Bertrand Needham Honea

1927 - 2011

Bertrand Needham Honea died Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, in Fort Worth. Memorial service: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, at All Saint's Episcopal Church, 5001 Crestline Road. The Rector, the Rev. Chris Jambor, will be officiating. Private burial: Greenwood Memorial Park. Honorary pallbearers will be John McClung, Gregory Buckles, Matt Baker, John Honea, Andrew McClung, Willis McClung, and Benjamin Buckles. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Union Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, All Saint's Episcopal Church or a charity of choice. The Rev. Honea was born in Fort Worth on May 24, 1927. His mother, Mary Louise Thompson Honea, who died in 1975, was also a native of Fort Worth. He was a graduate of Arlington Heights High School, The Hill School, the University of Texas, Virginia Episcopal Seminary and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He served in the U.S. Navy the final year of World War II. He married Patricia Murphree, also of Fort Worth, in 1949. The Rev. Honea served in various capacities including rector of St. David's Episcopal Church in Denton from 1953-56; head of the Religion Department and chaplain at St. Paul's School, Concord, N.H., 1956-65; headmaster of Groton School, Groton, Mass., 1965-69; and dean of students at Concord Academy, Concord, Mass., 1970-74. In 1974 Mr. Honea returned with his family to Fort Worth, where he worked with his father, Bert Honea Sr., chairman of the board of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Mr. Honea Sr. died in 1979. Since 1974, Mr. Honea has been interim rector at several Diocesan churches, curate at St. John's and St. Andrew's Episcopal churches in Fort Worth. He retired from the ministry in 2001. Mr. Honea was a member of the Headmasters Association, the Exchange Club and River Crest Country Club. He taught the Ray Reimer's Bible class for 24 years. Mr. Honea was predeceased by his sister, Virginia Honea Penn, and his brother-in-law, Jack Arthur Schutts. Survivors: His wife of 61 years, Patricia Murphree Honea; son, Dr. Bertrand Honea III and his wife, Joyce, of Loveland, Colo., and Willis Murphree Honea of Allen; daughters, Mary Margaret Honea McClung and her husband, John, of San Antonio and Elizabeth Bland Honea Buckles and her husband, Gregory, of Middlebury, Vt.; grandchildren, Matthew and Elissa Baker, John Honea and his wife, Jaimey, and Elizabeth Honea, Andrew, Willis and Margaret McClung, and Virginia, Grace, Benjamin and Charlotte Buckles; four great-grandchildren; sister, Patricia Honea Schutts of Fort Worth; brother-in-law, the Rev. James W. Murphree of Dallas; sister-in-law, Mary Charlie Murphree of New York; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.