Wise
County Messenger Obituaries |
The following obituaries are in alphabetical
order by last name.
(use the "searcher" on page https://www.wisecountytexas.info/
to find names,
or Control+F to find names in the text below.)
Acklie, Evelyn J. | 1934-2015
Published Saturday, May 9, 2015
Evelyn J. Acklie, 80, of Newark died Tuesday, May 5, 2015, in Decatur.
Service is 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at Cornerstone Church, 607 Pettit Drive, in
Newark with the Revs. Danny Slimp and Doug Acklie officiating.
Evelyn was born July 16, 1934, in Parkersburg, W.Va. She was married to Donald
Acklie Sr. for 39 years, and she retired from Northwest Independent School
District.
Evelyn was a devout Christian at the Cornerstone Church for more than 45 years.
She loved to crochet, knit, bake and sing.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her grandson,
Arthur Marple.
She is survived by her children, Andrew Acklie of Fort Worth, Marie Acklie of
Sansom Park, Kenneth Acklie and wife, Sheryl, of Fort Worth, Donald Acklie Jr.
of Newark and Doug Acklie and wife, Kathy, of Paradise; six grandchildren; five
great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Memorial donations may be made to StJude.org.
Adair, James Ray 'Jimmy' | 1940-2015
Published Saturday, April 4, 2015
James Ray “Jimmy” Adair, 74, of Godley died Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in
Fort Worth.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at Godley Cemetery with Scottie
Brown, a family friend, officiating.
Jimmy was born May 11, 1940, in Cleburne to James Arthur and Mary Frances
Franklin Adair. He married Betty Lee Yater Jan. 17, 2003, in Godley. He was a
cross country commercial truck driver and drove for Missouri Pacific for 28
years, Brown Express for three years, and Jones for two years before retiring.
Jimmy was a member of the Teamsters Local No. 745 since 1963 and the Godley
Methodist Church, which he joined at the age of 9. Jimmy was a loving husband,
great dad (Big Daddy) and avid hunter. He enjoyed sharing stories and was a good
friend to many.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Julie Cloud and Paula Jean
Morrison; and daughter Nicole Michelle Timberman.
Jimmy is survived by his wife, Betty Yater Adair; children Sheryl Jean Adair and
partner, Traci Gilbert, Tamra Fay Stephens, Mark Allan Starnes, Maria Tereasa
Phillips and husband, Jeff, and Alex Rothdeutsch and wife, Diana; and
grandchildren Kyle “Dusty” Stephens Jr., Misty Loffler, Ryan Starnes, Shane
Starnes, Chasen Starnes, Adam Phillips, Amanda Cooper and husband, Brandon,
Emily Griggs and husband Sean, Samantha Michelle Timberman and Dylan Connor
Timberman.
He is also survived by five great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and
many other relatives and friends.
Memorials may be made to Godley United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 267, Godley,
TX 76044.
Online condolences may be written at www.cpcleburne.com.
Adams, Leah Wanda Edsall | 1938-2015
Published Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Leah Wanda Edsall Adams, 76, of Olney died Thursday, March 19, 2015, in Olney.
Graveside service was March 21 at the Edsall Ranch Cemetery in Elbert with Marty
Light, pastor of the Elbert Baptist Church, officiating.
Wanda was born Sept. 15, 1938, in Olney to Arthur Ben and Juanita Forrest
(Condron) Edsall. She was a lifelong resident of the Elbert community and loved
working her ranch. She was a member of the Texas Cattleman’s Association and
the Elbert Baptist Church.
Wanda was preceded in death by her parents; and one son, Jimmy Mack Adams.
She is survived by her daughter, Kim Mercer Newsom of Fort Worth; sister Judy
Edsall McClymont and husband, Steve, of Elbert; granddaughter Madeline Mercer
Jobe and husband, Cody, of Bridgeport; grandson Ben Stelter of Plainview; and
great-grandchildren Cason and Caden Jobe.
Memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.lunnfuneralhome.com.
Adams, Margie 'Inez' | 1936-2015
Published Saturday, May 9, 2015
Margie “Inez” Adams, 78, died Wednesday, May 6, 2015, in Bowie.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Monday, May 11, at the First Baptist Church of Sunset. Burial
will follow at Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 10, at White Family Funeral Home in Bowie.
Inez was born July 5, 1936, in Bonita to Albert “A.R.” and Goldie Hatfield.
She graduated from Henrietta High School in 1954 and married Odous Adams June 5,
1954, in Bowie.
In 1962, they opened Adams Greenhouse and Fruit Stand in Bowie until they
retired in 2013. In 2013, Adams received recognition for her years of hard work
in the agriculture industry through the Enduring Women Exhibit at the Bob
Bullock State museum in Austin. She was honored, along with 24 other women from
around Texas, by having her life story recorded, photographed and displayed
during a month-long exhibit at the museum.
In February of 2013, Adams traveled to Austin where she attended a special
preview of the exhibit with several family members. She enjoyed gardening.
Inez is survived by her husband, Odous Adams; daughters Vicki McDaniel and
husband, Larry, of Bowie, Velda Bates and husband, Allen, of Decatur and Vonda
Hood and husband, Len, of Sunset; 12 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren;
brothers Jimmy Hatfield of Bowie and Willie Hatfield of Nocona; sisters Helen
Harris of Wichita Falls, Jeraldine Maddox of Henrietta and Patsy Curtright of
Apache, Okla.; and nieces and nephews.
Adams, Roy Lee | 1945-2015
Published Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Roy Lee Adams, 70, of Newark, died Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015.
Memorial service is 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Eagle Mountain International
Church, 14355 Morris Dido Road.
Roy was born to the late Claude “Hop” and Juanita Adams. From an early age,
he was raised by his mother and stepfather, Russell R. Yocham. Roy married
Eudora “Dory” Pettit Dec. 26, 1964, in Rankin. He was a devoted Christian
who never met a stranger. He loved hunting, fishing, his family and doing for
others.
Roy was preceded in death by his parents and stepfather.
He is survived by his wife, Dory; children Kimberly C. Lytle and husband,
George, Kristy L. Baker and husband, Ron, and Roy Adams Jr. and wife, Katrina;
brothers Claude H. Adams and wife, Brenda, and Walter “Randy” Yocham and
wife, Alpha; sister Evelyn J. Smith and husband, Tony; 10 grandchildren; one
great-grandchild; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorials may be made to the American Center for Law and Justice or the National
Rifle Association.
Adcock, Ned E. | 1933-2015
Published Saturday, October 17, 2015
Ned E. Adcock, 82, of Aurora died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015, in Aurora.
Funeral is 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Aurora Baptist Church with the Rev.
Jimmy Withers officiating. Burial is at Aurora Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Brent Stone, Donny Worthington, Kyle Copp, Steve Soloman, Gary
Lambert and Kevin Howard.
Honorary pallbearers are Tony Dickey, Robert Pitts, Joe Smith, Jack Smith and Bo
Jennings.
Ned was born Jan. 10, 1933, in Monroe, Ga., to Claude and Stella (Whitley)
Adcock. He married June Jennings Sept. 13, 1957, in Wichita Falls. Ned served
his country in the U.S. Air Force. He retired from Bell Helicopter as an
assembler.
Ned was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Ralph, Roy, Lamar, Mell and
James Adcock; and his sisters, Sarah Heggwood and Sue Drucker.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, June Jennings Adcock of Aurora; son Brad
Adcock and wife, Tammy, of Newark; daughter Robin Adcock of Saginaw;
grandchildren Jasmyn Simpson, Hannah Adcock and Halyn Adcock; great-grandchild
Alexa Simpson-Thomas; and other family members and friends.
Aghili, Mehran | 1959-2015
Published Saturday, July 11, 2015
Mehran Aghili, 56, of Aurora died Friday, June 26, in a Fort Worth hospital.
Memorial service is 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at the Vernon Solomon
Performing Arts Center at Northwest High School.
Mehran was executive director of construction for Northwest ISD and guided the
district through a period of growth as he managed more than $800 million in bond
programs during his career. He also oversaw the construction of 14 new campuses
for NISD, including the latest, V.R. Eaton High School.
During his 14 years with NISD, he served on numerous committees volunteering
countless hours of his personal time to ensure the needs of students and staff
were met on time. Mehran’s caring and dedicated manner reached well beyond the
boundaries of the district campuses as he created long-lasting and trusting
relationships with mayors, city officials and community members from many of the
Northwest ISD cities and townships.
Mehran is survived by his wife, Rosa; and daughter, Leila.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice or to the Crystal Leila
Aghili College Fund, Wells Fargo account 2158485827.
Albert, Sueann Joy | 1953-2015
Published Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Sueann Joy Albert, 61, of Decatur died Wednesday, May 27, 2015, in Decatur.
Memorial is 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 6, at the family home, 2916 N. U.S.
81/287, in Decatur.
Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Sueann was born Nov. 16, 1953, in Tiverton, R.I., to Rene and Olive (Manchester)
Fonseca. She married John Albert Jan. 1, 1983, in Tiverton. Sueann was a sweet,
loving, devoted wife and mother. She was disabled,
Sueann was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband of 32 years, John Albert of Decatur; daughter
Chrystal Fonseca of Decatur; granddaughter Amber Lynn Robertson of Decatur; and
many friends.
Allred, James | 1927-2015
Published Saturday, February 14, 2015
James Allred, 87, a retired pipeliner and member of Local 178 of the
International Union of Operating Engineers, died Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015.
Graveside service was Friday in Grapevine Cemetery. Visitation was from 6 to 8
p.m. Thursday at Lucas Funeral Home in Grapevine.
James was born Dec. 19, 1927, in Decatur to George and Ethyl Allred. He married
Emogene Dickerson and they spent 72 wonderful years together. James was a
pipeliner for many years and was known as one of the best. To his grandchildren,
he was known as “Doodle.”
James loved going out to eat at the Golden Corral and he was known for saying,
“You can pitch ’til you win there.”
He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Ethyl Allred; and a brother,
Brody Allred.
Survivors include his loving wife, Emogene Allred; daughter Shirley Long and
husband, Harriel; grandchildren, Keith Long and wife, Paula, and Kurt Long and
wife, Michelle; great-grandchildren, Delani Long, Chase Long, Lexi Long and Cody
Long; and brother, J.R. Allred.
Alverson, Alan 'Lance' | 1969-2015
Published Saturday, February 7, 2015
Alan “Lance” Alverson, 45, of Granbury, formerly of Alvord, died Wednesday,
Jan. 28, 2015.
Funeral was Feb. 4 at Lucas Funeral Home in Fort Worth with burial at Mount
Olivet Cemetery.
Lance was born Feb. 25, 1969, in Fort Worth to Ken and Patsy Alverson. He
attended Eastern Hills High School 1984-1986. Lance loved his job as a truck
driver and enjoyed sharing his daily “My View From Work” pictures and posts
with his Facebook family and friends.
He was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan his entire life, and he also loved the
great outdoors, enjoying fishing and camping. He loved music of all kinds, from
Metallica to Neil Diamond. Lance loved the Lord with all his heart and openly
shared his faith with everyone he encountered. He was often eager to pray for
anyone he felt was in need of or was asking for prayer.
Lance was loved by many people and will be greatly missed.
He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Dean Alverson; his maternal and
paternal grandparents; and his best friend, Jojo.
He is survived by his wife, Shari Alverson; daughter Ciera Alverson Rog and
husband, Joseph; parents Henry and Patsy Cowan; stepmother Vet Alverson;
grandchildren Gavin, Kenna and Ryleigh Jo; brothers Dean, Chris and Tommy;
sisters Valerie, Wendy, Tami and Sherri; and many aunts, uncles, nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends.
Amos, Mary Jo | 1923-2015
Published Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Mary Jo Amos, 92 of Denton died Thursday, March 26, 2015, at her home.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home, 705 N. Locust,
in Denton with the Rev. Buddy Owens officiating. Burial will follow at Cooper
Creek Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Mary Jo was born Feb. 5, 1923, in Decatur to Walter Ben and Lavenia Bell
(Worley) Watkins. She married George Denver Amos Dec. 25, 1941, in Wichita
Falls, and he preceded her in death Jan. 1, 1993.
Mary Jo was a graduate of Decatur High School, Decatur Baptist Junior College
and Howard Payne College. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Denton
and was a Sunday School teacher for many years. She was a member of the Dorcas
class.
Mary Jo is survived by daughters Karen Amos Heenan and husband, Patrick, of
Winthrop, Wash., and Virginia Ruth Sanderson and husband, Robert, of Mesquite;
sons Paul Denver Amos and wife, Della, of Vancouver, Wash., David Carroll Amos
and wife, Susan, of Denton and Steven Wayne Amos of Denton; 11 grandchildren;
and 13 great-grandchildren.
Online condolences may be left at www.mulkeymasondenton.com.
Anderson, Marlene Jo | 1931-2015
Published Saturday, November 28, 2015
Marlene Jo Anderson, 84, of Decatur, died Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Decatur.
No service will be held.
Marlene was born July 17, 1931, in Lincoln, Neb., to Howard and Helen (Olson)
Kelly. She married Thomas W. Anderson Dec. 30, 1974, in Durant, Okla. Marlene
received her associate’s degree from Baylor School of Nursing in Dallas.
She was a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution, Umpqua Chapter in
Roseburg, Ore., and Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter 543 in Decatur. Marlene
was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Decatur.
She was preceded in death by her parents; son Patrick McDaniel; and sister Judy
Pope.
She is survived by her husband of 40 years, Tom Anderson of Decatur; brother
James Kelly and wife, Vel, of Mili Lani, Hawaii; daughter Shawna McDaniel of
West Springfield, Mass.; stepchildren Diane Castillo and husband, Bruce, of
Missouri City, Wayne Anderson and wife, Lucy, of Yorkville, Ill., and Danna
Perry and husband, Scott, of Laguna Niguel, Calif.; seven grandchildren; one
great-grandchild; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association-North Central Texas
Chapter, 2630 W. Freeway, Ste. 100, Fort Worth, TX, 76102-7117.
Anderson, Paul Ed | 1962-2015
Published Saturday, June 27, 2015
Paul Ed Anderson, 52, of Decatur died Thursday, June 25, 2015, in Denton.
Funeral service is 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2015 at Faith Baptist Church in
Decatur with burial in Oaklawn Cemetery. Rev Jerry Miller will be officiating.
Family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home.
Anderson was born July 7, 1962 to Charley and Ima (Albritton) Anderson in
Decatur.
He married LaDawn Stevens on March 19, 1988, in Runaway Bay. He was a loving,
loyal father and husband. He had a passion for sports, western movies and
history, sporting clays, and cracking jokes with his dry sense of humor. He was
a Wise County local and friendly with all. By being selfless and helping anyone
in need, he was loved and will be missed deeply by all.
Anderson was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, LaDawn Anderson of Decatur; two
daughters, Stephanie Anderson of Laramie, Wyo., and Jessica Anderson of Leander;
son, Bradley Anderson of Decatur; two brothers, Larry Moore and wife Lydia of
Perrin, and Robert Anderson of Decatur; three sisters, Shella Ford and husband
Tommy of Azle, Sherry Gentry and husband Gary of Decatur, and Lisa Jackson and
husband Tony of Decatur; numerous nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.
Anerson, Dortha Lee Shaw | 1921-2015
Published Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Dortha Lee Shaw Anderson, 94, of Decatur died Sunday, May 31, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur
with the Rev. Gary Demmitt officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Grove No.
1 Cemetery.
Pallbearers are her nephews: Jeff Shaw, Ronnie Shaw, Scooter Shaw, Barry Shaw,
Monte Shaw and James Stutt.
Dortha was born March 14, 1921, in Childress to C.O. and Vena (Brown) Shaw. She
married Edd Anderson June 18, 1938, in Decatur. She was a homemaker and worked
at Lorch-Westway factory. Dortha was a good cook, noted for her cakes. She has
lived at The Hills in Decatur for the past eight years. Dortha was a Baptist,
attending New Salem, Mount Zion and Calvary churches most of her life.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Edd Anderson; brothers
Jack Shaw, Pete Shaw, Jiggs Shaw, Popeye Shaw, Buck Shaw, Bull Shaw, John Shaw
and Butch Shaw; sisters Frankie Limburg, Lou Collins and Linda Russell.
Dortha is survived by her children, Eddie Anderson and wife, Patricia, of El
Dorado, Ark., Curtis Anderson and wife, Margaret, of Decatur, Sam Anderson and
wife, Peggy, of Kerens and Nancy Abrams and husband, Gary, of Shreveport, La.
She is also survived by grandchildren Christy England and husband, Brad, Darrin
Anderson and wife, Alicia, Jennifer Terrell and husband, Steven, Jacquelyn
Anderson and fianc , Tim Meyer, Ike Anderson and wife, Heather, James Johnson
and wife, Shannon, Carson Abrams and Sarah Abrams; 10 great-grandchildren; her
sisters-in-law, Marcella, Margie, Maxine and Opal Shaw, and Peggy Anderson; and
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Armstrong, Wade E. | 1927-2015
Published Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Wade E. Armstrong, 88, of Bridgeport, died Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the Cottondale Baptist Church in
Cottondale with Charles Pugh officiating. Burial will follow at Cottondale
Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Scott Carpenter, Brent Carpenter, Blake Carman, Daniel Adams,
Blake Hensley and Noah Layne.
Wade was born Nov. 22, 1927, in Chanute, Kan., to Paul and Hazel (Wade)
Armstrong. He married Mary Nell Stanley March 3, 1951, in Lovington, N.M. Wade
worked for Mitchell Energy and SIE until his retirement, then followed his hobby
of woodworking at the lumber yard for 20 years. He was a retired master
electrician and woodworker.
Wade was a member of the Friendship Baptist Church in Boyd. He proudly served
his country in the United States Navy.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 49 years, Mary Nell
Armstrong; and his sisters, Barbara Webb and Janet Knapp.
Wade is survived by his son, Neil Armstrong and wife, Janet, of Bridgeport;
daughter Marsha Carpenter and husband, Deaun, of Bridgeport; grandchildren Scott
Carpenter and wife, Pauline, of Saginaw, Brent Carpenter and wife, Misty, of
Saginaw and Alyssa Carman and husband, Blake, of Allen; great-grandchildren
Victoria Lopez, Ryan Carpenter, Dawson Carpenter, Summer Guerin, Sydney
Carpenter, Owen Carpenter, Pierce Carman and Brooks Carman; and other family
members and friends.
Arrington, Jimmy | 1944-2015
Published Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Jimmy Arrington, 70, of Bromide, Okla., died Friday, March 6, 2015, in Bonham.
Funeral was March 10 at Assembly of God Church in Rhome with the Rev. Rick
Stokes officiating. Burial followed at Aurora Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Roger Lewis, Larry Lewis, Wesley Romine, Mark Romine and
Clayborne Young. Honorary pallbearers were Billy Wilson, Wayne Young and Paul
Arrington.
Jimmy was born Sept. 30, 1944, in Decatur to Ross and Minnie (Young) Arrington.
He married Mari Ritton March 7, 1993, in Loveland, Colo., and was a proud
veteran of the United States Navy. Jimmy was a past employee of Bell Helicopter
and Farm Bureau Insurance Co. and a member of the Assembly of God Church.
Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother, Tommy Arrington.
He is survived by his wife, Mari Arrington of Bromide; son Aaron Arrington and
wife, Penny, of North Richland Hills; daughter Jana Labonte and husband, Ron, of
Colorado; grandchildren Joshua Arrington, Ashley Arrington, Madison Arrington
and Mackenzie Arrington and Meagan Hatfield and husband, Chris;
great-grandchildren Kinley and Mason Hatfield; sister Billy Romine and husband,
Oscar, of Rhome; sister-in-law Nancy Arrington of Rhome; and other family
members and friends.
Askey, Betty Jo Caraway | 1932-2015
Published Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Betty Jo Caraway Askey, 82, of Decatur died Thursday, March 5, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service was March 10 at Sweetwater Cemetery with Dr. Van Gardner
officiating.
Betty was born March 30, 1932, to Morgan and Gracie (Smirl) Shurbet in Crafton.
She was a homemaker.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, James Caraway, James
Dunlap, and Douglas Askey; two sisters; five brothers; granddaughter Sally
Longoria; and great-grandson Xander Whitehead.
She is survived by daughters Barbara Ford and husband, Jim, of Springtown, Judy
Strange and husband, Alvin, of Decatur, and Lisa Workman and husband, Terry, of
Chico; sons Ricky Caraway and wife, Laurie, of Eighty Four, Penn., Billy Caraway
and wife, Donna, of Decatur, and Kelly Caraway and wife, Cristy, of Paradise; 13
grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and
friends.
Bailey, Berniece Wells | 1920-2015
Published Saturday, August 8, 2015
Berniece Wells Bailey, 95, of Chico, formerly of Grapevine, died Tuesday, Aug.
4, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Morris Memorial Methodist Church in
Chico with the Revs. Paul Widicus and Mike Miller officiating. Burial will
follow at 2 p.m. at Grapevine Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Larry Mader, Terry Hand, Doug Bowyer, Embry Hines, Toby Sides,
Mark Knox and Dusty Sides. Honorary pallbearers are Laura Coble, Janice Smith,
Janet Terrell, Rhonda Richey, Mercy Stanfield, Cristy Self, Les Bankhead,
Rebecca Blanton, Paul Reasoner, Kelli Dethloff, Shelly Prost and Denise
Ellington.
Berniece was born Feb. 6, 1920, in Coppell to Jesse and Llora (Lindsay) Daniel.
She married James Marvin Wells Dec. 23, 1939, and Elbert (Boose) Bailey Dec. 16,
1961.
Berniece accepted Christ at an early age and served him all of her life. She was
a Sunday school teacher and served as choir director for 22 years. She held
several offices in the Methodist church and served as youth director in the
’60s. Berniece was a member of Eastern Star and served as Worthy Matron. She
was a lifetime member of Women’s Society of Christian Service.
Berniece was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 and Outstanding
Community Service of the Chico Children’s Clothing Fund 1970-2000. She served
as the Chico Chamber of Commerce director 1979-1980. Berniece received the
Lifetime Service Award for the Chico Chamber of Commerce in 1998, and she was a
founding member of the Senior Citizens Center of Chico.
Berniece was owner and vice president of First State Bank of Chico and served on
the board of directors for 26 years until her retirement.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, James Wells; her
second husband, Elbert Bailey; son Harold Marvin Wells; sister Thelma Conine;
brothers Grady, Marshall, Roy and J.B.; and granddaughter Teresa Williams.
Berniece is survived by her son, Danny Wells and wife, Mononette; daughter Cyd
Bailey; daughter-in-law Dorothy Wells; grandsons James Wells and wife, Amanda,
and Frank Oravetz; granddaughters Llora Jones and husband, Ben, and Marla
Erickson and husband, Danny; special friend and caregiver, Carandy Guinn;
great-grandsons Kristopher, Eric, Justin and Donny; great-granddaughters
Heather, Makenzi, Hannah, Zoe and Lindsey; five great-great-grandchildren; and
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to Morris Memorial Methodist Church in Chico,
940-644-5186, or the Chico Senior Citizens Center, 940-644-5453.
Bailey, Bobbie Joe | 1932-2014
Published Saturday, January 3, 2015
Bobbie Joe Bailey, 82, a machinist, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Decatur.
No services are planned at this time.
Bobbie was born Nov. 10, 1932, in Axtell to Jimmie and Clyde (Dewberry) Bailey.
He served his country in the U.S. Air Force, receiving two medals – the
National Defense Service and Good Conduct.
He is survived by his son, Bobbie Bailey Jr. of Fort Worth; daughter Lois
Baughman and husband, Franklin, of Emory; grandchildren Carri, Kenny, Michelle
and Jennifer; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Bailey, Forrest Lee | 1923-2015
Published Saturday, July 18, 2015
Forrest Lee Bailey, 91, of Keeter died Saturday, July 11, 2015.
Graveside service was July 17 at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park.
Forrest was born Dec. 17, 1923, in Colleyville to Earl Wesley and Kate Sparger
Bailey. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he married Dorothy Louise
Amyett of Fort Worth May 3, 1947.
They moved in 1950 to the area west of Grapevine, now Southlake, where they
lived until 1997 when they moved to their new home in Keeter. Forrest worked 35
years at Rector Well Equipment in Fort Worth, advancing to general foreman
before he retired.
He was a lifelong member of Pleasant Hill Advent Christian Church in Southlake.
In the community, he was known by many names: Skeeter, Skeezix, Slim, Forrest
and F.L. He was also known as a generous farmer, tireless rancher and an expert
tractor mechanic.
Forrest is survived by his wife of 68 years, Dorothy; son Gaylon Bailey of
Southlake; daughters Donna Bailey Robinson of Southlake and Paula Bailey Egger
(Douglas) of Keeter; grandchildren Jacy Bailey Zegowitz of Crofton, Md., Justin
Robinson of Keller, Colin Bailey of Southlake, Randi Egger Leatherwood of
Grapevine and Valerie Egger Lavalley of Keller; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Bailey, Richard Jennings, Sr. | 1941-2015
Published Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Richard Jennings Bailey Sr., 73, of Beebe died Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, at
Advanced Care Hospital in Searcy, Ark.
Graveside service is 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Cottondale Cemetery in
Paradise.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in
Boyd.
Richard was born Oct. 24, 1941, in Higginson, Ark., to the late Wade and Josie
Bailey.
In addition to his parents, Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra
Lee Bailey; brothers Neland E. Bailey and Wade Bailey Jr.; sister Geraldine
James; and brothers in-law Loran James and Burl Southard.
He is survived by his wife, Earline Bailey; sons Richard Jr. and wife, Dana,
Dennis and wife, Carole, Dewey and wife, Kristi, and Chris; 11 grandchildren;
four great-grandchildren; sister Evelyn Southard; seven nieces; two nephews;
three stepsons; seven step-grandchildren; and other family members and friends.
Baird, Clifford R., Jr. | 1934-2015
Published Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Clifford R. Baird Jr., 81, of Blanco died Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, after a long
struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
Memorial service is 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Blanco United Methodist
Church. A gathering of friends and family will follow in the fellowship hall.
Cliff was born Feb. 19, 1934, at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. His father was
in the Air Force, and the family moved a great deal.
Cliff went to many different schools, graduating from Savannah High School in
Savannah, Ga. He enlisted in the Air Force, and while in basic training at
Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, met and soon thereafter married June
Byler. They celebrated 62 years of marriage.
Cliff was a Korean War veteran and was stationed in Japan, as well as several
state-side bases. He left the Air Force honorably as a disabled veteran, and in
1964 he moved his family, which now included three children, to Boyd.
Cliff then worked for the U.S. Postal Service for eight years and ran a
substantial farm with registered pigs, large gardens and fruit trees. He
volunteered as a Boy Scout leader and also as the Methodist youth fellowship
leader. He loved to coach Little League and Pony League baseball.
In 1980, with all of his children grown, he and June moved to her hometown of
Blanco. He enjoyed his life there, with time spent fishing, dancing, traveling
the world, gardening and practicing carpentry.
Cliff built two of his family’s homes. He volunteered at the Blanco EMS and
was a member of the Blanco United Methodist Church.
Cliff was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford R. Baird Sr. and Effie
Derbonne Baird.
He is survived by his wife, June Byler Baird; brother Bill Baird; sons David
Baird and wife, Becky, and Rusty Baird and wife, Brenda; daughter Janett Baird
Goad and husband, Bobby; grandchildren David Baird, Brian Baird, Candace Baird
Craig, Caleb Baird and Casey Baird.
He is also survived by nine great-grandchildren and four
great-great-grandchildren. He also has many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends
and neighbors that will miss him.
Memorial donations may be made to the USO, P.O. Box 96860, Washington, DC
20077-7677 or to the Wounded Warrior Project, National Processing Center, P.O.
Box 758516, Topeka, KA 66675-8516.
Barnes, Lenda Charleene | 1947-2015
Published Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Lenda Charleene Barnes, 68, of Alvord died Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, in Alvord
surrounded by her family.
Funeral is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the First Baptist Church in Alvord
with the Rev. Bill Cleveland officiating. Burial will follow at Chico Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Matthew Hatzenbihler, Eric Hatzenbihler, Colton Niblett, Cruz
Niblett, Daniel Kaps and Huston Myers.
Lenda was born June 26, 1947, in Paducah to James and Mamie (Farmer) Isaacs. She
was raised by her mother and stepfather, Claude Mitchell. Lenda married Bob
Allen Barnes Sept. 2, 1966, in Sherman. She was an administration manager for
more than 20 years for Improved Petroleum Recovery in Los Colinas.
Lenda was a member of the First Baptist Church in Alvord and multiple
associations, including the Wise County Quilting Guild and the Order of Eastern
Star, Past Worthy Matron, Chapter No. 777, in Irving.
She was preceded in death by her parents and sister.
