Dr. Jearald 'Jerry' Duane Heflin, Jr

Dr. Jearald Duane Heflin Jr. (Jerry) passed away suddenly in the early hours of November 13th at the family home outside of Stephenville, Texas. Jerry was born April 22, 1963 in Portales New Mexico to Karen and Jearald Heflin. He attended schools in McCamey, Monahans, El Paso, and Houston Texas before his family moved to Corona and Ventura California. His last 2 years of high school were in Littleton Colorado. After graduating from Abilene Christian University, he attended the University of Texas Medical School in Houston,Texas in 1990.. He did his residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth and it was there where he met his future wife.  He went on to marry Dr. Linda Loar and they had two children. A daughter, Allison Nicole and a son, Andrew Jearald. They moved to Stephenville in 2001 and started the Heflin Family Clinic. Dr Jerry loved obstetrics and he delivered many babies over the years. Delivering babies was what he loved the most about his practice. Dr. Jerry was also the chief medical director for a couple of years at Texas Health Hospital in Stephenville. When they closed their clinic in 2015, he went on to try some other opportunities and was most recently working as an urgent care practitioner. He loved doing surgical repair procedures so he enjoyed this position. Dr. Linda stayed on in Stephenville and is still seeing many of their original patients, where she kept them up to date on things when someone would ask about him, and was able to make sure to tell their previous Dr. Jerry 'hi'.

Their children have both chosen medical paths which Jerry was proud to say as well as to point out that they made the decision to pursue the medical field on their own. Allison graduated with her DVM from Texas A&M University and is a practicing veterinarian in McKinney, Texas. Andrew graduated with his MD from University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and is now pursuing his residency in orthopedic surgery in Mobile, Alabama. Jerry was able to see both of them graduate and begin their life paths. He was very proud of them and glad to see that they were pursing their passions.

Jerry loved many things, and had numerous hobbies. He was well known for always having a new book he was listening to, or a new video series he was watching to learn a new skill. Throughout his life, he had a few consistent interests that he always returned to. This included his love for his dogs, fishing with an emphasis on flyfishing, and woodworking which he learned at an early age working with his father, and spending time with his family. He has two dogs that will miss him dearly, Bella (named after his late grandmother, Isabelle) and Duke. In his passing, he has been reunited with his previous dog who was his 4-legged companion whom never left his side, an ever-loyal golden retriever known as Buddy.

Dr. Jerry was hoping to spend more time in his shop when he retired; woodworking and doing other projects and hobbies as the whim took him. He was a deeply creative and pensive man. While Dr. Jerry may not have been able to achieve this goal, his children and family will not let his projects go unfinished, and will take up his tools both physically and metaphorically in his stead. In an attempt to honor and celebrate his memory.

Jerry is survived by his wife Dr. Linda Heflin, daughter Dr. Allison Heflin, son Dr. Andrew Heflin and his wife Dr. Kelcee Heflin, his sister Dr. Juane Heflin, and his mother Kay Heflin, as well as numerous aunts and uncles, cousins, and nieces and nephews. His father, Jearald Duane Heflin Sr., proceeded him in passing on February 5, 2016.

A memorial service is scheduled for Dr. Jerry at 2:00pm on Saturday November 18th at the Stephenville Funeral Home, 120 W. South Loop Stephenville Texas, officiated by Glen Boyd. Which will be followed by Visitation and Celebration of Life at the Graham Street Church of Christ Family Center.

Instead of flowers, the Heflin family asks that donations are made in Dr. Jerry’s memory to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/donations/