Jerry D. Wheat, age 81, of Early, loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend was called home to his heavenly father on February 16, 2010.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 11:00 AM at the First Baptist Church of Early with the Rev. Eddie Ailshie and Rev. Carol Nichols officiating. Burial will follow in the Eastlawn memorial Park under the direction of Heartland Funeral Home of Early. The family will receive friends and family from 6 – 8 PM on Friday, February 19, at the funeral home.
Jerry was born on January 20, 1929 in Sonora, Texas the son of the late James and Veda Mae Seaton Wheat. He was reared on farms and ranches and worked with his father in the dairy business while attending Early High School. He attended and graduated from Howard Payne University in 1951, during which time he married his high school sweetheart, Billie D. Hicks.
Following graduation, he was employed as Safety Manager for Lone Star Gas Co. in Abilene, Texas. Shortly thereafter, a promotion within the company necessitated a family move to the corporate offices in Dallas where he served as personnel manager and eventually as administrative assistant to the president. During this time in Dallas he completed his master’s degree from SMU and completed post graduate work at North Texas State University.
Jerry was very active in numerous civic organizations, elected and served nine years on Howard Payne Board of Trustees, elected and served two terms, six years on the Dallas ISD school Board of Education, served three years on the Abilene Planning and Zoning Commission, appointed to the State of Texas Architectural Barriers Board, helping handicapped individuals have full access to all public buildings.
He was an active deacon in the Baptist Church for more than fifty years, and a charter member of the Early First Baptist Church, as were his parents and siblings. While attending Bethany Baptist Church in Dallas, he worked tirelessly serving the Lord through various committees, teaching Sunday School and touching the lives of many young people while traveling on numerous youth mission trips. After returning to Early, he became involved in his church, Early First Baptist, being instrumental in the construction of the Christian Activity Center addition.
In 1970, he accepted a position with Merchants Fast Motor Lines in Abilene, as vice president of personnel. In 1980, he returned home to Early, where he was instrumental in opening The Early Bank, serving as president. Before his retirement, Jerry taught business and economic classes at Howard Payne, once again touching the lives of many young people. He retired in May 1992 to his farm in Early. In September of 1992, he suffered a life altering accident that left him a paraplegic.
Jerry and his wife, Billie, were married 52 years and she was his constant companion and loving caregiver. They always enjoyed traveling, taking the grandsons to new places and watching them play sports. Following Billie’s death in 2001, Jerry continued to live a very active life thanks to the daily help and support of his home health care nurse for nine years, Vicki Dean. He was also loved and supported by his long time family friend, Ramona Kennedy. During her frequent visits, they enjoyed their time together working with plants and flowers around the house and yard as well as traveling.
He is survived by a son, Jerry Daniel Wheat and wife Nancy of Flower Mound, Texas; a daughter, Tanya Kay Lacy and husband Gary of Waco, Texas;, four grandsons, Cody Lacy and his wife Sonia of Midland, Matt Lacy of San Angelo, Texas, Jarred Wheat of Flower Mound, and Jordan Wheat of Flower Mound; a great grandson, Dillon Lacy of Midland; a sister, Odessa Nichols and husband Carol of Brownwood; a brother, Nelson Wheat of Brownwood and numerous uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife.
Memorial donations are requested to be made to the “Uganda Mission Trip” at First Baptist Church in Early, 103 Garmon Dr. Early, Texas, 76802.
