|
Charles Roland (“Charlie”) Heddins,
age 76, was surrounded by his family when he went to be with his Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ at 11:05 PM on Friday, May 13, 2011 at his
residence near Fruitvale, Texas after a lengthy illness.
Charlie was born on Sept. 20, 1934 in the Willow Springs community
(outside of Edgewood) in Van Zandt County, Texas to
Early Clifford & Lillie
Bell (Stanbery) Heddins. His grandparents were John & Mary Ellen
(Barber) Heddins and Tom & Beula (Curtis) Stanbery. Ironically, Charlie
died on the 100th wedding anniversary of his maternal grandparents.
Charlie was raised in a farming family in the Willow Springs and
Lawrence Springs communities. He attended Willow Springs grade school
and Edgewood High School, graduating with high honors in 1952. He
received an associates degree from Tyler Commercial College, School of
Radio & Television and began working as a staff engineer at KGKB radio
and KETX Channel 19 TV in Tyler in 1953. In the summer of 1954 he took a
job as staff engineer helping to build a new TV station in Lake Charles,
Louisiana, KPLC channel 7. In late 1955 and early 1956 he also worked
for Shreveport’s KTBS channel 3.
In 1959 Charlie married Barbara Ann Daigle, daughter of
Lazime & Mellisa
(Girlinghouse) Daigle. Also that year Charlie and his first cousin
Truman Heddins went into the vending and wholesale restaurant supply
business together for a couple of years in Lake Charles. Then in 1960 he
worked for Catalytic Construction Company at the Hercules Powder Company
in Lake Charles.
 In
1963, Charlie, Barbara and their two sons moved to Rosario, Argentina
where he was employed by Conoco at a petrochemical plant for seven and a
half years. They moved back to Louisiana in 1971 with an additional son
born in Argentina and ten years later they had their fourth son. Charlie
worked as an instrument maintenance supervisor for Conoco VCM / Vista
Chemical plant in
Westlake, La. until he retired at age 55 in 1990 and then moved his
family back to the farm where he was raised in Van Zandt County. There
he started raising cattle and helping to care for his elderly parents
until their passing.
Charlie had become a
born-again Christian at age 12 and was involved in
church and serving his Lord Jesus the rest of his life. He was baptised
in Willow Branch ("Big Hole") on land owned by his great-uncle Fermon
Barber. At the time of his death Charlie had served as a deacon in the Baptist church for nearly 37
years. He also taught Sunday School and discipled many people in their
faith. Charlie loved people and also had a heart for missions. While in
Sulphur, Louisiana he was a
faithful member of Metropolitan Baptist Church and later Main Street Baptist Church in Grand Saline, Texas.
Charlie Heddins is preceded in death by his parents and is survived by
his wife Barbara of nearly 52 years, four sons, Roland Heddins of
Lindale, David & Kathy Heddins of Sulphur, Louisiana, Stuart & Crystal
Heddins of Golden, and Jonathan Heddins of Tampa, Florida; four
grandchildren, Caleb Heddins of Guam, DeAnn Heddins of Sulphur, La.,
Ryan Heddins of Canon Beach, Oregon, and Ethan Heddins of Golden; one
great-grandson, Jesse Tassin, of Sulphur, La.; one brother &
sister-in-law, Gerald & Ermal Heddins of Fruitvale; one aunt, Chloe
(Heddins) Matthews of Irving.
Charlie Heddins' funeral was held on Tuesday, May 17, in Grand Saline, followed by
internment at
Haven of Memories Cemetery
in Canton, Texas.
In lieu of flowers/plants, anyone wishing to
make a memorial gift are welcome to do so to Heart To Heart Hospice
(1402 Rice Rd., Ste. 100, Tyler, TX 75703) who did a phenomenal job of
caring for Charlie and the family during the last six months of his life
on earth. God bless you.
Charlie Heddins Life
Charles & Barbara Heddins family,
2007
Charles & Barbara Heddins family,
2008
Charles & Barbara Heddins family,
2010
Audio/Visual of
Charlie Heddins' Funeral on May 17, 2011, Grand Saline, Texas
Click here to read Charlie's obituary in the Tyler, Texas newspaper
|
