Paul Hancock

Paul Hancock was born October 19, 1931, in a country farmhouse in Waterman, Texas, located in Shelby County. He was born at the start of the Great Depression to a farming family, the fifth of six children born to Elmer Roy Hancock and Blonnie Mae Yarbrough Hancock. Growing up in tough times taught him the value of a dollar and the importance of self-reliance, traits he passed on to his four children. When asked once why he didn't have a middle name, he responded, "We were so broke, we couldn't afford one." Paul had a great sense of humor and was a very determined individual with strong convictions who lived by certain values, chief among them doing good for others.

Just out of high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, where he was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. He served from 1952 to 1956, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant.

When he returned stateside, he was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls. There, he met the woman he would spend the next seventy years with, Joann Louise Metcalf. In the early years of their marriage, Paul completed his degree at Stephen F. Austin and then started his family, going on to have four children: Jeff, Phil, Todd, and Paula.

Paul and his family relocated to Tyler, Texas, a place he would call home for over sixty years. A lifelong scholar of Texas history, Paul taught history in the Bullard, Chapel Hill, and Whitehouse school districts. In addition to being an educator, Paul was quite the entrepreneur and prospered in the real estate and rental business. He was also an avid rancher and was passionate about his place in Shelby County, Texas, where he enjoyed raising cattle and hunting. With Joann by his side, they continued operating a significant business even in his final days.

A lifelong Christian, Paul held firmly to the mysteries of the faith. He was active in the Church of Christ and involved with many local congregations over the years, helping establish church buildings and supporting numerous benevolent activities. Paul was proud of the legacy of his Christian walk and was never hesitant to share the gospel with a stranger.

Paul was the last living member of his birth family and was married to his wife, Joann, for more than 70 years. Paul loved his family and his Lord. His family is proud of all that he accomplished, and even more so when considering his humble beginnings.

He is survived by his wife, Joann Louise Metcalf Hancock; his children, Jeff Hancock and wife Becky of Jacksonville, Phil Hancock and wife Sherry of Tyler, Todd Hancock and wife Jana of Whitehouse, and Paula Salas and husband Michael of Tyler; nine grandchildren, Sarah Breedlove and husband Thomas, Daniel Hancock and wife Sarah, Charlotte Hancock, Bonnie Birdwell and husband Morgan, Mallory Dawley and husband Cameron, Carson Hancock and wife Kennidi, Olivia Hancock, Avery Salas, and Roman Salas; and six great-grandchildren, Asher, Mae, Ella, Tovin, Archer, and Hardy.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, November 10, at 10:00 a.m. at Broadway Church of Christ in Tyler, Texas. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the church, under the direction of Brosang Family Funeral Home. Paul will be laid to rest in a family graveside service at the Hancock Family Cemetery in Shelby County, Texas.

Pallbearers will be Daniel Hancock, Carson Hancock, Avery Salas, Roman Salas, Asher Breedlove, and Randy Semroska. Honorary pallbearers will be Michael Salas, Morgan Birdwell, Thomas Breedlove, and Cameron Dawley.