Bessie Marie Hastings

Bessie Marie Hastings, of Groesbeck, passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side, on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at age 87.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025, beginning at 12:00 Noon in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel.

Funeral services will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 22nd, with Brother Richard Williams of the Groesbeck Church of Christ officiating. Burial will follow in Cox Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Ricky Clark, Ronnie Ayres, Jr., Jeremy Kight, Walter “Bubba” Kight, and Dustin Kirkland.

Honorary pallbearers will be Tommie Hastings, Jr., Jason Hardin, and Jimmy “Doc” Carter.

Bessie was born on August 28, 1938, in Morgan City, Louisiana to Frank Joseph Rulf and Lydia Viola (Givens) Rulf. She grew up in a household of six children and two parents on a houseboat on the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana, until the family moved to Morgan City. She had many stories to tell her family and friends about her young years on the river. She graduated from high school in Morgan City.

Bessie met a young man from Groesbeck, who was working in the oil field in Louisiana, when they were introduced by his friend from Groesbeck, Don Henderson.

Bessie and Tommie Lee Hastings were united in marriage on December 7, 1957, and moved to Houston, where they raised their family. Throughout the years, she continued to visit her parents and three of her siblings living in Louisiana, while the other three siblings had moved to Texas.

While Tommie was a detective with the Houston Police Department, he also bought a dump truck to haul sand and gravel, and with Bessie’s help, they enlarged to Hastings Trucking and Equipment Co., owning many trucks. They hauled all the dirt for construction of Interstate 10, and dirt and pads for oil refineries in the Houston area. Bessie ran the business at their trucking office which employed many drivers, while Tommie continued working for the HPD. Her other job was to keep the kids quiet during the day while Tommie slept days and worked the graveyard shift, until the kids were old enough to put them to work helping in the family business.

Tommie was active in the Masonic Lodge and Bessie was active in the Galena Park Order of the Eastern Star, serving as Worthy Matron several times.

After his retirement from HPD, they sold the company and moved to Lake Limestone. Bessie moved her membership in the Order of the Eastern Star, to Groesbeck Chapter #810, again served as Worthy Matron, and remained active as long as her health permitted.

Bessie and Tommie were members of the Church of Christ of Groesbeck. Bessie liked fishing at the lake, working in her yard, and she especially loved rocking her grandbabies - rocking, patting, and singing them to sleep. She leaves behind a large family to cherish her memory.

Bessie was preceded in death by her parents; brother and sister-in- law, Elwood Horace and Doris Rulf and brother, Frank Murlin Rulf; her husband, Tommie Hastings (5-5-2017); and a daughter, Connie Lee Kight (1-21-24.)

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Donna Sue and Jim Carter of Streetman; daughter, Rhonda Kay Whitehead of Houston; son, Tommie Lee Hastings, Jr. of Groesbeck; and son-in-law, Walter James “Bubba” Kight of Lockhart.

Grandchildren are: Jason Hardin of Streetman, Courtney Durham of Dayton, Randa Tally of Baytown, Ronnie Ayres, Jr. of Austin, Ricky Clark of Humble, Amber Maxwell of Houston, Ashley Jimerson of Splendora, Karen Brantley of Palestine, Jeremy Kite of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Suzy Hastings of San Antonio.

Great grandchildren are: Ryan Hardin, Addy Hardin Ethan Durham, Mackenzie Durham, Ryleigh Nibert, Karleigh Nibert, Ty Richard Clark, Taylor Clark, Brody Jimerson, Kynlee Jimerson, Wade Armstrong, Zoe Harvey, Cody Harvey, and Carson Brassell.

She is also survived by sisters and brothers-in-law, Shelby Jane and Jesse Cantrell of Pasadena, Diana Blaksley of Pasadena, and Lydia Conelia and Calvin Alemand of Morgan City, LA., sister-in-law, Leona Mae Rulf of Amelia, LA, and many nieces and nephews.