Emma Pearl (Gruben) Allbritton

Emma Pearl Allbritton, 96 of Seymour, passed from this life to her heavenly home on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Seymour.

Services will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 5, 2024 at the First Baptist Church with Dr. David Warren officiating.  Burial will be in the Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Archer Funeral Home.

Emma Pearl was born December 7, 1927 in Spur to Stell and W.C. Gruben.  They owned Gruben’s Drug and Jewelry in Spur.  Emma graduated from Spur High School in 1944 and attended Baylor University where she was a music major and played the flute.  She met James Allbritton in the summer of 1946 on a blind date and they married in June of 1947.  The couple lived in Beaumont for three years, where their first child, Susan was born.  The Allbrittons moved to Seymour in 1950 after purchasing a dry cleaning plant from Charley Martin, which, at the time, was located on the west side of the courthouse square.  In 1954, the Tip Top Cleaners was re-located to 103 West Nevada Street, where it operated until January of 1990.  At that time, their sons, Jimmy and Tommy Allbritton bought the plant from their parents when they decided to retire.  Totaling 72 years of service to Seymour and the surrounding communities.  Three children were born in Seymour, Janet, Jimmy and Tommy, all four children graduating from Seymour High School.

Emma went to live at Just Like Home after independent living became impossible.  When Just Like Home visitors asked about Seymour’s past residents and history, the staff would say, “Let’s ask Mrs. Emma” because she knew almost everyone from her days at Tip Top.  Emma wrote articles for the Baylor County Banner even up into her 90’s, dictating the last one from Just Like Home.  She loved MUSIC!  She played the piano and flute well into her 90’s.  She enjoyed sports, good movies, gospel quartets, puzzles, dominos, Glenn Miller’s music and reading the daily newspaper.  Emma maintained a positive outlook throughout her life and could usually tell you a joke or riddle to lighten your day.  She was a life-long member of the First Baptist Church where she saw her children become believers.  She taught Sunday School classes and would say “once they graduate from my class, they go straight to heaven!”  She was still witnessing to others in her last days.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Allbritton, Sr. on December 11, 1991 and her son, James “Jimmy” Allbritton, Jr. on January 2, 2022.  She will be missed most by her three children, Susan DeWolfe of Pearland, Tx, Janet and Bill Burch of Lawrence, KS and Tommy and Jeannie Allbritton of Seymour; 6 grandchildren, Steven, Brian, Glenn, Katheryn, Lauren and Elizabeth and 8 great grandchildren, Lexi, Tyler, Josiah, Leah, Isabella, Vivienne, Benjamin and Trevor.

Visitation will be from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m., Thursday at the funeral home.

The family suggests memorials to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, First Baptist Church of Seymour or a charity of your choice.