Bill Earley

Funeral Services for Bill F. Earley, 78, of Cleburne, will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 16, 2021 at New Hope Baptist Church in Goatneck, Texas. Reverend Charles Payne and Pastor Mike Acker will officiate. Burial to follow at Baker Lain Cemetery. A Visitation, Thursday, April 15th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. will be held at Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be David McWilliams, Buck McCall, Bert Thoman, Mike Duckworth, Ron Evans, Brad Earley, Bllade Earley, and Gunter Earley. Honorary Pallbearers will be Don Diamond, Eddie Pollock, Gary Roden, Tracey Watson, Jeff Callahan, Barry Wright, Curtis Pritchett, Danny Williams, Taylor Pritchett, Ace Earley, Korbin Howard, and Canyon Elam.

Bill was born November 26, 1942 to Frank and Vera Callahan Earley in Cleburne, Texas. He was raised on the Brazos River where he spent most days graveling catfish, hunting, and fishing with his dad and two older brothers.

Bill attended Cleburne School his entire life. In 1959 Bill helped carry the yellowjackets football team to a co-state championship. He then went on to receive a scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin to play football along with teammate and friend David McWilliams.

At a young age Bill was introduced to honest hard work by his father. He would travel to Dallas in the summer months to hang sheet rock with his dad, uncle, and cousins.

His strong work ethic carried through his life as he was a machinist at Bell Helicopter and also a Cleburne firefighter for a short time. In the late 60’s Bill and his father-in-law Donald Diamond opened a business together, Diamond Earley Mobile Homes. A few years later he was hired as a vice president /general manager at Duncan Equipment, Inc. which was a refuse manufacturing plant in Arlington, Tx. In 1981, he started his own refuse manufacturing company Master Pak Systems, Inc. in Cleburne, Tx where he was the owner/operator for the remainder of his life.

In the 8th grade Bill met the love of his life Jannette Diamond. He courted her for several years before he took her to be his lifetime partner on January 13, 1962. They shared 59+ years of marriage and raised 5 children.

Bill loved his family and enjoyed sharing his love of fishing, hunting, camping, horse back riding, boating, and family vacations with his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids.

Bill passed away April 12, 2021 in Goatneck at his longtime family home surrounded by his family and holding the hand of his “Pretty Girl” wife JJ.

Bill is survived by his wife, Jannette “JJ” Earley; children, Schrennia Earley, Audralynn Roden, and Gary; daughter-in-law, Mardi Earley; grandchildren, Bllade Earley and Taylor, Gunter Earley, Schrandia Kelley, Schalynne Howard and Josh, Dusti Pritchett and Curtis, Whitney Roden and Morgan, Raegann Langford and Michael, Brazoslynn Roden, Brad Earley, Laci Earley, Brooklyn Earley, Alannarae Earley, Jessalee Earley, and Ari Earley; 11 great grandchildren; nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; sons Dusty, David, and Alan Ray Earley; brothers, Wasie Earley and Butch Earley.

In leu of flowers please send donations to Goatneck Community Center C/O of Alicia Johnson, 7478 CR 1242, Cleburne, TX, 76033 and/or Baker Lane Cemetery 401 Hyde Park, Cleburne, TX , 76033