Wilma M. Clampitt

Wilma Maxine Campbell Clampitt was born to John and Gertrude Campbell on December 4, 1928, in Cleveland, Oklahoma, and gained her heavenly body on August 17, 2024, at age 95. When a young girl, the Campbell family relocated to the Monument/Oil Center area for work in the oilfields. Wilma completed high school at Hobbs High School. The Campbells were very active at the First Baptist Church in Hobbs, NM, where she met Max Clampitt. They were married on February 20, 1949, at the First Baptist Church in Hobbs. Together, they had 2 children: Michael Glen Clampitt (Lou Jean) and Donna Catherine Clampitt Hooten (David). 

During Wilma’s earlier years, she worked at the U.S. Post Office in Eunice, NM, as well as a bookkeeper for a local oil business there. Max also worked for the Eunice Post Office and was transferred to the Hobbs Post Office. They moved their family from Eunice to Hobbs in 1960. Wilma worked at a few retail stores but was drawn back to the world of numbers and became the Financial Secretary for First Baptist Hobbs. She retired from the church after LOTS of years. All through her commitment to Jesus, to serve Him, she taught and directed children and youth choirs for many years. As the kids grew up, Max and Wilma sponsored several youth trips, partly to keep an eye on either Mike or Donna, or simply because they loved hanging out with the kids. Wilma sang Alto in the church choir and with the Senior Adult Choir in town. She loved music and singing and Praising the Lord as long as she could. Wilma also loved her family! Her family always came first. She loved to have family and friends over to play cards or dominoes. Depending on the game, things could get fairly heated. She always had snacks prepared to eat and coffee or iced tea to drink. She often left in the middle of the game because she forgot to get something out of the refrigerator. She was a great hostess, and just loved people. In her later years, she still enjoyed family card games. She was caught cheating several times, in order to help her grandkids and then her great-grandkids. She could get pretty sneaky at times. 

Throughout her lifetime, she went through miles and miles of yard and thread as she crocheted and knitted. Remembering back, there was one particular sweater that she made. Let’s just say there aren’t too many folks walking around with arms that long! She also knew how to sew and made most of Donna’s clothing as she grew up. After she retired, she developed a hankering to learn how to quilt. She was a dedicated member of the local quilting club – PQA (Piece Quilters Association) – and served in the capacity of President, Secretary, and Treasurer, although not all at the same time. She made quilts for each family member, with each of them requiring hours and hours of stitching, measuring, and ripping stuff out to start over; but she especially loved praying over each one and adding those special touches of her immense love.

Wilma spent the last four years of her life at Beehive Home in Hobbs, where she was loved and cared for by the staff there! Thank you, Starla, Sami and all of the staff for treating her like your own family member or even better. We are so grateful to you!!!

Wilma is survived by her daughter, Donna, and husband David, and daughter-in-Love, Lou Jean Clampitt (Mike deceased). Wilma has 2 remaining sisters: Ruth Ellen Campbell Lewis Hansard, of Cleburne, TX, and Willa Dean Campbell Chambliss Cody, of Lubbock, TX. She has five grandchildren: Lance and Jennifer Anderson, of Albuquerque, NM, Dana and Sean Huntsman, of Cedar Park, TX, Ashley Clampitt Reyes, of Hobbs, NM, Heather Dawn Hooten Van Hooshier, of Murfreesboro, TN, and Brandon and Jennifer Hooten, of Choctaw, OK. In addition, there are nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Wilma was preceded in death by her Husband, Max Clampitt, and Son, Mike Clampitt, her parents John and Gertrude Campbell, brothers Harold Campbell, Donald Campbell, Bobby Campbell, and her sister, Catherine Campbell Sikes.