November 11, 1999
Mrs. Griffin
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, in the Coker-Mathews Funeral Home Chapel at Greenville for long-time Merit resident Lola Mae Griffin, who died Nov. 3 in a Dallas Hospital at the age of 98.
Officiating was the Rev. Lois Cooper, and interment
was in Merit Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers were Buck McDonald, Jim Doan, Rick Doan, Randy Glasscock, Glenn Landrum, Steve Griffin and Michael English.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or the charity of choice.
Mrs. Griffin was born in Attalia, Alabama, on March 21, 1901, the daughter William J. and Belle Morton Ferguson. She married Charles E. Griffin in Merit on Feb. 2, 1919, and he preceded her in death in 1977. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Jean Spradling, and a grandson, Kevin Landrum.
Mrs. Griffin was a member of the Merit Methodist Church.
Surviving are two sons, Charles Griffin Jr. of Dallas and Jack Griffin of Farmersville; three daughters, Nita Doan of Merit, Glenda Rector of Wagner and Linda Ivy of Floyd; a sister, Flora Logan of Deborgia, Montana; 12 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren.
Mr. Smith
An unassuming man who left it to others to let it be known that he won the coveted Bronze Star twice for bravery in action in the Vietnam War, James Samuel Smith of Farmersville died last Thursday in Presbyterian Hospital at Dallas after a brief illness.
The long-time employee of Cello-Wrap Printing Co. died of a brain aneurysm he suffered shortly before his death at the age of 52.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Hasley officiating. Interment
with military honors was in the IOOF Cemetery under the direction of the Fielder-Baker Funeral Home.
Mr. Smith was a native and life-long resident of Farmersville. He was born on Aug. 8, 1947, the son of Miles V. and Marie Cecil Smith. After serving in Vietnam he returned home to become a printer for Cello-Wrap Printing Co., a position he held until the time of his death.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Thomas Glenn Caraway Chapter No. 7426, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Farmersville. Mr. Smith was active in the VFW and had previously held high offices in the organization.
He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Marie Smith of Farmersville; a daughter, Kay Smith of Farmersville; a son, Forrest Smith of San Diego, Calif., who is presently serving in the U. S. armed forces as his father had before him; four sisters, Betty Cantrell of Blue Ridge, Carolyn McTee of Oklahoma City, Okla., Luvada Johnston of Dallas and Josephine Halliburton of Abilene; two brothers, Gerald Smith of Plano and Stephen Smith of Dallas, and two grandchildren.
Ms. Kelly
Last rites were observed at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Galloway Memorial Church of Farmersville for Lillie Mae Kelly, 73, who died Sunday in North Central Medical Center of McKinney.
Supt. J. E. Ellis officiated, and interment
was in Farmersville Memorial Cemetery under the direction of the Fielder-Baker Funeral Home.
Ms. Kelly was a long-time resident of Farmersville, but was born in Quitman on March 5, 1926, the daughter of Mack and Louella McGee Kelly. She was a member of Galloway Memorial Church.
Surviving are two daughters, Willette Kelly of Farmersville and Lisa Kelly of Cedar Creek; five grandchildren, Preston Simons, Cynthia Simons and Kymberly Simons and Darius Kelly and Kandy Kelly; five sisters, Rosie Lee Johnson of McKinney, Vivian McGill and Pauline Bynum of Dallas and Cleo Smith and Gloria Bell Phelps of Farmersville; two brothers, Paul Kelly of Farmersville and Jeremiah Kelly of Dallas, and five grandchildren.
Mrs. Rackley
Mrs. Geneva Harris Rackley, 83, of McKinney, died Nov. 2 in that city.
Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Nov. 4 in Ridgeview Memorial Park with the Rev. Don Bourland officiating.
Mrs. Rackley was born in Collin County on June 5, 1916, to Joseph H. and Mattie Mae Sanders Harris. She married Esker Rackley on May 15, 1963, in McKinney. She was a retired Nurse’s Aide and was of the Baptist faith.