Lenda is survived by her husband of 49 years, Bob Barnes of Alvord; daughter
Leia Hatzenbihler and husband, Brian, of Alvord; son Michael Barnes and wife,
Jennifer, of Trophy Club; grandsons Matthew Hatzenbihler and Eric Hatzenbihler,
both of Alvord; granddaughters Ashley Hatzenbihler of Milwaukee, Wis., Michaela
Barnes of Trophy Club and Lauren Barnes of Trophy Club; and numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends.
Bays, Dennis Lee | 1951-2015
Published Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Dennis Lee Bays, 64, of Fort Worth, died Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, in Fort Worth.
Dennis was a welder for Fort Worth Steel.
Dennis will be laid to rest in West Bridgeport Cemetery in Bridgeport.
He is survived by his mother, Olamae Bays of Fort Worth; and brother Danny Bays
and wife, Cathy, of Burleson.
Beebe, Leslie G. | 1945-2015
Published Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Leslie G. Beebe, 69, of Runaway Bay died Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, in Fort
Worth.
Memorial service is 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Community Church in Decatur
with Pastor John Redfearn officiating.
Les was born Oct. 12, 1945, in Coldwater, Mich., to Frank and Jane (Graham)
Beebe. He served his country in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. On July 11, 1969,
he married Yvonne Brown, and the couple raised six children.
Les was a driver for James Wood Motors. He loved his grandchildren and riding
motorcycles. He was a member of the Community Church in Decatur.
Les was preceded in death by his parents and brother Willard Beebe.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Yvonne (Brown) Beebe; sons Paul Potter,
Mark Beebe and Christian Beebe; daughters Roberta Almeida, Peggy Morris and
Cheri Fowler; and sisters Wilma Gibson, Judy Moyers, Janet Weicht and Sandy
Whitz.
He is also survived by grandchildren Garrett, Jordan and Jason Musser, Andrea
Evans, Kory Morris, Leslie Roberts, Olivia Randon, Matthew Roberts, Mild
Roberts, Ashley Beebe, Samantha Beebe, C.J Beebe; and great-grandchildren Landon
Musser, Sekora Beebe, Mason Beebe, Madison and Mikailia Roberts, Holden, Ellora
and Ryce Rounds Hannah Musser, Riley Musser, Blayke Musser, Aria Evans, Aniyah
Evans, Rain Randon, Twister Randon, Shiloh and Levi Beecham.
Belew, Adela Elizabeth | 1923-2015
Published Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Adela Elizabeth Belew, 92, of Decatur, died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in Decatur.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in
Decatur with David Singleton officiating.
Adela was born Nov. 4, 1923, in Norfolk, Va., to Eggert and Elizabeth (Bauso)
Behncken Sr. She married Ralph Belew Aug. 3, 1961, in Elizabeth City, N.C. Adela
was a Catholic and a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband.
Adela is survived by her son, Paul Belew of Decatur; grandson Zachary Belew of
Decatur; daughter-in-law Marilyn Belew of Decatur; sister Helen Machen and
nieces Cherry Machen and Cindy Machen, all of Roanoke, Va.; and friends.
Beneke, Robert George | 1931-2015
Published Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Robert George Beneke, 84, died Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015.
Memorial service was Sept. 14 at the First United Methodist Church in
Bridgeport.
Bob was the third child born to Albert Christian and Ethel Quirein Beneke. He
grew up on Long Island, N.Y. At 18, Bob joined the United States Air Force and
was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base as a supply sergeant. In 1952, he
married Marjorie Heighten of Graham.
After being honorably discharged, the couple and their first child, Kaye, and
moved back to New York where he joined his father’s company as a public
insurance adjuster.
In 1957, Bob moved the family, which now included a son, Jim, to Richardson. He
worked as a company adjuster for Floyd West and Co. In 1965, Bob founded R.G.
Beneke and Co., the first public insurance adjusting company in the Southwest.
The company enjoyed a national reputation for excellence and integrity.
Bob was a tenured member of the National Association of Public Insurance
Adjusters and a founding member of its Texas affiliate. In the 1960s, Bob served
as a deacon and treasurer for the Crestview Baptist Church of Richardson and
president of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra board of directors.
In September 1976, Bob married Joanne Shanks Hodges of Bridgeport. They worked
together to manage and grow the building and property development business, Glen
Central Properties.
In 1985, Bob initiated a collaborative effort with the nation’s elite public
adjusting firms to form what is now known as Adjusters International.
Bob is survived by his wife, Joanne and a loving, blended family: Kaye Beneke,
Jim Beneke and wife, Janet, Traci Hodges Milliner and husband, Riley, and Kelli
Hodges. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Blair Beneke, LauraLea Terlaak
and husband, Parker, Jennifer Bingham and husband, Brad, Hailey Bohanan, Joel
Hodges, Lori Milliner, and Mike Moody.
Bob delighted in great-grandchildren Liam Bohanan, Emily Bingham and Shiner
Moody. He is also survived by his sister, Evelyn McCaffrey; and numerous nieces,
nephews and their families.
Bob’s brother, Al Beneke, preceded him in death.
Memorial donations may be made to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, St. Jude’s
Children’s Hospital or the charity of your choice.
Bennett, Terresa Mae | 1951-2015
Published Saturday, July 11, 2015
Terresa Mae Bennett, 63, of Bridgeport died Saturday, July 4, 2015, in Fort
Worth.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Terresa was born Dec. 5, 1951, in Fort Hood to William Alfred and Billie Jean
(Kerlin) Harmon. She married David Bennett in Las Vegas. Terresa was a
caregiver.
She was preceded in death by her father, William Alfred Harmon; husband David
Bennett; and sister Vickey Towns.
She’s survived by her mother, Billie Jean Harmon of Fontana, Calif.; sisters
Gwendolyn Gilday of Bridgeport and Billie Lynett Turner of Fontana; and numerous
nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Bible, Esther Oliver | 1922-2015
Published Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Esther Oliver Bible, 93, of Decatur died Saturday, July 11, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 1 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at the First Baptist Church in Decatur with
the Revs. B.J. Thomas and C.D. Lockhart officiating. Burial will follow at
Oaklawn Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Pallbearers are Michael Moten II, Daren Gabriel Jr., Dustyn Bible, Dean Bible
Jr., Desmon Bible, Brandon Case, De’Andre Kelley and Rodamond Moten.
Honorary pallbearers are Dalane Bible, Dean Bible, Kenneth Gabriel, Keith
Gabriel, Joe Bible Jr., Anson Bible, Kenneth Bible, Billy Bible, Donnie Bible,
Quenton Dawson, Henry Sims Jr., Lendrick Sims, J.C. Bible, Courtney Durhan,
Chris Shepperd, Kerry Avant, Anthony Stephens II, Trevin Stephens, Jeremaine
Stephens and Jeremy Stephens.
Esther was born March 14, 1922, in Crawford to Benjamin Franklin and Anna Bell
(Sinty) Oliver, the couple’s last child and only daughter. She attended
elementary school in Crawford and in 1971, she studied and received her GED at
Weatherford College.
Esther married Charles Bible Sr. Oct. 30, 1937, in Meridian, and they shared 70
years together. They had six children, and she was also a motherly influence to
a loving stepson. At an early age, she professed faith in Christ at Clifton
Cumberland Presbyterian Church under the pastorage of the Rev. D.A. Berkley.
Esther served in the missionary department, choir and any other duties as
needed.
She was a member of St. John Baptist Church after relocating to Decatur under
the pastorage of the Rev. Eugene Florence. She continued her membership at St.
John under the leadership of the Revs. B.J. Thomas and C.D. Lockhart.
Esther worked at Darwin Hospital as a cook and caregiver to many. She was voted
“Mother of St. John” in 2007 and was mission president, choir member and
faithful servant until her health began to decline.
Esther also maintained her active involvement in the Brazos River Presbyterian
Church. She was a member of the Eastern Star and member of the Decatur Garden
Club.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles A. Bible Sr. in 2008; her
parents; and her brothers and their spouses, Bennie and Josephine Oliver, Henry
and Ruthie Oliver, Joseph and Faye Oliver and Clodis and Willie Mae Oliver. Also
preceding her death were sons Charles A. Bible Jr. and Jonathan “Joe” Bible;
grandsons James “Jamie” Bible and Nolan Bible; granddaughters Latanya Sims
and Jo-Ann Bible Hall; two great-granddaughters; two great-grandsons.
Esther is survived by her daughters, Wilmer Jean McWilliams and husband, Alfred,
of Locust Grove, Ga., Bonnie Bible of Arlington, Martha Sue Bible of Decatur and
Anna Juno Bible of Houston; son Johnathan S. Bible and wife, Betty, of Mexia;
daughters-in-law L. Jean Bible of Decatur and Barbara Bible of Waco; 38
grandchildren; 94 great-grandchildren; 83 great-great-grandchildren; honorary
family members, Robert and Lorna Grant of Florida; and many nieces, nephews,
cousins and friends.
Bingham, Kenneth Eugene | 1928-2015
Published Saturday, June 13, 2015
Kenneth Eugene Bingham, 86, of Vernon died Tuesday, June 9, in Oklahoma City.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, at the First Assembly of God Church in
Vernon with the Rev. Gary Butler of Gospel Lighthouse Church in Anadarko, Okla.,
and the Rev. Brian Pounds of First Assembly of God Church in Vernon,
officiating. Burial will follow at Bell Cemetery under the direction of Sullivan
Funeral Home in Vernon. Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 15, at the
funeral home, 1801 Houston St., in Vernon.
Pallbearers are Greg Butler, Ryan Stevens, Gabriel Thrasher, Chance Wilson, Ken
Mowery and Jerry Don Bray.
Bingham was born Oct. 7, 1928, on the Bingham Farm in Odell to Grady Eugene and
Thelma Hulete Killett Bingham. He married Eva Letha Riddle Dec. 26, 1947, at the
Odell Methodist Church in Odell.
Bingham, a minister since 1951, attended Bible College in Waxahachie in 1952. He
began ministry as an evangelist in 1955, and he pastored Crowell Assembly of God
Church from 1956 to 1964. He pastored the Assembly of God Church in Anadarko
from 1964 to 1975.
In 1975, Bingham established Gospel Lighthouse Church in Anadarko and pastored
there until his retirement in 1995. He then moved back to the Bingham family
farm where he lived until 2008 when he moved to Vernon. He was a member of First
Assembly of God Church in Vernon.
He is survived by sons Clyde Bingham and wife, Sue, of Chickasha, Okla., and
Allen Bingham and wife, Judy, of Decatur; daughter Loretta Butler and husband,
Gary, of Anadarko; sister Lola Jolene Adams of Decatur; grandchildren Michelle
Stevens, Greg Butler, Sara Thrasher, Emily Wilson, Bridget Morris and Rebekah
Bray; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Gospel Lighthouse Church in Anadarko and First Assembly
of God Church in Vernon.
Bishop, William Earl | 1948-2015
Published Wednesday, November 11, 2015
William Earl Bishop, 67, of Decatur, died Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Corinth.
Graveside service was Nov. 10 at Bethel Cemetery in Decatur with Jack Watson
officiating.
Pallbearers were Joe Watson, Shaun Swindell, Weldon Taylor, Alvin Taylor, Tommy
Bishop and Sonny Bishop.
William was born June 22, 1948, in Pauls Valley, Okla., to Billy Layton and
Evelyn Frances (Parten) Bishop. He married Beverly Jean Ransom Sept. 25, 1966,
in Decatur. He was a truck driver and a member of the First Baptist Church.
William was preceded in death by his parents; wife Beverly Jean Bishop; and
brothers Michael Layton Bishop and Ronald Ray Bishop.
He is survived by his daughter, Nickie Bishop of Decatur; brothers Truman Dale
Bishop and Terry Newton Bishop of Coolidge, Ariz.; sister Patricia Sue
“Sissy” Bishop of Coolidge; and nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Blackwell, Addie Mae Bohn | 1919-2015
Published Saturday, September 19, 2015
Addie Mae Bohn Blackwell, 95, of Decatur died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, in
Decatur.
Funeral was Sept. 18 at the First Baptist Church in Decatur with the Rev. Ken
May officiating. Burial followed at Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur.
Pallbearers were Chuck Greever, Jerry Bethrum, Wayne Alexander, Matthew Bohn,
Carson Bohn and Frank Maxwell.
Honorary pallbearers were Stephen Wren, Harold Mosely and Jim Keen.
Addie was born Nov. 19, 1919, in Irving to Henry and Sadie (Cooper) McCullough.
She was married to Wesley Bohn until his death in 1980.
Addie married Sam Blackwell Sept. 23, 1995, in Decatur. She worked 20 years for
the Denton State School as a switchboard operator and enjoyed every minute of
it. Her favorite past time was gardening.
The love of her life was her only son, Jerry Bohn. She was a member and loved
her church family at First Baptist Church in Decatur.
Addie was preceded in death by her parents; husband Wesley Bohn; and son Jerry
Bohn.
She is survived by her husband, Sam Blackwell of Decatur; grandchildren J.R.
Bohn and wife, Cathy, of Graham, Cary Bohn and wife, Ashlee, of Decatur and
Cheri Beazley and husband, Mike, of Arkansas; 13 great-grandchildren; and
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Blackwell, Sam Donald | 1918-2015
Published Saturday, November 28, 2015
Sam Donald Blackwell, 97, of Decatur, died Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at the First Baptist Church in Decatur with
Ken May and Gerre Joiner officiating. Burial will follow at Moore Memorial
Gardens in Arlington.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Pallbearers are Eric Leonard, Bart Leonard, Brett Bethurum, Grant Bethurum,
Robert Holder and Sam Leonard.
Sam was born Sept. 15, 1918, in Willspoint to Horace Eugene and Opel (Norwood)
Blackwell. He married Opal Marion in Grand Prairie. They were married for 57
years, until she died June 2, 1995. He married Addie Bohn on Sept. 23, 1995, in
Decatur. They were married until her death Sept. 15, 2015.
Sam retired from Poco Graphite after 27 years of service. He was a highly
decorated soldier serving his country in the U.S. Army during World War II. He
entered service on June 20, 1944, and was assigned to the Army, 2nd Infantry
Division.
Sgt. Blackwell served in the European Theater from Dec. 9, 1944, to July 20,
1945. He received the Combat Infantryman Badge, Presidential Citation, Purple
Heart and one Cluster, ETO Ribbon and three Battle Stars, Good Conduct Ribbon,
American Theater Ribbon and Victory Ribbon. Sam was discharged Nov. 13, 1945. He
was a member of the First Baptist Church in Decatur.
Sam was preceded in death by his parents; his wives, Opal Marion Blackwell and
Addie Bohn Blackwell; sister Lillie Sullivan; and brothers Gene, Homer and Phil
Blackwell.
He is survived by his daughters, Barbara Bethurum and husband, Jerry, of Decatur
and Donna Leonard and husband, Gil, of Azle; grandchildren Brett Bethurum, Lisa
Bethurum and husband, Roger Pickett, Faith Bethurum, Grant Bethurum and wife,
Maria Durand, Bart Leonard and wife, Renee, and Eric Leonard and wife, Michelle.
He’s also survived by great-grandchildren Robert Holder and wife, Stephanie,
Crystal Holder, Ellisha Doolen, Arin Satterthwaite, Haley Axom and husband,
Kalo, Ian Satterthwaite, Opal Rayne Leonard, Sam Leonard, Nicole Leonard and Kai
Samuel Bethurum; great-great-grandchild Hayden Wofford; and numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends.
Blake, James Lee | 1956-2015
Published Wednesday, May 20, 2015
James Lee Blake, 58, died Thursday, May 14, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral was May 18 at the Assembly of God Church in Sunset, and burial followed
at Chico Cemetery.
Blake was born Sept. 11, 1956, in Fort Worth to Joe and Shirley Blake. He was a
roughneck and a carpenter for many years. He was very active in his kids’ and
grandchildren’s sporting events. He enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, fishing,
and playing dominoes and poker.
He is preceded in death by his father, Joe Blake.
Blake is survived by his wife, Nolinda Blake of Alvord; mother Shirley Blake of
Alvord; children Josh Blake and wife, Diane, of Alvord, Jolinda Weatherly and
husband, Bart, of Chico and Jamie Phillips and husband, Nathan, of Bellevue;
grandchildren Na Branscum, Sadie Thompson and husband, Trey, Chad Yapit, Nikki
Weatherly, William Phillips and Shelby, Tyler Phillips and Jordin, Joshua Blake
and Cameron Weatherly; great-grandchild Joseph Talamantes;
great-great-grandchildren Kenlee Thompson and Jencee Thompson; brother Stephen
Blake of Alvord; and nieces and nephews.
Boatman-Brevelle, Brant Alexander | 1997-2015
Published Saturday, May 9, 2015
Brant Alexander Boatman-Brevelle, 17, of Bridgeport died Wednesday, April 22,
2015, in Bridgeport.
Memorial service is 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14, at Heritage Baptist Church in
Benbrook with Dr. Montie Pentecost officiating.
Boatman-Brevelle was born July 15, 1997, in Fort Worth to Jennifer Denise
Boatman and Chad Douglas Brevelle. He was a junior at Bridgeport High School and
enjoyed skateboarding, music and drawing.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, James Brevelle and Jayne Barber;
and great-grandparents Sallye Boatman and Charles Breckenridge.
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Jennifer and Michael Fortune;
father and stepmother, Chad and Margaret Brevelle; brother Chad Brevelle Jr.;
sisters Zylie Fortune, April Brevelle and Shelby Brevelle; and grandparents
Cheryl Brevelle and Robert Evans.
Bolton, Rene | 1946-2015
Published Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Rene Bolton, 68, of Rhome died Monday, March 16, 2015, in Rhome.
Memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home
in Boyd with Gerre Joiner officiating.
Ren was born April 4, 1946, in San Diego to Herbert and Wanda (Sparks) Wright.
She married Billy Wayne Bolton Dec. 30, 1988, in Dallas. She was a Baptist and a
retired insurance adjuster,
Ren was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter, Michelle McDuffy.
She is survived by her husband, Billy Bolton of Rhome; son Jeremy Bolton and
wife, Crystal, of San Angelo; grandson Xander Bolton of San Angelo; brother
Vance Jenkins and wife, Robin, of Blanco; sister Tonya Taylor and husband,
Jackie, of Haslet; son-in-law Gary McDuffy of Rhome; and other family members
and friends.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3301 W. Freeway,
Fort Worth, TX 76107, 817-737-9990, www.cancer.org.
Boner, Odis Willie | 1926-2015
Published Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Odis Willie “Bus” Boner, 89, of Decatur, died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in
Decatur.
Funeral service is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, at Decatur Church of Christ in
Decatur with Rick Ross officiating. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery in
Decatur. Family will receive friends one hour prior to service Wednesday at
Decatur Church of Christ in Decatur.
Pallbearers are Hubert Boner, Jerry McKeever, Alvin Boner, Dennis Lee,
Christopher Lee, and Ronnie Hess.
Honorary pallbearers are Brent Wallace, Raymond McKeever, and Paul Ingram.
Bus was born on Oct. 28, 1926, to Benjamin and Myrtle Iona (Edge) Boner in
Alvord. He married Frances Winnell Morris on May 8, 1948, in Decatur and
remained married until her death in 1998. Bus married Noma Pipes in 2000 and
remained married until her death in 2002.
He served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II. Bus retired after 25
years of service with LTV Aerospace where he was a machinist. He loved the Texas
Rangers and Dallas Cowboys. Bus was a member of Decatur Church of Christ.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wives, Winnell Boner and Noma
Pipes; his son, Randel Boner; his brothers, Hubert Boner, John Boner, and Alvis
Boner; his sister, Evelena McKeever.
He is survived by his daughter, Sheryl Christian and husband, Ricky, of Decatur;
his grandchildren, Rusty Christian and wife, Melanie, of Keller, Mandi McGinnis
and husband, Scott, of Justin and Tiffney Watson and husband, Jeremy, of Rhome;
his great-grandchildren, Lane Christian, Lindsay Christian, Caden Christian,
Jarrod Christian, Madison McGinnis, Mallory McGinnis, Christian McGinnis, Blaine
Watson, Cash Watson, and Tinley Watson; his brother-in-law, Olen Morris and
wife, Elaine, of Fort Worth; his sister-in-law, Margie Bradshaw of Decatur; and
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to Christ’s Haven Children’s Home
in Keller, Texas. www.christshaven.org.
Boone, J.K. | 1929-2015
Published Saturday, June 20, 2015
J.K. Boone, 85, died Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at Baylor University Medical Center
in Dallas after a brief illness.
Memorial service is 10 a.m. Friday, June 26, at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home,
7405 W. Northwest Hwy., in Dallas. Jerry Carter, his son-in-law and chaplain at
Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Waxahachie, will officiate.
The family will receive friends immediately after the memorial service. Burial
will follow at 2 p.m. at Chico Cemetery.
J.K. was born July 19, 1929, in Elgin to Jiles Kenchen Sr. and Charlotte McGee
(Childress) Boone. In 1947, he graduated from Elgin High School where he played
football and was named All District Tight End and All Central Texas Tight End in
1946.
He turned down a football scholarship at the University of Texas in Austin in
order to move to Dallas and work to support his parents. J.K. worked as a
laborer and a carpenter’s helper during the day and attended carpenter
apprentice school in the evening for several years.
He then married Delaine Robinson Boone Oct. 28, 1950, and they were married for
64 years. J.K. was a member of the First Christian Church in Mesquite.
He was the owner of Boone Construction Co. in Dallas for more than 50 years
before retiring at the age of 80. He was a member of the Texas Carpenter Local
198 for 69 years and received his 65-year pin in June 2011. Most of his work was
residential remodeling in Park Cities and the surrounding areas.
J.K. enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons, grandsons, other relatives and
friends. He was an avid Texas Longhorn football fan and passed the love for
‘burnt orange’ on to his family. In his later years, he became a loyal fan
of the Texas Rangers.
J.K. was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; two sisters; one brother; and two
nephews.
J.K. is survived by daughter Cynthia Boone Carter and husband, Jerry, of
Waxahachie; sons Richard Boone of Dallas, and Tim Boone and wife, Lori, of
Garland; grandchildren Ryan Boone and wife, Olga, of Garland, Micheal White and
Zackery Boone of Titusville, Fla., Dathan Boone of Dallas, Chris Carter and
wife, Carrie, of Waxahachie, Laura Carter Barnard and husband, Erik, of
Waxahachie, Courtney Boone Thompson and husband, Ben, of Rockwall and Dustin
Boone of Garland.
He is also survived by great-grandchildren Kaitlyn Boone, Kyrstin Boone and
Geraldine Boone, all of Garland; Shelby White of Titusville, Fla.; Troy Gustin,
Josey Gustin, Lucas Gustin, Landry Carter, Major Boone Carter and McCoy Brookes
Carter, all of Waxahachie; Nolan Barnard and Knox Barnard of Waxahachie; and
Tenley Thompson of Rockwall; and nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Make A Wish North Texas, 6655 Deseo, Irving, TX 75039,
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn St., Dallas, TX 75219 or
the charity of your choice.
Boyd, Carly Elizabeth | 1986-2015
Published Saturday, October 24, 2015
Carly Elizabeth Boyd, 29, of Bridgeport, died Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, in Haltom
City.
Memorial service is 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Cates Street Church of Christ
with Scott Strothers officiating.
Carly was born June 27, 1986, in Dallas to Darrell and Angie (Prince) Boyd. She
graduated from Bridgeport High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in
economics from the University of North Texas. Carly and her little dog, Max,
were devoted fans of the New England Patriots. She was a volunteer and mentor
for the Big Sisters program. She was a loan officer.
Carly is survived by her parents, Angie and Darrell Boyd of Bridgeport; brother
Joshua Boyd of Denton; sister Emily Boyd of Fort Worth; grandparents Sandra Kay
and AZ Smith of Bridgeport; grandfather Kenneth Prince of Franklin, Tenn.;
grandparents Sonny and Barbara Wilson of Farmers Branch; aunts Sandra Prince and
Kristen Pierce; cousin Sara Brown; and other family members and friends.
Boyles, Kelley Gene | 1956-2015
Published Saturday, January 31, 2015
Kelley Gene Boyles, 58, a painter, died Monday, Jan. 26, 2015, in Decatur.
No service is scheduled at this time.
Kelley was born March 19, 1956, in Denton to James and Martha (Kelley) Boyles.
He is survived by his son, Kelley Lynn Boyles of Boyd; his mother, Martha Boyles
of Blue Mound; brother James Alton Boyles III of Blue Mound; sister Linda Watson
of Blue Mound; granddaughter Kaite L. Boyles of Bowie; the mother of his son,
Deborah Boyles; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Bradford, Jon Robert | 1948-2015
Published Saturday, September 19, 2015
Jon Robert Bradford, 67, of Newark died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, after a battle
with cancer.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at First Presbyterian Church of Fort
Worth. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Mount Olivet Funeral Home in Fort Worth.
Jon was a school teacher for more than 30 years at Richland High School in the
Birdville Independent School District. He traveled extensively through Europe
and Hawaii and went on a safari in Africa.
Jon was a longtime member and deacon at Broadway Baptist Church before moving
his membership to First Presbyterian where he served as an elder. He spent his
life living for the Lord, helping friends, serving family and will be greatly
missed.
Jon never met a stranger, always had a joke and won you over with his smile.
Goodness and mercy has followed him all the days of his life.
Jon was preceded in death by his father, Robert Bradford.
He is survived by his mother, Wilma Bradford; sisters Dianne Darter and husband,
Marvin, and Terri Fisher and husband, Eddie; three nephews; a niece; three
great-nephews; two great-nieces; and many family members and friends.
Memorials may be made to Community Hospice, James L. West or First Presbyterian
Church.
Brammer, Alvin Kenneth | 1921-2015
Published Saturday, February 7, 2015
Alvin Kenneth Brammer, 93, died Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service was Feb. 6 at Aurora Cemetery with Gerre Joiner officiating.
Arrangements were handled by Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home of Decatur.
Kenneth was born July 16, 1921, to Walter and Alice (Nesmith) Brammer in Rhome,
where he spent most of his life on the home place. He retired from Lockheed
(formerly General Dynamics) after 35 years of service. Kenneth was a member of
the First Baptist Church of Rhome.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Melba Thomas Brammer; sister
Ruth Harlen Frye; and dear friend, Betty Specht.
Survivors include his brother, Billy Ray Brammer of Benbrook; sister Gloria Ann
Dustman of Santa Fe; and his loving nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank Ronnie Moore, Kenneth’s dear friend and neighbor,
for caring for him in his final years.
Breedon, Betty Beall Evans | 1926-2015
Published Saturday, July 4, 2015
Betty Beall Evans Breedon, 89, descendent of the Wise County pioneer Renshaw
family, died Sunday June 28, 2015, at Westminster Suncoast in St. Petersburg,
Fla.
Service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 11, at First Presbyterian Church in
St. Petersburg with a reception to follow in the church parlor.
The granddaughter of Hattie Renshaw, Betty was born Jan. 11, 1926, in Dallas to
Dr. John Renshaw Beall and Gabriella Baldwin Beall. She graduated from Highland
Park High School in Dallas, then went on to the University of Texas in Austin
where she earned degrees in English and religion.
Betty was active in many campus organizations, and she held offices in the
freshman honorary sorority Alpha Lambda Delta, Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority and
Orange Jackets and Mortar Board. She was named Outstanding Student and
Goodfellow in 1946, her senior year.
After marrying Gulf Oil Executive David T. Evans in 1947, they lived in Houston
until he answered his call into the ministry in 1953. The young couple and their
daughter spent three years at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, followed
by an opening assignment in Texas at the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church.
They then moved on to Bridgeport and Cleburne where Betty taught English and
Bible history at Cleburne High School in the late ’60s. She was active in the
PTA and was a Cub Scout leader. In 1972, the Rev. Evans was named associate
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in St. Petersburg.
For the next 10 years, Betty taught English and Bible history at St. Petersburg
High School. After retiring from SPHS in 1982, she became a volunteer at
Northshore Elementary School, tutoring in Mary McLean’s third grade class for
more than 20 years.
In 1987, she met and married the love of her life, Sam Breedon, who died of
cancer three years later. Following his death, Betty plunged even deeper into
volunteerism. She served as Guild Council president and St. Petersburg Day
Branch president for All Children’s Hospital Guild, chairing three different
fundraisers. In 2011, after 30 years of active membership, she received the ACH
Guild’s “Maggie Heart Award,” a tribute to her dedication, passion and
longtime service.
In 2010, Betty was named Pinellas County School’s Outstanding School Volunteer
in recognition for her work with the children and staff of Northshore
Elementary. For years, she could be counted on locally to deliver Meals on
Wheels. Active in the Stuart Society of the Museum of Fine Arts where she served
as president, Betty was also named to the Promenade Best Groomed Walk of Fame by
the Woman’s Service League.
In 1989, she was deeply honored to be named a princess in the court of the Queen
of Hearts, and her ultimate honor came in 1998 when she was presented the key to
the city of St. Petersburg for her volunteerism and dedication to the community.
Betty loved music and was herself an accomplished pianist. From her initial move
to St. Petersburg, she was a season ticket holder for the Florida Orchestra. A
member of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, she enjoyed playing bridge every
Friday.
