Johnny Ray Sheffield

Johnny Sheffield passed from this life on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at Hendrick Hospice Care in Abilene, Texas at the age of 72. A visitation will be held at Fry-Smith Funeral Home in Tuscola on Saturday, November 1 at 4:00pm. A memorial service will follow the visitation and begin at 5:30pm at Fry-Smith Funeral Home.

Johnny Ray Sheffield was born on January 5, 1953 to Elmer and Violet Lucille Sheffield in Ballinger, Texas. He was the fifth of six children. While growing up, his time out of school was spent helping his Dad and brother Jack combine and other adventures.

He purchased his first motorcycle at the age of 15 with his earnings. He earned a scholarship to the University of Texas in football and art at Paint Rock ISD. Due to a knee injury, he was not able to attend. He later quit school and joined the Army. He turned 19 in Vietnam.

He earned his GED in 2001 at the age of 48 making the highest score on the test in Math than anyone ever before thanks to his wonderful teachers at Merkel: Mrs. Beverly Davis and Mrs. Kay Rains. He didn't want his grandchildren to think an education wasn't important for them.

After his daughter Alice died in 1991, he could feel that the Lord was calling him to serve. He was later ordained as a minister of God. This was his calling.

Johnny has worked hard all his life. He was owner and operator of Over the Road as a truck driver. This ended when he realized that he was missing his children grow up. He went into the Diesel Mechanic field. This led him to Lemon's LPG, Dr. Pepper/Pepsi, Lone Star Trucking in Sweetwater and finishing his career at United Petroleum Transport in Tye, Texas. He was a hard worker all his life and even honored as Mechanic of the Year in 2010 in Oklahoma.

After his retirement, due to health reasons, Johnny picked up a new hobby. He bought a mixer and started making cakes for special people. This was his new ministry.

Johnny also volunteered at Hendrick Medical Center as a chaplin. He served 23 years as bi-vocational preacher at Friendship Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas where his wife Lynette was the pianist. Even in the nursing home during his last days on earth, he witnessed to others always putting others first.

Johnny is preceded in death by his daughter, Alice Marie Sheffield; his parents; brothers James and Jack; sister Betty Sue; and a number of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He is survived by his wife Lynette of 43 years; his sons, Danny Ray Sheffield of Placeville, California and Colby Lynn Sheffield of Odessa, Texas; mother-in-law Donna Jernigan; brothers in-law Robert and Eddie Edwards; special sons Lenny Neith AKA Little Lenny and Juan Reyes AKA JR of Tye, Texas; grandchildren Morgan, Allie, Laura, and Zacheria; great grandchildren Sarah, Malcom, and August whom he wasn't able to meet due to health reasons; and many special friends who were always there if needed.

Praise God for his service to others.