She is survived by her husband, Esker Rackley of McKinney; a daughter, Ward Jo Hallum of Cleveland, Tex.; two brothers, Lawrence Harris and his wife Eulala of Gun Barrel City and Boyd Harris and his wife Lillie Bell of Euless, and a sister, Inez Daniels and her husband Tom of Gun Barrel City.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, two sisters, two daughters and one son.
Mrs. Smith
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel at McKinney for Patricia Ann "Pat" Smith, 54, a Princeton resident who died Sunday in Plano Medical Center.
The rites were conducted by the Rev. Rick Riddle, and interment
was in Wilson Chapel Cemetery.
Mrs. Smith was born in McKinney on July 25, 1945, the daughter of Andrew Jackson "Bill" and Gladys Juanita Farrell Cates. She was manager of Pizza Inn in McKinney and was of the Baptist faith.
She is survived by four sons, Randy Loftice of Ivanhoe, Richard Loftice of Anna, Ronnie Loftice of McKinney and Tim Birdwell of Princeton; a daughter, Regina Reed of Blue Ridge; 10 grandchildren; two brothers, Buddy Cates and Troy Cates of Wylie, and two sisters, Evelena LaFollett of Fort Worth and Connie Hill of McKinney. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister.
December 2, 1999
Mr. Cofield
Lewis Howard (Wolf) Cofield, 85, of Corsicana, died Nov. 21 in that city.
Graveside services were held in the Bardwell Cemetery with Mr. Bill Honea officiating.
Mr. Cofield was born on Jan. 31, 1914, in Arbacoochee, Ala. He was retired from Valley Farm in Chatfield after more than 40 years of service.
Mr. Cofield is survived by his wife, Alice Lorene Cofield of Corsicana; daughter and son-in-law, Patsy and Don Ashley of Chatfield; son and daughter-in-law, Dwight and Melba Cofield of Princeton; granddaughters and their husbands, Loreta and Buddy Arnold of Ennis and Kathy and Mary Turner of Princeton; grandson and his wife, Jeff and Alisha Cofield of Princeton, and great grandchildren Jared Arnold and Jessica Arnold of Ennis and Kelsey Cofield, Nathan Cofield, Brandy Stiles and Brian Stiles of Princeton.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Annie Lois Cofield; father, Henry Oliver Cofield, and mother, Ludie Silvalon Mulkey Cofield.
Mrs. McMahon
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in Restland Memorial Chapel in Dallas for Billie Jean Buckalew McMahon, 73, a Farmersville resident who died Monday.
Officiating will be Joe Smith, and interment
will be in Wylie Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Mrs. McMahon was born in Dallas on Nov. 29, 1925.
She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Thomas W. McMahon; sons Eddie Elder and his wife Marianne and Chesley Elder and his wife Judy of Farmersville, Jimmy Elder and his wife Sandi of Kaufman; a daughter, Elyne Combs and her husband Rick of Garland; 11 grandchildren, Dawn Weems, Cary Elder, Tammy Self, Chesley Elder Jr., Aimee Bunch, Kelly Morris, Jeannie Rinehart, Edmond Elder, Christie Elder, Travis Elder and Sam Clark; eight great grandchildren, Rian, Erika, Chelsey, Kylor, Madison, Damon, Bailey, Rani and Samantha; a brother, F. M. (Buck) Buckalew of Lovington, N.M.; a sister, Janie Behm of Amarillo, and a cousin, Dorothy Chaddick of Farmersville. She was preceded in death by a brother, L. W. (Tommy) Kemper.
Mr. Lokey
Berlin D. Lokey, 76, a native of Princeton, died Monday in Waldren, Ark., where he made his home.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Fielder-Baker Funeral Home Chapel in Farmersville with the Reverends Darren Biles and Doyle Henderson officiating. Interment
will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
Visitation was planned from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Mr. Lokey was born on Dec. 28, 1922, the son of Roy and Clara Hickman Lokey. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Princeton, and was a retired security guard and a veteran of the U. S. Army.
