Zebbie Lee Land

A Memorial Celebration of the Life of Zebbie Land of Memphis, Texas will be held at the First Baptist Church of Memphis on Saturday, January 31 at 1:30 PM with Rev. Randy Land, son and Pastor of First Baptist Church of Brownfield, Rev. Jonathan Land, grandson and Pastor of First Baptist Church of Groom, Dr. O.K. Bowen of Amarillo, Former Pastor of First Baptist Church of Memphis and Daniel Downey, Present Pastor of First Baptist Church of Memphis. Interment will follow at Rowe Cemetery in Hedley, Texas under the direction of Hughs Funeral Home of Memphis. Zebbie was born in Hedley, Texas on October 4, 1925 to L.Z. and Ruth Land. He passed away on Wedneday, January 28, 2009. He served his country in the United States Army during World War II where he served in the Pacific Front. He was a well known restaurateur, caterer, inventor and entrepreneur. He also served as Minister of Music for numerous churches in cities throughout Texas including Marshall, Pampa, Amarillo, Memphis and Liberal, Kansas. Zebbie was most renowned for his famous “Zebbie’s Bar-B-Que” restaurants in Pampa, Perryton, Dumas, Shamrock, Amarillo and Memphis, and catered to events all across the Southwest. He also established “Zebbie’s Inc.” which was famous for his “Zebbie’s Onion Ring Mix” and other batter mixes which won three Gold Medals at the International Food Show in Rome, Italy. They were packaged and sold all across the United States, all Military Commissaries and exported to Japan and the Far East. In the later years of his life he founded, along with younger son, Reg Land, “The Land Company” and “Faux Pauts” located in Memphis and Dallas. There they designed and built finely crafted hand-made, hand-painted furniture. He was a very generous man and truly a servant who lived out the Biblical instruction of Christ in Matthew 25 which states: “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” He found no greater joy than meeting the needs of another person in need. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ruth of Memphis; three sons, Rick Land of Amarillo, Randy Land and wife Candy of Brownfield, and Reg Land of Dallas; daughter-in-Law Jan Bruton Land of Dallas; two grandsons, Randall Zebulon “Zeb” Land and wife Casci of Justin, Texas, Jonathan Land and wife Shelby of Groom, Texas; two great-grandchildren, Cayde Ward and Hadlee Land of Justin, Texas; brother and sister-in-law, John and Lee Bond of Shamrock; two sister-in-laws, Jerrie Land of Clarendon, and Charly Ruth Bond of Prescott, Az.; numerous nieces and nephews, and a whole host of well-fed and satisfied friends, family, church members and customers. Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM on Friday, January 30, 2009 at the funeral home. Memorials may be sent to the First Baptist Church of Memphis, 121 S. 8th Street, Memphis, TX 79245, or the “Stell Scholarship Fund” of the First Baptist Church of Brownfield, 219 West Main Street, Brownfield, TX 79316.