In 2009, she moved to Westminster Palms Communities from her favorite home, the
Bayfront Tower on St, Petersburg’s waterfront. Still, Betty never forgot her
roots and took pride in her Texas heritage, often traveling to Dallas and other
parts of the state to visit family and friends. She especially loved Decatur,
spending quality time on the family’s ranch property.
First and always Betty was devoted to her church, beginning with the Cradle Roll
at the First Presbyterian Church in Dallas and later serving other churches as
Sunday school superintendent, president and life member of the Women of the
Church, Bible teacher and ruling elder. With continuing zeal, she embraced
40-year membership in First Presbyterian Church of St. Petersburg.
Betty’s many other memberships included the St. Petersburg Woman’s Club, The
Florida Orchestra Guild, the Cross of Lorraine, St. Petersburg Pan Hellenic,
Zeta Tau Alpha Alumni, Women’s Chamber of Commerce, St. Petersburg Chapter of
the Daughters of the American Revolution and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.
She is survived by daughters Elizabeth Anne Evans Hammer of St. Petersburg and
Julia Gabriella Evans of Bull Shoals, Ark.; son David T. Evans III (Marie) of
Decatur; grandchildren Elliott Collins (Cathy) of McKinney, Grant Collins of St.
Petersburg, Treasa Evans of Decatur, Christine Evans of Arlington, and Gabrielle
Evans of Mountain Home, Ark.; great-grandchildren Paisley and Timothy Evans of
Decatur, and step-great-grandchildren Eryn and Brennan Tanksley of McKinney.
Memorials may be made to All Children’s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine, First
Presbyterian Church or The Kind Mouse Productions Inc., an organization that
feeds more than 200 children every weekend.
Bridwell, Harlan | 1917-2015
Published Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Harlan Bridwell, 97, of Bridgeport died Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at the First United Methodist Church in
Bridgeport with the Rev. Sam Caldwell officiating, assisted by Pastor Kevin
Casey and the Rev. Johnny Irish. A private burial will follow at East Bridgeport
Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Pallbearers are Jay Bridwell, Reid Bridwell, Joshua Bridwell, Mason Bridwell,
Austin Cook and Scott Moore.
Honorary pallbearers are close friend and neighbor Jerry Stinnett and nephews
Lance Bridwell and Danny Lewis.
Harlan was born Sept. 19, 1917, in Dumas, Ark., to Louis Harlan and Elizabeth
Fincher Bridwell. He was one of five children born to the couple.
When Harlan was 2 years old, the family left Arkansas and moved temporarily to
Forestburg, where they remained until Harlan completed the fourth grade. The
family then moved to Leesville, La., for about a year before returning to
Arkansas.
Around age 14, Harlan and a friend ran away from home and walked from Arkansas
to Texas, returning to Forestburg where they stayed briefly with friends before
returning to Arkansas.
A few years later the entire family permanently relocated to Forestburg, and it
was there that Harlan began what would become his lifelong career as a newspaper
publisher.
That career was interrupted for a time when Harlan elected to join the Army,
temporarily leaving responsibility for publication of The Forestburger to his
sister, Dorothy, and his father, Louis Harlan Bridwell.
Harlan volunteered for the United States Army on Oct. 22, 1940, prior to the
start of World War II and served his first three years as a Military Policeman.
A year-and-a-half of that time was spent in Iceland, followed by two years of
assignments in various European countries. Harlan was a veteran of the infamous
Battle of the Bulge. He was discharged from the Army in 1945.
It was during his military service that he noticed a brief article in The
Forestburger about a young lady named Rosemary Terrell.
“I didn’t remember a Rosemary Terrell,” he said, “but the next time I
had a chance I hitchhiked from Fort Sam Houston to find out who Rosemary Terrell
was.”
They dated briefly before he returned to his army duties, and their relationship
continued to develop through their frequent correspondence.
When he greeted Rosemary at the train station in Rolla, Mo., at 9 a.m. on Sept.
11, 1943, it was the first time they had seen one another for two years. They
got married at 4 p.m. that day.
“The JP said we would have to have two witnesses to get married,” Harlan
said, “so I went downstairs and stopped two MPs. Both were wearing
six-shooters. They were still wearing them when they served as witnesses during
the ceremony.”
Rosemary preceded him in death in November 2006, after more than 63 years of
marriage.
Bridwell devoted much of his life to his chosen profession as publisher of
weekly newspapers. The flagship property of Bridwell Publishing Co. was The
Bridgeport Index, but Bridwell expanded his chain of publications to several
other cities. Some were purchased from others, while several were started by
Bridwell.
Through the years, he owned such publications as The Forestburger (his first
newspaper), The Tioga Herald, The Bellevue News, The Iowa Park Rocket, The
Frisco Enterprise, The Chico Texan, The Wise County Shopper, The Celina Record
and the Ryan (OK) Leader.
He was one of the early pioneers of offset printing, which eventually replaced
the traditional letterpress method. Harlan purchased a Harris offset press in
the 1960s and began printing the Index and other publications via the
unconventional process. He was frequently recognized for his help in ushering
the offset revolution into widespread existence.
Harlan served for several years as chairman of the Travel and Tourism Committee
of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce; was a past president of the Bridgeport
Chamber of Commerce; was a past president of Wise County Toastmasters; was a
past president of the North and East Texas Press Association; and was recipient
of the coveted Sam Holloway Award in recognition of his accomplishments in the
publishing industry. In the 1950s, he served a couple of terms as mayor of
Bellevue.
Harlan was honored by the Masonic Lodge in 2007 for 60 years of service to the
organization.
He was a talented writer, perhaps best known for his weekly “Shootin’
Blind” column, a regular mixture of Harlan’s opinions on various issues and
glimpses into the personalities of local citizens, seasoned with a healthy dose
of Harlan’s homespun humor. The colorful column ran regularly for several
decades and sometimes dealt with more serious matters such as bond issues and
politics in general.
He was a well-known collector of rare antique clocks and watches.
Harlan was self-motivated and self-educated. His formal education ended
following his completion of the eighth grade in Arkansas.
In his earlier years, Harlan applied his musical talents, inherited from his
father’s family, as a guitarist performing routinely at area dances and on a
weekly radio program in Gainesville, where he accompanied The Harmony Girls, a
female trio that included his sister, Dorothy.
Another talent inherited from his father was Harlan’s creativity as a poet.
Occasionally, one of his poems appeared in The Index, but most remained more
private. As his children recalled, Christmas gifts were often accompanied not
with a “to/from” tag, but with a brief poem that uniquely captured the
spirit of the gift.
Harlan remained an enthusiastic reader throughout his life, staying abreast of
current political and world events and maintaining his ever-present vision for
the future. He had strong opinions and was a passionate fan of the free
enterprise system.
Harlan was instrumental in coordinating with longtime friend and noted
philanthropist John Jackson for the relocation of the Bridgeport Public Library
into its current functional and attractive facility on U.S. 380.
He was an avid vegetable gardener and always maintained a herd of cattle, which
was pastured on various Wise County farms that he acquired through the years. He
was a strong proponent of organic foods, naturopathic-style medical treatments
and healthy living.
Harlan was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Elizabeth (Fincher)
Bridwell; his wife, Rosemary Bridwell; son Stan Bridwell; grandson Randall
Bridwell; brother Dario “Rio” Bridwell of Longview; sisters Kathleen Smith
of Fresno, Calif., Dorothy Shifflet of Fort Worth and Snooks Bridwell, a sister
who died as an infant in Wichita Falls.
Harlan is survived by his sons, Keith Bridwell and wife, Karen, and Doug
Bridwell and wife, Lynda; daughter Melanie Fair and husband, Larry, all of
Bridgeport; grandchildren Jay Bridwell and wife, Tricia, of Bridgeport, Reid
Bridwell and wife, Jill, of Decatur, Whitney Bridwell of Bridgeport, Morgan Cook
and husband, Austin, of Dallas, and Mason Bridwell and wife, Jaclyn, of
Northlake; great-grandchildren; and numerous other family members and friends.
He is also survived by longtime friend, caretaker and companion, Joann
Pritchard; by Larry’s daughters, Laura Moore and husband, Scott, of Wylie, and
Stacy Bost of Lubbock; and by Jill’s children, Ivie and Isaac.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project or the
Alzheimer’s Association.
Briggs, Shirley J. | 1934-2015
Published Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Shirley J. Briggs, 80, of Decatur, died Tuesday, March 3, 2015.
No services are planned at this time.
Shirley was born June 1, 1934, in Calais, Maine to Virginia (McKay) and Willard
Babb. She was an accountant who enjoyed shopping and spending time with her
grandchildren. She was a very gracious and social person.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her son Scott Briggs and wife Lori of Fort Worth, and
grandchildren Christian and Zachary.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2630
W. Freeway, Fort Worth 76102, 817-336-4949.
Brogan, Carolyn Ann | 1943-2015
Published Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Carolyn Ann Brogan, 72, of Bridgeport, died Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, in
Bridgeport.
Funeral was Oct. 20 at Grace Fellowship Church in Paradise with Pastor Rocky
Johnson officiating. Burial followed at East Bridgeport Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Loydd Williams, Bob Hamman, Curt Moore, Gary Emmert, J.C.
Williams, Keven Huntsinger, J.W. Adams and Dustin Self.
Honorary pallbearers were Bill Smith, Fred Casteel and Rick Smith.
Carolyn was born Jan. 31, 1943, in Jacksboro to Myrtle Christine (Rogers) and
John Otis Armstrong. She was the retired owner and operator of Brogan Dozer
Service, a homemaker and the wonderful mother of five children.
She married James Alpfonchus Brogan March 17, 1961, and they were married for 22
years when he died. Carolyn enjoyed cooking and traveling north of the Red River
with friends Bill Smith and Claudia Lawson. She faithfully attended services at
Grace Fellowship Church.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband; parents; and grandparents Lawson
and Ada Rogers and Matt and Martha Armstrong.
She is survived by sons John Brogan and wife, Stacy, and James Brogan Jr. and
wife, Richelle; daughters Bridget Williams and husband, Loydd, Sarah Hamman and
husband, Bob, and Sheila Moore and husband, Curt; sisters Paula Sharp and
husband, Bobby, and Johnna Sue Adams; and grandchildren J.C. Williams, Keely and
Kaily Hamman, Hope Dennie, Brody and Brenley Brogan, and Gage, Stormy and Tripp
Brogan.
Brooks, Annie Mae Newton | 1924-2015
Published Saturday, October 17, 2015
Annie Mae Newton Brooks, 91, of Chico, died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015, in
Decatur.
Funeral is 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at the First Baptist Church in Chico
with burial at Lone Star Cemetery. Annie Mae’s grandson, William Brooks, will
officiate.
Pallbearers are her grandsons, Adam Vermillion, Joshua Brooks, David Head,
Justin Brooks, Andrew Brooks and Craig Stastny. Honorary pallbearer is Lesley
Head.
Annie Mae was born Feb. 2, 1924, in Chico to William and Sally (Dickenson)
Newton. She married Marshall Edward Brooks Nov. 24, 1942, in Decatur. Annie Mae
was a lifetime member of the First Baptist Church in Chico and a member of the
Chico Quilting Club. She was a seamstress and homemaker.
Annie Mae was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 54 years,
Marshall Edward Brooks; daughter Carolyn Ann Brooks Head; grandson Stuart Ray
Brooks; sisters Neoma Collins and Marietta Harless; and brothers J.T. Newton and
Carmie Newton.
She is survived by her daughter, Joyce Vermillion of Frisco; sons Jerry Brooks
and wife, Barbara, of Decatur, Dennis Brooks and wife, Kay, of Alvord, Phillip
Brooks and wife, Dana, of Decatur and Tommy Brooks and wife, Marietta, of
Dallas; son-in-law Jerry Head of Harrison, Ark.; 14 grandchildren; 32
great-grandchildren; brother Melton Newton and wife, Judy, of Allen; sisters Lou
Ellen Lum of McCalister, Okla., and Flora Jean Frazier and husband, Jimmy, of
Alba; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members and friends.
Brooks, Cecil L. | 1926-2015
Published Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Cecil L. Brooks, 88, of Chico died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, in Bridgeport.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at Morris Memorial United
Methodist Church in Chico with Pastor Rick Davis officiating. No visitation is
planned.
Cecil was born July 21, 1926, in Chico to Charles Alton and Zona (Dickenson)
Brooks. He married Echo (Green) Brown March 31, 1965, in Chico. She preceded him
in death Dec. 29, 1998. He married Della Hill Dec. 20, 1999; she also preceded
him in death Nov. 18, 2014.
He was also preceded in death by his parents, brother Clarence Brooks; and
sister Lois Watson.
Cecil ran the Brooks Family Dairy for many years before beginning his career at
LaFarge Rock Crusher. After his retirement, he enjoyed spending time in his
garden.
He is survived by his sister, Laverne Wiley Green of Decatur; brother-in-law Roy
Watson of Fort Worth; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Brooks, Judy | 1952-2015
Published Saturday, April 4, 2015
Judy Brooks, 63, of Fort Worth, died Wednesday, March 18, 2015, in a Fort Worth
hospital. Graveside service was March 22 at Loraine Cemetery with the Rev.
Carter Edmundson officiating. Arrangements were handled by Kiker-Seale Funeral
Home.
Judy was born March 15, 1952, in Loraine to Robert and Frances Miles Brooks. She
worked as an administrative clerk for a petroleum company.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Anita.
She is survived by son Joseph Graniczny of Randle, Wash.; daughter Katrina Seals
of Golden; brother Robert Brooks Jr.; sisters Irene McDonald of Alvord and Anne
Lee of Wheeler; and several nieces and nephews.
Brooks, Ronald Clarence | 1946-2015
Published Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Ronald Clarence Brooks, 69, of Dallas, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Dallas.
Memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at Hawkins Funeral Home in
Bridgeport. Visitation is one hour before the service.
Ronald was born Jan. 7, 1946, in Bridgeport to Clarence and Doris (Mara) Brooks.
He graduated from Chico High School and attended the University of Texas at
Arlington where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi. Ronald was also a member of
IATSE Local 127.
He was an opera theatre technician for the Dallas Opera and enjoyed spending
time with his extended family and playing poker.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a special friend.
He is survived by his brother, Kevin Brooks and wife, Kellie, of Killeen;
sister-in-law Darla Brooks of Denton; niece Jessica Finck and husband, Brant, of
Denton; his dog, Pearl; and numerous extended family members and friends.
Brown, Annie Virginia | 1923-2015
Published Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Annie Virginia Brown, 91, of Burleson, formerly of Boyd, died Thursday, March 5,
2015, in Fort Worth.
Funeral was March 10 at Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd with the Rev.
Barry Swindall officiating. Burial followed at Cottondale Cemetery.
Annie was born July 10, 1923, in Boyd to Thomas and Annie (Porter) Brown. She
retired from Bank of America in Boyd after 10 years of service.
Annie was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Oswell, Porter and Morton
Brown; and sister Nettie Morton.
She is survived by sister Clara Tingle of Fort Worth; brother Forrest Brown and
wife, Ann, of Fort Worth; nephew James Brown and wife, Nell, of Commerce; nieces
Ann Robinson and husband, Richard, of Southlake, Anita St. Clair of Dallas,
Kathy Swindall and husband, Barry, of Burleson, Nancy Baker and husband, Buddy,
of Mansfield; and numerous great-nieces and -nephews, other relatives and
friends.
Brown, Gary | 1951-2015
Published Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Gary Brown, 64, of Paradise died Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, in Paradise.
Graveside service was Aug. 25 at West Bridgeport Cemetery with Josh Gentry
speaking.
Gary was born Feb. 5, 1951, in Bridgeport to Bonnie and Marie (Preskitt) Brown.
He served his country in the U.S. Army and was a loader operator at Vulcan
Materials.
Gary is survived by sisters Barbara McDaniel of Bridgeport, Cherry Steagall of
Paradise, Carolyn Akins of Denton and Rayanne Gentry and husband, Brad, of
Cottondale; brothers Tommy Brown of Bridgeport and Rusty Brown and wife, Elaine,
of Bridgeport; 18 nieces and nephews; and other family members and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Bridgeport Veterans Museum.
Brown, Helen Sue | 1934-2015
Published Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Helen Sue Brown, 81, died Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, in Bridgeport.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at Faith Baptist Church in Bowie. Burial
will follow at Terral Cemetery in Terral, Okla.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the White Family Funeral Home.
Helen was born July 25, 1934, in Fleetwood, Okla., to Virgil and Gadie (Tanner)
McDonald. She attended high school in Terral, Okla.
Helen married George Brown in August of 1951 in Bowie. She was a homemaker and
enjoyed making ceramics, embroidery and baking. Helen was a devoted mother and
grandmother and was loved by all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Gadie McDonald; husband
George Macon Brown; and son Norman Jack Brown.
Helen is survived by her children, Bill Brown and wife, Zetta, of Wichita Falls,
Gail Bishop and husband, Don, of Bowie, David Brown and wife, Vicki, of
Springtown and Darrell Brown and wife, Sylvia, of Chico; sister Shirley Skelton
of Amarillo; and brother Jack McDonald of Bowie.
She is also survived by grandchildren Stephanie Bien and husband, Jason, of
Cross Plains, Okla., Christopher Johnson and wife, Shawna, of Jones, Okla.,
Miranda Brown of Bowie, Christen Selsor and husband, Nick, of Tulsa, Okla.,
Candace Bridges of Springtown, Megan Hall and husband, Chase, of Springtown,
Katherine Ramos and husband Roger, of Wichita Falls, Tim Bishop and wife,
Arlene, of Bowie, Kevin Bishop of Fort Worth, Keith Bishop and wife, Dana, of
Iowa Park, Matthew Morton and wife, Kristi, of Ellis, Kan.; and numerous
grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and extended family and friends.
Brown, Mary Beth | 1929-2015
Published Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Mary Beth Brown, 85, of Decatur died Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, at home.
Graveside service is 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Jones Family Funeral Home.
Mary Beth was born July 10, 1929, in Decatur to Albert and Zella Pauline
(Lawson) Rhine. She was a graduate of Decatur High School. On April 20, 1946,
she and Alf Brown married in Denton.
For 20 years, she was a clerk for Olney Savings in Decatur. She was a member of
the First United Methodist Church in Decatur and affiliated with the Lost
Battalion Association.
Mary Beth was preceded in death by her parents and husband.
She is survived by sons Richard Brown, Robert Brown and Jimmy Brown;
grandchildren Bratton Ray Williams and Amanda Kai Lasater and husband, Chase;
and great-grandchildren Dalton Gentry Lasater and Cash Lasater.
Brown, Mildred Faye | 1925-2015
Published Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Mildred Faye Brown, 89, of Paradise died Friday, June 5, 2015.
Funeral was June 8 at Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport with Pastor Barry
Hogan officiating. Burial followed at Paradise Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Edward Lee Black, Dennis Black, Kurt Black, Carl Black, Roy
Glenn Jones, Brett Shannon and Ray Meadows. Honorary pallbearers were Justin
Williams and Nick Martinez. Mildred was born Aug. 3, 1925, in Paradise to Abbie
(Chamber) and Henry Franklin Meadows. She married Albert Brown Aug. 19, 1958,
and she was a longtime member of First Christian Church in Paradise. Mildred
enjoyed raising chickens and cattle. She loved children and watching game shows.
Mildred was preceded in death by her husband; parents; three sisters; and six
brothers.
She is survived by her sister, Ruth Corley of Fort Worth; special niece, Stacy
Williams and husband, Jimmy, of Paradise; special nephew, Justin Williams and
his daughter, Lynnox; numerous other nieces and nephews; and many friends.
Buchanan, Orville Ervin 'Buck' | 1928-2015
Published Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Orville Ervin “Buck” Buchanan, 86, of Saginaw died Friday, May 29, 2015, in
Fort Worth.
Graveside service was June 1 at East Bridgeport Cemetery with Pastor Darren
Embree officiating.
Buck was born June 25, 1928, in DeKalb, to William Ervin and Lula Zula
(Dennington) Buchanan. He spent 54 years in new car sales in the Fort Worth
area. Buck loved music and playing an extra in the movies, which he did on
occasion.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and one sister.
Buck is survived by the love of his life, Doris Scanlon; mother of his
daughters, Virginia Buchanan; daughters Gayla Buchanan, Myla Plenert and
husband, Dwight, and Rene Kelley and husband, David; brother Marvin Buchanan and
wife, Betty; sister Velma Lewis; grandchildren Jori Dearing, Jody Totten,
Kelsee, and Dalton Plenert; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and
nephews.
Donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer
Society.
Buena May Westbrook, 89, died Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, in
Dallas.
Graveside service is 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Perryman Cemetery in
Forestburg with the Rev. Bernie Cole officiating.
Buena was born May 20, 1926, in Forestburg to John and Claude (Kuykendall)
Barclay. She married James Westbrook June 7, 1947, in Dallas, and they remained
married until his death on July 27, 1979. Buena was a retired bookkeeper.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; sons Robert and David
Westbrook; daughter Betty Dawson; and five brothers.
Buena is survived by her daughter, Janice Campbell and husband, Cody, of
Stephenville; son Paul Westbrook of Slaton; daughter-in-law Janie Westbrook of
Slaton; brother Theo Barclay of Dallas; nine grandchildren; 25
great-grandchildren; numerous great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends.
Burnham, Leslie Wayne | 1966-2015
Published Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Leslie Wayne Burnham, 48, of Boyd died Sunday, March 8, 2015.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Friday, March 20, at Northwest Bible Church, 5025 Jacksboro
Highway, in Fort Worth with burial to follow at Azleland Cemetery and Memorial
Park. Roberts Family Affordable Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Visitation is one hour prior to the service at the church.
Leslie was born Sept. 5, 1966. He met Tammy Renee Rimmer-Burnham in
Bryan/College Station Sept. 9, 1985, and they lived in Boyd where they raised
their four children. Leslie was extremely proud of his children’s
accomplishments, and he loved being a Pa Pa to his grandchildren. He spent his
free time working on cars, camping and fishing with his family.
Leslie was preceded in death by his father, Lester James Burnham.
Leslie is survived by his children, Sara, Kristie, Stephanie and Eric Burnham;
grandchildren Bennett Hawkins and Elliana Caceres; mother Joyce Burnham of Mart;
sisters Deborah Sauceda, Pamela Barden and Theresa McPherson; and brothers Tony
Burnham of Mart and Timothy Burnham of Springtown.
Butler, Kathy | 1957-2015
Published Saturday, May 23, 2015
Kathy Butler, 58, of Bridgeport died Wednesday, May 20, 2015, at home.
Graveside service was 11 a.m. Saturday, May 23, at West Bridgeport Cemetery with
Scott Strother officiating.
Pallbearers are Jacob Young, Jeremy Young, Billy Young, Michael Young, Jeremy
Davis and Joe Davis.
Kathy was born Feb. 4, 1957, in Bridgeport to Cecil and Letha (Morton) Young.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Jean Jenkins and Pat
Young-Smith; son Jason Butler; and daughter Kerry Butler.
She is survived by sons Kenny Butler and wife, Kristi, and Timothy Butler;
brothers Claborn Young, Delbert Young and Jimmy Young; sisters Ann Walker,
Teresa Goley and Ruth Starnes; grandchildren Haley
Cage, Edith Ann | 1937-2015
Published Saturday, March 7, 2015
Edith Ann Cage, 77, died Tuesday, March 3, 2015, in Bowie.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday, March 7, at the First Baptist Church in
Alvord with burial at Pleasant Grove No. 3 Cemetery in Alvord. White Family
Funeral Home in Bowie is handling arrangements.
Edith was born June 6, 1937, in Spearman, to Hershel and Mary (Dougherty) Ooley.
She graduated from Spearman High School and was well known for playing
basketball. Edith married Joe Cage Oct. 13, 1956, in Clayton, N.M. She was a
secretary at Union Church in Spearman and also ran the cafeteria at Spearman
High School for several years.
She and Joe lived in Spearman for 42 years before making their home in Bowie in
1996. Edith was multi-talented with her hands. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting,
quilting and drawing artwork. She also enjoyed her First Baptist Church quilting
Sunday school class and was a Sunday school superintendent there for several
years.
Edith was preceded in death by her parents, Hershel and Mary Ooley.
She is survived by her husband, Joe Cage of Bowie; daughters Deborah Grimes and
husband, Geary, of Hurst, and Margie Urban and husband, Paul, of Arlington;
grandchildren Salina Johnson of Frisco, April Shipley of Bowie, Meredith Lee of
Frisco, Rachel Faulkner of Arlington and Lindsay Cleveland of Colorado; and nine
great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by brothers Jimmy Ooley of Spearman, Pat Ooley of
California and Richard Ooley of Spearman; sisters Hershey Turner of Gruver and
Marilee Bulls of Amarillo; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Alvord at P.O. Box
25, Alvord, TX 76225.
Campbell, Dean Albert 'Dino' | 1925-2015
Published Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Dean “Dino” Albert Campbell, 90, of Arlington died Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015.
A memorial service is 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at King of Glory Lutheran Church
on Sandy Lane in Forth Worth. His ashes will be interred at the Dallas National
Cemetery.
Dino was born in Bay City, Mich. to Walter Campbell and Dorothea (Mann)
Campbell. He grew up in Bay City with his seven siblings.
Dino served in the Pacific Theater in World War II with the First Division
Marine Corps. After the war, he married Ramona “Mona” Ervin (n e Dial). They
built a home in Arlington in 1960 and raised their two children there.
Dino retired from the U.S. Postal Service and enjoyed many years competing in
horseshoe pitching tournaments across the country. On Dec. 21, 1982, Dino became
involved with AA and was able to help change many lives and extend his family.
Dino was preceded in death by his wife, Ramona “Mona” Campbell; brothers
Clayton “Clayte” Campbell, Milo Campbell, Colen “Coke” Campbell and
Miles Campbell; and sisters Annette Jones and Lucille Churchill.
He is survived by his eldest sister, Sue “Memes” McCorkle of Portland, Ore.;
son William Ray Campbell of Rhome; daughter Linda Kay Perkins of Boyd; two
granddaughters; and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his beloved
dog, Big Guy.
In lieu of flowers or donations, the family suggests sharing a smile with a
stranger or providing a helping hand to someone in need.
Campbell, George Junior | 1928-2015
Published Saturday, August 15, 2015
George Junior Campbell, 87, of Sunset, died Monday, July 13, 2015, in Sunset.
Graveside service is 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at Sunset Cemetery with his son,
Dr. Dan Campbell of Harrah, Okla., officiating.
George was born June 20, 1928, in Elkins, W. Va., to George and Georgia
Campbell. He served in the U.S. Army and civilian service for 43 years. He was a
veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. George received two Bronze Stars and
other citations.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Sunset.
George was preceded in death by his wife, Ann; son Jimmy; brothers Paul, Bruce
and Sherman; and sisters Flora and Betty.
He is survived by sons Dan of Harrah, David of Stanley, N.M., Doug of Moscow,
Idaho, Steve of Sunset and Pat of Alvord; grandchildren Adam, Janet, Krystal,
Thomas, Stacy, Jill and Peter, all of Washington, Matthew, Valerie and Mikey,
all of Oklahoma, and Michael, Jared, Samantha, Savanah and Alan, all of Texas;
and seven great-grandchildren.
Canova, Kenneth Earl | 1943-2015
Published Saturday, January 24, 2015
Kenneth Earl Canova, 71, of Bridgeport died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, in Decatur.
Memorial graveside service is 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at West Bridgeport
Cemetery with the Rev. Sam Caldwell officiating. Family will receive friends at
the cemetery.
Kenneth was born Dec. 18, 1943, in Camp Blanding, Fla., to Angelo and Clara
(Brown) Canova. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy and
fought in the Vietnam War. Kenneth was an equipment operator at Martin Marietta.
He was a member of the Banshee Motorcyle Club.
Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents; his grandson, Nathan Marsh;
brother Duane Canova; niece Angie Canova Kramer; and nephew Brandon Walker.
He is survived by his sons, Kenneth Canova Jr. of California, Mark Canova of
California and Shannon Canova of Sunset; daughter Heather Canova of Bridgeport;
grandchildren Noah, Nicholas, Ashley, Devon, Kenny, Matthew, Earic, Keileigh,
Destiny and Cameron; brother Eugene Canova and wife, Jan, of Bridgeport; sisters
Jo Ann Walker and husband, Monte, of Wichita Falls and Brenda Kennedy and
husband, Gaylord, of Bridgeport; and other family members and friends.
Cantrell, Eddie | 1958-2015
Published Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Eddie Cantrell, 56, of Guthrie, Okla., died Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
Memorial service is 1 p.m. Saturday, July 25, at Heritage Baptist Church in
Haslet.
Eddie was born Dec. 2, 1958, in Fort Worth. He graduated Richland High School in
1977 and most of his adult life he was a truck driver for Tucker Housewares. He
married Katherine Deena Folcik Oct. 13, 1995.
Eddie was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Nettie Dickinson.
