HEARTLAND FUNERAL HOME

Joan Gale LeBleu - Kessinger, 77, of Graford, Texas, formerly of Early and Comanche, Texas passed away Friday, May 20, 2022. A visitation with family will be held at Heartland Funeral Home from 6:00 - 8:00 PM, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. A funeral service will be held at the Early Church of Christ, 900 Early Blvd, Early, TX 76802 at 2:00 PM, Thursday, May 26, 2022 with interment to follow at Rocky Creek Cemetery officiated by Pastor Paul Shero. Joan was born November 21, 1944 in San Angelo, Texas to E.D. and Velma LeBleu. She graduated from Lake View High School in 1963 and attended college at SAC, now known as ASU, in San Angelo completing 1 year. Joan married Robert John Kessinger from...

Peggy Jean (Lightfoot) Henegar, age 93, of May, passed away Sunday, February 6, 2022. A graveside service for Peggy will be held at 11AM on Friday, February 11, in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home in Early. Peggy was born to Mable and Crystal K. Lightfoot on April 14, 1928 in Mexia, Texas. She was a graduate of Odessa High School in May of 1947. For many years, she was a secretary for the First Presbyterian Church in Odessa, and also for many other businesses. She married John A. Kuykendall, and their marriage blessed them with 4 children. She remarried Charles E. Henegar on November 13, 1986 in Georgia. Peggy also loved to read...

John Thomas Burroughs, 66, died peacefully on September 11, 2021 at his home in Brownwood, TX. The memorial service will be Saturday, September 25th, 1pm at Heartland Church of Brownwood. Donations may be made to Heartland Church in lieu of flowers. John was born on March 23, 1955 in Houston, TX, to Lee Roy and Lucille Burroughs. He was a son, brother, uncle, Levelland Lobo, a football player, pump jack expert, husband, dad, grandfather, boater, biker, and lifetime friend. John is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sherry, daughter Brandy Beard of Odessa, and two granddaughters, Madison Beard and Jessica Beard, both of Brownwood, nephew Barrett Biandis of Mississippi. He is preceded in death...

John Thomas Burroughs, 66, died peacefully on September 11, 2021 at his home in Brownwood, TX. The memorial service will be Saturday, September 25th, 1pm at Heartland Church of Brownwood. Donations may be made to Heartland Church in lieu of flowers. John was born on March 23, 1955 in Houston, TX, to Lee Roy and Lucille Burroughs. He was a son, brother, uncle, Levelland Lobo, a football player, pump jack expert, husband, dad, grandfather, boater, biker, and lifetime friend. John is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sherry, daughter Brandy Beard of Odessa, and two granddaughters, Madison Beard and Jessica Beard, both of Brownwood, nephew Barrett Biandis of Mississippi. He is preceded in death...

Gloria June Crabb, 73, of May, Texas passed away Wednesday, August 18, 2021. The family will have a private Celebration of Life Ceremony at their residence at a later date. Gloria was born November 5, 1947 in Texarkana, Arkansas to Neil and Ruby Jean Cranford. She attended school in Kermit, Texas and graduated from Odessa College with an associate in vocational nursing. Gloria worked over 30 years as a licensed LVN nurse. She was married to Red Crabb and raised Five children. Gloria loved gardening, painting, yoga and long walks, but especially traveling. Not just traveling but spontaneous, get up and go on a whim type of traveling. Her children said it was often that mom would just...

Funeral services for Bill Corrigan, age 86, of Early, formerly of Texas City, will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, May 14, 2021, in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in Eastlawn Memorial Park. Bill passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2021. William Arthur "Bill" Corrigan, Jr. was born in Texas City to William and Ella Ruth Corrigan. He graduated from Texas City High School in 1951. Bill married Betty Haughton on January 26, 1954 in Sealy. Bill went on to work for Union Carbide (now Dow Chemical) as a supervisor in the testing and inspection department. He retired in 1981. Bill and Betty have made Early, Texas their home for the past ten years. Bill had a passion for...

Rebecca Anne (Cornelius) Smith (1955-2021) Becki Smith passed away from complications associated with a brain tumor on May 4, 2021 in Hays County, Texas. She was buried at Windham Cemetery, Lake Brownwood, Texas on May 6. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service is set for Saturday, June 5, 10 a.m. at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Wimberley, Texas. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be streamed live. Please go to www.ststeve.org for log-on instructions. Becki was an artist who focused on assemblages, collages and paintings rooted in symbolism from her life experiences and her often visceral reactions to the world around her. She exhibited her work at various venues...

