Jerrell Dan Bible Obituary

   June 20, 1941-May 7, 2016

   On the afternoon of May 7, 2016, Jerrell Dan Bible, passed away peacefully of natural causes. Jerrell was being visited and comforted by his children and grandchildren at the Rising Star Nursing Center. Jerrell was 74 years old.

   Services for Jerrell will be 2:00pm Wednesday May 11, 2016 at Higginbotham Funeral Home Chapel in Cross Plains. Visitation will be 6:00-8:00pm Tuesday. Burial will be at Romney Cemetery under the direction of Higginbotham Funeral Home.

   Jerrell was born in Eastland County on June 20, 1941 to Etna Ethel Curtis and Alvey Loran Bible. He grew up on a farm property within the Rising Star School District and graduated from Rising Star High School with the class of 1959.

   Jerrell spent most of his life in the service of others. As he attended college, he worked as a counselor in boys ranches for delinquent and abused boys with the Dallas Salesmanship Club. He acquired his Doctorate Degree in

Rehabilitative Education and continued working with boy’s ranches in Texas, South Carolina, and Virginia. From there he moved into being a licensed Master Social Worker for many nursing centers throughout Texas to include

Brownwood, Comanche, Waco, Coleman, San Angelo, and others. He continued in that career for over 56 years, touching and enhancing so many lives. Jerrell spent six years as the mayor of Rising Star and was instrumental

in his town receiving funds for the replacement of the water tower. His adventurous nature and career has called him to nearly every state in the U.S. and across the ocean to Denmark where he had adventures to include riding a camel.

Jerrell was honored with many awards during his career to include letters of appreciation from Governor Clements, a day in Rising Star and in Eastland County named after him and, The Spirit of Social Work Award given by

Howard Payne University.

   Jerrell was full of adventure - one of the best times he and his family had was sailing on a three-mast ship, the Den Storbeyarn (Danish for The Big Bear), from harbor to harbor off the coast of Virginia. All three kids were

able to sleep on the deck in sleeping bags under the stars being rocked to sleep by the gentle sway of the ocean and awoke to the sunrise and the smell of freshly baked Danish breakfast bread. Jason scared the whole

family by skittering up a rope ladder the sailors used to tend to the sails. Danetta loved the salty wind and how fast they cut through the water as the sails pulled them to another harbor, and David felt like he was in the days of the pirates of old.

   Jerrell ingrained in his children and the people he encountered to really live this life to the fullest...love as much as you can. He never held back his feelings he had for people. The words, “I love you,” were common

words in his home and with his friends. And in difficult times, he was the ultimate comforter, with his very wise, “This too shall pass,” reminding us to know that we can and will get through the difficult times and have joy again.

Jerrell was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Ann, his sister, Ruth, and his second wife of 45+ years Wanda Loyce Smith.

  Jerrell is survived by his three children David, Danetta, Jason...three grandchildren Matthew Jerrell, Adam Bradley, and Alexis Nicole...and many step grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

   The family would like to give special thanks to all family and friends who have supported them through this time of loss. Also special thanks to Rising Star Nursing Center, Comanche Hospital, Katherine

and all of his doctors and caregivers at Huguley Hospital, and Kayla and her crew with Mission Hospice.