Mrs. Bessie Lee Hanks

She graduated from Littlefield High School in 1942 and married Lester Hanks in 1943. They celebrated 75 + years of marriage before his death in 2019. After he returned from the service at the end of WWII they lived and farmed in several communities in the Texas panhandle. In 1971 they moved to Hurst, TX, and remained in the Mid-Cities area.

Bessie Lee was known for her sweet personality. She was naturally quiet, but she made friends everywhere she went, aided by her gift for accepting others exactly as they are. She knew in her heart that all people are children of God.

She was resourceful and creative; lessons she learned through the lean days of the Depression and the Dust Bowl era. She was a talented seamstress and her four daughters were the envy of their classmates who only had “store-bought” clothes. There were always cookies, cakes, and pies baking in her kitchen, along with the famous hot rolls we treasured. Guests were known to comment on how they always felt at home when they dropped by to visit.

Bessie Lee was well known for her quick wit and lively sense of humor. One of her greatest gifts to her family was to see the humor in every situation, no matter how bleak it might seem at the moment. She was always willing to mug for the camera and laughter was our constant friend.

Her intelligence made her a joy to talk to. She had a passion for Scrabble, crossword puzzles, and Wheel of Fortune. Her grandchildren learned early that she never “let” anyone win a game and they relished her competitive streak. They have so many fond memories of Grandma to carry in their hearts.

We sat in the garden with her and listened to her talk to the birds. She was a natural-born storyteller and regaled us with memories of working at the soda fountain, picking cotton, and growing up with her seven brothers and sisters.

Everywhere she went she left people feeling better and glad they had met her. She never complained or acted like she had missed anything important in life. Her first priority was her family and we knew we were all that mattered.

Bessie Lee had a toughness that was inspiring and she held tight and strong as long as she was able. Throughout all the joys and challenges of her life, she was sustained by her deep faith in a loving God.

Bessie Lee was preceded in death by her husband Lester Hanks; her parents, Lee and Bessie Jackson; a baby daughter, Carolyn Ruth Hanks; a son-in-law, Harley Franklin; and her siblings Dorothy Wright, Edith Hays, James Jackson, Dan Jackson, Lexie Miller, John Jackson, and Barbara Berry.

She is survived by four daughters: Ann Franklin, Pat Bryant and husband Charlie, Sue Wilkinson and husband Terry, and Lisa Hanks; grandchildren: Curtis Franklin and wife Redina, Angela Franklin, Josh Bryant, and wife Heather, Sean Wilkinson, and Cameron Wilkinson and wife Lizzie; and six great-grandchildren: Hannah, Laura, and Cade Franklin and Brooklyn, Hudson, and Hazel Bryant.

Bessie Lee quietly left her mark on the lives of many and she will be profoundly missed. We look forward to seeing her in heaven one day.

Services will be held at Bluebonnet Funeral Home in Colleyville at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Due to current Covid-19 restrictions and out of an abundance of love and concern for our family and friends, the service will be limited to immediate family. We ask that friends and family join us in celebrating Bessie Lee’s life via online live streaming of the service.