Joe Marvin Cheyne, a beloved husband, father, grandfather and greatgrandfather, was born on June 19, 1947, in Jayton, Texas. He passed away peacefully on March 1, 2025, in Waco, Texas. A memorial service to celebrate his life was held Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Grace Gardens Funeral Home in Waco. Family visitation took place prior to the service.
Joe was preceded in death by his cherished parents, JoeandVelmaCheyne; his dear brothers, Biddy, James and Leslie Cheyne; and his great-grandchild, Addilynn Grace Hord.
He leaves behind his devoted wife and best friend, Debra; his loving daughters, Angela Traylor (Jon) and Laura Hord (James); his caring sons, Chris Smith (Shirley) and Joe Mac Cheyne; loving brothers, Keith Cheyne and Ronnie Cheyne; his adored granddaughters, Tasha Haferkamp (Andrew), Meagan Burt (Dennis), Payton Jenkins (Jacob), and Skye Counseller (Matt); his treasured grandsons, Josh Ball, Tyler Fields, JJ Hord (Kayla), BJ Hord (Desiree), Christopher Smith, Matthew Cheyne, Michael Cheyne, Gracen Cheyne, and Lance Counseller; and ten beloved great-grandchildren.
Joe proudly served his country in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1968 as an electronics repairman, Spec 5, for the Signal Corps. Following his honorable discharge, he attended the Abilene Police Academy and became a dedicated patrolman for the Abilene Police Department. He later served as a sergeant for the Snyder Police Department for three years before joining the Scurry County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy, where he worked with unwavering commitment for 17 years until his retirement in 1996. He ended his career as chief deputy and had earned his Master Peace Officer’s certification through TCLOSE. He received his Associate of Applied Science in criminal justice from Western Texas College in 1984, graduating Cum Laude and as a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
Joe’s heart was always with his community, and he spent countless hours volunteering with numerous organizations. He served as the compassionate president of the Kiwanis Club, the chairman of the Snyder Chapter “Goodfellows,” a dedicated board member of the Noah Project, and the president of the Caprock Peace Officers’ Association, where he organized the popular annual rattlesnake rodeo. He was also a faithful member of the July 4th Prayer Breakfast committee for many years. Joe was a member of Colonial Hill Baptist Church in Snyder for many years and traveled on several mission trips. He was a Sunday School teacher and spent a lot of time with the youth group while his children were involved.
After his initial retirement, Joe continued to share his love and dedication by working with Friends for Life, an organization he held close to his heart, serving in various roles during his time there.
After fully retiring, Joe devoted all his time and energy to his beloved great-grandchildren. He cherished every moment spent with them, creating lasting memories and sharing his wisdom and love.
Joe’s legacy of love, service and dedication to his family and community will be forever cherished by all who were blessed to know him. His memory will live on in the hearts of his family and friends, who will always remember his kind spirit and generous heart.
