Mebra Dean Lively Eckhoff "Mebbie," 73, of Bend, Texas, passed away on Wednesday, May 18, in Lampasas, Texas.
Mebbie was born on January 19, 1949, in San Saba, Texas, to Sherman Archie Lively and Jolene Broyles Lively. She graduated from San Saba High School in 1968. Growing up in the communities of Bend and Chappel, Mebbie spent a significant amount of time outdoors with all of the "Lively Cousins" along the banks of the Cherokee Creek. She also spent a great amount of time in the saddle, working cattle horseback with her uncles and cousins.
Mebbie loved to visit with friends, meet new people, and she never met a stranger. She was always able to strike up a conversation with anyone. She lived her life as a loving wife, daughter, sister, Mom, and Mimi. She loved to work in her yard and kept it mowed to perfection, so it looked like the fairway on a golf course. Among her other passions was being a rancher, as she loved working with sheep, goats and cattle. Not a day went by that she wasn't working with or looking at livestock. Her favorite time of the year was the fall and early winter, as she enjoyed her days working in the pecan orchards, helping Leon harvest pecans. She was always looking for the next "blue ribbon pecan sample" to enter in the local San Saba County Pecan Show.
On September 14, 1968, Mebbie married her husband Leon Eckhoff in Chappel, Texas, and they shared 53 years of marriage.
Mebbie is survived by her husband, Leon; son, Robbie and his wife Amy of Hawley, Texas; son, Donnie and his wife Abbie of Axtell, Texas; and grandsons: Ethan and Ory of Hawley and Brynna of Axtell. Mebbie is also survived by her twin sister, Debra (Debbie) January of Chappel, along with her aunt, Charlene Reavis of Chappel.
She was preceded in death by her father, Archie; mother, Jolene; and brother-in-law, Mike January.
Visitation was held 2:00-3:00 p.m., Monday, May 23, 2022, at Heritage Funeral Home in San Saba, Texas. A funeral service immediately followed at 3:00 p.m. at the Heritage Funeral Home Chapel in San Saba, with burial at the Chappel Cemetery in Chappel, Texas.
Arrangements are entrusted to Heritage Funeral Home of San Saba.
Please view Ms. Eckhoff's online memorial at <www.heritagefuneralhomes.com>.