Surviving are a daughter, Donna Miller of Barstow, Calif.; a son, Mark Crocker of Saginaw; four sisters, Wilma Reisor of Greenville, Mildred Bishop of Princeton, Nelda Burnside of Farmersville and Mary Whitmire of Princeton; a son, Kenneth Lokey of Farmersville, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Mr. Smith
Nathan D. Smith, 74, of Princeton, died Nov. 24 in Princeton.
Last rites were observed last Friday in the Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel at McKinney with the Rev. Stan Fike officiating. Interment
was in Ridgeview Memorial Park.
Mr. Smith was a native of Princeton. Born on Jan. 7, 1925, he was the son of John A. and Maggie Blassingame Smith. He married Emma Evelyn Howard in McKinney on Oct. 14, 1944, and was a retired security officer for the McKinney Job Corps Center. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Princeton and served in the U. S. Navy during World War II from December 1944 until April 1947.
He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Smith of Princeton; a daughter, Genora Boone and her husband Charles of Princeton; a daughter, Emma Cotten and her husband Johnny of Parker; four grandchildren and five great grandchildren; a sister, Ava Ruth Womack of Corsicana; a sister, Vernice Box and her husband "Billy" J. W., of Princeton, and a sister-in-law, Virginia Smith of Winnsboro. He was preceded in death by a daughter and son-in-law, Pat and Larry Combest, and a granddaughter, Kristie Neacole Combest.
Brandon Holmes
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the First Baptist Church of Josephine for 16-year-old Brandon Douglas Holmes, a Community High School sophomore who was fatally injured early last Friday morning in a pick-up truck-train accident in East Texas.
The Rev. Ricky Hargrave officiated, and interment
was in Nevada Cemetery under the direction of Rentfrow Funeral Home of Caddo Mills.
Pallbearers were Ric kWatkins, Nick Rustin, Jess Holmes, Ryan LeClair, Nathan Price and Brandon Nix. Honorary pallbearers included Ben Hackler, Matt Hackler, Tyler Rhodes, Brandon Black, Joe Ashley, Josh Thomas and Walter Allen.
oung Holmes was a native of Dallas. Born on Jan. 19, 1983, he was the son of Doug and Brenda Jones of Josephine. He was a member of the Texas Cross Country Racing Association.
Surviving are his parents William Douglas and Brenda Holmes of Josephine; a sister, Melissa Ann Holmes of Josephine, and his grandparents, Bill and Mary Lou Holmes of Caddo Mills.
The accident in which the young man died occurred in Cass County near the town of Avinger. Police reports said the driver of the pick-up in which Brandon was a passenger, James Masterson, 18, of Rowlett, was turning off of a county road when it collided with a Kansas City Southern train at an unmarked crossing. Young Masterson also died in the accident.
The Holmes’ youth’s grandfather, Bill Holmes, was postmaster at Josephine for many years.
Mrs. Moore
Helen Lucile Moore, 82, died Sunday afternoon at her home in Farmersville.
Funeral services were planned for 1 p.m. Wednesday in Waco Memorial Chapel at Waco with interment
in Waco Memorial Park under the direction of the Fielder-Baker Funeral Home of Farmersville.
Mrs. Moore was born in Denison on Jan. 2, 1917, the daughter of Abner E. and May Sarber Jones. She married Thomas Edwin Moore in San Antonio on Jan. 13, 1939, and was a retired cashier for Gibson’s. She was of the Methodist faith.
Surviving are two daughters, Marion Toumbs of Farmersville and Tomi Ruth Clements of Bridgeport; a sister, Pauline Wilkes of San Antonio; a half-sister, Joy Witt of Springfield, Va., five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