He is survived by his loving wife of 20 years and his sisters, Kathryn Blake and
husband, Richard, of Alvord, Helen Cantrell, Shirley Griffith and husband,
Richard, and Bobbie Kilpatrick.
Cantwell, Beverly 'Jayne' | 1955-2015
Published Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Beverly “Jayne” Cantwell, 60, of Plano died Friday, July 17, 2015.
Funeral is 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, in the Chapel of DeBerry Funeral
Directors with Lisa Wraith officiating. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial
Park in Denton.
Jayne was born March 5, 1955, in Fort Worth to Bill and Irma Frances Kaker
Sellers. She graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1973 and later from the
University of North Texas with her master’s degree.
She married Allen Wayne Cantwell in December 1984 in McKinney. She was raised in
the Methodist Church but had a special place in her heart for Stonebriar
Community Church in Frisco. She was director of elementary curriculum at Plano
ISD where she had worked for 39 years.
Jayne was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Scooter Sellers.
Jayne is survived by her husband of 30 years, Allen Wayne Cantwell of Plano; her
twin sister, Jeyne Neblett and husband, Mike, and their children, Kendel Baird
and Kyle Neblett; a brother, Craig Sellers and wife, Zannett, of Bridgeport; and
a sister-in-law, Betty Cantwell, and her children, Susan Seaman, William
Cantwell and Carol Braziel.
Memorials may be made to Operation Kindness, 3201 Earhart Dr., Carrollton, TX
75006. Phone number 972-418-7297.
Carson, Charles L. | 1930-2015
Published Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Charles L. Carson, 84, of Denton died Saturday, April 11, 2015.
Funeral is 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at DeBerry Funeral Home, 2025 W.
University Dr., in Denton with burial at Plainview Cemetery.
Charles was born Sept. 8, 1930, in Boonsville, to E.W. “Kit” and Othello
Jones Carson. He grew up in Greenwood and attended Slidell High School and the
University of North Texas.
He married Moleana Mason Carson April 4, 1950, and they recently celebrated
their 65th wedding anniversary. “Charlie” retired with more than 50 years of
service with the Texas Department of Transportation Engineering Department at
age 80.
He raised Longhorns and operated the Carson Cattle Co. Charles is a 50-year
member and Past Worshipful Master of Decatur Masonic Lodge 447, Shriner (Moslah
Temple), and Decatur OES No. 543 Past Worth Patron.
He loved traveling throughout the U.S. with family to historic and presidential
sites and nature areas. He loved telling and listening to stories, and he
collected a variety of items from coins to presidential campaign buttons of
losing candidates.
Charles organized creative activities, including the annual Carson Cookout in
Greenwood and “Run for the Wildflowers,” horse race during a Keep Texas
Beautiful Conference. He loved flowers, especially wildflowers.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law Dr. Randy Sluder;
sister-in-law and brother-in-law Lois Mason and Kenneth Slayton; sister-in-law
Jean Mason; cousin Billie Jean Duckworth; nephew Michael Mason; and his beloved
pet cat, “Front.”
Charles is survived by his wife, Moleana; daughters Dr. Linda Schertz of
Gainesville and Cecile Carson of Denton; son Tom Carson of Gainesville;
daughter-in-law Shelley Carson of Gainesville; son-in-law Terry Schertz of
Gainesville; grandchildren Rhys Carson and wife, Claudia, of Dallas, Cole
Carson, Kenzie Pringle, Kendra Pringle, Eric Schertz and Nicole Schertz.
He is also survived by brothers-in-law Robert “Bob” Mason and Charles Mason,
both of Denton, and Dean Mason of Ponder; nieces and nephews Delia Mason Weis
and husband, Richard, Shari Mason and Greg Mason; and cousins J.E. Carson and
wife, Betty, of Decatur, Cecil Carson Jr. and wife, Earlene, of Irving, Carol
Ann Carson of Decatur, John Carson, Carolyn Sue Duckworth Fix of Leonard and
Jimmie Duckworth of Grand Prairie.
Extended surviving family members include DeeDee Covington, Diana Ochoa, Ann
Powell and Stormi Godbey (“Charle’s Angels”).
Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Keep Texas
Beautiful and Sacred Heart Catholic School of Muenster.
Carter, Ralph Bryan | 1933-2015
Published Saturday, December 5, 2015
Ralph Bryan Carter, 82, of Chico, died Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, in Chico.
Funeral was Dec. 3 at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport with the Rev. Gary
Sessions officiating. Burial followed at Chico Cemetery.
Pallbearers were military honor guard members Capt. Leslie Hardin, Priscilla
Hardin, Chief Danny Price and Assistant Chief Gabriel Timmons.
Ralph was born July 25, 1933, in Corryton, Tenn., to Fred and Katie (Karnes)
Carter. He married Ann Prause Dec. 29, 1953, in Hammelburg, Germany. Ralph
proudly served his country and retired from the United States Army. He worked
for Breeze Hot Oil Services until he retired.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 60 years, Ann Carter; son
Michael Carter; daughter Linda Blanks; and brothers Dale Carter and Fred Carter.
He is survived by his daughters, Wendy Denney and husband, Jeff, of Midland and
Joyce O’Dell and husband, Wayland, of Balsora; grandchildren Kelcey, Jeremy,
Jerod, Haley and Leland; great-grandchild Jakob Alton Warner; brothers Lynn
Carter and wife, Mattie, of Knoxville and Everett Carter of Montrose, Mich.; and
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Cates, Kennedy Gayle | 2015
Published Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Kennedy Gayle Cates, infant daughter of Eric Cates and Angela Nelms of Boyd, was
born and died Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, in Decatur.
Kennedy is survived by her parents; grandparents Calvin Nelms and wife,
Katherine, of Alvarado, and Sharvella Warner and David Tolliver of Boyd; brother
Austin Cates of Boyd; aunts Courtney Youngblood and husband, Michael, of Boyd,
Carly Herrera and husband, John, of Mansfield, Linda Swinney and husband,
Johnny, of Mansfield and Christie Allison and Kyle Parks of Mansfield.
She is also survived by great-grandparents Glenda Walker and husband, Gale, of
Breckenridge and Katherine Burns and husband, George, of Milan, Tenn.; and other
family members.
Cates, Kennedy Gayle | 2015
Published Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Kennedy Gayle Cates, infant daughter of Eric Cates and Angela Nelms of Boyd, was
born and died Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, in Decatur.
Memorial service and balloon release is 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at the family
farm, 304 Jennings Ave., in Boyd. A cookout will follow.
Flowers can be delivered to Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd.
Kennedy is survived by her parents; grandparents Calvin Nelms and wife,
Katherine, of Alvarado, and Sharvella Warner and David Tolliver of Boyd; brother
Austin Cates of Boyd; aunts Courtney Youngblood and husband, Michael, of Boyd,
Carly Herrera and husband, John, of Mansfield, Linda Swinney and husband,
Johnny, of Mansfield and Christie Allison and Kyle Parks of Mansfield.
She is also survived by great-grandparents Glenda Walker and husband, Gale, of
Breckenridge and Katherine Burns and husband, George, of Milan, Tenn.; and other
family members.
Cathey, Lois | 1924-2015
Published Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Lois Cathey, 90, of Pauls Valley, Okla., died Wednesday, March 11, 2015, at OU
Medical Center.
Funeral was March 16 at the Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell, Okla. Burial
followed at Sanger Cemetery in Sanger.
Lois Temple was born July 20, 1924, in Lone Grove, Okla., the oldest of five
children born to John C. Temple and Cricket (West) Temple. She was raised
primarily in the area of Ardmore, Okla.
Like many in those days, Lois quit school at an early age and began working and
caring for her younger siblings to help her family. At the age of 18, she
married Fred Ponder, and they had three sons.
Fred preceded her in death when the boys were still young. At this time, Lois
and the boys lived on a small farm near Graham, Okla. She worked hard farming
and raising cattle to support her young family. Several years later she married
David Rollin Cathey. They made their home in Guymon, Okla., for many years and
later in Greenwood. David preceded her in death in 1974, and Lois settled near
Pauls Valley to be closer to her sons.
Lois loved her life and enjoyed her time on the farm. She enjoyed quilting and
tending to her garden. Her greatest joy was feeding her cows, and her time spent
on the farm brought her great happiness.
She was preceded in death by husbands Fred Ponder and David Cathey; parents John
and Cricket Temple; sister Betty Traylor; and brothers Bob and Gene Temple.
She is survived by her sons, Lee Ponder of Oklahoma City, Ray Ponder of Ardmore
and John Clarence Ponder of Elk City; brother Max Temple; six grandchildren; and
several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, as well as many other
family members and friends.
Write online condolences at wilsonlittle.com.
Chaddick, Geno | 1934-2015
Published Saturday, May 9, 2015
Geno Chaddick, 80, of Newark died Tuesday, May 5, 2015, in Newark.
Funeral was May 8 at Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd with Chaplain Jerri
Lynn Murphy officiating. Burial is private.
Chaddick was born Nov. 24, 1934, in Arlington to Garland and Minnie Mae
Chaddick. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and retired as a
construction worker for the USAF.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother; three sisters; and special
friend, Flo Murphy.
He is survived by his sister, Dorothy Arrington of Hillsboro; his special
friend, Bonnie Bailey of Fort Worth; and other family members and friends.
Chambers, Everleigh Bay | 2015
Published Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Everleigh Bay Chambers, daughter of Sumer Leigh Chambers of Boyd, was stillborn
Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, at Providence Hospital in Waco.
Graveside service is 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at Azleland Cemetery with the Rev.
Andrew Sobities officiating. Roberts Family Affordable Funeral Home in Fort
Worth is handling arrangements.
Everleigh was preceded in death by her great-grandfather, Lonnie Lee Crooks;
great-grandmother Jeanette Chambers; great-uncle Harvey Howard; and great-aunt
Laura Howard.
She is survived by her mother; grandparents Randy and Carolyn Crooks;
great-grandmothers Carol Krist and Peggy Crooks; aunts Mandy Crooks and Melissa
Crooks Murphree; and nephew Ty Garrison Murphree.
Childress, James R. 'Bob/B.C.' | 1946-2015
Published Wednesday, June 24, 2015
James “Bob/B.C.” R. Childress, 68, of Boyd died Sunday, June 21, 2015, in
North Richland Hills.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Friday, June 26, at the First Baptist Church in Boyd
with the Rev. Mark Autry officiating.
Bob was born June 24, 1946, in Stamford to William and Madge (Fitzgerald). He
married Sue Smith Jan. 13, 1967. Bob was a proud veteran of the United States
Air Force and retired from Southwestern Bell Telephone Company after 35 years of
service.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister Peggy Landreth.
Bob is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sue Childress of Boyd; son Bill
Childress and wife, Cindy, of Boyd; daughter Peggy Mattingly and husband, Paul,
of Michigan; grandchildren Skye, Harley, Ryan, J.D., Kayla and Randi; brother
John Childress and wife, Ellen, of Dallas; and numerous nieces, nephews and
friends.
Chivers, Tommy Joe| 1937-2015
Published Saturday, October 17, 2015
Tommy Joe Chivers, 78, originally of Wise County, died Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015,
in Carrollton.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, at Coker Funeral Home in Jacksboro with
burial at Willow Point Cemetery in Wise County.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Survivors include his wife, Monette; daughter Paula Olsen; two grandchildren;
mother Jackie Johnson; and brother Jim Stegall.
Clark, Karen Laverne | 1962-2015
Published Saturday, May 2, 2015
Karen Laverne Clark, 52, died Saturday, April 25, 2015, in Lake Worth.
Graveside service was May 1 at Azleland Cemetery and Memorial Park under the
direction of Roberts Family Affordable Funeral Home in Fort Worth.
Karen was born Nov. 11, 1962, in Fort Worth. She was great at taking care of
people and loved being a nurse.
She is survived by her mother, Lalene Cleary of Boyd; daughters Pam Cleary and
Brianna Clark; son Chad Clark and wife, Brittany; and grandson Carson Clark.
Clower, Kenneth Wayne | 1930-2015
Published Saturday, May 2, 2015
Kenneth Wayne Clower, 85, of Marble Falls, formerly of Alvord, died Thursday,
April 30, 2015, in Marble Falls.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Monday, May 4, at Alvord Church of Christ with burial to
follow at Alvord Cemetery. Visitation is 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Coker-Hawkins
Funeral Home in Decatur.
Kenneth was born Feb. 1, 1930, on the family farm in the Pella community on Dry
Hollow Creek near Alvord to George Shelton and Lola Lee (McDonald) Clower. He
was the fifth of their six children. He grew up and attended school in Alvord.
As a teenager, he raised and sold cantaloupes and watermelons on area roadsides.
After graduating from Alvord High School, he entered the United States Army
where he served for 18 months.
After serving his country, he began working in the oil and gas industry for El
Paso Natural Gas Co. He worked there until his retirement, and he continued to
play baseball with the company team until injuries forced him to stop. After
retiring, he did consulting work overseas, designing and building gas
production/processing plants. He worked in Russia and Algeria.
In 1959, Ken married Connie Jean Barker in Brady. To them was born a daughter,
Dana Devon. Connie was killed in an auto accident in Sweetwater in 1963. Kenneth
married Dora Ann Scott Liner in 1965 and gained three stepdaughters – Deborah
Ann, Connie Beth and Patricia Lynn. They lived for several years in the Odessa
area and later in Houston. Dora passed away in 2002 after a long battle with
cancer.
Ken later married Rosa Morehead Gregory and gained three stepsons – Mike, Tim
and Gary Gregory. They spent too few wonderful years together and did a good
deal of traveling. They lived for a while in Early and later in Fredericksburg.
Rosa died suddenly of heart failure in February 2011.
Ken stayed in their home in Fredericksburg for a while until his health began to
fail. He moved to assisted living centers in Kingsland and later Marble Falls to
be near his daughter, Dana.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents; three wives; brother Curg (Tom) Clower
and wife, Christine; sister Lloyd Lee Ferguson and husband, Melvin; brother
George Clower; little sister Linnie Mae Cobb; daughter Connie Beth Spruill; and
great-granddaughter Shayla Devon Sperry.
He is survived by his daughters, Dana Sperry of Granite Shoals, Deborah James
and husband, Kirby, of Midland and Patricia Ervin and husband, Carl, of Midland;
grandchildren Shannon Sperry, Christopher Sperry, Sean Sperry, Jeremy James and
wife, Amanda, Jennifer James, Shawn Spruill and wife, Jenna, Tony Stevenson and
wife, Penny, and April Chandler.
He is also survived by great-grandchildren Dawstian, Aeithen, Camryn, Johnathan,
Mike, Nathan, Logan, Brayton, Shae, Sienna, Teagan, Mikela, Mackenzie and
Kadence; older brother Curtis Clower and wife, Martha, of Urbana, Ill.;
sister-in-law Joyce Mote Clower of Gulfport, Miss.; brother-in-law Ray Cobb of
Springtown; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends and aquaintances
from his working years.
Coffey, James David | 1952-2015
Published Saturday, October 10, 2015
James David Coffey, 63, of Boyd died Monday, Oct. 5, 2015, at home.
Memorial service is 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Alexander Midway Funeral Home in
Springtown.
James was born Aug. 19, 1952, in Fort Worth to James Donavan and Carolyn Ann
Runyon Coffey.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother, Randy Whitaker.
James is survived by his wife, June; daughter Rosemary Hopkins and husband,
Eric; sisters Donna Lazek, Carol Barnes and Amy Boyd; brothers William Bean,
Gordon Whitaker and Herby Whitaker; grandson Chase Wiggins and wife, Priscilla;
great-grandchildren Destiny and Tristian Wiggins; nieces and nephews Missy,
Jessica, Heather, Fabion, Steven, Ian, Michelle, Dylan, Nicholas, John and Tara;
his dog, Tootie; and many family members and friends.
Collelo, Tom | 1949-2015
Published Saturday, July 11, 2015
Tom Collelo, 65, of Rhome died Sunday, July 5, 2015, in Rhome.
Funeral is 11 a.m. Saturday, July 11, at Eagle Mountain International Church
Chapel in Newark with Pastor Denny Pavlick officiating.
Pallbearers are Todd Collelo Jr., Alex Collelo, Jordan Major, John Pagmore,
Scott Walters and Fred Borgard.
Tom was born Nov. 4, 1949, in Willimantic, Conn., to Anthony and Admira
(Vallancourt) Collelo. He married Barbara Bergman June 17, 1978, in Moosup,
Conn. Tom graduated from Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School and worked as a
project coordinator at Sears for 20 years.
Tom was a member of the Eagle Mountain International Church and a member of the
Knights of Columbus. He was a caring, loving, giving, hardworking, Christian
man. Tom loved his wife and all his children unconditionally.
He was a man who gave his all and never expected anything in return. Tom touched
so many hearts by his few words. His friends were also his family.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; son Todd Anthony Collelo Sr.; three
brothers; and one sister.
He’s survived by his wife of 38 years, Barbara Collelo of Rhome; daughters
Pamela Major and husband, Eric Sr., of Dayville, Conn., Tina Collelo of Florida,
Carrie Collelo of Justin and Sue Richter of Dayton; son Keith Collelo and wife,
Hiedi, of Florida; 16 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sister Mary Ann
Bratley of North Carolina; three brothers; stepfather Richard Lafevebre of
Connecticut; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Collins, J.W. 'John' | 1928-2015
Published Wednesday, October 7, 2015
J.W. (John) Collins, 87, of Chico died Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Morris Memorial United Methodist
Church in Chico with the Rev. Mike Miller officiating. Burial will follow at
Chico Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Fred Warzwick, Fredrick Warzwick, Stewart Broadbent, Blake
Broadbent, Kevin Wood and Barry Wood.
John was born April 24, 1928, in Alvord to Zack Lee and Velar Ellen (Anderson)
Collins. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. A few years after he
returned stateside he married Lois Ogle on April 24, 1957 – his birthday. He
spent 28 years with TXI at the Bridgeport plant in mobile maintenance.
John was affiliated with the VFW, American Legion and SCV. He was also a member
of the Morris Memorial United Methodist Church in Chico. John loved to read. He
was a lifelong Democrat.
John was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lois Collins of Chico; daughters Annet
Warzwick and husband, Fred, of Denton, and Teresa Broadbent and husband,
Stewart, of The Colony; grandchildren Fredrick Warzwick, Blake Broadbent and
Katy Broadbent; brother F.M. Collins of Decatur; and sister Viola Beggs of
Wichita Falls.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Conditt, Helen Ruth Starnes | 1933-2015
Published Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Helen Ruth Starnes Conditt, 81, of Haltom City, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, in
Haltom City.
No service is planned.
Helen was born Nov. 18, 1933, in Decatur to J.B. and Maude Stanley Starnes. They
preceded her in death, as did a brother, Bobby Gene Starnes.
She is survived by sons Ras, John and David Conditt; daughter Dena Wright;
brother Jimmy Don Starnes; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Conner, Alice Frances | 1933-2015
Published Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Alice Frances Conner, 81, of Decatur died Sunday, June 28, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service was June 29 at Aurora Cemetery.
Alice was born Dec. 9, 1933, in Robstown to Stanley Roy and Allie Mae (Bishop)
Vickery. She was a homemaker who enjoyed reading, and she was a member of the
Boyd Church of Christ. She was also a talented painter and a member of the Art
Guild.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Robert L. Conner of Decatur; son Carroll Conner
and wife, Geri, of Mesquite, Texas; daughter Martha Lowe and husband, Tim, of
Oregon; grandchildren Aaron Lowe, Seanna Lowe, Jessica Reed and Cameron King;
and great-grandchildren Paxton Reed, Mason Reed and Prestyn Erin Reed.
Cooley, John Thomas | 1943-2015
Published Wednesday, June 17, 2015
John Thomas Cooley, 72, of Mansfield died Wednesday, June 10, 2015, in
Mansfield.
Services will be held at a later date. Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur is
handling arrangements. John was born Jan. 9, 1943, in Dallas to Pete and Juanita
(Garrison) Cooley. He was an interior designer.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
John is survived by his daughters, Robin Albarghuthi of Mansfield and Stephanie
Cooley of Mansfield: sister Phyllis Standard of Mertzon; friend and partner, Tim
Collins of Sugarland; and seven grandchildren.
Cooper, Rickey Thomas | 1958-2015
Published Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Rickey Thomas Cooper, 56, a construction superintendent, died Thursday, Jan. 22,
2015, in Bridgeport.
Funeral was Jan. 26 at Pleasant View Baptist Church with the Rev. Gary Demmitt
officiating. Burial followed at Cumby Cemetery under the direction of Hawkins
Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Pallbearers were Clint Cooper, Kenneth McCollum, Dale Pryor, Philip Miller,
Mikey Garcia and Jacob Garcia. Honorary pallbearers were Sammy Shipman, Curtis
Baker and Keith Whatley.
Rickey was born March 9, 1958, in Fort Worth to Charles and Jolene (Whatley)
Cooper. He was a superintendent at Vision.
Rickey fought a courageous battle against cancer for the past year, blessing his
friends and family with his grace and determination, as well as humor,
intelligence, support and love. He was a dedicated father, son, brother, uncle
and friend who put his family before himself.
He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Thomas Cooper.
Survivors include his mother, Jody Cooper of Bridgeport; sons Dax and Gage
Cooper and daughter Chaney Cooper, all of Fort Worth; sisters Darla McCollum of
Bridgeport and Lisa Garcia and Mickey of Victoria; brother Les Cooper and
Barbara of Fort Worth; longtime friend and mother of his children, Lori Cooper
of Fort Worth; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends.
Corder, John Allison Clifford | 1940-2015
Published Wednesday, February 25, 2015
John Allison Clifford Corder, 74, of Rhome, died Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, in
Rhome.
No services will be held.
John was born July 22, 1940, in Haigler, Neb., to John and Lucile (Phifer)
Corder. He married Bertha Sumner in 1965 in Melissa. John proudly served his
country in the U.S. Navy and was a retired machinist.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bertha Corder; and his parents.
He is survived by daughters Becky Lamb and husband, Craig, of Decatur and
Christine Corder and Leon Jones of Cashion, Okla.; grandchildren Austin Corder,
Heather Patterson, Holly Lamb, Sara Jones and Cecely Jones; great-grandchildren
Lillie Patterson, Camdyn Patterson and Wake Hawkins; sister Pamela Renzelman and
husband, Terry, of Colorado; his niece; and many friends.
Cordova-Acuna, Daniel | 1984-2015
Published Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Daniel Cordova-Acuna, 30, of Bridgeport, a maintenance technician, died Friday,
Aug. 7, 2015, in Chico.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, 2015, at Hawkins Funeral Home Chapel with
burial in East Bridgeport Cemetery. Family will receive friends 2 p.m. Thursday
until 2 p.m. Friday (24 hour visitation) at the funeral home.
Rev. Antonio Caseros will officiate. Pallbearers include David Cordova, Santos
Cordova, Felipe Aguilar, Leonardo Aguilar, Sergio Lopez and Oscar Gonzalez.
Daniel was born on Aug. 28, 1984, to Jose Santos and Guadalupe Acuna in Tijuana,
Baja California. He was united in marriage to Norma Alicia Vazquez on Feb. 14,
2010 in Tijuana, Baja California. Daniel was a maintenance technician for Baru
Enterprises LLC.
Those left behind to cherish his memory are his wife, Norma Vazquez of
Bridgeport; his daughter, Daniela Cordova of Bridgeport; his son, Diego Cordova
of Bridgeport; his mother, Guadalupe Acuna of Tijuana, Baja California; his dad,
Jose Santos of Tijuana, Baja California; his brother, David Cordova of Tijuana,
Baja California; his sister, Diana Cordova of Tijuana, Baja California; his
cousins, Mayra, Lopez and Leonardo Aguilar; close friends, Blanca Lopez, Paola
Aguilar, Jorge Aguilar; and other family members and a host of friends.
Family would like to ask friends and relatives to wear white for funeral.
Daniel, we love you, will never forget you, and you will always be in our
thoughts and our hearts.
Cowart, Mary Jo Willings | 1919-2015
Published Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Mary Jo Willings Cowart, 96, of Alvord, died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, at Chancellor and Jones Family
Funeral Home in Decatur.
Graveside service is 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at Henson Cemetery in Red Springs
with Larry McMullen officiating.
Mary Jo was born Oct. 10, 1919, in Waco to Fred and Hattie Willings. She married
David Ullie Cowart June 16, 1934, in Waco. She enjoyed singing in the choir,
reading, writing poems, teaching Sunday school and doing word search puzzles.
Mary Jo was a member of the First Baptist Church in Alvord.
She was preceded in death by her husband, who died March 16, 1973. She was also
preceded in death by her parents; sisters Virginia Storm and Kathleen Plummer;
brother Fred Willings Jr; son Benjamin Frederick Cowart; one grandson; and one
great-grandson.
Mary Jo is survived by her daughter, Shirley Ann Hardwick of Alvord; sons Daniel
Curtis Cowart of Fort Worth and Michael David Cowart and wife, Sharon Diann, of
Wichita Falls; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and 11
great-great-grandchildren.
Cowley, LeeRoy | 1955-2015
Published Saturday, March 14, 2015
LeeRoy Cowley, 60, of Chico, died Wednesday, March 11, 2015, in Wichita Falls.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 15, 2015, in the Chapel at
Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport. Burial will follow at Crafton Cemetery.
Jeff Bakker will officiate.
Pallbearers are Raymond Collector, Kayaan Collector, Craig Cowley, Eddie Cowley,
J.W. Byers and Bobby Arnold. Honorary pallbearers are Doug Whitehead, Jimmie
Wines, Keith Meyers and Frank Lovett.
Visitation will be 5 – 7 p.m. Saturday, March 14, 2015, at Jones Family
Funeral Home.
LeeRoy was born on February 21, 1955, in Bridgeport to Racheal Vera (DeFore) and
George Lee Cowley. He attended Chico schools.
In his later years, LeeRoy lived in Heritage Place of Decatur Nursing Home,
where his personality really began to shine. He loved the structured environment
of the nursing home and quickly made friends with other patients and the staff.
LeeRoy always looked for ways to help out and was often allowed to help with
activities. His bubbly personality landed him the role of facility mascot and
cheerleader.
LeeRoy had an artistic side and loved to sit down with crayons and color in his
large coloring books. He was also, in his own right, quite a photography bug.
He was the outdoorsy type and spent hours outside scouring the area gathering
and recycling aluminum cans to earn spending money. But his big love was
fishing. He made a habit of photographing friends and family with their trophy
catches. Being childlike himself, LeeRoy had a deep love for children, and
always thought of others before himself.
LeeRoy was preceded in death by his mother, Racheal Vera Cowley.
He is survived by his parents George and Jeanne Cowley; brother Donnie Cowley;
special cousin and caretaker Tammy Sosa and husband Darren; special local
cousins Nelda Pyle and Craig Cowley; Louise Cowley, Eddie Cowley and wife
Debbie; aunts Ruth Meyers and Nancy Cowley Dickinson; and several other cousins.
Donations may be made to the Chico Volunteer Fire Department or the Relay for
Life team “Healing Hearts.”
Cox, Elmer | 1934-2015
Published Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Elmer Cox, 80, of Denton died Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, in Denton.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Hawkins Funeral Home with burial to
follow at Chico Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Justin Cox, Jason Cox, Jacob Cox, Jesse Cox, Colby Moore, Steven
Cox, Sammy Smith and Nick Jones.
Elmer was born Nov. 21, 1934, in Chico to Ernest and Linnie (Ogle) Cox. He
earned his bachelor’s degree from North Texas State University and proudly
served his country in the United States Army. Elmer owned and operated Chico
Limestone.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son Stevie Cox; grandson Clint Cox;
sisters Pharine Meeks and Betty Robinson; and brother Everett Cox.
He is survived by his wife, June Cox; daughter Gina Cox Schefer and husband,
Steven; sons Eric Cox and wife, Brenda, Van Cox and wife, Sheila, Chris Cox and
wife, Katherine, and Shay Cox and partner, Matt Newman; nine grandchildren; 15
great-grandchildren; and other family members and friends.
Cox, Norman Keith | 1924-2015
Published Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Norman Keith Cox, 90, of Boyd died Tuesday, June 30, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service was July 3 at Pleasant Grove No. 1 Cemetery in Decatur with
Gerre Joiner officiating. Norman was born Nov. 20, 1924, in Kellogg, Minn., to
Lester Austin and Vida Rosella (Glidden) Cox. He married Joyce Lorain Seals Nov.
1, 1977, in Fort Worth and was a retired heavy equipment operator.
Norman was preceded in death by his parents; a brother; and a sister.
He’s survived by his wife of 37 years, Joyce Cox of Boyd; daughters Penny Cox
of Olahga, Okla., and Melody Branstorm and husband, Jim, of Arizona; son David
Cox and wife, Keri, of Arlington; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren;
and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Cox, Shirley Rae | 1944-2015
Published Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Shirley Rae Cox, 70, of Denton died Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, in Denton.
Memorial service is 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Denton State School.