Funeral service for Anna Cloud, age 81, of Lake Brownwood, will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, April 12, 2021, in the Austin Avenue Church of Christ. Cremation will follow the service under the direction of Heartland Funeral & Cremation Service. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday afternoon from 4:00 until 6:00. Mrs. Cloud passed away on Monday April 5, 2021, at her home. Anna Lucille Moulder was born on June 19, 1939 in Cleveland, Oklahoma to Jesse and Hattie Moulder. She graduated from Abilene Christian University with a Bachelor's degree, and received a Master's Degree at UT Arlington. Anna went on to work for ACU as a secretary in the Communications...

Ronald Rex Richer Jr., 85, of Brownwood, passed away Tuesday, March 23, 2021. A Celebration of his Life will be announced at a later date. Ron was born September 7, 1935 to Ronald Sr. and Evelyn Richer in Chatfield, Minnesota. He attended school in Minnesota until joining the U.S. Military. Ron spent over 25 years in the US Airforce and retired and moved to Texas in 1975 where he loved the warm weather. Ron married Marilyn in Abilene on August 31, 1989 and they enjoyed many laughs together over the years. He loved living on the lake, entertaining and always had to be the one who paid for dinner when eating out with family. Ron loved to golf, surf the web and playing slot machines. He...

Anne Jenkins, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother went to be with the Lord on Monday, March 22 at her home in Brownwood, Texas at the age of 85. Anne was born in Bloomfield, Missouri on June 23, 1935 to Hazel and Frank Brown. Anne grew up in Bloomfield and attended William Jewell College where she met and married Carl Allen Jenkins. Ann and Al transferred to Ole Miss where Anne was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and graduated with a BBA. Anne and Al lived in Houston, El Paso, and then settled in Odessa, Texas where they were co-owners of several businesses including: Custom Mailers, Smokers Outlet, Inc., Netwest Online, Inc., and 4-A Management, Inc. Anne was a very...

Crystal Louise Skipper Hughes Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Saturday, January 16th with Graveside Services Sunday, January 17th at 3:00 p.m. Services provided by Heartland Funeral and Cremation Service, Early, Texas. By request of the family, please wear masks and observe social distancing while attending. Crystal Louise Hughes was born on June 25, 1925, the only child of John and Olive (Cates) Skipper in Paint Rock, TX. She moved with her parents to Goldthwaite, TX at the age of four. She graduated from Goldthwaite High School and then moved to Brownwood, TX to attend Howard Payne College. While standing in the registration line at Howard Payne College, she met her future...

Bernice Kobel of Brownwood, formerly of San Angelo, passed away December 15, 2020 in Brownwood, Texas. She was born to Edward and Adela (Niehues) Hoelscher on September 18, 1929 in Barclay, Texas, Falls County. She attended school at Barclay until the family moved to West Texas in the 1940s. She graduated from St. Joseph's High School in Rowena, Texas in 1946. After graduation she worked at Nelson's Dress Shop and San Angelo National Bank. She married Paul L. Kobel, Jr. February 7, 1953 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Olfen, Texas and was a dedicated Air Force wife. She moved with her husband and family to Mississippi, Libya, Virginia, Hawaii and Texas. They had 6 children. Bernice...

Richard T. Sharpe, 80, passed away after a brief illness Monday, November 30, 2020. He was born September 9, 1940, in Weatherford, Texas. He was the only son of Roy and Lottie Sharpe. He graduated from Weatherford High School in 1958, Texas Tech in 1962, and Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU in 1968. He was married to Cherry Shaw on August 2, 1965. Richard began his banking career in 1962 as Vice-President of the First National Bank Weatherford. In 1965, he moved to Brownwood and became the executive Vice-President of the First National Bank Brownwood. In 1971, he became the President and CEO of Coleman County State Bank and returned to Brownwood in 1972, becoming the...

Richard T. Sharpe, 80, of Brownwood, Texas, passed away after a brief illness Monday, November 30, 2020. He was born September 9, 1940, in Weatherford, Texas. He was the only son of Roy and Lottie Sharpe. He was married to Cherry Shaw on August 2, 1963. Services will be Sunday, December 6, 2020, at 2:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church in Brownwood under the care of Heartland Funeral Home. Interment will be held at the Indian Creek Cemetery.

