Agnes Olene Hastings

Agnes Olene Craven Hastings died Wednesday, February 4, 2015, in Fredericksburg, TX.A memorial service conducted by minister Harry Lee Sewell will be held Friday, at 2:00 p.m. at New Hope Funeral Home Chapel in Sunnyvale, near Dallas.Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m.Burial will be at the DFW National Cemetery. She was born in Blossom, TX, on March 5, 1932, as the fourth of eight children to Luther Herschel and Pansy Wells Craven.Since her father was a tenant farmer, she and older siblings did their share of picking cotton.She attended elementary school in several communities, including Hogeye, Crescent, Celeste, and Caddo Mills.She graduated from Greenville High School in 1950. After working two years at Haggar Manufacturing Company in Greenville, Agnes Olene moved to Dallas to become an employee in the downtown insurance businesses.In 1953 she began work for Trinity Universal, and in 1968, for Alexander and Alexander and worked there until her retirement on December 31, 1994.She then worked as a greeter at Wal-Mart stores in Mesquite and Forney until 2010. As an active member of First Baptist Church of Oak Cliff in Dallas during the 1960s-1970s, she enjoyed being in the church choir and working with various young children’s groups.Throughout her life, she liked helping her parents and family members.She provided assistance and home improvements for her parents, took them to visit their brothers, sisters and their sons in various cities in and out of Texas.She sewed clothes for sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews, and scheduled events and opportunities for the family to gather for reunions. On January 17, 1992, she married Arthur L. Hastings, gaining seven children in the process.This followed a previous marriage to Ivan V. Smith.She and Art enjoyed square dancing together and traveling through the states.In 2011, she moved to Temple, TX, to live near a sister and just recently had moved to a nursing home in Fredericksburg. She was preceded in death by her husband, Art; her parents; three sisters Myrtle Evelyn Craven, Mary Lou Brown and Delilah Mae Montgomery; and son, Jerry W. Hastings. Survivors include five sons and daughters-in-law:Mike and wife Pat of Billings, Montana; Art, Jr. and wife Kay of Forney; David and wife Treva of Fredericksburg; Frank and wife Betty of Rowlett; Bill of Dallas; and one daughter,Ann Banks of Brookfield, Missouri;17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; 1 great great grandson; a sisterBetty Sue Beebe of Belton;three brothers:L. Herschel Craven, Jr. of Kilgore; Billy George Craven of San Diego, CA; and Jerry Don Craven of Sulphur Springs; and 18 nephews and nieces.