Funeral Services for Junior Harrison (Jack) Needler, of Brownwood, Texas will be held 10:00 A.M. Monday, December 20, 2010 at Calvary Baptist Church with Rev. Terry Hancock officiating. Interment will follow with military honors at Eastlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home. The family will receive friends 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home. He went to be with the Lord on Thursday, December 16, 2010 at his daughters home in Decatur, Texas surrounded by his loving family at the age of 86.
Jack was born in Anderson, Indiana on March 30, 1924 to William and Gertrude Ring Needler. He served our country during World War II in United States Army and married Cleo Francis Taylor on February 28, 1945 in Brownwood.
Jack worked for the Brownwood Police Department from 1957 – 1987. For 16 years he worked as a patrolman and in 1973 began working in the records and ID section of the department. During this time he coached the Brownwood Police Association Little League Baseball team. He coached over 300 boys and changed their lives. Prior to coaching the baseball team he trained boxers for the Golden Gloves Competition in Fort Worth.
He loved to play golf and was a member of the Brownwood Country Club. He and his wife were also members of the Elks Lodge in Brownwood for many years. He truly had an exceptional impact on not only his kids and grandkids but, other kids in the community. He had lived in Brownwood for most of his life and was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Cleo Francis in 2004, his mother and father, his sisters, Esther, Elizabeth, Viola and his brothers Floyd, William and Homer.
He is survived by his son David Needler of China Springs, daughter Donna Fouts and husband Donnie of Waco, Dianna Little of Decatur, grandchildren Kathy, Jennifer, Cindy, Shelley and Scott, great grandchildren Cynthia, Justin, Dakota, Shyanne and Sierra, many nieces, nephews and many many friends.