On Friday, November 27, 2020 Brandon Minica, a loving father, son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, and grandson, passed away at the age of 41. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, December 4, 2020, in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at Salt Creek Cemetery officiated by Heath Henry. Brandon was born September 21, 1979 in Goldthwaite Texas. He lived in Early Texas and attended Early school K-12th. He was active in football, Theater Arts, track, and FFA. Brandon worked for the City of Early the summers of his Junior and Senior year. He graduated Early High School in 1998. Brandon attended Cisco Junior College and joined the US Air Force in 2001. He...

John Wiley Finney, Jr, of Weslaco, Texas passed away November 24, 2020 in Rising Star, Texas after an extended illness. His family was by his side as he slipped peacefully into God's arms. Wiley was born April 3, 1936 in Scottsboro, Alabama. He worked on the family farm before enrolling at Auburn University, graduating with a degree in Agriculture. He married the love of his life, Peggy Marie Green Finney, and soon had a son, John Wiley Finney, III. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a tank gunner. He entered on duty with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an Inspector at the Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas and soon transferred to the U.S. Customs Service. After rising through the...

Lawrence Pederson, 86, of Brownwood, passed away Sunday, November 8, 2020. A Memorial service is planned for 2:00 PM, Monday, November 23, 2020 at the New Dawn Fellowship Church, 2110 E 10th St, Odessa, TX 79761 with Wally Schiwart officiating. Larry was born in Cory, Colorado, May 16, 1934 to Howard and Augusta Pederson. He was in ROTC during high school and graduated high school. Larry served in the US Army. He frequented a diner in Independence Missouri where he became smitten with the young lady cooking hamburgers and making milkshakes. She was the owner's daughter and he soon married the love of his life, Audrey Pederson July 30, 1954. Larry and Audrey were blessed with 5...

Shelby Grace McKillip was born to her parents Cherrie and Ken McKillip in Brownwood, on May 20, 1996, and the world became a better place. A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, October 24th, 2020 at 11 am, on the hill of Lake Cisco Christian Camp. Please dress casually and bring your lawn chairs. Shelby was born and raised in Brownwood and graduated from Abilene Christian University in 2019. Shelby worked in the advertising and public relations industry and lived to use her God-given talents to create and dream and help others. Her life and heart were full of Christ. Shelby strived to have a life centered around what Christ would want her to be. Some of her favorite...

Robert William Stewart ("Stew" as he was known to his loved ones) passed away on Thursday, September 24, 2020 in Port Orange, Florida at the age of 80. Visitation will be from 4:00 - 6:00pm on Wednesday, September 30th at Heartland Funeral Home in Early, Texas, followed by a private Celebration of Life. A graveside service for the family will be held at 9:00 a.m., on Friday, October 2, 2020 at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. Stew was born August 14, 1940 in Georgetown, South Carolina. He graduated from Palatka High School in Palatka, Florida. After graduation he joined the Air Force and served for eight years, the majority of which he served as a Morse Code...

Jerry Russel Giles or Abe Giles as everybody knew him, 88, of Brownwood, passed away Wednesday, September 23, 2020. A visitation will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Heartland Funeral Home Friday, September 25, 2020 and a graveside service will be at 11:00 AM, Saturday, September 26, 2020 in the Crews Cemetery, Runnells County. There will be a gathering after the graveside at the Giles lake house on lake Brownwood. Abe Giles was born February 3, 1932 at the Giles Ranch in Winters, Texas to John Malcom and Florence Giles. He graduated from Novice High School and was drafted into the US Army. Abe served in the Korean war and returned to the Giles Ranch where he farmed and ranched. Abe was...

Irene (Ellis) Ashcraft, age 94, of Brownwood, formally of Gainesville, Texas passed away at Redstone Park Friday, September 18, 2020. Graveside services were held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, September 20, at Mukewater Cemetery near Bangs under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home of Early. Rick Justice, pastor at Rocky Creek Baptist Church will conduct the services. Irene was born March 23, 1926 in Santa Anna, Texas to John Henry Ellis, Sr. and Maddie Knight Ellis. She was the youngest of several children. Irene graduated from Santa Anna High School. She lived in the Santa Anna area until 1960 when she moved to Sanger, Texas and worked as a secretary for the school system. On November 1,...