Longtime Brown County resident, Jerry Drinkard, Jr., age 87 died Friday, May 9, 2014, in Midland, Texas.
Funeral services will be held in Early, Texas, on Monday, May 12th at Heartland Funeral Home (303 Early Blvd) with Jayson Hart officiating. Visitation will be Monday, May 12th at 6 pm at the funeral home immediately followed by the funeral service at 7 pm. Burial will be in the Mud Creek Cemetery.
Jerry was born January 26, 1927, to Jeremiah Drinkard and Ada Lou Lee-Drinkard in May, Texas near the Blake Oil Field in Brown County. He attended Brownwood public schools, and at age 17 he joined the Navy to serve on the USS Wake Island. Upon his return in 1946, he attended Brownwood Business School where he met the love of his life, Etta Alene Tucker. They were joined in marriage in the bride’s parents’ home on November 27, 1947. The couple moved to Longview where Jerry attended LeTourneau Tech and earned an Associate of Arts degree. He worked as a welder in the West Texas oilfields until 1968, quitting due to an injured back. The couple moved back to Brown County after buying a donut shop 1970. In 1978, Jerry began working for the City of Early, and later became the City Administrator. He helped organize the Early Chamber of Commerce where he served as the first Executive Director. He retired in 1991 and spent his time golfing and planting vegetables and flowers in his garden.
Jerry professed his faith in Jesus Christ at age nine, and lived his life for Christ. He was nominated and then ordained as a deacon in 1967; he last served as deacon for the Early First Baptist Church. He enjoyed playing chauffer for his wife, Alene, who was passionate about preserving history. They also travelled to many cemeteries and Court Houses in search of ancestral records. He was a member of the Brownwood Masonic Lodge #279, and was a Master Mason earning his Scottish Rite degree. He was also a degreed Shriner. He was a very social person who loved to fish, hunt, and make ice cream for family reunions.
He surprised his family by writing his autobiography My Life as I Remember It, a book containing stories of his life, from his time as a child on Fabis’ Place, his adolescence working on a farm, joining the Navy, working life, through retirement. It also contains many adventures and stories about special people that influenced his life as well as his faith.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Etta Alene Tucker-Drinkard; parents, Jeremiah Drinkard and Ada Lou Lee-Drinkard; siblings, Wanda Faye Drinkard, Preston Drinkard, and Vondell Drinkard.
Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and David Kirby of Gardendale, Patty and Loyd Overcash of Houston; grandchildren Greg Kirby and wife Christi; Amanda Kirby-Hart and husband Jayson; Angela Neary-Hughes and husband Adam, great-grandchildren Gregory, Hannah, Matthew, Tanner, Haley, Hagen, and Annabelle, and his brothers Herman Drinkard and Wendell Drinkard.
