LADELLA SUE SEARS RALEIGH – HEDGER

LaDella Sears Raleigh-Hedger of Granbury passed away on Saturday, February 13, 2021. LaDella was born February 7, 1931 in Durant, Oklahoma to Walter Connelly Sears and Susie M. Sinor Sears. She married her first husband, her high school sweetheart, P. V. Raleigh in 1947 who passed away in 1980. To that union was born 4 children. LaDella married her second husband, Joe Ed Hedger, of Granbury, TX on December 18, 1999, where they made their home until Joe passed away on November 20, 2015. LaDella retired in 1993, after 30 years as an administrator with the El Paso/Ysleta Independent School District. She was a member of the Bible Baptist Church in Granbury where she attended regularly. Her love in life was sing in g gospel music in church. She also sang at weddings and funeral s. She delighted in reaching those high notes like an A or B above Middle C. However, after a triple-by-pass surgery in 2010, she no longer could reach those high notes, which bothered her tremendously. Over time she taught herself how to sing harmony and just kept on singing, in spite of being very short on wind! LaDella was preceded in death by her first husband, P. V. Raleigh in 1980 and her second husband, Joe Ed Hedger in 2015, parents Walter (Walt) and Susie (Suz) Sears, 2 sons, Larry Walter and Ronnie Gene Raleigh, 3 brothers, Robert, Morris and Walter Sears, one sister, Opal Robinson, and 4 nephews. She is survived by son Richard Raleigh Sr. and his wife, Jean Ann Raleigh, of Lake Texoma, daughter Patricia (Trisha) Leonard and her husband Paul,of Krugerville, TX, 11 grandchildren, Kay Raleigh, Carrie Wassam, Richard Raleigh Jr., Larry Raleigh Jr., Shawn Raleigh, Justin Cody Raleigh, Robert Leverett, Stephanie Stonecipher, Stacey Leonard, Lori Jule, Ronnie Raleigh Jr. , 20 great grand-children and 1 great-great grandchild and five (5) nieces, LaJohnna Cronister, Jane Sears, Dolores Goodnight, Judy Cox, Glenda Evans and one step-son Keith Hedger. LaDella was eight (8) when her dad passed away and 14 when her mother passed away, leaving her an orphan at a very young age. After her mother died she lived with a brother in Ft. Worth and began her high school year as a Freshman at Birdville HS in Ft. Worth, and from there, she moved to Pampa, TX to live with another brother and attended high school at White Deer, TX, from there she moved to Caney, OK to live with her sister, Opal. From there her sister and family moved to Savanna, Ok where she attended Savanna HS, where she met her sweetheart and completed the 10th grade. LaDella had a burning desire to finish high school because she had a deep conviction that “Knowledge Is Power” so she just kept plugging along to finish high school, even after she had 4 children! She attended Adult Education classes and received many certificates from the El Paso Public Schools and in the end, she took the GED test and scored with a very high score consequently, that allowed her to enter College at the University Of Texas at El Paso where she earned a 4 point grade average. Funeral services will be held at Bible Baptist Church at 2:00 PM on Monday, February 22, 2021 with visitation from 1:00 PM until service time at the church with Rev. Bryce Vandever officiating. Burial will be at 1:00 PM, Tuesday, February 23, 2021 in Kemp, OK Cemetery with Rev. Roger Spears officiating the burial service. LaDella will be buried by the side of her parents In Kemp, OK where she grew up until her mom passed away. One time when she discussed her burial site, she remarked “now they will never leave me again!” Thanks to all of you who attended her service. She loved every one of you and knowing our mother, she prayed for you every day!