Edgar Wilson Halfast III closed his eyes to his earthly home and opened them in Glory on Thursday, August 3, 2023, in San Angelo, Texas, at the age of 86.
Ed was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, June 25, 1937, to Beatrice Nicholson Halfast and Edgar Wilson Halfast Jr. He loved to call himself an “Okie from Muskogee.” When he was a young boy, his family moved to Midland, Texas. He graduated from Midland High School in 1955. He started at McMurry College, then enlisted in the US Army in 1958, spending two years stationed in Germany. At the end of his enlistment in 1961, he returned to McMurry and graduated with a degree in Music Education in 1965.
Ed began his teaching career in Loop, Texas, and it was there he met the love of his life, Bobbie Jo Ivy. They soon realized that their families both lived in Midland, their fathers worked for the same company, and they graduated from the same high school, but they had never met each other. They married on July 30, 1966, and shared life together for 57 years.
Ed and Bobbie moved to Kermit, Texas, in 1967. He was the junior high choir director and also taught elementary music. Ed also did a brief stint as a clerk chemist for Trans-Western. He would often ride his bicycle out to the plant in the mornings. Their children, Susan and Jamey, were both born in Kermit, where they lived until Ed took a teaching position in Mertzon, Texas, in 1977.
Ed taught elementary and secondary music and started a generation of young students on ukuleles, recorders, and band instruments. While at Irion County ISD, he had the privilege of starting the Hornet Band program and was honored to watch as that program grew into the successful, award-winning band program that has made multiple appearances at the State Marching Contest and received many accolades.
It was after a two-year stint teaching at Veribest Elementary when Ed finally answered a 20-year call to ministry.
In 1989 he began a second career as a Methodist minister. His first appointment was to Art Methodist Church where he served as pastor for eight years. He also served churches in Zapata and Sadler, returning to San Angelo in 2006 as associate pastor at St. Luke United Methodist Church. Ed carried his ministry outside the walls of the church, serving communion to nursing home residents and entertaining them on the piano. It brought him so much joy to share his talent and love of music with whomever wanted to listen.
Ed was a past member of the Lions Club and Toast Masters. He loved singing with the Twin Mountain Tonesman and playing his part for Tuba Christmas performances. He used the CB handle “Music Man'' during the 70s. As a HAM radio operator, he enjoyed collecting CQ cards from conversations with other HAM operators around the world. He took a course to become a piano tuner, but his greatest passion was playing the piano and teaching others to do the same. He had many piano students through the years in Kermit, Mertzon, and San Angelo.
Ed played the piano and organ at church to guide many voices in praise and worship.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Bea Halfast.
He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Bobbie Jo; his son Jamey and wife Leta; daughter Susan and husband Sterling; four grandsons: Cory Halfast and fianceé Michaela Newman,
Tobin Halfast, Shea Abbott and wife Landry, and Seth Abbott and wife Haily; four great-grandchildren; Rhys, Amos, Lorelai, and Slayde, and a loving extended family.
Graveside service is 10 a.m. at Art West Cemetery, Art, Texas, followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. in San Angelo at Glen Meadows Baptist Church.
The family wishes to thank Pastor Jim Noble, Life Group of Glen Meadows, the staff at Meadow Creek Nursing and Rehabilitation, and nurse Taylor with Interim Hospice for their kind support and compassionate care.
Memorials may be made to the Ed Halfast Music Scholarship, ℅ LeAnn Rutherford, Irion County High School, P.O. Box 469, Mertzon, TX 76941.
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