Shirley was born Dec. 18, 1944, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Dick and Pearl (Smith)
Cox.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Shirley is survived by her sister, Sharon McFarlane and husband, Gary, of
Slidell; brother Lary Cox and wife, Ann, of Alvord; six nieces and nephews; and
many friends.
Crabtree, Harold Ray | 1936-2015
Published Saturday, August 29, 2015
Harold Ray Crabtree, 79, of Rhome died Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Marietta, Okla.
Graveside service is 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, at Aurora Cemetery with the
Rev. Doyle Slimp officiating.
Harold was born Feb. 13, 1936, in Decatur to Edward and Minnie (Lambert)
Crabtree. He was a building contractor.
Harold is survived by his son, Michael Crabtree; daughter Shari Syrus;
grandchildren Rhonda Myers and Ricky Syrus Jr.; sister Judy Pennington; and
other family members and friends.
Cranfill, Roy Lynn | 1951-2015
Published Saturday, May 23, 2015
Roy Lynn Cranfill, 63, died Monday, May 18, 2015.
Memorial service is 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at Mount Olivet Chapel in Fort
Worth.
Lynn was born in 1951 and spent most of his life in Fort Worth. He spent his
life’s work mentoring young people as a teacher and basketball coach. He spent
the past seven years as a coach in Boyd. He enjoyed teaching, but coaching was
his passion. He was passionate about teaching young people and truly believed
that their successes were his success.
Lynn is survived by his wife; two sons; one daughter; seven grandchildren; his
father; a brother; and a sister.
Crawley, Ingrid Hildegarde Mueller | 1936-2015
Published Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Ingrid Hildegarde Mueller Crawley, 78, of Runaway Bay, died Tuesday, Feb. 17,
2015, in Denton.
Memorial service is 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at Jones Family Funeral Home in
Bridgeport with the Rev. Gerald Epperson officiating.
Ingrid was born Sept. 1, 1936, in Peterswalde, Germany, to Fritz and Hilda
(Gretche) Mueller. After high school graduation in Germany, in her teen years
and early 20s, she traveled to many places and worked in a resort on the Isle of
Amrum and then as an au pair in Sweden before returning home and marrying
American soldier Gilbert James Crawley. They wed in Ludwigshafen, Germany, in
March of 1958 and settled in his hometown of Chicago.
The couple had four children and moved to Bridgeport in 1965 where Ingrid lived
until her passing. She was a cook for many restaurants, including the Yacht Club
at Runaway Bay in the ’70s. Before retiring, she managed the cafeteria at
Bridgeport Elementary School.
Ingrid had been a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Bridgeport since
1965. Her hobbies included cooking, working in her beautiful yard, vegetable
gardening and Facebook.
She was preceded in death by her parents of Ludwigshafen and her childrens’
father, Gilbert Crawley of Arlington.
Ingrid is survived by sons James Gilbert Crawley of Runaway Bay and Thomas David
Crawley of Arlington; daughters Debra Crawley Wilson of Runaway Bay and Elaine
Crawley Cobb and husband, Dennis, of Decatur; brother Leopold Lang of
Langenheide, Germany; sisters Vera E. Raeuchle of Ludwigshafen, Annelise E.
Summer of Altrip, Germany, and Renate H. Mueller, also of Altrip; grandchildren
Randi Eyster and husband, Randy, Natalie Cobb, Clint Wilson and wife, Natalie,
Brandon Cobb, Charissa Sheffield and husband, Gerell, Eillischa Crawley and
Jared Crawley; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Crisp, Johnny Richard | 1944-2015
Published Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Johnny Richard Crisp, 71, of Decatur, died Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service was Oct. 27 at Whitaker Cemetery near Gunter.
Johnny was born Aug. 31, 1944, in Gainesville to Buster and Vera Viola (Cady)
Crisp. He married Flora Ann Lambert Feb. 4, 1963, in Denton. He retired from
Turbo Ice.
Johnny was preceded in death by a son, Johnny Crisp Jr.; sister Opal Cantrell;
and brothers Billy Crisp, James Crisp and Robert Crisp.
He is survived by his wife, Flora Ann Crisp of Decatur; daughter Flora Crisp of
Midland; brother Sam Crisp of Denton; grandchildren Jason Whitaker, Jennifer
Breedlove, Tasha Carter and Chelsea Crisp; and great-grandsons Logan Whitaker,
Landon Whitaker and Jamie Breedlove.
Online condolences may be made at www.mulkeymasondenton.com.
Crooks, Lonnie | 1940-2015
Published Saturday, March 7, 2015
Lonnie Crooks, 74, died Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015, in Dallas with his loving
family by his side.
Service was March 5 at White’s Azle Funeral Home and burial was at Azleland
Memorial Park.
Lonnie was born June 23, 1940, in Columbus, Ga., to William and Ruth Holman
Crooks.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy Crooks; son Randy Leon Crooks and wife,
Carolyn; daughter Leslie Carol Harms and husband, Randall; grandchildren Mandy
Crooks, Sumer Chambers, Melissa Murphree and husband, John, Reece Harms and
Ethan Harms; great-grandchild Ty Murphree; and other family members and friends.
Cross, Patsy Lou | 1934-2015
Published Saturday, June 20, 2015
Patsy Lou Cross, 81, of Newark died Tuesday, June 16, 2015, in Newark.
Funeral was June 19 at the First Baptist Church in Newark with Alan Six
officiating. Burial followed at Aurora Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Scott Davis, James Newman, Herald Lynch, Burt Lampkin, Billy
Beasley and Richard Bodham.
Honorary pallbearers were John Beam, Jeff Fox, Matt Winer, Patrick Haley, Ken
Bailey, E.J. Ellis, Michael Carrol, Seth Cross, Joey Cross, Jimmy Cross and Glen
Cross.
Patsy was born May 4, 1934, in Byars, Okla., to Eldridge and Bertie (Willis)
Milford. She married Cecil Cross Dec. 8, 1970, in Mena, Ark. Patsy was a
homemaker, and she was retired from being a floral designer and manager of a
fabric store. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Newark.
Patsy was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers Rex, Darrell and Don.
She was the last living member of that immediate family.
She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Cecil G. Cross of Newark; daughter
Glenda Beam of Fort Worth; son Louis Hosek and wife, Tracy, of Keller;
stepchildren Glenda Patterson and husband, Mark, of Hurst, Ronald Cross and
wife, Letta, of Bedford, and Russell Cross of Mansfield; 11 grandchildren; 12
great-grandchildren; and other family members and friends.
Crump, Jack | 1930-2015
Published Saturday, December 19, 2015
Jack Crump, 85, of Decatur, died Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, in Decatur.
A private service will be held Monday, Dec. 21.
Jack was born May 2, 1930, in Fort Worth to Jasper and Katie (Brewer) Crump. He
married Sandra Brown July 22, 1975, in Fort Worth. Jack is a descendant of both
Dr. J.G. Crump and Professor T.F. Hughes, two of the founding fathers of Saint
Jo.
He served as an altar boy in the 1940s for St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fort
Worth and played basketball in 1947 when his Paschal High School team won
District 7AA basketball Champions. In 1948, Jack graduated from Lanari Catholic
High School. He attended St. Edwards and Texas Christian University in 1949.
In 1950, Jack attended Allen Military Academy in Bryan, and he became vice
president of The Crump Co. in 1956. He retired in 1980 to The Sanderosa in Jack
County, and in 1982, Jack and wife Sandy opened The Zoo video game room in
Bowie. In 1984, they opened Cue Rox in Decatur on the square.
The family moved from Jack County to Decatur in 1995.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents; and brother Bobbie Crump.
He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sandra Crump of Decatur; daughters
Jacqueline Ochs and husband, Martin, of Austin and Jennifer Bailey and husband,
Daniel Bennett, of Fort Worth; sister Marjorie Rogers of Pottsboro;
granddaughters Ashley Howard and Jessica Ochs-Wheat; great-grandsons Matthew,
Stone, Carson and Max; three nieces; four nephews; and friends.
Crunk, Billy D. | 1936-2015
Published Saturday, June 20, 2015
Billy D. Crunk, 79, of Rhome died Thursday, June 18, 2015, in Rhome.
Funeral is 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 22, at Grace Baptist Church in Decatur with
Dr. Van Gardner officiating. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery. Visitation
is 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Pallbearers are Michael Crunk, Braulio Padron, Greg Crunk, Danny Laverty,
Jeffery Crunk, Jaime Trevino, Adam Padron, Teddy Padron, David Ray Crunk Jr.,
Alex Trevino, Casey Laverty, Merrick Addington, Millard Crunk, Sam Logue, Clint
Logue, Colby Addington, Joe Lutz, Jesse Padron, Jake Logue, Ben Addington and
David Paul Addington.
Billy was born April 28, 1936, in Greenwood to Millard and Leita Alene (White)
Crunk. He married Sue Strickland Oct. 9, 1970, in Madill, Okla., and was a
dairyman. Billy worked as a Wal-Mart door greeter for 12 years after retirement.
He was a member of Grace Baptist Church.
Billy was preceded in death by his parents.
He’s survived by his wife of 44 years, Sue Crunk of Rhome; sons Randy Crunk
and wife, Cindy, of Bridgeport, David Crunk and wife, Judy, of Chico, Jimmy
Addington and wife, Cindy, of Decatur, and Paul Addington and wife, Beth, of
Decatur; and daughters Peggy Padron and husband, Placido, of Decatur, Beverly
Leroy and husband, Gary, of Denton, Tammie Lutz and husband, R.J., of Jackson,
Mich., Diana Knopf and husband, Jack, of Healdton, Okla., and Barbie Laverty and
husband, Gordon, of Decatur.
He is also survived by sisters Raylene Slimp of Boyd, Nora Vanhoose and husband,
Jimmie, of Chico and Barbara Brooks and husband, Jerry, of Decatur; 38
grandchildren; 60 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren;
brother-in-law Pat Strickland and wife, Andrea; sister-in-law Nancy Ennis; and
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Cruz, Bobbie Sue Drake | 1933-2015
Published Saturday, May 9, 2015
Bobbie Sue Drake Cruz, 82, of Boyd died Wednesday, May 6, 2015, in Arlington.
Graveside service is 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at Boyd Cemetery with Gerre Joiner
officiating.
Cruz was born Feb. 14, 1933, in Huntsville, Ala., to Searcy and Robbie Drake.
She married Bobby Jack Cruz in 1969 in Corpus Christi. She was Presbyterian.
Bobbie retired as an employee of Fort Worth Medical Labs.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bobbie Jack Cruz; her
brother, Bill Drake; and her sister, Olivia Drake Culpepper.
Bobbie is survived by her sisters, Mary Ellen Drake McCanless of Arlington and
Jane Drake Olsen of Corpus Christi; two stepdaughters; nieces and nephews; and
many friends.
Cruz, Fernando | 1973-2015
Published Saturday, January 31, 2015
Fernando Cruz, 41, a pipeliner, died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, in Decatur.
Mass of Christian burial was Jan. 30 at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Catholic Church with Father Thomas Dsouza officiating. Burial followed at
Oaklawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Javier Cruz, Humberto Prado, Luis Martinez, Lazaro Padron,
Ramiro Marquez, Ricardo Cruz and Fernando Cruz Jr.
Fernando was born April 20, 1973, in Mexico to Fidel and Socorro (Mendez) Cruz.
He married Maria Reyes Marquez Feb. 13, 2010, in Decatur.
He worked as a pipeliner for G-Force and was a member of the Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Decatur.
He is survived by his wife, Maria Cruz of Decatur; sons Christopher Cruz,
Alejandro Cruz and Fernando Cruz Jr., all of Decatur; his parents, Fidel and
Socorro Cruz of Decatur; sisters Yolanda Cruz, Maria Martinez and husband, Luis,
Veronica Cruz and husband, Carlos Gam, Carmen Gonzalez and husband, Armando,
Angeles Huerta and husband, Maximino – all of Decatur – and Araceli Cruz of
Denton; brother Javier Cruz of Austin; nieces Melyssa Gam, Emma Gonzalez, Emily
Gonzalez, Celeste Huerta and Jovanna Martinez, all of Decatur; nephews Rodrigo
Cruz, Juan David Huerta, Jorge and Isaac Martinez, all of Decatur; and numerous
cousins, aunts, uncles and friends.
Culverhouse, James Edward 'Ed' | 1923-2015
Published Saturday, April 4, 2015
James Edward “Ed” Culverhouse, 92, of Chico died Wednesday, April 1, 2015,
in Bridgeport.
Funeral was April 3 at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport with Danny Russell
officiating and Sam Starr assisting. Burial followed at Chico Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Robert Culverhouse, Alan Bailey, Casey Adams and Mikeal Priddy.
Ed was born March 13, 1923, in Park Springs to Woody and Georgia (Bearden)
Culverhouse. He married Nelba Ruth Griffis March 20, 1943, in Wise County. They
were married 68 years, five months and six days before she died Aug. 26, 2011.
Ed was the produce manager for Carter’s Grocery Store before his retirement.
He was the No. 1 fan of the Chico Dragons and was on the Chico School Board for
many years. He served on the Chico City Council for five years and was a member
of the Crafton Church of Christ. Ed has enjoyed Bible study and gospel singing
for the last 30 years.
He was a member of the Chico Volunteer Fire Department for 25 years, and he also
enjoyed and participated in the Park Springs Reunion.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; sons Donald Edward and Ronald
Hubert Culverhouse; brother Hubert Crick; and sisters Barbara McClurg and Louise
Horton.
He is survived by his son, Bill Culverhouse and wife, Becky, of Eastland;
daughter Janice Jones and husband, Danny, of Woodson; grandchildren Emily and
Alan Bailey, Amanda and Casey Adams, Robert and Tessa Culverhouse, and Carol
Anne and Mikeal Priddy; great-grandchildren Ariana and Austin Priddy, Ella Jane
Adams and Quincy Adams; and numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and
friends.
Memorial donations may be made to Cherokee Home for Children, Hwy. 16 South,
Cherokee, TX 76832, 915-662-4298; or the American Heart Association, 7272
Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231, www.heart.org.
Curry, Joe Wayne | 1949-2015
Published Saturday, November 28, 2015
Joe Wayne Curry, 66, of Decatur, died Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, in Fort Worth.
Funeral was Nov. 27 at the First Baptist Church in Decatur with Phillip Askey
officiating. Burial followed at Paradise Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Brady Mann, Scott Mann, Jason Hayes, Darren Hayes, Peter Ku and
Jonathan Shriver.
Joe was born July 6, 1949, in Hillsboro to William and Johnnie (Fawcett) Curry.
He married Karen Lee Mann Feb. 16, 1973, in Hillsboro. He received his
bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University.
Joe was a nursing home administrator for Decatur Convalescent and Hill Haven for
19 years, and for the past 18 years, he worked as a case manager for the Federal
Emergency Management Agency. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in
Decatur.
Joe was an avid golfer who loved to play with his family and friends. His
passion was to play and watch baseball. He played college baseball for Hill
College.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Karen Curry of Decatur; daughters Beth
Ann Ku and husband, Peter, of Aledo and Kara Lee Shriver and husband, Jonathan,
of Decatur; son Jody Neal Curry and wife, Kelley, of Casper, Wyo.; grandchildren
Marshall and Nelson Ku, Jackson, Davis and Grant Shriver, Kolby McConnell and
wife, Briana, Kaylee McConnell, and Tucker Joe Curry; great-grandchildren Ryeson
and Bodhi McConnell; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Darnell, Dennie Royce | 1943-2015
Published Saturday, November 7, 2015
Dennie Royce Darnell PA-C, 72, of Azle, died Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
Funeral is 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Greenwood Funeral Home in Fort Worth.
Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Park in Fort Worth.
Dennie was born Oct. 11, 1943, in Fort Worth. His life was one of service. He
served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and was active with the
military, Liberty Jump Team and Texas National Guard. Dennie was a master
parachute rigger and a certified physician’s assistant at Alvord Medical
Clinic.
Dennie was loved and admired. He was most proud of his last jump at Normandy on
the 70th anniversary of D Day.
Dennie was preceded in death by his wife, Irene; and his parents, Lillie and
Paul Darnell.
He is survived by his sister, Diane, of Azle; brother Jerry of Azle; nephew
Jerry Paul of Glen Rose; great-nephew Brody; stepson Shawn Robertson and wife,
Monica, of Alvord; and step-grandson Rendon “Boo”.
Davidson, Keagan Edward | 1989-2015
Published Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Keagan Edward Davidson, 25, of Fort Worth, formerly of Alvord, died Sunday, Oct.
4, 2015, in Fort Worth.
Funeral is 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at the First Baptist Church in Alvord with
Bill Cleveland officiating. Burial will follow at Giles Family Cemetery in
Alvord.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Pallbearers are Jordan Shurbet, William Turner, Curtis Gregoire, Brandon Bucher,
Jason Standifer and Scott Standifer.
Keagan was born Nov. 10, 1989, to John and Linda (Giles) Davidson in North
Richland Hills. He worked in oilfield production and was a Baptist.
Keagan was preceded in death by his father, John Davidson.
He’s survived by his daughter, Ava Davidson of Watauga; mother Linda Davidson
Gregoire of Addison; sister Heather Nicole Watt of Spokane Valley, Wash.;
brother Sean Michael Davidson of Bedford; maternal grandmother, Carol Giles
Fountain of Alvord; paternal grandmother, Vonitta Davidson of North Richland
Hills; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Davie, Jo Mayo | 1933-2015
Published Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Jo Mayo Davie of Decatur died Wednesday April 8, 2015, in San Juan, Puerto Rico
ending the pain and suffering of a lengthy illness.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Thursday April 16, at Community Church in Decatur.
After graduating from Grand Prairie High School in 1951 and marrying Roland, her
high school sweetheart, the two truly became one. After graduating from
Arlington State College eight years later and joining IBM in the Metroplex, they
began a rewarding career in corporate America.
In 1973, the two moved to Tulsa, Okla., and joined Telex. Jo was involved in
many charity and community service activities with a major emphasis upon the
ministries of Jenks 1st Baptist Church and Bible Study Fellowship.
In 1992, they began a new chapter of life by purchasing Decatur Livestock
Market. Until her illness, Jo was active in the management of the company and
served as the calming factor in the midst of any storm.
Jo was also involved in the ministries of Community Church in Decatur. She was
the official “hugger.”
Jo personified the virtuous wife portrayed in Proverbs 31 and manifested the
love of Christ both in good times and bad.
She is survived by her husband, Roland Davie of Decatur, sons Guy Davie and
wife, Janine, of Decatur, Mark Davie and wife, Karla, of Decatur and Kyle Davie
of Fort Worth; adopted son Dr. Angelito Yango of Fort Worth; adopted daughter
Ibtisam Al-Royami-Oman; grandsons Shaun Davie and wife, Misti, of Decatur, Ryan
Davie and wife, Jeannette, of Arlington, J. R. Davie of California and Kyle Mark
Davie of Houston; great-grandchildren Nathaniel, Madeline and Mallory of
Decatur, Halo Grace of California and Bronx and Bowen of Arlington; sisters
Kitty Waldrop of Denton and Marletta Whitten of Tyler.
Memorial contributions may be made to youth ministries.
Davis, Kathy Joan | 1943-2015
Published Saturday, April 18, 2015
Kathy Joan Davis, 71, of Newark died Monday, April 13, 2015, in Decatur.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at Chisholm Trail Church, 300
Chisholm Creek Parkway, in Rhome with the Rev. Ron Graham officiating.
Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd is handling arrangements.
Kathy was born Oct. 31, 1943, in Bermuda to Bryce and Pauleen Lindsey. She wore
many hats in her career, including a cosmetologist, truck driver and finally,
caregiver. Kathy was a member of the Texas Sundowners Riding Club. She loved all
horses, but her favorite horse was Joco.
Kathy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ray Davis; brother
Bruce Lindsey; and her favorite dog, Doc.
She is survived by her daughter, Maryann Krevenas of Newark; son Shawn Phares
and wife, Lisa, of Newark; grandson Tyler Younis; step-grandson Brian Massey;
granddaughters Brandi Haslam, Harlie Phares, Hanna Phares and Halle Phares;
sister Patricia Lindsey; and other family members and friends.
Dawson, Irene | 1937-2015
Published Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Irene Dawson, 77, of Chico died Saturday, June 20, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service is 10 a.m. Thursday, June 25, at Sweetwater Cemetery in
Decatur with the Rev. Jack Skidmore officiating. Visitation is 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Irene was born Dec. 23, 1937, in Stuttgart, Ark., to Elton and Irene
(Timmermier) Hayes. She married William Winford Dawson July 23, 1954, in Dallas.
Irene was a Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Irene is survived by her daughter, Tammye Burkett of Chico; son, Cecil Dawson
and wife, Karen, of Decatur; sister Elizabeth Warren and husband, James, of
Bullard; brother Johnny Hayes of Bullard; sister Elsie Shadfer of Barksdale;
eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews,
cousins and friends.
Deacon, Lisa Dawn | 1973-2015
Published Saturday, May 9, 2015
Lisa Dawn Deacon, 42, of Stephenville died Friday, May 1, 2015, in Midland.
Memorial service is 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at Hawkins Funeral Home in
Bridgeport. Visitation is 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday before the service.
Lisa was born May 5, 1973, in Tucson, Ariz., to Don and Sharon Beardsworth. She
was a cashier.
She is survived by her son, Dennis Michael Deacon III of Illinois, daughter
Savanna Marie Deacon of Illinois; Gregory Wayne Blount of Burleson; sisters
Deanna Beardsworth of Albuquerque, N.M., and Krissi Stanford-Wood of Washington;
and other family members and friends.
Deatherage, Donald Dean | 1945-2015
Published Saturday, May 30, 2015
Donald Dean Deatherage, 69, of Bowie died Tuesday, May 26, 2015, in Bowie.
Graveside service was May 29 at West Bridgeport Cemetery with Melvin Castleberry
officiating.
Donald was born Aug. 4, 1945, in Bridgeport to Wesley Orbon and Tressie Beatrice
(Hobbs) Deatherage. During his high school years, Donald was captain of the
football team and an avid boxer. Before a serious auto accident in his early-20s
left him disabled, Donald worked as a machinist manufacturing ammunition.
Donald is survived by brothers Lester Deatherage and wife, Mildred, Travis
Deatherage, and Robert Deatherage and wife, Jan, all of Bridgeport; sister Betty
D. Waldrep and husband, Joe, of Denton, Texas; and numerous aunts, uncles,
nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister Myrna Joyce (Deatherage)
Coffee.
DeBusk, Brook | 1957-2015
Published Saturday, April 25, 2015
Brook DeBusk, 58, of Slidell died Wednesday April 22, 2015, in Decatur.
Visitation is 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 26, at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in
Decatur.
Brook was born March 31, 1957, in Evanston, Ill., to Aaron and Betty (Young)
DeBusk. He was a commercial framer.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Weaver.
Brook is survived by his wife, Vickie Sadler of Slidell; sons Evan Marshall
DeBusk of Navarre, Fla., Michael Calvin DeBusk of Denton and Ronnie Luke Mathews
of Slidell; daughters Crystal Marie Crews of Scurry, Melissa Nicole Canales of
Bedford and Michelle Lynn Escudero of Denton; his father, Gib DeBusk and wife,
Ruth, of Tallahassee, Fla.; sisters Michelle Plummer of Austin, Melissa Carr of
Lockhart and Kara DeBusk of Houston; brothers Clint DeBusk of Liberty Hill and
Barrett Debusk of Cuba, N.M.; and numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews,
cousins and friends.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.
DeLay, Donald Robert | 1958-2015
Published Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Donald Robert DeLay, 57, of Lake Bridgeport, died Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, in
Lake Bridgeport.
Funeral is 11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport
with the Rev. Jerry Galloway officiating. Burial will follow at West Bridgeport
Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Rick Brune, Cody Martin, Joshua DeLay, Johnny Paddack, Bill
Miles and Jim Inman.
Honorary pallbearer is Jesus Reyna.
Doug was born June 29, 1958, in Fort Worth to J.B. and Bobbie (Randal) DeLay. He
owned and operated DeLay Wrecker Service. Doug served in the Pennsylvania
National Guard and was a retired tow truck operator.
He is survived by his mother, Bobbie Ashbaugh and husband, Ron, of Gilbert,
Ariz.; father J.B. DeLay and wife, Cosette, of Elk City, Okla.; sisters Patricia
Ann DeLay and husband, S.K. Koumounduri, of Houston and Linda DeLay of Carbon
Dale, Colo.; brother Darrell DeLay of Honduras; nephews Joshua DeLay and Jeremy
DeLay; nieces Jenna DeLay and Leila Navon; and other family members and friends.
Dick, Tort Halle 'Hal' | 1924-2015
Published Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Tort Halle “Hal” Dick, 90, a former vocational agriculture teacher at
Slidell, died Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, in Dexter.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at the First United Methodist Church in
Gainesville with the Rev. Karen Martinez officiating. Burial will follow at
Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville.
Visitation is 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at George J. Carroll and Son Funeral Home in
Gainesville.
Pallbearers are Wes Dick, Marc Dick, Sam Dick, Jordan Dick, Elijah Dick and Zeke
Dick.
Hal was born Dec. 19, 1924, in Delaware Bend to J.R. “Tort” Dick and Mertie
Frances Blair Dick.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Dick; his parents; brother Laboyte
Dick; and sister Kydeen Riddle.
Hal is survived by sons Wes Dick and Marc Dick; sister Niobe Noland; and
grandchildren Sam Dick, Jordan Dick, Elijah Dick, Abigail Dick, Zeke Dick and
Zoe Dick.
Dickerson, Doyle Wayne | 1939-2015
Published Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Doyle Wayne Dickerson, 76, a restaurant owner, died Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, in
Decatur.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2015, at First Baptist Church of Alvord with
burial in Alvord Cemetery. Family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Monday at
Coker-Hawkins funeral home.
Rev. Bill Cleveland will officiate. Pallbearers include Pat Garrett, Bobby
Flanagan, Elbert Graham, Russell Kidd, Junior Hall, and Richard Blazek.
Doyle was born on Feb. 12, 1939 to O.L. and Macie (Hutchens) Dickerson in
Coppell. He was united in marriage to Arlene Faglie on July 28, 1961, in
Grapevine. Doyle was an owner and operator of the restaurant Waffle Way for 14
years and Dickerson Gulf Station for 22 years. He was a member of the First
Baptist Church in Alvord. Doyle proudly served his country in the U.S. Army.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Arlene Dickerson of Alvord; his sons,
Monty Dickerson of Austin, Clint Dickerson and wife Julie Ann of Providence, TX,
and Kyle Dickerson and wife Julie of Alvord; his granddaughter, Macie Dickerson;
his grandsons, Lakyn Dickerson, Wyatt Dickerson, Isaac Dickerson, and Ben and
Alex Huddleston; and his sister Emogene Allred of Grapevine.
Dicks, Linda Lee (Ramer) | 1944-2015
Published Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Linda Lee (Ramer) Dicks, 70, of Rhome died Saturday, May 2, 2015, in Decatur.
No services are planned. Private services may be held at a later date.
Linda was born Nov. 11, 1944, in Falls City, Neb. She was a lifelong Cornhusker
fan and had been living in the Metroplex since 1989. After retiring from Siemens
in 2009, she stayed busy with part-time jobs and gardening. She was an
animal-lover and was nicknamed the “chicken-lady” for treating her hens like
pets. She had a big smile and infectious laugh.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Ona Ramer; grandparents
William S. and Elva O. Ramer and Oring and Ann Mount; brothers Rowlin Wayne
Ramer of Falls City and Kenneth Gleason Ramer of Albany, Ore.; and infant
grandson Michael James Dicks.
She is survived by her husband of nearly 35 years James W. Dicks Sr.; daughters
Dawn Roehrich and husband, David, of Tampa, Fla., and Darla Barnes and husband,
Lance, of Dexter, Mich.; sons Randal Stivers and Tina McLaughlin of San Antonio,
James W. Dicks Esposito of Pasadena; brother Leonard Doyle Ramer of Falls City,
Neb.; and grandchildren Nicholas Ross of Columbia, Mo., Samantha Stivers of
Lincoln, Neb., Brittny Love Guzman and husband, Heath, of Mineral Wells, Zachary
and Dakota Stivers of San Antonio; Drew ,Shelby and Trent Barnes, all of Dexter,
Mich., and Jordana Roehrich of Tampa, Fla.
She is also survived by great-grandchildren Addison and Clayton.
Memorial donations may be made to a local animal shelter.
Diffenderfer, John Robert | 1951-2015
Published Wednesday, January 14, 2015
John Robert Diffenderfer, 63, of Paradise, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, in
Decatur.
Memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Jones Family Funeral Home in
Bridgeport with Pastor Joey Vick officiating.
No visitation is scheduled.
John was born Feb. 25, 1951, in Yazoo, Miss., to John Benham and Hazel Beatrice
(Warren) Diffenderfer. He served his country in the Army and later made his
career as a roofer. He enjoyed spending time with family.
John was preceded in death by his parents; and son Michael Trevino.
