Trey Carrington

Trey (W.F. “The Judge”) Carrington went home to be with the Lord on July 30, 2026, surrounded by the love and prayers of his family. After a long struggle, his passing was beautiful and peaceful, a sacred moment of grace as an earthly father joined his Heavenly Father.

Trey was born to Willie and Delphine Carrington on July 17, 1948. He was the third of seven children in a very tight-knit family. He grew up in Seymour, Texas, full of boyhood mischief and completely adored and doted on by his parents and siblings. Trey graduated from Seymour High School in 1967 and from the Texas DPS Law Enforcement Academy in 1968.

Trey married Linda Thornhill Carrington in 1968, and together they began their life in Port Lavaca, Texas. In 1974, they moved to Throckmorton, Texas, where they would raise their three daughters and become a part of the community they would love and serve for the next five decades.

Trey was, in every sense of the word, a servant leader. He was a source of strength to his family, his church, and the community of Throckmorton. Whether he was wearing the uniform of a State DPS Trooper, owning the local lumber yard, sitting on the bench as County Judge for nearly three decades, serving on the school board, or faithfully serving as a church deacon, Trey poured his whole heart into the people and community he loved.

And if something needed to be done, Trey was probably going to do it…whether anyone had actually asked him to or not.

He served in all the official ways, but he also served in the everyday, sometimes unnoticed ways that made Throckmorton a better place. On Friday nights, he could be found making videos of the Throckmorton Greyhounds football team, where his legendary “GO DAWGS!” could be heard from what seemed like several counties away. He cared for the golf course greens, mowed the church yard, filled potholes, fixed things, organized things, worried about things, and generally made himself responsible for whatever he decided needed attention.

In 2000, when drought caused the community’s water source to dry up, Trey was instrumental in constructing a pipeline that brought desperately needed water to Throckmorton. Because apparently when the water runs out, you just build a pipeline. That was pretty much how Trey approached life.

Trey also possessed a legendary, and sometimes downright comedic, stubbornness. If Trey believed something was right, you could save your breath trying to convince him otherwise. But that stubbornness was also one of his greatest strengths. He channeled it into standing up for what was right, protecting people he loved, solving problems, and refusing to quit when things got hard.

If there was a need, Trey would find it. If there was a problem, Trey would have an opinion about it. And if there was a job that needed doing, there was a pretty good chance Trey would already be halfway through doing it before anyone thought to ask.

Over the years, Trey received many honors and awards for his dedication and service. But above every accomplishment, Trey’s greatest dedication was to his faith and his family.

He modeled a deep and personal walk with Christ and instilled a legacy of faith, service, and love that his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren carry with them today. He served as a deacon at First Baptist Church for more than 40 years and as Sunday School Superintendent for many of those years. One of his favorite responsibilities was “counting” the babies in the nursery - which, if you knew Trey, was probably less about actually counting them and much more about making sure he got to see and love on every one of them. Little ones always brought him tremendous joy.

He was a loving Daddy and a fierce protector of his daughters. Trey was a man’s man; tough, opinionated, and not particularly interested in sugarcoating things - but he loved his sons-in-law and taught them, challenged them, and led them in many noble ways.

And then came the grandchildren.

Somewhere along the way, the man known as “The Judge,” who had spent his life telling people what needed to be done, completely lost his authority.

His grandchildren had him wrapped around their fingers.

This big, strong, tough guy turned into a complete teddy bear when it came to his grandkids and great-grandkids. He loved driving them around on the golf cart, teaching them card games, spending endless hours on the lake, and doing just about anything they wanted to do!

He was happiest when his family was around him. And there was something especially sweet about watching a man who had spent his life being strong for everyone else become completely soft when one of his grandchildren climbed into his lap.

Trey loved his family fiercely. He loved Linda faithfully. He loved his daughters deeply. He loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren ridiculously. And he loved his community as though it were an extension of his own family.

That love built a beautiful legacy.

Trey is preceded in death by his parents, a grandson, Tate Barrington, and his sister, Cynthia (Katie) Carrington Pritchard.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; his daughters, Leah Andrews and husband Kirby of Clyde, Texas; Misty Barrington and husband Devin of Graham, Texas; and Cristal Green and husband Mike of Durant, Oklahoma. His legacy continues through his grandchildren, Mason Andrews, Alaina Jennings, Carson Andrews, Wyatt Andrews, Tagen Barrington, Molly Kate Barrington, Braysen Barrington, Emma Green, and Ella Green; his four great-grandchildren, Nora and Silas Andrews and Elsie and Della Jennings; as well as five siblings, Judy Mitchell, Linda Reddell, Joy Bowling, Dennis Carrington and Rance Carrington; many beloved nieces and nephews, and countless friends who were blessed to know him.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, August 8, from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 211 N. Minter, Throckmorton, Texas, with visitation again following the memorial service. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 8, at First Baptist Church in Throckmorton under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes, Throckmorton. His remains will be laid to rest in Throckmorton Cemetery at a private family burial.

Trey’s favorite color was blue, so the family invites you to wear blue as we celebrate his life and honor the man he was. But if you knew Trey best on the golf course, out hunting, or proudly wearing Throckmorton Greyhound purple, we would be just as honored for you to come dressed in a way that reminds you of him.

His family finds great comfort in knowing that his suffering has ended and that he has entered into the beautiful glory promised to us.

We like to imagine that the very first thing Trey saw with perfect eyes was the face of Jesus. The very first thing he heard with perfect ears was the voice of his Savior saying, “Well done.”

And honestly, we can imagine Trey answering, “Well, I figured I’d better get here and see what needed to be done.”

The pain of losing Trey is so deep because the love he gave us was so great.

We will miss his voice, his wise counsel, his opinions, his stubbornness, his “Go Dawgs,” his stories, his golf-cart rides, his ability to fix just about anything, and the comfort of knowing that if something went wrong, Trey would probably show up and take care of it.

We are blessed and deeply grateful for the life he lived, the faith he modeled, the people he served, and the love he gave so freely.

Trey’s life mattered. His legacy is strong. His family is forever changed because he loved us so well.

And while our hearts are broken to say goodbye, we can smile through the tears knowing Trey is finally home. We will miss him more than words can say, but knowing Trey, if there’s a project underway in Heaven, he’s probably already right in the middle of it, helping lead the way.