Joy Early

Elizabeth Joy Early, an excellent cook, 92, passed away on March 9, 2023. A visitation will be held on Friday, March 17, 6-8 PM at the Heartland Funeral Home in Early, Texas. Her service will be Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 2 PM at the Bangs Church of Christ, Bangs, TX. Interment will follow at the Bangs Cemetery. Interment will be at Bangs Cemetery.
Joy was born November 20, 1930 in Bangs, Texas to Joseph A. and Dola Cook Cate. She had two brothers, J.A. and Jerrell Cate. She attended public schooling at the Mukewater School House until high school age, when Mukewater was consolidated into Bangs ISD. She was moved up one grade at that time and graduated in 1947. She married Donald Jack Early in December 1947. They had grown up on neighboring farms and walked to school together as children, later becoming high school sweethearts. They began a life together that blessed them with four children, Jerry, David, Robert, and Janice.
When Joy was born, she lived with her folks on a farm near Bangs. When the partnership between her dad and brothers called for it, she moved with her mother and dad to Plainview, TX. Don followed her to Plainview where they were married. They lived at Plainview for a short period after their marriage, then moved to a farm west of Bangs. Later, the family moved to a farm north of Brownwood, TX and started a dairy. In 1961, the family moved the dairy to a farm south of Bangs where she and Don lived, farmed, and operated the dairy until they moved to a house in town in 1981. After Don's accidental death in 1996, Joy became involved in many activities in the Bangs and Brownwood area: Quilting Club, Historical Society, Cemetery Assn., Home Demonstration Club, volunteering at the hospital, library, railroad museum, among other activities. She was always working on something. Often it seemed that even family needed an appointment to be able to visit her. With a friend from the Church, she traveled to Canada, Europe, and various parts of the United States. Joy was an excellent wife, mother, homemaker, and, when necessary, farm hand. She was an artist with her quilting efforts and won several awards. She made unique quilts for each of her grandkids and gifted quilted items to friends and family regularly.
Most important of all, Joy was happy to be of service to others. She was very active with the Bangs Church of Christ. She was a wonderful wife, mother, and friend. She busied herself gladly helping others and lived a good, long Christian life. She was a great example and friend to all. She looked for the best in others and was an imitator of Christ's love. She had a life well lived and a life well loved.
Joy is survived by two of her sons, Jerry (and wife Carla) and Robert (and wife Pam), all of Abilene, TX. Also she had 8 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Joy was preceded in death by her husband Don, her parents, her brothers, her son David, and her daughter Janice.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Bangs Church of Christ, 306 5th Street, Bangs, TX 76823.
Memories of Joy and condolences to the family can be left at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net