Jack Allen Hearne, 86, of Caldwell passed away on Friday, November 17, 2023. Visitation was held on Monday, November 20th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 21st at 10:00 a.m. at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home with his brother-in-law Glenn Connor officiating. Burial and military honors followed at Providence Baptist Cemetery.
Jack was born on April 18, 1937, to Lonnie and Emma (Phillips) Hearne in Caldwell, Texas. He was one of five siblings. He was crowned Mr. Hornet, and graduated from Caldwell High School in 1955. Jack served in the United States Army from October 1955 through October 1957.
He married Gail Norville in 1959 and two daughters, Shannon and Sherri, were born from this union.
Jack was a member of the Burleson County Saddle Club and was a member of their drill team. He loved to participate in and attend rodeos.
Jack later met and married Shirley Simpson Venable on August 1, 1976, and helped to raise her two children, Laree and Mark Venable.
He was baptized in Providence Lake on the Hearne family land in 1987 and was a member of Providence Baptist Church at the time of his passing.
His first job was as a machinist at Cameron Iron Works in Houston, Texas where he worked for 8 years.
In 1966, Jack returned to Caldwell and worked for both the Keller Aluminum Ladder and Chair factories for 23 years as a maintenance foreman.
During this time, he was also a part-time rancher and when the Keller factories closed in 1987, he began ranching full-time. This was his greatest passion.
He was taught by his Daddy to respect the land, respect his elders and learned very early that managing cattle and doing ranch work required long days.
Jack loved the land and his favorite thing to do was to take a piece of land and make it look better, greener, and more productive. He passed his love of the land and knowledge on to his grandsons, Travis and Cody.
He enjoyed riding his horse through the pastures, admiring the green grass, and seeing new baby calves arrive healthy and strong.
He loved the country life and being outdoors.
Jack loved his property, the X4 Ranch, and would often remark that he lived on the prettiest place in Burleson County.
He was happiest being at home and he and Shirley had an agreement that they would take turns picking where they went on vacation each year. When it was his year to pick, he always picked “home.”
Jack loved reading to his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.
Although Jack was a tough strong man, he had a soft side lovingly giving nicknames to his family and friends. He lovingly called his granddaughter Caylee, “Coyote Bait” when she was born prematurely.
He was a man who thought everything had to earn its keep on the ranch or they had to go. One time, he made that remark to Shirley, and she quickly picked up the broom and started sweeping off the porch.
His daughter Shannon brought him a Catahoula puppy and he said, “I don’t want no more damn dogs.” Shannon said all right “I’ll just keep her.” About that time the puppy alerted and barked at the cows, and he said, “Leave her for now.” He must have felt that she could “earn her keep.” That dog became his constant companion, followed him everywhere, and lived up to her name Shadow.
Jack was a one-of-a-kind cowboy, husband, father, grandfather, and greatgrandfather who loved his family dearly and will be missed by all.
Jack is preceded in death by his parents, Lonnie and Emma Hearne, his stepmother Mary Hearne, his three brothers, Hubert, Lonnie, and Frank and his sister Ruby Plemper and by the mother of his children, Gail Havemann. He was also preceded in death by his parents-in-law Murl & Odell Simpson, and sisters-in-law, Marian Pearce, Marilyn Connor, and Kathy Pruitt.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley, his daughters and sons-in-law, Shannon and Charles “Chuck” Clark of Rosharon and Sherri and Gene Hermes of Caldwell, his step-daughter and sonin- law, Laree and Russell DeFranco of Pendelton, New York, and his stepson, Mark Venable of Navasota, his grandchildren and their spouses Crystal Smith and Mike Miller of League City and their children Layne Smith, Melaney and Mackenzey Miller, Travis and Kayla Clark and their children Levi and Dakoda Clark, Cody and Melissa Clark and their children Taylor Lindley, Chase, Hannarae and Colton Clark and his granddaughter, Caylee Hermes, all of Caldwell.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice Brazos Valley.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Scott Chennault, Hospice Brazos Valley, and his very special caregivers, his Ateam, Stephanie (Captain aka Shorty) and Cathy (Chopped Liver aka Sargeant Fluffy) and Lashawn, Wendy, Michelle, and Nay who took great care of him allowing him to remain at the home he loved.
Express condolences at PhillipandLuckey.com.
PHILLIPS & LUCKEY FUNERAL HOME 404 W. Buck St. Caldwell, Tx 77836 979-567-3232