also has three step-children: Marla Frerichs Elliott and husband Mark of Temple; Todd Frerichs and wife Kristin of Frisco; Brian Frerichs and wife Catharine of Sumpter, South Carolina. He has seven step-grandchildren, Meagan Elliott of Temple; Matthew Elliott of Houston; and Grant, Austin and Caroline Frerichs of Frisco, Texas; and Wilson and Jennings Frerichs of Sumter, South Carolina. He is also survived by his brother Randall VanLoh of Wichita Falls, Texas and his sister Kathy and husband Beechie Russell of Wichita Falls, Texas and the mother of his children, Nancey VanLoh of Sugarland, Texas. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church Building Fund or Scott and White Healthcare Foundation Oncology Research. God saw that he was getting tired; a cure was not to be. So he put His arms around him and whispered, "Come with me." With tearful eyes, we watched him suffer, and saw him fade away. Although we loved him dearly, we could not make him stay. A golden heart stopped beating and his hardworking hands finally came to a rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes "the best".