Helen Zant Adcock died peacefully on Jan. 24, 2024, surrounded by family and loved ones. She was 86 years old.
She was born in Midland, on Apr. 20, 1937, to John Bradford Zant and Annie Lee Brunson Zant. She had fond memories of growing up when Midland was still a small town. Although they lived in town, much of her family, including aunts, uncles and cousins, lived at the ranch in Glasscock County, which was started by her grandparents, William Hodge Brunson, and his wife Annie Lee Cook Brunson, who had moved west from Georgia during Reconstruction.
She graduated from Midland High School in 1956 and then attended the University of Texas in Austin. It was there she met Clint Hurt. They were married and had two children, John Clint and Patrick Hurt. Throughout the 1960s and into the 70s they lived in Midland and raised their children there. Helen and Clint eventually parted ways.
She married John Robert Adcock in 1977. They were married until his death in March of 2016. They were well-suited to one another and enjoyed a series of life adventures together for almost 40 years. They started a number of business together, including a restaurant in De Leon, Texas, which was Johnny’s hometown. They traveled extensively around Europe. They drove an RV all over the United States and Canada multiple times. One of her favorite times was spending the entire fall in New England and the Maritime provinces.
The biggest adventure, though, was taking on the challenge of running a ranch. Never strangers to hard work, Helen and Johnny dug in and made their best efforts to improve the pasture conditions and infrastructure of the place. In her journals, Helen often spoke to the fact that she felt she was spread too thin to successfully accomplish everything she wanted to get done at that time, yet she was also accepting that she was doing the best she possibly could. She was a generous person to a fault, and she had a great impact on the lives of many. She lived a life that is worth examination, celebration and emulation. She is predeceased by her husband, John Robert Adcock, and stepson Patrick Rox.
She is survived by her two sons, John Clint Hurt and his wife, June Fouche, of Midland; son Patrick Hurt and his wife, Tia Lustig of New York City; a brother, John Zant and his wife DeEtte; granddaughter Margaret Hover of Midland and her children Mountain and Bob; grandson Alex Hurt and wife Tiffany of Midland and their children Mary Claire and Madison Taylor; grandchildren Adam Lustig, Hana Lustig and Aaron Lustig, of New York City, and Isaac Lustig of Berkeley, CA; two stepdaughters, Darla Nelson and husband Joe, of San Antonio, and their children Rachelle Spenser (Justin) of San Antonio, and Robert Nelson (Jessie) of Cave Creek, Arizona; and Dena Buttenhoff and husband Alan, of Tunnel Hill, Georgia, and their children Gavin Buttenhoff (Sara) of Alpharetta, Georgia, Joshua Buttenhoff of Louisville, Kentucky, and Adrian Becker (Ben) of Anchorage, Alaska; and stepson Tony Rox of Farmers Branch; and numerous great-grandchildren.