Roger Neil Furnace

ROGER NEIL FURNACE Roger Neil Furnace, 69 of Belton died Friday December 7, 2007 in a Temple hospital. Services for Mr. Furnace will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday December 11, 2007 at the Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple with Dr. Charles D. Parmer officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven Cemetery south of Belton. Mr. Furnace was born May 17, 1938 in Bell County, Texas the son of Joe and Martha Simpson Furnace. He was the youngest of 14 children. Mr. Furnace had been a Belton area resident most of his life. He attended Belton High School where was very active in athletics and the Jr. Rotary Club of Belton. He graduated from Belton High School in 1956. After attending college at the University of New Mexico, Roger returned to Belton where he met and married ReeNell Wallace. They have been married 49 years. Roger and ReeNell have resided in the same house for 43 years where they raised all of their children, and welcomed many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mr. Furnace was a SGT. in the Texas National Guard and served proudly from 1958 to 1962. Mr. Furnace had retired from civil service with the U.S. Army DOIM at Ft. Hood, TX. in 2001. He was a computer programmer and Networking Systems Analyst. During his career with the DOIM, Mr. Furnace received personal letters of appreciation from President Jimmy Carter for authoring computer programs that increased the efficiency of the U.S. Armed Forces. Mr. Furnace received numerous letters of commendation from the military command, and upon his retirement, he was honored with the Civilian Service Medal, for meritorious service. He was a believer of the Baptist Faith. Mr. Furnace was preceded in death by his parent's six brothers and four sisters. He is survived by his wife ReeNell Furnace of Belton, one son Richard Furnace of Belton and two daughters, Susan Meyer of Minerva and Janet McGuire of Parker, Colorado, one brother Earl "Tuffy" Furnace of Salinas, KS. He is also the very proud "Bapa" of 8 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Monday at Scanio Harper Funeral Home. Scanio-Harper Funeral Home of Temple is in charge of arrangements.