John Tankersley

John Tankersley died Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center. He was 82.

A celebration of his life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Hewitt with the Rev. Roy Marshall officiating. Visitation with John's family will follow.

John was born Jan. 6, 1931, in Tahoka, Texas, to Roy and Myrtle Tankersley. He grew up in Lamesa and graduated from Lamesa High School in 1949. John joined the United States Coast Guard on Aug. 1, 1951, and was honorably discharged on Oct. 29, 1953. John played football at San Angelo College and graduated from there in May 1956. He then graduated with his bachelor of science degree from Sul Ross State University in Alpine in May 1959.

While he was working at the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce in the summer of 1961, John was set up on a blind date with Linda Reed, who worked in a dress shop across the street from the chamber offices. They went to a Jaycees banquet on their first date, and were married at Baptist Tabernacle Church in San Angelo on Sept. 1, 1961. John later worked as a teacher and coach in San Angelo.

They moved to Comanche in 1968, where John was a teacher and coach, before he and Linda opened Tankersley's Hamburger Hut. The family then moved to Waco in 1971.

John retired from LaVega High School in 1982 after teaching distributive education for 11 years. He then started his own business, J.T. Enterprises, which he had operated for the past 32 years. John was also an active volunteer with the Christian Men’s Job Corps as well as with Meals on Wheels, where, as recently as three weeks ago, he was delivering meals “to the old people,” as he put it.

Always a sports lover, John was an ardent fan of the Baylor Lady Bears basketball team.

John is now rejoicing with his parents; his brother Kenneth Tankersley: his sister LaNeal Tankersley; his daughter April Hollerbach; and his favorite nephew and Wahoo opponent David Tankersley.

Left to cherish John's memory are Linda, his wife of 51 years; his children, Melanie Fendley and husband Mike, of San Antonio; son Kevin and wife Abby of Waco; and daughter Kara Tindell and husband Andy of Lorena; his grandchildren, James Ellison IV, Jodie Ellison, Daniel Tummins, Christopher Hollerbach, Sophie Tankersley, Brazos Tankersley, Evan Tindell, Elizabeth Tindell and Emma Tindell; two nieces, Ruth Ann Lackey and Tricia Hardy; and nine great-grandchildren.

The family is grateful to the good people of the sixth floor and intensive care and hospice units at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center as well as Dr. Buck Cross and his staff – especially Kim Gonce – for their kindness toward and care of John.

If you desire, please consider a donation in John's memory to First Baptist Church of Hewitt or Meals on Wheels of Waco.