Palestine High School Alumni Association

04 / 29 / 1940  –  06 / 03 / 2008

Services for Harlin Ray Midkiff, 68, also known as “Boogar Red,” of Holly Lake Ranch, are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, June 6, 2008, at Holly Brook Baptist Church with Dr. Guy McGraw, Rev. Larry Taylor and Rev. Mike Midkiff officiating.

Burial will be in Holly Tree Cemetery under the direction of Beaty Funeral Home of Hawkins. Family visitation will be Thursday, June 5, 2008, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Beaty Funeral Home. Harlin died June 3, 2008, in Tyler after a courageous battle with cancer and under the excellent care of Hospice of East Texas.

He was born April 29, 1941, in Huntsville, Texas, to the late Elton Lee and Lula Blanche Brown Midkiff.  He was a graduate of Palestine High School, where he was a stellar athlete, competed in the state track meet two times, and signed a football scholarship with Texas A&M. He married his high school sweetheart, Joan Leslie Jeffcoat, on April 15, 1960.

Harlin retired from Halliburton Services in 1993 as North Texas District Manager at the Jacksboro, Texas, camp. He started to work for Halliburton in Palestine, Texas, with stops in Tripoli, Libya, Abilene, Kilgore, and Jacksboro, Texas, during his 33-year Halliburton career. When the oil field needed experienced hands, he came out of retirement in 2006 to work as a consultant for West Mountain Operating Company, Longview.

For the past 14 years, Harlin lived at Holly Lake Ranch, enjoying his retirement with his wife of 48 years, Joan, where they both served the Lord Jesus Christ as members of Holly Brook Baptist Church. He was a deacon and loved helping with church construction projects, cooking at the monthly men’s breakfast and being a sound operator during worship services. Harlin and Joan went on many mission trips together, going to places like Brazil, Hawaii, Wales, Mexico, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Alaska.

Red helped the Texas Baptist Men’s Disaster Relief Team serve meals in the Beaumont area after Hurricane Rita.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elton and Blanche Midkiff; a brother, Herbert Lee Midkiff; and a grandson, Alexander Lee Midkiff.

Survivors include his wife, Joan Leslie Jeffcoat Midkiff of Holly Lake Ranch; a son and daughter-in-law, Michael Ray and Marianne Midkiff of Marshall; a daughter and son-in-law, Lisa Jaye and Matt Hansen of Plano; a sister and her husband, Hilda Fay and Floyd Adams of Centerville; a brother and his wife, Harold Glynn and LaJauna Midkiff of Yantis; grandchildren, Alison Jaye, Andrew Michael and Ashton Ray Midkiff of Marshall, Morgan Elizabeth, Madison Rae and Mitchell Anthony Hansen of Plano; many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are Albert Garner, James Simmons, Ben Lester, John Oberhousen, Spike Dunlop and Milton Howard. Honorary pallbearers are grandsons, Andrew Midkiff, Mitchell Hansen, Ashton Midkiff and the deacon body of Holly Brook Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to Holly Brook Baptist Church of Holly Lake Ranch, or any local church mission project with the purpose of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Source: Tyler Morning Telegraph 06-05-2008