He is survived by his wife of nine years, Carol Ann Diffenderfer; son Jamey Wade
Diffenderfer; daughters Tessa LeRae Diffenderfer and Tracy Trevino; brother Paul
Wayne Diffenderfer; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Dillinder, Betty | 1934-2015
Published Saturday, April 4, 2015
Betty Dillinder, 81, of Bridgeport died Tuesday, March 31, 2015, in Bridgeport.
Funeral was April 3 at the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport with Dr. David
Burrows officiating. Burial followed at East Bridgeport Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Bob Waters, Fred Thompson, James White, Gene Gregg, Kevin
Lehmann and Randal Wright.
Betty was born Feb. 24, 1934, in Ranger to Dewey and Jessie (Winchell) Cox. She
married Harold Dillinder Jan. 3, 1954, in Ranger, and she graduated from Ranger
Junior College. Betty was a volunteer at the Bridgeport Nursing Home and was a
member of the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport. She was a homemaker.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Dewey Cox Jr., Richard Cox
and Charles Cox.
She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Harold; children Cheryl Manske and
husband, Lynn, of Tomball, Vicki Lehmann and husband, Kevin, of Bridgeport, John
Dillinder of Bridgeport and Carolyn Wright and husband, Randal, of Bridgeport;
grandchildren Chris, Leah, Brady, Valerie, Cory, Nik, Drexell and Lindsey; and
her great-grandchildren Keaton, Layla and Isaac.
She is also survived by her sister, Delores Cheshire and husband, Jimmy, of San
Antonio; sisters-in-law Louise Frasier of Refugio and Faye Cox of Ranger; and
numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3301 West
Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76107, 817-773-9990, www.cancer.org.
Dimock, Jane McNatt | 1937-2015
Published Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Jane McNatt Dimock, 78, of Decatur, died Monday, Nov. 2, 2015, in Decatur.
No service is planned.
Jane was born May 3, 1937, in Bowie to Clark and Clara McNatt. She married Dan
Dimock Feb. 14, 1966, in Bowie. Together they had numerous businesses and
adventures.
She is survived by her husband, Dan Dimock of Decatur; daughters Toni Broadwater
and husband, Jim, of Keller and Diana Allen and husband, Eddie, of Decatur;
brother Steve McNatt and his wife, Wanda, of Nocona; and grandson Clark Allen of
Decatur.
Draper, Michael Ray | 1960-2015
Published Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Michael Ray Draper, 54, of Haslet died Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in Boyd.
Funeral was April 21 at Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd with Gerre Joiner
officiating. Burial is noon Wednesday, April 22, at Highland Cemetery in Durant,
Okla.
Honorary pallbearers are Michael Brandon Draper, Kyle Draper, Colton Draper,
Nicholas Lowe and Josh Dodd.
Michael was born June 20, 1960, in Durant to Raymond and Iva (Miller) Draper. He
married Nicole Baird Dec. 20, 2004, in Fort Worth and was the regional sales
manager for Leyman Lift Gates.
He was preceded in death by his father and his sister, Karen Draper.
Michael is survived by his wife, Nicole Draper of Haslet; sons Michael Brandon
Draper and wife, Shannon, of South Carolina, Kyle Draper and wife, Lauren, of
Joplin, Colton Draper of Haslet and Nicholas Lowe of Haslet; daughters Monica
Draper of Saginaw, Kara Draper of Saginaw, Emily Lowe of Haslet and Ava Draper
of Haslet; grandchildren Emma Draper, Talon Draper, Landon Draper, Lathan
Draper, and Davis Draper; his mother, Iva Draper of Boyd; sister Sharon Draper
Goff of Boyd; and numerous other relatives and friends.
Dulaney, Hannah Louise | 2006-2015
Published Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Hannah Louise Dulaney, 8, of Decatur died Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the First United Methodist Church of
Decatur with Dr. Brian Bosworth and Chaplain Phillip Weitner officiating. Burial
will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Steven Behringer, Jessie Lopez, Tyler Behringer and Tanner
Behringer.
Hannah was born Aug. 21, 2006, in Sherman to H. Lance and Stephanie (Behringer)
Dulaney.
She was preceded in death by her great-grandmother, “Nannie” Elizabeth
McLemore.
Hannah is survived by her parents, H. Lance Dulaney of Gordonville and Stephanie
Merithew of Decatur; brother Hunter Dulaney of Decatur; sister Tamara Behringer
of Decatur; grandparents Steve Behringer and wife, Brenda, of Decatur;
grandmother Sue Dulaney of Kansas; and great-grandparents Ron Kleibrink and
wife, Georgie, of Haslet.
Duncan, Mary Sue | 1937-2015
Published Saturday, September 5, 2015
Mary Sue Duncan, 77, of Bridgeport died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, in Bridgeport.
Graveside service is 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Dye Mound Cemetery in Saint Jo
with Quint Burks officiating.
Visitation is 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Mary was born Dec. 28, 1937, in Saint Jo to Daniel and Callie (Williams) Maples.
She married Ervin “Puss” Duncan May 11, 1957, in Gainesville. She was a
homemaker. Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ervin
“Puss” Duncan; son David Duncan; sisters Jean Butler, Irene Maneely and
Essie Mae Evans; brothers D.M., M.A., Glenn, Roy, Bill and Wilson Maples.
She is survived by her daughters, Pamela Elise Schwartz and Sharla Duncan, both
of Bridgeport; grandchildren Brittany Duncan, Brandy Duncan, Katy Fox and
Brandon Wright; great-grandchildren Ripley, Lauren and Lucas; brother Earl
Maples and wife, Frances, of Lefors; and other family members and friends.
Dunlap, Jimmie Charles | 1935-2015
Published Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Jimmie Charles Dunlap, 79, of Jacksboro died Thursday, July 30, 2015, in
Jacksboro.
A private service will be held at a later date.
Jimmie was born Oct. 28, 1935, in Fort Worth to Soloman and Alta Mae (Lawrence)
Dunlap. He was a welder for the oil pipeline, and he loved riding cutting
horses. Most importantly, he was a beloved father, grandfather, brother and
friend.
Jimmie was preceded in death by his father; his mother, Alta Mae Boring and her
husband, Amos; brothers Billy and Benny Bridges; and sister Peggy Arwine.
He is survived by his children, Misti Stull and husband, Bert, of Frisco, Tammy
Alvis and husband, Dwayne, of Springtown, Donna Boucher and husband, David, of
Stephenville, Russell Dunlap and wife, Lisa, of Jacksboro and Penny Shockey and
husband, Ronnie, of Rhome,; sisters Pat Conn of Azle and Emilie Tackel of
Paradise; brother Dale Bridges of Poteau, Okla.; 18 grandchildren; nine
great-grandchildren; and many extended family members and friends.
Dunlap, Rachel Julia | 1921-2015
Published Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Rachel Julia Dunlap, 93, of Scottsbluff, Neb., died Friday, Sept. 25, 2015, in
Scottsbluff. Graveside service was Sept. 28 at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in
Scottsbluff.
Rachel Julia Deines was born Dec. 4, 1921, in Lyman, Neb., the 10th child of 12
born to John Deines and Anna Rhinehart. On Nov. 12, 1938, she married Clarence
Dunlap in North Platte, Neb., and they had two daughters and two sons –
Barbara, Phyllis, Jerry and Ray.
Rachel lived her entire life in the Nebraska panhandle with the exception of a
couple of years in the 1960s, which were spent in California.
She was preceded in death by her parents; six sisters; four brothers; her
husband, Clarence; son Jerry; grandchildren Rhonda Prestidge and Mikel Martin;
and one great-grandchild.
Rachel is survived by her sister, Rosella Jessen; daughters Barbara of Wise
County and Phyllis; son Ray; grandchildren Gerri Steel, Brenda Burgett, Kas
Conway, Lee Ann Whittington, Wes Holland, Toni Perry, Rick Martin, Debbie Cook,
Steve Dunlap, Tim Dunlap and Robert Dunlap; 28 great-grandchildren; and 21
great-great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Online condolences may be left at jolliffefuneralhome.com.
Dunn, Randall | 1944-2015
Published Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Randall Dunn, 70, died Friday, May 15, 2015, in Fort Worth.
Funeral was May 19 at the Church of Christ in Rhome with Roy Deaver officiating.
Burial followed at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Pat Taczek, Tony Taczek, Jeff Routt, John Routt, Jeremy Routt
and Adam Ponder.
Dunn was born July 9, 1944, in Italy to Leonard and Ezmer Dunn. He married Linda
Carol Stack June 13, 1970, in Lovington, N.M. Randall was a member of the Church
of Christ.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Randall is survived by his wife of 44 years, Linda Dunn of Haslet; daughter
Stephanie Tipton of Village Mills; sister Jo Ann Underwood of Arlington; brother
Ronald Dunn of Cordova, Alaska; grandchildren Colin Randall Tipton and Nolan
Dane Tipton of Village Mills; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Durham, Dorothy Louise | 1922-2015
Published Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Dorothy Louise Durham, 92, a retired registered nurse, died Friday, Feb. 27,
2015 in Decatur.
Funeral is 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at Hawkins Funeral Home Chapel with
private burial in DFW National Cemetery. No visitation.
Rev. Gary Sessions will officiate.
Dorothy was born on Dec. 28, 1922, to Thomas H. and Hazel (Hampton) McSpedden in
Whitewright. She was united in marriage to Robert Durham on Jan. 27, 1960, in
Denton.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Robert Durham.
She is survived by her son, Kenneth Durham and Theresa of Bridgeport; her
grandson, Robert Durham of Salem, Oregon; her granddaughter, Natasha Durham of
Salem, Oregon; four great-grandchildren; one brother; five sisters; other family
members and a host of friends.
Dykes, Lillian Frances Price | 1938-2015
Published Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Lillian Frances Price Dykes, 76, a cook, died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, in Fort
Worth.
Graveside service was Feb. 3 at Boyd Cemetery with the Rev. Gary Sessions
officiating. Arrangements were handled by Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home of
Boyd.
Lillian was born Nov. 10, 1938, in Irving to Rube and Bell (Gragsone) Price. She
married Roy Dykes May 30, 1957, in Irving.
She was preceded in death by her parents; grandson Joshua James Dykes; and
brothers Doug, Elbert and Thomas Price.
Survivors include her husband of 56 years, Roy Dykes of Paradise; daughter
Brenda Francess Weightman and husband, Roy Dean, of Fort Worth; sons Roy John
Barry Dykes and wife, Janell, of Arlington, and Preston James “Jay Bird”
Dykes and wife, Sherry, of Paradise; grandchildren Michael Ambrose, Deeann
Carlisle, Kacie Dykes and Audrey Dykes; five great-grandchildren; sisters Sissy
Holloway of Irving, Doris Minor and husband, Archie, of Alvarado and Dorothy May
Bamburg and husband, Billy, of Corsicana; and numerous nieces, nephews, other
relatives and friends.
Eakman, Olan Albert | 1937-2015
Published Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Olan Albert Eakman, 77, died Saturday, May 16, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service is 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Terral Cemetery in Terral,
Okla., with the Rev. Bart Mosley officiating.
Olan was born Dec. 5, 1937, in Ryan, Okla., to Albert and Lillie Johnson. He
married Charlene Shurbert Aug. 25, 1992, in Lawton, Okla. He was a truck driver
for Bedford Kennedy for 20 years and James Wood for 14 years. He served in the
National Guard from 1957 to 1962. He was a Baptist.
Olan was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Glenda Eakman; and
grandchildren Terra Eakman and Terri Jo Eakman.
He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Charlene Eakman of Decatur; children
Marsha Foreman and husband, Jimmy, of Decatur, Terry Eakman and wife, Debbie, of
Boyd, Randy Eakman and wife, Rhonda, of Sanger, Beverly North and husband, Mike,
Vicki Jones and husband, Tim, and Kathy O’Connell; and grandchildren, Joshua
Foreman, Olan Rhea Foreman, Mitchell Foreman, Christy Easter, Jay Eakman, Terry
David Eakman, Nikki Lorenz, Victoria Eakman, Mark North, Amy Mosley, Andy North,
Coley O’Connell, Kasey O’Conell, Tyler Jones and Kameron Balsley.
He’s also survived by his great-grandchildren, Riley Foreman, Dylan Foreman,
Austin Foreman, Lizzy Foreman, Kadence Foreman, DeeDee Eakman, Haylie Eakman,
Terra Easton, Ellie, Ethan, and Emilee North, Karson, Kady and Cooper
O’Connell, Avery and Leah North, Abby Mosley, Jagger and Joslyn Jones, and
Andrew Balsley.
Memorial contributions may be made to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 1890,
Amarillo, TX 79174-0001 or calfarley.org.
Edans, Helen Claudine | 1934-2015
Published Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Helen Claudine Edans, 81, of Granbury, died Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015.
Funeral was 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at First Baptist Church of Lakeside, in
Lakeside. Internment followed in Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur.
Claudine was born Aug. 8, 1934, in Decatur, to Floyd and Vergia Moore. She
married Jack Edans July 20, 1950. She was a devoted Christian, wife, mother,
grandmother and great-grandmother. Her love for the Lord, her husband and two
sons was unwavering.
Claudine was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years; her parents; infant
daughter, Janice Elaine; brothers, Bennie Joe and Floyd Wayne Moore; and sister,
Wanda Shirlene Clary.
She is survived by her stepmother, Mary Ruth Moore of Rendon; sons, Pat Edans
and wife, Phyllis, of Granbury, and Randy Edans and wife, Marilyn, of Auburn,
Ga.; sisters, Shelia Marie Benson and husband, Jerry, of Munday and Karen
Winkler and husband, Dow, of Burleson; eight grandchildren, Bobby, Robin,
Shelley, Trey, Amberly, Brandon, Kristy and Nathan; six great-grandchildren,
Kelsay, Kolton, Braden, Bryson, Amelia and Carson; and numerous nieces, nephews
and friends.
Edwards, Floyd Riley | 1937-2015
Published Saturday, March 14, 2015
Floyd Riley Edwards, 77, a carpenter at ESW, resident of Whitewright and
formerly of Irving and McKinney, died Tuesday, March 10, 2015, in Denison.
Service was 2 p.m., Friday, March 13 at Donnelly’s Colonial Funeral Home
Chapel in Irving with burial at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens in Irving.
Floyd was born April 2, 1937 in Dallas to Earl and Bessie Smith Edwards.
On July 1, 1980, Floyd married Patsy Kirksey in Irving.
He was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Whitewright.
Survivors include his wife, Patsy; daughters, Veta Newton and husband John of
Bridgeport, Janet Brewer and husband Dale of Leonard, Patricia Clark and husband
Michael of Celina, and Debra Hill of Irving; sons, Kenneth Edwards and wife
Terry of Denton, and Dale Hill of Celina; numerous grandchildren and great
grandchildren; and a sister, Mary Ollar of Glen Rose.
Ehrler, John William 'Jack' | 1923-2015
Published Wednesday, December 16, 2015
John William “Jack” Ehrler, 92, died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015.
Funeral is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, in the Truett Chapel at the First
Baptist Church of Dallas. A graveside service will follow at Eastside Cemetery
in Bridgeport.
Born June 1, 1923, in Chicago, to William and Ella Ehrler, Jack was the youngest
of four boys and graduated from St. Rita High School. After enlisting in the
U.S. Army, he served in the European Theater during World War II. In 1949, he
earned a degree in chemical engineering at The University of Missouri at Rolla
where he was an active member of Kappa Alpha order.
He met the love of his life, Anita Siddons, while assisting with the development
of a new refinery in Wise County. The two were introduced by mutual friends and
were ultimately married Nov. 24, 1950, at the First Baptist Church in
Bridgeport.
During his long career in research and development in the oil and gas industry,
Jack worked for Fluor Corp., Stanolind Oil and Gas, and Phillips Petroleum. He
retired in 2000 from the Internal Revenue Service where he served within the oil
and gas division for 44 years.
Jack was a faithful deacon and pastor’s prayer partner at First Baptist Church
in Dallas. He and Anita served in the children’s and special education
ministries and also worked with Buckner orphans during the 1960s. Jack was
always the lead “architect” for their famous, ornate gingerbread houses
delivered to Buckner orphans, seniors and other lucky recipients each Christmas.
Jack was a 32nd degree Mason and was honored in 2014 with the 50-year Masonic
Service Award. He remarkably continued to complete continuing education units
required to maintain his professional engineer certification.
He was a role model for quiet servanthood and was an eternal optimist. Always
jovial and smiling, he brightened the lives of everyone who came in contact with
him. He made all people feel special and appreciated.
Jack is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Anita Siddons Ehrler; daughter
Edie-Beth Ehrler-Collova and her husband, Trapper, all of Dallas; as well as
several beloved nieces and nephews.
Eichman, Bill | 1934-2015
Published Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Bill Eichman, 81, of Alvord died Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral was Nov. 17 at the First Baptist Church in Alvord with the Rev. Bill
Cleveland officiating. Burial followed at Alvord Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jackie Martin, Matthew Lane, Sean Kirkpatrick, Joe Eichman,
Chase Daniels and Rooster Martin.
Bill was born Jan. 22, 1934, in Brownsville to Ellis Vernon and Willa Bell
(Haynes) Eichman. He married Shirley Janice Johnson Sept. 1, 1979, in Irving.
Bill retired after working as a General Electric aircraft mechanic.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ellis and Billie Eichman; son Wesley
Warren; daughter Betty Jean Eichman; father- and mother-in-law, Albert and Tez
Johnson; sister Patsy Marrs; and granddaughter Autumn Dawn Martin.
Bill is survived by his wife of 36 years, Janice Eichman of Alvord; his
children, Debbie Lohman and husband, David, of Gatesville, Sandy Eichman of
Highland Village, Donna Martin and husband, Jackie, of Irving, David Eichman and
wife, Susie, of Ravenna, Vicki Potts and husband, Larry, of Brashear, Joe
Eichman of Alvord, Lauri Lane and husband, Matthew, of North Richland Hills and
Lisa Kirkpatrick and husband, Sean, of Colleyville.
He’s also survived by brother Allen Eichman and wife, Rosanna, of Florida;
sister Judy Wells of Florida; brothers- and sisters-in-laws, Calvin Baker and
wife, Jeanette, of Alvord, and Al Johnson and wife, Sharon, of Early.
Other survivors include his grandchildren, Natalie Paramore of Austin, Melodie
Paramore of Fort Worth, Laura Williams and husband, Justin, of Fort Worth, Chase
Daniels and wife, Michelle, of Watauga, Brittany Crockett of Azle, Jenna Eichman
of Alvord, Amber Lair of Decatur, Jennifer Coats and husband, Brandon, of
Palmdale, Calif., Rooster Martin and wife, Kandi, of Arlington, Barbie Arthur of
Robert Lee, David Lohman of Gatesville, Phaedra Lohman of New York, J.R. Stark
and wife, Katie, of Sulphur Springs, Putter Potts and wife, Brittany, of
Brashear, Charlie Potts of Brashear, Roary Eichman of Ravenna, Jody Ann Eichman
of Plano, and Deana Eichman of Gainsville; great-grandchildren Ian, Jaden and
Kylie Daniels, Rylee and Preslee Williams, Averi and Addison Askew, Wyatt Martin
and Trace Potts.
Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends also survive Bill, as well as his
beloved dog, Buddy.
Eldridge, Dorothy (Rexroat) | 1929-2015
Published Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Dorothy “Rexroat” Eldridge, 85, of Rhome, died Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, in
Decatur.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Aurora Baptist Church with the Rev.
Jimmy Withers officiating. Burial will follow at Aurora Cemetery.
Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in Boyd is handling arrangements.
Pallbearers are Rick Hyatt, Joe Paul Hines, David Hines, Dan Meador and Kevin
Drake.
Dorothy was born Sept. 30, 1929, in Fairview to Benjamin and Mallie (Brown)
Rexroat in Fairview. She married Allan Eldridge. Dorothy was a member of the
Eagle Mountain International Church and VFW. She was a retired credit reporter.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; sister Pauline Hines;
and her brothers, John C. and Titus W. Rexroat.
She is survived by two nephews; five nieces; and many friends.
Elliot, Charles Robert 'Chuck' | 1934-2015
Published Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Charles Robert “Chuck” Elliott, 80, a retired farmer, died Friday, Jan. 2,
2015, in Decatur.
No services are planned at this time.
Chuck was born Sept. 16, 1934, in Greene, N.Y., to Lawrence and Elizabeth
(Poyer) Elliott. He was a Methodist.
He is survived by his sister, Barbara, of North Carolina; and many friends.
Ellis, Thomas Harold 'Tommy', Sr. | 1944-2015
Published Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Thomas Harold “Tommy” Ellis Sr., 70, died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015.
Graveside service is 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at Springtown Cemetery.
Visitation is noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at White’s Funeral Home, 401 North
Main, in Springtown.
Tommy was born Jan. 22, 1944, in McKinney to Charlie Lonzo Ellis and Effie Dora
Shockey. He was a resident of Boyd for 40 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers; and one sister.
Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Patricia Ann Ellis; children Annette
Widmer, Dawn Kortes, Thomas “T.J.” Ellis II, Laurie Fabia, Leanne Nicholas
and Tricia Mitchell; as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Elmore, Eva Aliene Knight | 1921-2015
Published Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Eva Aliene Knight Elmore, 93, died Sunday, May 17, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur
with the Rev. Jerry Miller officiating. Burial will follow at Flower Mound
Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Mikel Wyatt, John Andrews, Dustin Wyatt, Paden Tsakonas, Dakota
Cox and Danny Radabaugh.
Eva was born July 12, 1921, in Flower Mound to Thomas and Mrytle Knight. She
married Rodney Elmore Feb. 14, 1970, in Grapevine. Eva was lifetime elder at
Flower Mound Presbyterian Church. She retired from Vought Corp.
She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant brother; sister Tommie
Pemberton; and great-grandsons Joshua and Jonathan Dykes.
Eva is survived by her husband of 45 years, Rodney Elmore of Decatur; son Fred
Andrews of Granbury; daughter Beverly Kitchen of Lewisville; grandsons Mikel
Wyatt of York, S.C., Greg Andrews of Greenberg, Pa., James Dykes of Bedford and
John Andrews of Denton; granddaughter Lea Radabaugh of Lewisville; eight
great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society at Wise County Unit, P.O.
Box 428, Decatur, TX 76234.
Emmons, Brandon | 1970-2015
Published Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Brandon Emmons, 44, of Waco died Sunday, April 19, 2015.
Funeral is 11 a.m. Friday, April 24, at Callaway-Allee Funeral Home, 700 East
Houston Ave., in Crockett with Larry Womack officiating. Burial will follow at
Whitehead Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Brandon was born Oct. 6, 1970, in Crockett. He was retired from municipal
government where he served as city manager for 20 years in Bridgeport, Trophy
Club and Gatesville.
Brandon was a Baptist and a 1988 graduate of Grapeland High School. He was a
Baylor University alumni, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and
political science and a master’s degree in public administration. Brandon was
a member of the “Rib” Club, the Dallas Safari Club, Ducks Unlimited, the
Bear Foundation and the Baylor Alumni Association. He was an avid hunter and
enjoyed many trips to Africa.
He is survived by his fianc e, Amanda Hubbell of Waco; parents William and Peggy
Emmons of Grapeland; brother Craig Emmons of Grapeland; sister Joyce Nuner and
husband, Eric, of Lorena; nieces and nephews Colton Emmons of Grapeland, Emery
Nuner, Addy Nuner and Trammell Nuner of Lorena, as well as special aunts and
uncles.
Memorial donations may be made to the Dallas Safari Club/Frontline Foundation,
5949 Sherry Lane Suite 1700, Dallas, TX 75225.
Ervi, Donald Lee | 1930-2015
Published Saturday, July 18, 2015
Donald Lee Ervi, 85, died Thursday, July 16, 2015, in Madisonville.
Graveside service is 10 a.m., Monday, July 20, at Greenwood Cemetery northeast
of Decatur. Madisonville Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Don was born Feb. 14, 1930, in Bartlesville, Okla.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Johnnie Ruth Hudson Ervi; and
his son, Mark Lee Ervi.
Don is survived by a brother, Robert Ervi and wife, Donna; children Donna
Marksberry and husband, Don, of Irmo, S.C., and Steve Ervin and wife, Mary, of
Midway; special friend Betty Turner of Conroe; and numerous grand and
great-grandchildren.
Erwin, Sammy Eldon | 1933-2015
Published Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Sammy Eldon Erwin, 81, of Nocona died Tuesday, July 7, 2015, in Nocona.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday, July 11, at Scott-Morris Funeral Home, 212
E. Oak St., in Nocona with burial at Nocona Cemetery.
Visitation is 10 a.m. just before the service at the funeral home.
Sammy was born Nov. 6, 1933, in Bridgeport to Riley Erwin and Marie Isbell
Erwin. He retired from the City of Fort Worth as a building inspector and in
retirement enjoyed the activities of the Arlington Gun Club, which he visited
daily, shooting skeet and visiting with friends.
Sammy was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; sister Patricia Albright; and
his parents.
He is survived by daughter Revell Hardison and husband, Kelly, of Nocona; and
grandson Kyler Hardison.
Eubanks, Trenna Kay | 1959-2015
Published Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Trenna Kay Eubanks, 56, of Bridgeport died Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, at home.
No services are planned.
Trenna was born Dec. 7, 1959, in Bridgeport to Marvin and Merle (Lee) Eubanks.
She was a homemaker and a member of Pleasant View Baptist Church in Bridgeport.
She was preceded in death by brother J.R. Eubanks; and father Marvin Eubanks.
Trenna is survived by sons Brad and Chris Brite; mother Merle Eubanks; brothers
Don Eubanks and Dwayne Hedges; sister LaDonna Huggins; and three grandchildren.
Ezzell, Mattie Ruth | 1939-2015
Published Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Mattie Ruth Ezzell, 75, of Lake Bridgeport died Sunday, June 28, 2015, in
Denton.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport with
Brant Hawkins officiating. Burial will follow at Chico Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Pallbearers are G.W. Carpenter, Winston Ezzell, Eric Fitzgerald, Billy Gladis,
Ronnie Bolliver and Michael Bolliver. Honorary pallbearers are Frankie Hobbs and
Jimmy Gamble.
Mattie Ruth was born Aug. 30, 1939, in Montague County to Carroll and Rena
(Morgan) Reid. She married Jimmie Wayne Ezzell May 24, 1968, in Wichita Falls.
Mattie Ruth was a housewife.
She was preceded in death by her parents; son Morgan Wayne Ezzell; her sister;
and five brothers.
Mattie Ruth is survived by her husband of 47 years, Jimmie Wayne Ezzell of Lake
Bridgeport; sons Carroll Woods and wife, Joann, of Lake Bridgeport, Jack Ezzell
and wife, Kathy, of Sunset, and J.D. Ezzell and wife, Pam, of Jacksboro;
daughters Jimmie Ruth Carpenter of Park Springs and Sarena Turner of Chico; and
numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other family
members and friends.
Ezzell, Morgan Wayne 'EZ' | 1969-2015
Published Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Morgan Wayne “EZ” Ezzell, 46, of Chico died Friday, June 19, 2015, in Chico.
Memorial service is 1 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at Hawkins Funeral Home in
Bridgeport. Visitation is noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Morgan was born Jan. 11, 1969, in Bridgeport to Jimmie and Mattie Ruth (Morgan)
Ezzell. He married Debbie Hunter Oct. 3, 2003, in Bridgeport and was a retired
truck driver.
Morgan was preceded in death by his grandparents.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie Ezzell of Chico; daughters Michelle McEntire
and husband, Steve, of Graham, Nicole Farris and husband, Mike, of Azle, Shonda
Inglehart and husband, Cameron, of Chico and Aimie Ezzell of Chico; sons Manuel
Leal and wife, Kendra, and Michael Leal and wife, Heather, all of Chico; 15
grandchildren; and his parents, Jimmie and Mattie Ruth Ezzell of Lake
Bridgeport.
He is also survived by sisters Jimmie Ruth Carpenter of Crafton and Sarena Mae
Turner of Chico; brothers Carroll Tommy Woods and wife, Joann, of Lake
Bridgeport, Jack Randale Ezzell and wife, Kathy, of Sunset and Jimmy Don Ezzell
and wife, Pam, of Jacksboro; and numerous nieces, nephews cousins, other family
members and friends.
Faires, Kathryn Doris McMillan | 1932-2015
Published Saturday, January 10, 2015
Kathryn Doris McMillan Faires, 82, of Decatur and Hendersonville, N.C., died
peacefully with her family beside her Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015.
Memorial service is noon Saturday, Jan. 10, at First Presbyterian Church in
Bridgeport. Burial will be at Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery in
Charlotte, N.C., at a later date.
Mrs. Faires was born Aug. 14, 1932, in Wallace, N.C., in the home of her
grandmother, to Asha Kathryn Williams McMillan and George Francis McMillan. She
graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1950 and in 1954 received her
Bachelor of Science in Education from Meredith College.
She was an elementary teacher with the North Carolina school system and in
Texas, with Galveston Island School District. She was an active member of PEO
and volunteered as a tutor after retirement.
