Jimmy Bearden, 1941-2015

Longtime Howe resident Jimmy Bearden has passed this afternoon at Wilson N. Jones Regional Medical Center after a long battle with lung disease.  He was surrounded by family.  Born May 11, 1941, Bearden was a 1959 graduate of Howe High School.  He retired in 2010 after serving as general manager of Magni-Fab Southwest for many years.  He was the first quarterback of the Howe Bulldogs in 1958 after the school’s nine year absence from the sport.  Bearden served many years on the Howe ISD Board of Trustees and was 2001 Norma J. Wallace Citizen of the Year.

Full obituary:

Howe – Jimmy Erskine Bearden passed, peacefully, from this earth on May 5, 2015 at Wilson N. Jones Hospital in Sherman, Texas.  Jimmy was surrounded by his loving wife, sons, and grandsons along with his Pastor Duane Peters and Rose Peters.  Jimmy Bearden was born in Howe, Texas on May 11, 1941.  Jimmy attended Howe Schools where he played several sports and was quarterback of the football team in 1958 when the football program was reinstated at Howe.  He was first team all-district and later named to the “All Century Howe Bulldog Team”.  Jimmy graduated from Howe High School in 1959.  He then married his high school sweetheart, Merle Jean Reeves, on January 12, 1962.  Jimmy worked full time while attending college at East Texas State University where he completed his bachelor’s degree in accounting in December of 1968 and Master of Business Administration in May of 1973.  Later that year Jimmy accepted a job at Magni-Fab Southwest Company in Howe.  He later became Vice President of the company and General Manager of the Howe operation until his retirement in 2010.  Jimmy was always involved in the local community and lent his support in many ways.  He served on the Howe Volunteer Fire Department and held the rank of Fire Marshal.  He served as League Commissioner for Howe Baseball in the late 1970s and early 1980s, coached several baseball teams, and was instrumental in the first fence that was placed at A.M. Ferguson Field.  He served as a member of the Howe ISD Board of Trustees from 1979 to 1987 and spent the last six years as President of the Board.  Jimmy was a member of the Howe Chamber of Commerce.  He was also a member of the Howe Athletic, Band and Ag Booster clubs where many of his donations and creations from metal are still in use today.   Jimmy was a Life Member of the Texas Association of Business where he served as Chairman.  He was a supporter of several local fire departments.  He was named Howe Citizen of the Year in 2001.  Jimmy later became a founding member of the Inspiration Point Cowboy Church in Tom Bean, Texas.

Jimmy and Merle were married for 53 wonderful years and had three boys all of whom graduated from Howe High School.  Jimmy and Merle have spent the last five years traveling the United States, visiting kids and grandkids.

Jimmy is survived by his wife and soul mate, Merle Bearden, his three sons Brett Bearden of Howe Texas, Philip Bearden and his wife Jennifer of Matthews, North Carolina, Kent Bearden and his wife Rachel of Las Vegas, Nevada.  Grandchildren are Blake Bearden, Austin Bearden, Ethan Bearden and Emma Bearden.  Sister, Martha Moore and her husband Johnny of Commerce, Texas, brother Tommy Bearden and his wife Barbara of Garland, Texas, and several nieces and nephews.  Jimmy had a special relationship with in-laws Joe and Vanessa Feudo of Corpus Cristi, Texas.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his father Erskine Laverne Bearden and Mother Ann Elizabeth Caraway Bearden.

Services are under the direction of Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne, Texas.  Visitation will be held at the Van Alstyne location on Thursday May 7^th from 6 to 8 pm.  Funeral services will be Friday May 8^th at 10 am at the Chapel at Scoggins Funeral Home in Van Alstyne, Texas.  Pastor Duane Peters will be officiating the service.

Interment will be at Pilot Grove Cemetery.  Pallbearers are David Ellis, Jeff Byers, Bill Large, Wayne Swineford, Chad Catching and Joe Feudo.  Honorary Pallbearers are Billy Martin and Dr. Jack Trammell along with the Howe High School Class of 1959.

Donations may be made in Jimmy’s name to Inspiration Point Cowboy Church at 4232 FM 2729 South, Tom Bean, Texas 75489.

The Bearden family would like to thank the doctors and nursing staff of Wilson N. Jones MICU, especially to Derek whose wonderful care was a comfort to the family at the time of Jimmy’s passing.