A dedication ceremony was hosted at the new chapel in the Sudan Cemetery by the Sudan Cemetery Chapel Committee on Saturday September 21, 2024 during the Sudan Harvest Festival.
The event was opened by a prayer led by Clay Carr who then welcomed guests and offered a report on the efforts of the Committee and the citizens of the Sudan area.
As all West Texans know, funerals experience everything from perfect weather, sudden thunderstorms, dust storms driven by high winds, extreme heat in summers, and bitter cold and or snows in winter. In the fall of 2020 Barbara Flowers brought up the idea of building a cemetery chapel after attending a funeral in a cemetery that had one.
They started talking to citizens of Sudan. Naturally, the community pulled together and the committee was formed and they went to work.
During the first year they and their families held fundraisers that included hamburger dinners, stew dinners, chili dinners, and other fundraising events which later included selling paving bricks for the construction. Local electricians, and construction workers donated their expertise and skills to design and build the beautiful metal building that stands now in the Sudan Cemetery.
Ken Richards reported that they were blessed with some fortunate opportunities. His daughter in Levelland alerted him to some church pews that were about to be burned and they rescued them. His son later told him of a man who had some building materials available in a warehouse that the committee utilized. Two and a half years later, the Chapel is standing.
The stained glass windows will be completed in the near future. The Chapel is spacious and features double glass pane doors that may be opened to accommodate over flow attendance.
The Chapel sits on a generous concrete slab which extends past the double doors. They plan to pour more concrete to accommodate wheelchair accessibility and parking for hearses. Mr. Carr stressed that the Chapel is to be available for services free of charge.