Doris met her husband, Archie Brown Faires, for the first time in Wallace, while
on a blind date, and later reconnected in college. They celebrated 60 years of
marriage June 13, 2014. During those years, she was a dedicated, loving wife,
mother, grandmother and servant of God. She taught others by example.
She was a devoted Christian woman throughout her life, from her solid foundation
as a child and her devotion to her husband as a preacher’s wife and elder of
the church. She was known for her acts of love and kindness to her family, her
church family, her circle of friends and her community.
She is survived by her husband, Archie Brown Faires; daughters Emily Kathryn
Faires Egenberger and husband, Rudolph, of Danbury, Conn., Marsha Lynn Faires of
Decatur and Leigh Ann Faires of Hendersonville, N.C.; son Archie Dan Faires and
wife, Denise, of Decatur; grandchildren Jacob Daniel Faires of Austin and
Vincent Michael Faires of Portland, Ore.; and step-granddaughter Roxanne Lape of
La Grange, Ga.; her twin brother, George Jarvis McMillan; brother-in-law Alton
M. Faires and sister-in-law Ethel Faires; and numerous nieces, nephews and
cousins.
She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Rebecca Lynn Faires; and sister
Suzanne Williams McMillan.
Memorials may be made to the PEOSTAR Scholarship Fund, Treasures Dept., 3700
Grand Ave; Des Moines, IA 50312.
Fast, Larry F. | 1945-2015
Published Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Larry F. Fast, 69, died Thursday, Jan, 15, 2015, in Decatur.
No service is scheduled at this time.
Larry was born Jan. 28, 1945, in Albion, Mich., to Ivan and Alva (Rising) Fast.
He married LeAnn Doris Hammond Aug. 9, 1988, in Ludington, Mich. Larry proudly
served his country in the U.S. Air Force and worked on the railroad for 19
years.
Larry had a love for horses and created LF Paints with his wife, LeAnn. He had a
passion for all animals and would take anything in.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his son, Kevin Fast.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, LeAnn Fast of Paradise; daughters Karrie
Neal and fianc , Thomas Hoffman of Michigan and Melissa Jones and husband, Dave,
of Ohio; grandchildren Shelbie, Gavin and Cameron; sister Jan Evans and husband,
Gus, of Michigan; brother Ray Fast and wife, Brenda, of Michigan; friend Paul
Cole of Cottondale; and other family members and friends.
Fennell, Brenda | 1964-2015
Published Saturday, August 29, 2015
Brenda Fennell, 51, of Alvord died Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015, in Alvord.
Funeral was Aug. 12 at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Alvord with Dr. Kevin Moore
officiating. Burial followed at Jonestown Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jay Higgs, Jack Rutledge, Bill Fennell, Biff Hays, Gary Brown
and Andrew Gogniat.
Honorary pallbearers were Dr. W.M. Lewis, Jerry Mara, Jerry Gibson, Larry Short,
Gene King, Bill Adams, Garland Lipsey and Dr. Thomas Long.
Brenda was born July 30, 1964, in Grapevine to Bill and Margaret (McDonald)
Schooling. She married Carl Fennell Sept. 24, 1988, in Alvord. Brenda was a
secretary and a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Alvord.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Ann Schooling; brothers Gary
Ray Schooling and Gary Edmond Schooling; father-in-law John Fennell Jr.;
brother-in-law John Henry Fennell; and father-figure V.M. Claborn.
Brenda is survived by her husband of 26 years, Carl Fennell of Alvord; son
Jonathan Fred Fennell and wife, Stacey; daughter Jennifer Gonzales and husband
Juan; father Bill Schooling of Decatur; and grandchildren Cason Wyatt Fennell,
Andrew Chase Gonzales and Matthew James Gonzales.
She’s also survived by her sisters, Marsha Roblez of North Richland Hills,
Paula Talley of Denison, Julie Schooling of Decatur, Nancy Humphrey, Becky
Morgan, Trudy Claborn, Judy Delay and Bettina Cooper Martin; brothers Frankie
Claborn and Tommy Claborn; 12 great-nieces; 12 great-great-nieces; two nephews;
13 great-nephews; and many friends.
Fernandez, Maria Juana | 1943-2015
Published Saturday, April 11, 2015
Maria Juana Fernandez, 71, of Decatur died Tuesday, April 7, 2015, at her home
in Decatur.
Mass of Christian burial was April 10 at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary Catholic Church with burial at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Librado Fernandez, Octavio Fernandez, Gumaro Fernandez, Aurelio
Fernandez Jr., Jake Fernandez and Jesse Fernandez.
Juana was born June 24, 1943, in Palmas Altas, Heres, Zacatecas, Mexico, to
Francisco and Juana (Rodriguez) Chavez. She married Aurelio Fernandez Dec. 10,
1957, in Heres, Zacatecas, Mexico.
She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter Rosio Fernandez; and brother
Pedro Chavez.
Juana is survived by her husband of 57 years, Aurelio Fernandez of Decatur;
daughters Yolanda Gomez and husband, Joe, of Saginaw and Imelda Fernandez and
husband, Brandon, of Haslet; sons Librado Ferandez and wife, Andrea, of Decatur,
Octavio Fernandez and wife, Norma, of Fort Worth, Gumaro Fernandez and wife,
Adriana, of Fort Worth, Aurelio Fernandez Jr. of Decatur, Jose Fernandez of
Mexico and Jesse Fernandez and wife, Cindy, of Decatur; 26 grandchildren; and
numerous great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by sister Gabriella Hernandez; brothers Marcelino, Juan,
Victor, and Alberto Chavez; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Ferron, Robert Keith | 1971-2015
Published Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Robert Keith Ferron, 44, of Newark died Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, in Newark.
Service will be held at a later date.
Robert was born June 3, 1971, in Irving to Thomas and Betty (Coursen) Ferron. He
had a passion for driving race cars at small racetracks in the Dallas-Fort Worth
area. Robert won the championship at Boyd Raceway in 2011. He was a machinist.
Robert was preceded in death by his father; and brother Joseph Straka.
He’s survived by his daughter, Brianna Ferron of Grand Prairie; mother Betty
Reese of Campton, Ky.; longtime friend and mother of Brianna, Angel Jones of
Grand Prairie; sisters Chris Shields of Watauga and Melanie Frith of North
Richland Hills; half-brothers Bob, Bill and Jim Ferron of New York; half-sister
Lynn Ferron of New York; maternal great-grandmother Evelyn Coursen of Kearney,
Mo.; and many other relatives and numerous race fans.
Findley, Lola Janice | 1918-2015
Published Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Lola Janice Findley, 97, of Bridgeport, died Thursday, Dec. 24, 2015, in
Bridgeport.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30 at Hawkins Funeral Home Chapel in
Bridgeport, with Reverend Gary Sessions officiating. Family will receive friends
one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Lola was born on Sept. 22, 1918, to John and Minnie (Gray) Findley in
Bridgeport. She was a retired dental assistant.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her brothers Doyle and Howard
Findley.
She is survived by her son, Travis Findley and wife, Mary Helen, of Bridgeport;
her grandchildren, Matt Findley and wife, Ashley, of Richland Hills and Amy
Turner and husband, Dean, of Providence Village; her great-grandchildren,
Walker, Everest, Caleb, Daniel, Rachel, and Rebecca; her great-great-grandchild,
Aleanna; her sisters, Jewell Byrd, Sylvia Oates, Ruth Counts and Dorothy Cobb;
and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Finley, Kathryn | 1927-2015
Published Saturday, January 24, 2015
Kathryn Finley, 87, of Paradise died Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, in Paradise.
Graveside service is 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Paradise Cemetery with Laraine
Waughtal officiating.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, at Jones Family Funeral Home in
Bridgeport.
Kathryn was born Feb. 23, 1927, in Paradise to James and Mary (Clark) Read. She
married James Emsley Finley June 21, 1944. She was a proofreader for a
publishing company and a homemaker.
Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 24 years, James
Emsley Finley; children James Eugene Finley, Michael David Finley, Mary
Elizabeth Finley; and sisters Esther Marie Taylor and Doris Nell Evans.
She is survived by sons William Read Finley and wife Sheila, and Stephen Clark
Finley and wife, Tonya; daughters Janet Elaine Cottle and Sharon Lee Hunter;
sisters Dorothy Joyce Ryan and Inez Lockhart; grandchildren Diana Green, Misty
Cottle, Lance Finley, Michael Finley, Jennifer Armstrong, Cindy Womack, Bryan
Finley, Ashley Finley Allen, Amber Finley, Shelby Finley and Mark Finley; and 15
great-grandchildren.
Finley, Linda Lee | 1942-2015
Published Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Linda Lee Finley, 72, of Runaway Bay, died Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, in Decatur.
Memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Full Armor Fellowship
Church in Decatur.
Linda was born Dec. 26, 1942, in Denver, Colo., to Pete and May (Barta)
Thyfault. She married Brent Finley Jan. 2, 1988, in Amarillo. She was a retired
secretary for Texas A&M Research.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents; daughter Tandy Massucci;
granddaughter Kelli Bull; grandson Matt Bull; and sisters Norma Young and
Imajean Jewell.
She is survived by her husband, Brent Finley of Runaway Bay; son Kenneth Dennis
and wife, Cheryl, of Decatur; daughter Tracy Bull and husband, David, of
Amarillo; grandchildren Paige, Hunter, Shey, Tanner, Logan, Brandy, Jess and
Stephanie; great-grandchildren Zoe and A.J.; sister Donna Murdock of Odessa; and
numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Forbis, Althea | 1926-2015
Published Saturday, October 24, 2015
Althea Forbis, 89, of Decatur, died Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at the First United Methodist Church of
Decatur with Dr. Brian Bosworth and the Rev. John Taylor officiating. Burial
will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery in Decatur.
Pallbearers are Russell Long, James Long, Evan Woodruff, Alex Forbis, Joel
Forbis, Parker Carnahan, Cooper Carnahan and Grayson Carnahan.
Althea was born Aug. 1, 1926, in Grand Island, Neb., to Neils and Anna
(Goltermann) Nielsen. She was an avid bridge player and was very involved in her
community. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Decatur, a
founding member of Wise Health System Auxiliary, an original member of the
Decatur Public Library Board and a founding member of United Charities of Wise
County.
Althea was preceded in death by husbands Emory Eugene Long and James E. Forbis.
She is survived by her children: Dr. Thomas Long, Jana Long Woodruff, Chris
Forbis and Nancy Forbis Carnahan; brother Alan Nielsen; 12 grandchildren; and 12
great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Wise Health System, Decatur Public Library and the
First United Methodist Church of Decatur.
Ford, Billie Doris (Erwin) | 1929-2015
Published Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Billie Doris (Erwin) Ford, 86, of Bridgeport died Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, in
Bridgeport.
Funeral is 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport
with Dr. Craig Erb officiating. Burial will follow at East Bridgeport Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Pallbearers are Brent Massey, Wade Baskin, Scott Hazel, Konner Hazel, Mitch
Arrington, Bruce Arrington and Gary Everett.
Billie was born June 22, 1929, in Electra to Martin and Vernice (Neese) Erwin.
She married Charlie (C.I. “Ish”) Ford on her birthday, June 22, 1947, in
Holliday. Billie was a member of the First Baptist Church. She taught Vacation
Bible School and teen and youth Sunday school. Billie loved the Lord and was
active in Bible study.
She was past president of Bridgeport Junior Women’s Club and a past officer of
the Bridgeport Civic Club. Billie volunteered for Wise Health System Auxiliary.
She retired from Bridgeport Telephone Co. and was a homemaker.
Billie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, C.I. “Ish” Ford;
sisters Marie Ancell, Geneva Sessums Cooper and Lola Tigrett Pace.
She’s survived by her daughters, Cindy Vest and husband, Ocie, and Brenda
Lowry, all of Runaway Bay; grandchildren Tresha Massey and husband, Brent, of
Marble Falls, Tracy Baskin and husband, Wade, of St. Paul, and Kayce Hazel and
husband, Scott, of Sanger; great-grandchildren Konner and Hailey Hazel, Roan and
Reese Massey and Charlie Brayden Baskin.
She’s also survived by her sister, Barbara Good of Moore, Okla.; brothers Jack
Erwin and wife, Janis, of Whitesboro and Don Erwin and wife, Sandy, of Runaway
Bay; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members and friends.
Ford, Sadie Mae | 1929-2015
Published Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Sadie Mae Ford, 86, of Decatur died Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, in Decatur.
Graveside service was Oct. 6 at Elizabethtown Cemetery in Roanoke with Pastor
James Varnadore officiating.
Sadie was born Jan. 17, 1929, in Chireno to Henry and Lesta (Bass) Briley. She
married George H. Ford June 1, 1948, in Nacogdoches. Sadie and George were
married 51 years, until he died Dec. 30, 1999. She was a Baptist and a
homemaker.
Sadie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George H. Ford; son
Keith H. Ford; grandson Justin H. Ford; son-in-law Sammy Culbertson; and
great-great-granddaughter Addilynn Polizzo.
She is survived by her daughter, Gerry Galloway and husband, Don, of Decatur;
daughter-in-law Julie Ford of Lake Worth; grandchildren Chris Polizzo and
husband, Pat, of Haslet, Suzy Matthews and husband, Skyler, of Decatur, Rachel
Markham of Haslet, Julia Ford of Willow Park, Jeremy Ford of Lake Worth, Susie
Bedford and husband, Cody, of Decatur, Lorie Galloway and husband, Jimmy, of
Decatur, and Jerry Don Galloway of Springtown; 17 great-grandchildren; six
great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Ford, Tommy Lee | 1950-2015
Published Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Tommy Lee Ford, 65, of Spencer, Okla., died Monday, June 29, 2015.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Friday, July 3, at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport with
burial at Jonestown Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Tommy was born April 9, 1950, in Decatur to Marvin Wallace and Velma Jean (Ham)
Ford. He enjoyed watching NASCAR, playing guitar and listening to country music.
He was a good pool player and could throw a dart as well. His favorite movie was
“Tombstone,” and he often enjoyed a shot of good whiskey with his
“Huckleberry,” his son by marriage, Mike.
Tommy was a cowboy at heart and like most cowboys, was very colorful. He was
known for many sayings, but a favorite was, “If I tell you a duck can pull a
truck, then hook it up!”
Tommy’s favorite thing to do was spending time with his children and
grandchildren. He loved life and knew how to enjoy it.
He was preceded in death by his father, Marvin Wallace Ford; brothers Marvin
Ford, Joe Ford and Danny Ford.
Tommy is survived by his daughters, Tammy Lester and special “son” Mike
Lester, Kristy Good and husband, Kevin, Cheyann Ford and Sara Ford;
grandchildren Christopher Roper, Taylor Roper, Matthew Roop and Morgan Roop;
great-granddaughter Bailey Roper; mother Velma Jean Ford; brother Jimmy Ford;
sisters Wanda Trice, Katie Lovejoy and Paula Gillis; many nieces and nephews;
and fur babies Raisin and Cain.
Forman, Clint M. | 1925-2015
Published Saturday, February 7, 2015
Clint M. Forman, 89, of Waco, died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015.
He was laid to rest at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.
Clint was a 1943 graduate of Decatur High School and a veteran of World War II,
serving in the U.S. Navy. As an elementary student in 1932, during the Great
Depression, he experienced a shutdown of the entire Texas public school system
due to a lack of funds.
He worked overseas most of his adult life, circumnavigating the globe three
times. He loved to share the wisdom he had gained from his travels – where to
sit on a plane, what to wear, what type of plane to fly on, the best placed to
find bargains and the most cost-effective way to see various countries.
He was licensed or certified in various trades including welding, maritime
trades, maintenance electrician and crane operator. He was also an avid reader
who could discuss many topics.
The best summary of his life was eloquently expressed in his own words: “Life
is a beautiful journey, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the trip. For all forms of
life, there is an arrival time and a departure time. I keep my bags packed just
in case I get an early notice.”
Clint was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Eula Forman; daughter
Catherine Forman; brothers Ray Forman Jr. and Joe Forman; and sisters Harriet
Forman Cook and Eugenia Forman.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Scooter and Ronda Forman;
grandson Rex Forman; nieces LaDonna Wren and Ann Swingler; and nephews Ray and
Donnie Cook, Elbert Forman and Jody Forman.
Fortune, Michael Douglas | 1974-2015
Published Saturday, August 1, 2015
Michael Douglas Fortune, 41, of Bridgeport died Saturday, July 18, 2015, in
Bridgeport.
Graveside service is 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at Dallas-Fort Worth National
Cemetery in Dallas with Jim Taylor officiating.
Michael was born May 27, 1974, in Lubbock. He spent his early childhood in Big
Spring and then relocated with his family to Tyler in 1988. He graduated from
John Tyler High School in 1992, where he was active in the ROTC.
Michael joined the Army immediately after graduation and served at Fort Benning,
Ga., and Fort Polk, La. After being discharged from the Army, he worked all over
the United States at various jobs. He served time in Bosnia as a laundry and
bath specialist supporting the troops for Brown and Root, worked as an
over-the-road trucker, did a stint as a deep-sea fisherman, and was an insurance
adjuster in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
After being medically disabled, Michael enjoyed traveling and living life to the
fullest. He never met a stranger and would help anyone who needed it.
Michael accepted Christ as his Lord and savior, in his teens at First Church of
the Nazarene in Big Spring.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Harold and Lilah Coleman, Theodore
Douglas and Mary Fortune; and stepson Brant Boatman.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer of Bridgeport; children Jimmy Fortune of
Tyler, Austin, Ashleigh and Zoe of Rusk, Noah Blanchard of St. Martin, La.,
Analeisha Fortune of Dayton, Ohio, and Brianna Fortune of Bridgeport.
He’s also survived by his parents, Jim and Dixie Fortune of Tyler; siblings
Michelle and Brian Bridges of Tyler, Brandi and Peyton Luther of Conroe, Billy
and Samantha Fortune of Tyler and Eric and Ashley Fortune of Whitehouse; his
aunt and uncle, Dena and Fred John of Tyler; and 13 nephews and nieces.
Fostel, Kate Marie | 1982-2015
Published Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Kate Marie Fostel, 33, of Plano died Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, in Fort Worth.
Funeral is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the First United Methodist Church in
Decatur with Brian Bosworth officiating. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Chancellor and Jones Family Funeral Home in Decatur is handling arrangements.
Pallbearers are Ken Thompson, Jason Wren, Landon Wren, Jake Williamson, Chris
Mattison, Trey McKinnon and David Stoeneman.
Kate was born March 26, 1982, in Fort Worth to Cheryl and John Fostel. She was a
teacher who loved her dog, reading, watching movies and especially spending time
with family and friends.
Kate was preceded in death by her grandparents.
She is survived by her father, John Fostel and his wife, Cathy; mother Cheryl
Fostel; brothers Josh Fostel and wife, Katey, of Clyde and Chris Fostel and
wife, Gabby, of Odessa; stepbrother Justin Cortez of Chico; stepsister Meagan
Hood and husband, A.J., of Decatur; and nieces and nephews Karli, Laney, Layla,
Jordyn Kate, Eden and Wyatt.
Foster, John Henry, IV | 1959-2015
Published Wednesday, July 15, 2015
John Henry Foster IV, 55, of Chico died Monday, July 13, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Thursday, July 16, at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport with
Fred Villa and Fredie Villa officiating. Burial will follow at Chico Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
John was born Aug. 2, 1959, in Fort Worth to John Henry III and Louise (Britton)
Foster. He married Katherine Coon Aug. 8, 1998, in Bridgeport.
For 28 years, John worked as a demolition expert for Austin Powder. He was an
active member of the Harvest Time Church in Bridgeport and loved serving the
Lord.
John was preceded in death by his mother, Louise Foster.
He’s survived by his wife of 17 years, Katherine Foster of Chico; father John
H. Foster III and stepmother, Mary, of Runaway Bay; daughter Angela Gentry and
husband, Kenneth, of Lincoln, Ark.; sons Terry Hare and wife, Teresa, of De
Queen, Ark., and Bryan Coon and wife, Kendra, of Chico; grandchildren Michael
Hare and wife, Lindsay, of Bridgeport, Amber Romirez and husband, Armondo, of De
Queen, Shane Gentry and wife, Kellie, of Las Cruses, N.M., Amanda Gentry of
Prairie Grove, Ark., and Nicole, Jonathon and Mykel Smith of Chico; eight
great-grandchildren; and other family members and friends.
Foster, Raymond Mack | 1930-2015
Published Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Raymond Mack Foster, 85, of Decatur died Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015.
Funeral is 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home in
Colleyville. Burial will follow at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park.
Raymond was born in Spartanburg, S.C. He moved to Hickory, N.C., where he lived
until he joined the United States Air Force where he served as a flight engineer
for 21 years.
After retiring, he went to work for American Airlines as a ground school
instructor for 27 years, amused that at 39 years of age, he was too old to be
hired to fly. He knew he was greatly blessed to have had two careers that he
loved.
Shortly before retiring, he and his wife Merle moved to Runaway Bay at Lake
Bridgeport where he could enjoy fishing and golfing more frequently. His goal on
the golf course was to always be able to shoot his age. He served Runaway Bay on
the city council and was mayor pro-tem during his final term. He was honored to
win Citizen of the Year while there.
The last nine years were spent in Decatur, where he was a member of Decatur
Church of Christ. Here he enjoyed deep friendships that gave him many days of
joy. He served the Decatur area by helping set up and run the church’s
clothing room for six years. Serving others was in his nature.
Ray, “Honey,” Daddy, Pop, Buzz, Granddaddy, Didi, Grandpa, Papa Ray, Ray-Bob
will be missed beyond words. He was the epitome of a gentleman and a gentle man
to all who knew him. He was described as “the best man I ever knew,” and
“the perfect godly man.”
He loved, honored, respected, protected, supported and led his family humbly and
fiercely until he died after injuries sustained in a fall.
Forty one years ago, two imperfect families were perfectly blended setting an
example of love, joy and peace. He leaves a legacy for his children,
grandchildren and many friends that will not be forgotten.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Kitty; and son David.
Ray is survived by his loving wife, Merle; children Marc, Bruce and Sue Foster,
Suzanne McKinney and Sherrill Patton; nine grandchildren; six
great-grandchildren; and sister Jan Saunders of Hickory, N.C.
Fowler, Jane Katheryn | 1936-2015
Published Saturday, May 2, 2015
Jane Katheryn Fowler, 78, of Bridgeport died Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in
Decatur.
Graveside service is 11 a.m. Friday, May 8, at DFW National Cemetery. Visitation
is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Jane was born Aug. 11, 1936, in Fort Worth to Robert and Fannie (Buckner)
Stewart. She married Robert Lee Fowler, who preceded her in death March 13,
2013. Jane was a bank teller for City National in Fort Worth.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and husband Robert.
Jane is survived by her son, Mike Fowler and fianc e, Deborah Howard, of
Bridgeport; grandchildren Rodney Fowler and wife, Kim, of Weatherford, Erica
Dasilva and husband, Carlos, of Stephenville and Chad Howard and wife, Audrie,
of Bridgeport; great-grandchildren Kristin, Kaj, Landon, Gabriela, Kutter, Kash
and Kreyton; and other family members and friends.
Fowler, Ronnie Eugene | 1946-2015
Published Saturday, July 18, 2015
Ronnie Eugene Fowler, 68, of Bowie died Monday, July 13, 2015, in Weatherford.
No service is scheduled.
Ronnie was born Dec. 5, 1946, in Floydada to L.D. and Margaret (Lloyd) Fowler.
He married Brenda Middleton Nov. 15, 1985, in Waurika, Okla.
Ronnie was a diesel mechanic and had many hobbies and interests throughout his
life. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, dirt track racing, golfing and watching his
grandkids play ball. He loved his family and friends.
Ronnie worked hard and took a lot of pride in his business – Ronnie’s
Diesel.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Ronnie is survived by his wife of 30 years, Brenda Fowler of Bowie; daughters
Stacy Smith, Ronda Heddings and Shea Rutherford; sons Ronnie Darryl Fowler,
Tracy Clower and Shawn Clower; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren;
brother Ricky Fowler; sisters Ellen Winters, Teresa Blaylock and Kathy Jackson;
and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth
Ave. 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001, 1-866-232-8484, www.alzfdn.org.
Fraire, Lurenda Kaye | 1984-2015
Published Saturday, August 15, 2015
Lurenda Kaye Fraire, 30, died Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015, in Decatur.
Visitation was Aug. 14 at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Lurenda was born Oct. 26, 1984, in Dallas to J.R. and Lola Harvey Groves. She
married Saul Fraire Nov. 11, 2011, in Fort Worth.
She was preceded in death by mother Lola Groves.
Lurenda is survived by husband Saul Fraire of Decatur; son Aaron Rodriquez of
Decatur; daughter Valerie Fraire of Decatur; sister Tanya Groves of Bridgeport;
adopted mother Joy Woodruff of Decatur; father J.R. Groves of Dallas; and
numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Frazier, Della Mae | 1939-2015
Published Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Della Mae Frazier, 75, of Bridgeport died Sunday, July 5, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at Pleasant View Baptist Church in
Bridgeport with the Rev. Gary Demmitt officiating. Burial is 10:15 a.m. Friday
at DFW National Cemetery in Dallas.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Della was born Oct. 21, 1939, in Shamrock, Okla., to Charles and Lowrean
(Milligan) Miller. She married Robert David Frazier Dec. 2, 1961, in Drumright,
Okla. She was a retired nanny and a member of Pleasant View Baptist Church.
Della was preceded in death by her parents; her sister; and her brother.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Robert David Frazier of Bridgeport;
sons Russell Dee Frazier and wife, Andrea, of Decatur and Robert Matthew Frazier
of Tulsa, Okla.; grandchildren Paul Andrew Frazier, Blake Dee Frazier, Raven
Akins, Alanah Frazier and Bryce Frazier; great-grandchildren Brooklynn Frazier
and Paul Jaxxon Frazier; sister Johnnie Turner of Mesquite; and other family
members and friends.
Freeman, Billy Gene | 1929-2015
Published Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Billy Gene Freeman, 86, of Springtown died Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, in Decatur
after a lengthy illness.
Graveside service is 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Springtown Cemetery.
Billy was born in unincorporated Wise County on June 14, 1929. He was the only
child of Willie and Madoline Freeman. He grew up in Wise and Parker counties and
graduated as valedictorian of Springtown High School, Class of 1946. Billy
married Mary Ellen Roberson of Springtown June 5, 1949. They had three children
– Suzanne, Sarai and David.
Billy began his banking career in 1949 at Merchants and Farmers State Bank in
Weatherford. He went on to Continental State Bank in Boyd (now Wells Fargo) in
1951. He began as a teller and was president of the bank when he retired in 1995
after 40 years of service. He was the banker for many of the people of Wise and
Parker counties.
Billy also served the people of Springtown as president of The Lion’s Club, a
Springtown city councilman and Springtown mayor. He was a wonderful husband,
father, grandfather, banker and citizen.
Billy was preceded in death by his parents; and son David.
He’s survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary, of Springtown; daughters Sarai
Souder and husband, Gary, of Paradise and Suzanne Freeman of Ingram;
grandchildren Ami Wisdom and husband, Bart, Alex Snell and Kase and Kallie
Wisdom, all of Springtown, Amanda, Tom and Ben LePage and Matthew Souder, all of
Fort Worth.
French, Krista Jane Shaw | 1953-2015
Published Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Krista Jane Shaw French, 61, of Tucson, Ariz., died Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, in
Tucson.
A celebration of her life is planned for Decatur at a later date.
Krista was born Nov. 20, 1953, in Fort Worth to the late Pete Shaw and Maxine
Shaw DeBrie. She attended school in Decatur before moving to Tucson. She was
married to Edwin Cooper French and was a member of the First Southern Baptist
Church of Tucson.
She retired from American Airlines and enjoyed gardening, cooking and baking
with her children and grandchildren, as well as antique shopping and anything to
do with Christmas.
She is survived by her husband; sons Richard “Tony” Dewees and daughter,
Hannah, and Eddie Dewees, his wife, Jessica, and daughters Taylor and Madison;
daughters Meaghan French and Angela Zamparelli, her husband, William, and
children Aidan and Noah; sisters Linda K. Stutt and husband, James, and Marsha
Nieman and husband, Raye; her mother, Maxine Shaw DeBrie; parents-in-law Ed and
Louise French of Orlando, Fla.; numerous other relatives and her beloved
miniature dachshund family, Max, Baby, Bubbles, Sugar and Jojo.
French, Krista Jane Shaw | 2015
Published Saturday, February 21, 2015
A celebration of the life of Krista Jane Shaw French is 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb.
21, at the Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church in Decatur.
Krista died Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, in Tucson, Ariz.
Her complete obituary ran in the Jan. 28, 2015, edition of the Messenger.
Fritz, Patricia Ann | 1951-2015
Published Saturday, August 1, 2015
Patricia Ann Fritz, 64, of Rhome died Tuesday, July 21, 2015, in Rhome.
Funeral was July 25 in Rhome with Erik Vann officiating.
