Henson George (H.G.) Sprawls

Henson George (H.G.) Sprawls was born April 12, 1922 in Scranton, Texas, the eighth child of Elisha Richmond and Martha Hanna Wagley Sprawls. Having grown up on a dairy farm in Swisher County, H.G. graduated from Tulia High School in 1939. While attending Texas Tech, H.G. was proud to participate as a Saddle Tramp and excelled as a Jersey cow judge traveling to many competitions. After being commissioned in the US Army Air Corp., Lt. Sprawls served as a pilot of a B24 Liberator Bomber in the 394th Squadron of the 5th Bomber group of the 13th Air Force in Morotai (currently Indonesia) bombing missions over Southeast Asia targeting Japanese fuel transports. In 1945 while flying a weather reconnaissance mission in the Sea of Japan, he and his crew were ordered to evacuate the region. As they departed, the crew witnessed the mushroom of the second atomic bomb dropped in Japan. After returning to the states, he married the love of his life, Bennie Ruth Jackson in Lockney, Texas. In addition to his competitions both showing and judging mild cows, he taught as a student instructor before receiving his Bachelor’s Degree from Texas Technological College in animal husbandry in 1947. As a county agent in West Texas, H.G. was instrumental in surveying and laying out many of the county roads in Yoakum and surrounding counties. He also worked to bring a new farming concept to Yoakum County, the first mechanized irrigation system as well as pioneering the use of Roundup and Treflan. He went on to farm in Yoakum County and later became a local health inspector. After raising his family in Denver City, he moved back to Lubbock where he worked for Brown-Mckee, Inc. H.G. supervised the building of feedlots, grain elevators, cotton mills and many other agricultural structures in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Missouri. He spent his retirement in construction of missions in Mexico through Bacon Heights Baptist Church where he was a long time member. Grandfathering brought a new purpose to H.G.’s life. He designed works of art and fun for his many grandchildren. After living a full and busy life in Lubbock, Bennie and Henson moved to Midland for 3 years before moving to Odessa in 2012 to be near family. Until his death he remained a firm supporter of Texas Tech.

He is preceded in death by his parents, five sisters, three brothers and one grandson.

Henson is survived by his wife of 68 years Bennie of Odessa; children, Sharon Vernetti, husband Tom of Lecompte, LA, Jack, wife Carol of Dallas, Tom, wife Patti of Odessa, and Jan Cooksey, husband Hal of Odessa. He is also well loved by 13 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends for a visitation on Sunday November 16, 2014 from 3:00 until 5:00 pm at Resthaven Funeral Home. Funeral Services celebrating his life will be held on Monday November 17, 2014 at 1:00 pm in Resthaven Funeral Home’s Abbey Chapel. Interment will follow in Resthaven Memorial Park.