Sherman Hemsley funeral date finally set

Lorena Blas, USA TODAY | USATODAY

Nearly four months after his death, actor Sherman Hemsley's funeral is scheduled to take place this week in Texas.

A dispute over his estate delayed his burial. According to the Associated Press, San Jose Funeral Home in El Paso has announced the actor's funeral will be at noon Wednesday at Cielo Vista Church. Burial will follow at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Funeral home officials say the services are open to the public, reports AP.

Hemsley, who became famous as George Jefferson on TV's The Jeffersons, was in the Air Force before turning to acting. He was 74 when he died July 24 of lung cancer.

AP reports that Hemsley's will named his longtime friend Flora Enchinton Bernal as his heir, but that his half-brother from Philadelphia, Richard Thornton, challenged the will.

Earlier this month, a judge in El Paso ruled the will is valid.