Patricia was born Jan. 21, 1951, in Mobile, Ala., to Earnest T. Wall and Merdes
Marie Moody. She married Daniel Martin Fritz May 6, 1972, in Folkston, Ga.
Patricia was a loving wife, mother and Bamma. She enjoyed being with family and
friends, laughing and reminiscing about old times.
Patricia is survived by her husband, Daniel Fritz; son Christopher Daniel Fritz
of Rhome; daughters Anne Marie Kelly of Rhome and Lisa Renee Gonzales of
Victorville, Calif.; brother Glenn Wall of Whitney; sisters Fay Wright of Ada,
Okla., Nina Harrigan of Longview, Louise Howe of Sulphur, Okla., and Robin
Ireland of Seattle, Wash; 16 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Fussell, Virginia Lee | 1927-2015
Published Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Virginia Lee Fussell, 87, of Boyd died Saturday, May 9, 2015, in Mansfield.
Funeral is 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 13, at Christian-Hawkins Funeral Home in
Boyd with the Rev. Chris Benavente officiating. Hayden Purdue will also speak.
Burial will follow at Boyd Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Bill Allen, Jay Bryan Fussell, Scott Joplin, Hayden Purdue, Mark
Reeves and Scott Sprayberry.
Virginia was born Aug. 9, 1927, in Corsicana to Henry and Gertrude Adams in
Corsicana. She married J.B. Fussell July 18, 1946, in Lufkin. Virginia was a
secretary for Packaging Inc. She was a Baptist and a member of the Eastern Star
and Rebekah’s.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.
Virginia is survived by her son, Bruce Fussell of Boyd; grandchildren Jay Bryan
Fussell and wife, Mallorie, of Fort Worth and Sherry Purdue and husband, Hayden,
of Mansfield; great-grandchildren Avery and Chase Purdue; and many friends.
Gachuzo, Yolanda Ann | 1965-2015
Published Saturday, February 21, 2015
Yolanda Ann Gachuzo, 49, a homemaker, died Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in Bridgeport.
Funeral was Feb. 19 at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport with Pastor Rick
Cooper officiating. Burial was in Mexican Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Antony Siletti, Paul Ramirez, Junior Lenard, Calvin Morales,
Leandro Lopez and Wito Hernandez.
Yolanda was born May 24, 1965, in Bridgeport to Daniel Nuncio and Frances
Huerta. She was a member of Grace Fellowship Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Survivors include her brothers, Oscar Martinez of Bridgeport and Darrell Lopez
of Decatur; nieces Rylie Bonham of Weatherford and Samantha Blocker, Sabrina
Blocker, Sean Blocker and Emily Blocker, all of Fort Worth; and numerous aunts,
uncles, cousins and friends.
Gage, Helen Jean | 1931-2015
Published Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Helen Jean Gage, 83, of Celina died Saturday, April 25, 2015, in Celina.
Service was April 28 at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur with the Rev.
Kevin Caffey officiating. Private burial followed at Oaklawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Randy Sherman, Bill Merritt, Danny Whitaker, Craig Talley,
Brett Shannon, Claude Porter Elsom III and Lynn Hachtel.
Helen was born Sept. 16, 1931, in Elk City, Okla., to Urban and Mina (Cox)
Sewell. She married Billie Glenn Gage April 9, 1949, in Decatur and was a member
of the First Baptist Church. Helen was a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Billie Gage.
She is survived by her sons, David Gage and wife, Mary, of Gunter, Brian Gage
and wife, Laine, of Decatur, and Brett Gage and wife, Clydette, of Decatur;
grandchildren Keelie, John, Andrew, Zachry, Eric, Delaine and Addison; and six
great-grandchildren.
Galvan, Guadalupe | 1939-2015
Published Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Guadalupe Galvan, 75, died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, in Decatur.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in
Decatur.
Mass of Christian burial is 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Saint Colette
Catholic Church in Rolling Meadows, Ill. Burial is at All Saints Cemetery in Des
Plaines, Ill.
Guadalupe was born Sept. 26, 1939, in Zaragoza, Coahuila, Mexico to Leandro and
Lidia (Carranco) DeLuna. She married Jesus Heriberto Galvan Aug. 3, 1958, in
Zaragoza.
Guadalupe was an elementary school teacher and a member of Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and a son, Marcos Galvan.
She is survived by her husband, Jesus Galvan of Alvord; daughters Lidia Galvan
of Alvord, Ernestina Galvan of Palatine, Ill., Magdalena Galvan of
Carpentersville, Ill. and Antonieta Morrow of Bakersfield, Calif.; son Jesus
Galvan Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill.; 17 grandchildren; three
great-grandchildren; brother Fernando DeLuna; sisters Maria Antonia Rodriguez,
Josefina Sanchez, Lucia Lopez and Maria Lidia Pena; and numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends.
Garrett, Steven Wayne | 1957-2015
Published Saturday, September 12, 2015
Steven Wayne Garrett, 57, of Decatur, died Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015, in Decatur.
Memorial service is 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at Living Word Assembly of God
Church in Alvord.
Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur is handling arrangements.
Steven was born Oct. 22, 1957, in Torrance, Calif., to Junior and Gloria (Graue)
Garrett. He worked in oilfield production services.
He’s survived by his daughters, Dana Riggs of Sunset and Brandi Moore of
Poolville, Okla.; brothers Michael Garrett of Los Angeles and Marc Garrett of
California; sister Donna Osborne of Visalia, Calif.; seven grandchildren; one
great-grandson; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Gates, Christine Doris | 1921-2015
Published Saturday, October 31, 2015
Christine Doris Gates, 94, of Decatur, died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral was Oct. 30 at Gibtown Baptist Church in Gibtown with Greg Pierce
officiating. Burial followed at Gibtown Cemetery.
Christine was born Aug. 14, 1921, in Gibtown to J.L. and Martha “Mattie”
(Martin) Curtis. She married Curtis Gates Oct. 31, 1941, in Seminole. Christine
was a member of the Church of Christ. She was a massage therapist.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Curtis Gates.
Christine is survived by her son, Curtis Gates of Decatur; daughter LaVonna
Gates of Decatur; sister Genella LewAllen of Fort Worth; brother J.L. Curtis of
Millsap; grandsons Scott Travis Gates and Bryan W. Gates; great-grandchildren
Amber Lynn Gates and Brittney Gates; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and
friends.
Gentry, Imogene | 1928-2015
Published Saturday, April 4, 2015
Imogene Gentry, 87, of Cottondale died Thursday, April 2, 2015, in Cottondale.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Monday, April 6, at Cottondale Baptist Church with the Rev.
Rodney Bolejack and Charles Pugh officiating. Burial will follow at Cottondale
Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
Pallbearers are Chris Miles, Zane Lasater, Chase Lasater, Brody Gentry, Jacoby
Gentry and Bryson Gentry.
Honorary pallbearer is Cody Gentry. Soloists are Donna Gentry, Frieda Davis and
Dyke Read. Pianist is Michael Niblett.
Imogene was born Jan. 28, 1928, in Agnes to Claude and Ruby (Pike) Niblett. She
married Harold Arthur Gentry March 26, 1949, in Weatherford. She was a charter
member of the First Baptist Church in Cottondale, and she loved her family,
cooking, gardening, crocheting and her dogs.
Imogene was accepting of all people, giving of herself and timeless in her
commitment to help those around her.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Eugene Niblett; sisters Inez
King, Claudine (Tommy) Foreman and Betty Holley; grandson Cody Shane Gentry; and
son-in-law Clarence Miles.
She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Harold Gentry of Cottondale;
daughters Theresa Dale Norman and husband, James, of Rhome, and Letha Ann
Lasater and husband, Gary, of Cottondale; and sons Wally Gentry and wife, Binky,
of Cottondale, and Jimmy Ray Gentry and wife, Gail, of Cottondale.
She is also survived by grandchildren Chris Miles and wife, Chantay, Dana King
and husband, Everett, Zane Lasater and Frieda, Keely Gage and husband, Will,
Chase Lasater and wife, Amanda, Brody Gentry and wife, Jacqueline, Jacoby Gentry
and wife, Jamie, Bryson Gentry and Raylee Moss and husband, Wesley; 16
great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and sisters Lorene Gentry and
Edna Wood of Cottondale.
Gladkoff, Nicholas | 1941-2015
Published Saturday, June 13, 2015
Nicholas Gladkoff, 73, of Rhome died Sunday, May 17, 2015, in Rhome.
Memorial service is 1 p.m. Monday, June 15, at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in
Decatur.
Nicholas was born Oct. 27, 1941, in Shanghai, China, to Mr. Gladkoff and Maria
(Sharovf) Gladkoff. He married Sandra Adle May 12, 2001, in Decatur. Nicholas
retired from the United States Navy.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He’s survived by his wife, Sandra Gladkoff of Rhome; son Nicholas Gladkoff Jr.
and wife, GiGi, of California; grandsons Brandan Gladkoff and Devon and Connar
Waters; stepdaughter Cassondra Waters and husband, Colby, of Pennsylvania; and
brothers, sisters and extended family.
Gladkoff, Nicholas | 1941-2015
Published Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Nicholas Gladkoff, 73, of Rhome died Sunday, May 17, 2015, in Rhome.
No services will be held.
Nicholas was born Oct. 27, 1941, in Shanghai, China, to Mr. Gladkoff and Maria
(Sharovf) Gladkoff. He married Sandra Adle May 12, 2001, in Decatur. Nicholas
was retired from the U.S. Navy.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He’s survived by his wife, Sandra Gladkoff of Rhome; son Nicholas Gladkoff Jr.
and wife, GiGi, of California; grandsons Brandan Gladkoff and Devon and Connar
Waters; stepdaughter Cassondra Waters and husband, Colby, of Pennsylvania; and
brothers, sisters and extended family members.
Goedecke, Fredda Beth | 1942-2015
Published Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Fredda Beth Goedecke, 72, died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Decatur.
Funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 31 at St. Johns Catholic Church in
Bridgeport. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30 in the chapel at
Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Beth was born in Meridian, on Dec. 29, 1942, to James Fred Burnett and Hazel
Inita McConathy.
Her father, Fred, died in an automobile accident in Fort Worth in 1949, when
Beth was just 5. A short time after his death, Hazel and Beth went to Deming,
N.M., to visit Hazel’s brother, Boyce McConathy.
Following Beth’s first marriage, she lived in Deming, Las Cruces and
Albuquerque, N.M. Three of her children, Bryant, Mark and Fred were born in New
Mexico. She eventually moved to Texas and her fourth son, Rick, was born in Fort
Worth.
Beth married the love of her life, Charles Goedecke, on April 27, 1990, in
Durant, Okla. They lived in Taft, Calif., and Beaumont, where Charlie worked for
the prison system. After retiring they moved to their current home in Paradise.
Beth was a member of the St. Johns Catholic Church in Bridgeport. She loved to
paint and has painted many beautiful pictures though the years. She also loved
her family very much, and recently she had painted several beautiful pictures of
her grandchildren when they were young.
Beth was preceded in death by her parents Fred Burnett, and Hazel and Littleton
Graves; and a granddaughter Abigail Bindi Goedecke.
She is survived by her husband, Charles Goedecke; sons, Bryant Underwood of
Bridgeport, Mark Goedecke of Deming, N.M., Fred Gustke of Runaway Bay and Rick
Dodrill of Erie, Penn.; two brothers, James Graves of Deming, N.M. and Randy
Graves of Chico. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren.
Golike, Daniel E. | 1949-2015
Published Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Daniel E. Golike, 65, died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, in Decatur.
A public memorial service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at the First
Baptist Church of Decatur.
Dan was born Nov. 7, 1949, to Charles and Lois Golike of Bethalto, Ill. He grew
up on their farm near Princeton, Minn., where the family owned Go-Britt Kennels.
They attended a small country Evangelical Free Church and enjoyed many precious
friendships there.
The family moved to Colorado, and Dan graduated from Grand Junction High School
and Mesa Junior College. He attended Colorado State University on a football
scholarship and later attended Beth Eden Baptist Bible College. He was active in
football, choir and other musical and ministry activities and tours, and he
loved assisting church youth groups with horse and backpacking trips, camping
trips and climbing expeditions.
With a long history of horsemanship and a love for Arabian horses, Dan owned and
operated Wind Crystal Farms near Decatur, focusing on the development of
noteworthy bloodlines. He showed horses and also enjoyed training and
conditioning horses for long-distance endurance racing.
Dan’s faith in Christ sustained him through life’s losses and injuries. He
will be greatly missed by family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Terri Golike; son Lincoln Golike and wife, Kerri,
and two grandchildren; brother Kevin Golike and wife, Gloria, and sister Gaile
Thulson and husband, Mark.
Goode, Sylvia Killingsworth | 1928-2015
Published Saturday, October 17, 2015
Sylvia Killingsworth Goode, 86, died Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015, in Fort Worth.
Funeral is 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at the First United Methodist Church in
Bridgeport with Pastor Sam Caldwell officiating. Burial followed at East
Bridgeport Cemetery.
Visitation is 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Pallbearers are Jimmy Meyers, Dan Selz, Gary Green, Chris Tackle, Mike Jones and
Grady Cowling.
Sylvia was born Nov. 29, 1928, in Trinity to Sylvester and Mineda (Beard)
Killingsworth. She was married to Robert “Bob” Goode April 8, 1950, in
Houston. Sylvia was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Bridgeport.
She was a homemaker.
Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband of 57 years, Robert
“Bob” Goode.
She is survived by her son, Robert Goode Jr. and wife, Vicki, of Fort Worth;
daughter Susie Monzingo and husband, Marc, of Fort Worth; grandchildren Bobby
Goode and wife, Darcy, Danny Goode and partner, Jason Bacchi, Jennifer Medina
and husband, JP; great-grandchildren Quade Goode and Ben and Alex Medina; sister
Anita Hoover of Columbus; nieces Joanna Cooke and Ruth Vilven; and numerous
other family members and friends.
Goodson, Willie Jean | 1942-2015
Published Saturday, October 10, 2015
Willie Jean Goodson, 73, of Haltom City died Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015, surrounded
by her family after a courageous battle with cancer.
Memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Chancellor and Jones Family
Funeral Home in Decatur.
Willie was born Aug. 30, 1942, in Mount Pleasant to Lessie (Gunn) and Edger
Willis Masters. She was a registered nurse for more than 40 years, serving more
than 20 years in hospice care and devoting her life to others with her
benevolent and compassionate spirit.
She was preceded in death by her children, Tracy Gurkin, Chris Goodson and James
Goodson.
Willie is survived by her son, Craig Goodson and wife, Michele; daughters
Melanie Reese and husband, Jeff, and Dana Raburn and husband, David; sister
Frances Scharlott; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; niece and
caregiver Vanessa Richards and husband, Paul; and many other treasured family
members and friends.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Goodwin, Doyle Burton | 1934-2015
Published Saturday, June 20, 2015
Doyle Burton Goodwin, 81, of Saratoga, Ark., died Sunday, June 14, 2015, at his
home in Saratoga.
A private funeral is 1 p.m. Saturday, June 20, in Saratoga with burial to follow
at Goodwin Family Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Lonny Goodwin, Richard Goodwin, Jason McClendon, Robert Gillock,
Russell Gillock and Greg Goodwin.
Honorary pallbearers are J.D. Goodwin and Joseph Goodwin.
Doyle was born May 18, 1934, in Midlothian. He was the youngest of four and only
son of M.T. “Mack” Goodwin and Nellie Irene (Harris) Goodwin-Jackson. Doyle
relocated to Fort Worth with his family in the early 1940s, where he graduated
from North Side High School in 1952 and worked for General Portland Cement for
31 years and two months.
In 1969, he moved to Boyd before moving to Arkansas in 2003. Doyle was a
carpenter and employed his skills in homebuilding and woodworking for many
years. In his spare time, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, collecting coins and
watching Westerns.
Doyle was a follower of Christ and most recently attended regular services at
Lakeside Baptist Church in Daisy, Ark. He had also been a regular of the
Outreach of Love Assembly of God in La Junta, and he helped establish the
Cornerstone Community Church in Springtown.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters.
J.K. is survived by daughters Doyla Fisher and husband, Tom, of Hope, Ark., and
Dana Gillock of Rhome; sons Lonny Goodwin and wife, Tammy, of Saratoga and
Richard Goodwin of Denton; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and many
other family members and friends.
Gossett, Helen Louise Cowley | 1958-2015
Published Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Helen Louise Cowley Gossett, 57, of Chico died Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Chico.
Funeral is 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at the First Baptist Church in Chico with
Rob Hawkins officiating. Burial will follow at Chico Cemetery.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Pallbearers are Coit Harris, Danny Price, Galen Wiley, Donnie Austin, Chester
Fuller and Dewayne Burgess.
Louise was born April 8, 1958, in Bridgeport to Curt and Nancy (Grooms) Cowley.
She graduated from Chico High School in 1976 and was a member of the First
Baptist Church of Chico.
Louise was the founder of Chico Memorial Angels, and she served on the Chico
City Council. She was a member of the Chico Chamber of Commerce and proudly
supported the Chico Volunteer Fire Department.
Louise was a retired truck driver.
She was preceded in death by her father, Curt Cowley; and her brothers, Kendell
and Donald.
Louise is survived by her mother, Nancy Cowley Dickinson and husband, Bennie, of
Chico; brother Eddie Cowley and wife, Debbie, of Chico; sister Tammy Sosa and
husband, Darren, of Chico; and numerous aunts, uncles, family members and
friends.
Green, Amber Lynn Ligon | 2008-2015
Published Saturday, December 26, 2015
Amber Lynn Ligon Green, 7, of Decatur, died Monday, Dec. 21, 2015, in Fort
Worth.
Funeral was Dec. 24 at Pleasant View Baptist Church in Bridgeport with the Rev.
Gary Demmitt officiating. Burial followed at Thomas Cemetery in Bridgeport.
Pallbearers were Gregory Brown, Lance Coleman, Josh Adair and Mark Baker.
Amber was born Sept. 23, 2008, in Dallas to Kathleen Marie (Green).
She is survived by her parents, Scott and Kathleen Gates of Decatur; sister
Brittany Wooten; grandparents Lynda Green of Fort Worth and Curtis and Linda
Gates of Decatur; uncle Joel Ligon of Fort Worth; and friends.
Green, Dwight Rhodes | 1938-2015
Published Saturday, December 5, 2015
Dwight Rhodes Green, 77, of Garland, died Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. Visitation is
2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Saturn Road Church of Christ, 3030 Saturn Road, in
Garland. A memorial service will follow the visitation at 3 p.m. in the main
sanctuary of Saturn Road Church of Christ.
Dwight was born Sept. 9, 1938, in Wise County to William Jesse and Ola Fay
(Porter) Green. He grew up in Paradise, moved to Bridgeport and graduated from
Bridgeport High School in 1957. For
a brief time, he attended the University of North Texas in Denton, and then he
joined the Air Force Reserve where he served for six years while also working as
office manager for Gifford Hill in Chico.
He married Cleola Cash of Chico Feb. 29, 1964.
In 1966, Dwight and Cleola moved to Dallas where he worked for the Federal
Reserve Bank, Preston State Bank and Tom Thumb. He then purchased and operated
two Snappy Food Marts, which he sold upon retirement.
Dwight and Cleola attended Saturn Road Church of Christ in Garland, where they
enjoyed worship and fellowship with many faithful friends. He went to his first
Southern gospel music concert in 2004. He became a fan and attended numerous
concerts. Dwight loved to read and
travel, and he cherished conversation and laughter over coffee, good food and
games with friends and family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Jesse Green and Ola Fay Porter
Green; and his brother, William Howard Green. Dwight is survived by his wife,
Cleola Cash Green of Dallas; niece Pamela Green Holt and husband, James Rande,
of Norman, Okla.; nephew William Lloyd Green and wife, Larissa, of Friendswood;
great-niece AnnaCarole Green Holt of Fort Worth; great-nephews William Colton
Green of Austin, Camden William Green of San Marcos and Caiden Green of
Friendswood; sisters-in-law Shirley Arnold Green of Fort Worth, Matilda Cash
Carter and husband, Jerry, of Bridgeport and Lucille Coursey of Bridgeport;
numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and many
church friends, who were like family.
Green, Lillard Thomas | 1916-2015
Published Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Lillard Thomas “L.T.” Green, 98, formerly of Rhome, died Friday, Nov. 27,
2015.
Graveside service was Nov. 30 at Aurora Cemetery in Aurora with the Rev. Fred
Utz officiating.
L.T. was born Nov. 30, 1916, in Decatur to Luther Thomas and Ella B. (Leonard)
Green. He married Callie Mae Jennings May 23, 1936, in Rhome. They remained
married until her death. L.T. was a member of Rhome Methodist Church. He was a
retired railroad engineer.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 69 years; and his sister,
Marguerite Simmons.
He is survived by his sons, Bill Green and wife, Sharon, of Granbury, Terry
Green and wife, Sunshine, of Granbury and Charles Green and wife, Terri Ann, of
Grapevine; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends.
Green, Lillard Thomas 'L.T.' | 1916-2015
Published Saturday, November 28, 2015
Lillard Thomas “L.T.” Green, 98, formerly of Rhome, died Friday, Nov. 27,
2015.
Graveside service is 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at Aurora Cemetery in Aurora with
the Rev. Fred Utz officiating.
Visitation is noon to 1 p.m. Monday at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home in Decatur.
L.T. was born Nov. 30, 1916, in Decatur to Luther Thomas and Ella B. (Leonard)
Green. He married Callie Mae Jennings May 23, 1936, in Rhome. They remained
married until her death. John was a member of Rhome Methodist Church. He was a
retired railroad engineer.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 69 years; and his sister,
Marguerite Simmons.
He is survived by his sons, Bill Green and wife, Sharon, of Granbury, Terry
Green and wife, Sunshine, of Granbury and Charles Green and wife, Terri Ann, of
Grapevine; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins and friends.
Green, Lorene Cunnius | 1918-2015
Published Saturday, October 10, 2015
Lorene Cunnius Green, 97, of Bridgeport, died Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in
Bridgeport.
Graveside service is 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at Thomas Cemetery in Bridgeport
with the Rev. Gary Demmitt officiating.
Visitation is 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at Hawkins Funeral Home in Bridgeport.
Lorene was born June 9, 1918, in Sycamore to James Tarleton and Mary Anna
(Dement) Cunnius. She married Marion W. Shorty Green Nov. 22, 1938, in Wise
County. They were married 65 years before his death Feb. 12, 2003. Lorene was a
member of Pleasant View Baptist Church for more than 75 years.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Shorty Green; son Ronny
Green; brother George Cunnius; twin sister Florene Green; and sister Willie Mae
Foster.
Lorene is survived by her daughter, Joy Palmer and husband, George, of
Bridgeport; grandchildren Stacie Fleming, Robin Riggs and husband, Conard,
Stephanie Matney and husband, Dan, Shellie Pulliam and husband, Lessley, and
Shannon Speyer and husband, Tom; great-grandchildren Cameron, Brennan and Ryan
Riggs, Jaeton and Jesse Williams, Brighton and Rangeley Grisel and Logan Speyer;
great-great-grandchildren Paysley and Piper Riggs and Kinsleigh Williams;
extended family members Linda Palmer, Brenda Gibson, Marc Matney and Afton
Watkins; and numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.
Donations may be made to Thomas Cemetery in memory of Lorene Green, 4666 S. FM
1655, Bridgeport, TX 76426
Green, Nadine | 1934-2015
Published Saturday, September 19, 2015
Nadine Green, 81, of Bridgeport died Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, in Denton.
Funeral was Sept. 18 at the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport with the Rev.
Craig Erb officiating. Burial followed at East Bridgeport Cemetery.
Pallbearers were G.B. Funk, Jim Bost, Tommy Cortez, Bucky Manoushagian, Doug
Dunlap, David Spann, Ronnie Holt and Jackie Chilton.
Nadine was born Jan. 31, 1934, in Oklahoma City. She married Billy Green Aug.
15, 1953, in Bridgeport. She owned Green’s clothing store then Soft Touch. She
was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport, was a Sunday school
teacher and directed the children’s choir. Nadine was the founder of the
Halloween Fall Festival and ran the Vacation Bible School. She also volunteered
at the intermediate school in Bridgeport.
Nadine was preceded in death by her parents, Jo and Virginia McElhaney; and her
brother, Judge Billy McElhaney.
She is survived by her husband of 62 years, B.C. Green of Bridgeport; sons Stacy
Green and wife, Julie, of Bridgeport and Barry Green and wife, Katrina, of Fort
Worth; grandchildren Lauren Green, Jon Green and wife, Amanda, Lacey Donald and
Kaylee Donald; sister Rita Boles of Bridgeport; and other family members and
friends.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at
www.alz.org, 800-272-3900; or American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org,
800-342-2383.
Green-Steele, Addie Ruth | 1938-2015
Published Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Addie Ruth Green-Steele, 77, of Bridgeport died Saturday, June 27, 2015.
Memorial service was July 30 at the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport.
Addie was born Jan. 1, 1938.
She is survived by her children, Charlie and Carrie Green of Paradise, Stephen
and Kelly Green of Bridgeport and Bobby Green of Bridgeport; sister Linda
Russell and husband, Harold, of Raymond, Wash.; grandchildren Jeremy Watson,
Levi Watson, Wesley Green, Cody Green, Dustin Green, Justin Green, Courtney
Green and Jarret Green; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to a charity of choice.
Greer, Bobby Clifton, Sr. | 1935-2015
Published Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Bobby Clifton Greer, Sr., 79, a General Contractor, died March 2, 2015, in
Decatur.
Funeral is 10 a.m. Friday, March 6, 2015 at Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home Chapel.
Family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Pastor Donald McMaster will officiate.
Bobby was born on Dec. 27, 1935, to William and Ella (Steely) Greer in Fort
Worth.
He was preceded in death by his parents and five brothers.
He is survived by his daughters, Loretta West of Kingsland, Cheryl Howard and
husband Joe of Ponder, Pamila Washburn of Runaway Bay, and Teresa Wright and
husband Bruce of Millsap; his son, Cliff Greer and wife Pam of Decatur; 11
grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; his sisters, Mattie Sermons, Beverly
Jernigan, Jenny Mullane, Betty Greer, and Debra Fite; his brothers, Wesley,
Raymond, and Ricky Greer; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of
friends.
Gregory, Araceli | 1974-2015
Published Saturday, March 7, 2015
Araceli Gregory, 40, of Decatur died Monday, March 2, 2015, surrounded by her
loving family.
Funeral was March 6 at Greenwood Chapel with burial at Greenwood Memorial Park
in Fort Worth.
Araceli was born Nov. 4, 1974, in El Paso to Manuel and Esperanza Chavarria. She
was the first-born and big sister to Manuel “Shoo Shoo” Chavarria Jr.
Araceli showed all who knew her that there was no excuse for not succeeding. She
attended Crowley High School and afterward began work as a collections caller
for Transouth bank in Fort Worth, where she met her friend and mentor, Diane
Whatley.
Araceli showed that through hard work, dedication and kindness, you can achieve
anything and eventually became vice president of bankruptcy for Bank of America.
She worked equally hard at fulfilling the roles of mother, wife and homemaker,
at which she had the most success.
Araceli is survived by her husband, Michael Gregory and daughter Sarah Gregory,
of Decatur; brother Manuel Jr. and wife, Vanessa; nieces Arabella and Catalina
Chavarria of Mansfield; her parents of Fort Worth; and many cousins in the
Sanchez and Chavarria families, all of whom now celebrate her life and the end
of her pain and suffering.
Griffin, Harold Raymond 'Hal' | 1938-2015
Published Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Harold “Hal” Raymond Griffin, 76, of Alvord passed away Friday, Aug. 7,
2015, in Decatur.
Services were held Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015, at Chancellor and Jones Family
Funeral Home in Decatur, officiated by Eldon Gray. Burial followed in Cumby
Cemetery in Chico. Pallbearers were Robert McNutt, Matt Fenoglio, Tommy McNutt
and Stephen McNutt.
Harold was born Dec. 11, 1938, to Harry and Dorothy (Burke) Griffin in Jersey
City, N.J. On Sept. 21, 1958, in Van Nuys, Calif., Harold married Carole Ann
Norheim. He was Director of Operations for the Northrop Grumman Corporation,
where he worked for 41 years.
Harold enjoyed the outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing (particularly bass
fishing) or ranching. He bred longhorn cattle. In his younger days, Harold was
quite an athlete. He enjoyed boxing and all kinds of other sports. He excelled
in baseball as a pitcher and played in the Minor Leagues.
He was preceded in death by his parents and son Tim Griffin.
He is survived by his wife of almost 57 years, Carole Griffin of Alvord;
daughters Kimberly McNutt and husband Robert of Flowery Branch, Ga., and
Christine Carroll and husband Chuck of Lewisville; grandchildren Carrie Flangan,
Angie Steen, Stephen McNutt, Elizabeth McNutt, Hannah McNutt, Daniel Griffin and
Tiffany Fenoglio; great-grandchildren Alex Nolan, Jeremiah Nolan, Timothy Nolan,
Krissy Nolan and Emma Fenoglio.