Liz Southerland went to meet her first love, Lord, and Savior face to face on October 1, 2011. She was surrounded by members of her family. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 7, 2011 at the Heartland Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Eastlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. Thursday at the funeral home. Mrs. Southerland passed away Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011 in Brownwood.
Mary Elizabeth was born August 9, 1919 to John H. and Beadie Webster Poindexter in Monteague County, Texas. She was the youngest daughter out of nine children. Her family’s roots in the United States trace back to the American Revolutionary War. Her family farmed next to the Red River on the Texas Oklahoma border when she was a child. After a flood destroyed the farm, the family moved to west Texas. She married William Carl Owen on December 28, 1935 in O’Donnell Texas. They raised six children together. The family moved to Brownwood in 1963 where Carl pastored a small church. For ten years, Liz was a cook at the old North School and later at Northwest School. She loved working with the school kids. She was a very good cook and made wonderful breads and pastries. She was also a great seamstress. She enjoyed quilting with her daughters and the ladies of her church. Carl passed away in 1975.
Liz married Chesley Southerland in 1976 and moved to Jacksboro Texas. She helped him operate his ranch. She was always a country girl at heart. She loved to garden and had a “green thumb”. Chesley passed away in 1982. She moved back to Brownwood where she spent the rest of her life. She was a precious mother and nanny. She always said she had the sweetest kids in the world but if that is correct, it was only because of the lessons she taught.
Liz dedicated her life to God when she was seven years old. She was a faithful servant all of her life, regularly attending church as long as she was physically able. She taught Sunday School to all different age groups. She also wrote gospel songs. She could quote almost any verse from the Bible. Most important of all she taught the people in her life by example. She always thought of others first.
Liz is survived by her son, Carl Owen and wife Jan of Brownwood, four daughters, Joann Stroope and her husband Bill of Andrews, Venita Owen of Brownwood, Tommie Davis of Brownwood, Barbara Gotcher and her husband Rick of Bangs, grandchildren Les Jeffcoat, James Jeffcoat, Dee Southern, Rodney McCurdy, Lonny McCurdy, Micheal McCurdy, Terry Matthews, Sherry Matthews, Kelly Matthews, Shelly Caldwell, Dusty Matthews, James Stanley, Danny Stanley, Freddy Stanley, Joshua Owen, David Owen, Jeannie Coppic, and Ricky Gotcher. She is also survived by 43 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great grandchildren. She also had several step grandchildren, great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
Liz was preceded in death by her husbands Carl Owen and Chesley Southerland, a daughter Wanda Masey, a granddaughter Rhonda Powell, her parents, three sisters, and four brothers.
Friends are invited to sign the guestbook at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net.
