Edgar Earl “Shorty” Hanks

Services for Edgar Earl “Shorty” Hanks, 82, of Holly Lake Ranch, Texas are set for noon on Saturday, Aug. 20 at McCurdy Funeral Home in Lockhart. Visitation will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Burial will follow the service at Bunton Cemetery in Dale. He died on Friday evening at the East Texas Medical Center in Tyler.

Edgar Earl Hanks was born March 2, 1934 in Gonzales, the fourth child of James Virgil Hanks, Sr. and Minnie Hopkins Hanks. He graduated from Gonzales High School in 1952 where he played football, basketball, and ran track. He was voted most athletic male athlete his senior year.

Shorty married Laura Ann Quicksall from Kirby in 1958. Laura passed in 1991 and Shorty remarried in 1994 to Olene Lampton Hanks. He worked for the H.B. Zachry Construction Company for 38 years as a superintendent and project manager building power plants in Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico. He retired in 1996.

In his early years Ed was a boxer and never lost a fight, winning an Austin main heavyweight event in 1961. He beat Alejandro Lavorante in sparing rounds who later fought Muhammad Ali for the world championships in July 1962.

Shorty finished the Texas Water Safari, the “World’s Toughest Canoe Race,” three times. The first occurred in 1976 — with a time of 68 hours and 20 minutes — with wife, Laura; and in 1978, again, with Laura, he finished the race in 62 hours and 30 minutes. In his last Texas Water Safari, circa 1986, he became the oldest soloist at 52 to finish in a canoe with a time of 69 hours and 53 minutes.

Ed loved nature, animals, and left behind his beloved dog, Bo. He enjoyed playing music, dancing, watching movies, and playing dominos. On his 80^th birthday he did 80 chin-ups but said “I didn’t do them all at one time.” His biggest weakness was ice cream and he loved Blue Bell strawberry and peach flavors.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents; son, Craig Dean Hanks; wife Laura Hanks; brothers, James Virgil (JV) Hanks, Jr., Kent Hanks, Eugene (Gene) Hanks; and second wife, Olene Lampton Hanks.

Survivors include sons, Clay David Hanks and his wife, Cheryl of College Station and Chet Darwin Hanks and his wife, Amy of Houston; grandchildren, Clayton Hanks, and his wife, Calyste Corrington Hanks of Dallas, Cole Hanks of College Station, Chase, Haley, and Cade Hanks all of Houston; sister, Wanda Hanks Lamprecht and sister-in-laws, Leona Hanks and Patsy Hanks of Gonzales and Peggy Hanks of Humble; many nieces, nephews, other close family and friends; and his special friend, companion, and dance partner, Helen Clayton.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association.