Mr. Stephens
Funeral services for Herbert Spencer Stephens, 68, of Rockdale will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at St. John’s United Methodist Church with Re v s . Br i an Jody, pastor, and John Warren, former pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at the family plot at the Salty Community Cemetery.
Mr. Stephens died at 3:42 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, of an apparent heart attack at Rockdale Rehabilitation & Estates, where he had resided for the past several months.
He was a lifelong resident of Rockdale, born Feb. 10, 1958, to Herbert “Buddy” Stephens and wife Mary Lee Maples Stephens.
He was a graduate of Rockdale High School.
Spencer was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his loving guardians, Ann and John King of Rockdale, and a host of friends and admirers associated with the Milam Adult Resource Center (MARC Center) and St. John’s United Methodist Church.
There were many “firsts” in Spencer’s special life. He was a 53-year member of the MARC Center, joining in 1973, and enjoyed the center’s arts, crafts, cooking lessons, games, sports, bowling and swimming outings, parties, food and activities planned by board members each month. He also enjoyed annual week-long summer camps at Down Home Ranch.
He was a charter member of the All-Stars Sunday school class at St. John’s, a class established in 1975 for special needs adults by Peggy Cooke and the late Martha Parsley out of their love for clients of MARC, where they were board members. He was the last surviving charter member of the class, and was baptized into the church a few years after joining the class.
Spencer loved shopping and eating in Rockdale and was known by name fondly by many store and restaurant personnel. He also loved living at the nursing home and its caring staff.
Pallbearers will be Lee Parsley, Rey Mata, Daniel Willie, Larry Bartlett, Lloyd Davidson, Jeff King, Stephen King and Scott Starnes.
Honorary pallbearers will be Walter Pond, John Shoemake, Eldon Ball, Bill Cooke and Rick Henderson.
Memorials may be sent to St. John’s United Methodist Church, PO Box 168, Rockdale TX 76567, or the MARC Center, 1705 Pecos St. Rockdale TX 76567.