Shirley Earlane Hendrix

October 12, 1944 - October 31, 2021

Shirley “Earlane” Hendrix of Allen, Texas, passed away on October 31, 2021, at the age of 77. She was born on October 12, 1944, to Earl Wayne Riley and Margie Drusilla (Parks) Riley at the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. Earlane Riley married Jimmy Hendrix on March 20, 1964, in the preacher’s home in Rogers, Arkansas. They had one daughter. Earlane grew up in Springtown, Arkansas, and lived most of her life in Gentry, Arkansas. She graduated from Gentry High School in 1962. Earlane owned and operated an in-home daycare in Gentry for many years before changing career paths to work in the medical insurance field in Arkansas and Texas for over 30 years. She was lovingly known by many of her daycare children and daughter’s friends as “Mama Lane”. In 2008, Earlane and Jimmy moved to Allen to live close to their grandchildren. Earlane had an incredible work ethic, so after retirement, she enjoyed working part time as a lunch monitor at Vaughan Elementary in Allen and at The Mum Shop in Plano. She was a life member of the Order of the Eastern Star and had been a member for almost 50 years. Earlane was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Allen. Growing up as the granddaughter of a Methodist minister, Earlane and her mother often sang special selections during regular church services and performed together at many events, including weddings and funerals. Earlane loved her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with all her heart and mind. She was an incredible Christian role model to her family, and she texted and emailed her grandchildren Bible verses, devotionals and words of encouragement multiple times each week. Earlane read and studied her Bible daily. Earlane loved life and lived it to the fullest. She had a wonderful sense of humor, and her laugh was contagious and infectious. Earlane loved her family fiercely and they never doubted her devotion to them. Her pride and joy were her grandchildren. Earlane loved spending time with her family and often attended sporting events and activities her daughter and grandchildren were involved in. Earlane enjoyed caring for her flower gardens and feeding her butterflies and humming birds. She had a unique interest in collecting rocks and loved all things sports, especially involving the Arkansas Razorbacks. Earlane is survived by her husband, Jimmy Hendrix; daughter and son-in-law, Jilane and Keith Carper; granddaughter, Kameryn Carper and grandson, Kaleb Carper, all of Allen, Texas; brother and sister-in-law Terry and Margie Riley of Mountain Home, Idaho; half-sister, Deloma Blaker; half-brothers, Don Riley and Larry Riley; aunt, Vollie Grant; uncle, Norman Parks; and a host of other loving nephews, nieces, cousins, and dear friends. Earlane was preceded in death by her parents, Earl Riley and Drusilla and Harvey Riley, and several half-siblings. A celebration of life service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at First United Methodist Church of Allen, 601 South Greenville Avenue, Allen, Texas 75002. Visitation will be held 1 hour prior at the church. Earlane will be in state for viewing on Friday, November 5, 2021, from 2PM to 5PM at Wasson Funeral home. Then will be laid to rest at Douglas Cemetery in Highfill, Arkansas. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., with arrangements provided by Wasson Funeral Home in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.