William Preston Hicks 80, of Paris, died at 2:45 PM, Friday, January 2, 2015 in Pattonville. A memorial service is set for 10:00 AM, Tuesday, January 6, 2015 in the chapel of Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Mickey Kelley officiating. Ashes will be interred in Forest Chapel Cemetery. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Hicks was born September 11, 1934 in Chicota to Roscoe and Mary Hicks. He graduated from high school and attended the welding program at Paris Junior College. He retired after more than 20 years employment from Babcock & Wilcox Corporation as a machinist/welder. He served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War and while in the military, he met his bride of 54 years, Myrtle Ethelene Turner whom he married on August 7, 1960. She died August 8, 2014.
Mr. Hicks is survived by five children, William Preston Hicks, Jr., Robert Wesley Hicks, Herbert Carlton Hicks, Tawana Hicks, and Tori Hicks; four grandchildren, Jennifer Hicks Parker, Steven Hicks, Jarrett Hicks, and Jordan Hicks; and three great-grandchildren, Ryan, Braidyn, and Aubrey.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings, Lola Piatt, Elmer C. Hicks, Paula Kelley, and Mary Lee Bishop.
Online condolences may be made to the Hicks family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com.
Brenda Lee Sanders Beaumont, 50, of Orange, passed from this life on Friday, January 2, 2015 at Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas in Beaumont.
Born on November 9, 1964 in Paris, Texas to her parents, Susan Scott (Stalker) Sanders and John Floyd Sanders, she lived in Orange for the past 8 years and had previously lived in Paris. Brenda worked in various capacities in the food service industry and she was of the Nazarene faith.
Brenda enjoyed growing flowers, animals and pets, music and spending time with her family. She never met a stranger and will be missed by many.
Brenda is preceded in death by her father; her maternal grandparents, Oren D. “ Bud “ Sanders and Annie Ola Sanders and her maternal grandparents, Clifford Scott Stalker and Carrie Lee Stalker.
Those who will most cherish her memory are her parents, Susan and John T. Simar of Orange; her brothers, John Clifford Sanders and wife, Kimberly of Bridge City and O. D. “ Bud “ Sanders and wife, Kimmi of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania; her step brothers, Jeffery Simar and wife, Mary of Call, Texas and David Simar of Orange; her nieces, Brittany Nicole Sanders and Amber Michelle Sanders both of Paris and Erin O’Flynn and Stephanie O’Flynn of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania; her nephews, Devin O’Flynn and Danny O’Flynn of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania.
Services to remember and honor Brenda’s life will be at 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, January 6, 2015 in the Chapel of Dorman Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend Mark Sanders and Reverend K. Ray McDowell. A gathering of Brenda’s family and friends will be from 4:00 P.M. until service time and then will continue after the service. Cremation will follow the services.
Condolences may be expressed for the family at www.dormanfuneralhome.com.
Travis Blaine “Buster” Crossland, 89, of Pattonville passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, at Legend Healthcare with his loving family surrounding him.
Services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5th, at Bright-Holland Funeral Home with David Ballard and Curry Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery at Deport. The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Buster was born on Aug. 2, 1925, in Windom, Texas to Willie O’Army & Ida Barnett Crossland. He attended school in Windom and became a farmer. On May 6, 1956, he married Mary Louise Chapman. They were happily married for 58 years.
In 1961, Buster moved his family to Pattonville and worked for East Lamar School as a custodian & bus driver. When the school consolidated as part of Prairiland ISD, he still continued his duties until his retirement in 1988.
Buster was an active member of the Pattonville Church of Christ. He was well known throughout the community for his dedication and willingness to help those around the area. He was extremely proud of his gardening skills and shared the produce year after year until his health slowed him down.
Buster is survived by his wife, Louise; son, Willie & wife Donna; son, Travis and wife Rachel; son-in-law, Kent Wright; sister, Bonnie Faye Clark; grandchildren, Michael and David Crossland, Annette Hollaway, Lee, Sarah, T.K. & Ashley Crossland, Brandon & Blaine Wright, Mariana Rivera, Christopher Racca and Ashley Castleberry; great grandchildren, Ty, Blake & Shadix Crossland, Kaitlyn Crossland, Tristian, Hayley, Zander & Zoe Hollaway, Matthew Wright, Mason, Cody, Jacob & Aubrey Castleberry, Nikki Saub and Ty Racca along with several nieces and nephews and a plethora of friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two daughters, Ida Mabel Crossland and Mary Ann Wright, three sisters, Ruby Ray, Ida Mae Cleaver and Ethel Crossland and a brother, Howard Crossland.
Casket bearers will be: David Crossland, T. K. Crossland, Thomas Crossland, Keith Crossland, Michael Crossland, Blaine Wright and Brandon Wright. Honorary bearers will be: Jimmy Hodges, Larry Lee, Dalias Dickson, Russell Jones, Gary Norman, Albert Hollaway, Kent Wright and Bill Jones.
The family extends a special thanks to his caregivers, Janie Wood and Linda Jackson as well as those at Legend Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center.
To leave a message or tribute for the family please visit www.brighthollandfuneralhome.com.
Jerry Ray Pierce 74, of Paris, died at 5:15 PM, Thursday, January 1, 2015 at Paris Regional Medical Center. A graveside service is set for 2:00 PM, Monday, January 5, 2015 at Meadowbrook Gardens Cemetery with Rev. Tiny Freelen officiating. The family will receive friends from 3:00-4:00 PM Sunday afternoon at the funeral home. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
Jerry was born November 5, 1940 in Paris to Earl Fitzgerald and Viola Bramlett Foster Pierce. He attended school in Paris and Atlanta, Georgia. He married Christine May Green on January 4, 1974 in Paris. She died January 30, 2014. Mr. Pierce worked for the Dr. Pepper-Coca Cola plant for over 20 years and retired from Paris Industries after 13 years of employment.
Mr. Pierce is survived by one daughter, Chastity Howerton; a granddaughter, Gillian Kenzie Howerton; two half-brothers, Steve and Joe Edwards; and two half-sisters, Diane Hutchings and Kathy Scott. He was preceded by his parents; a brother, Billy Earl Pierce; and a sister, Geraldine Edwards.
Online condolences may be made to the Pierce family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com.
Dorene Russell Vaughan 70, of Powderly, died at 5:29 PM, Thursday, January 1, 2015 at Paris Regional Medical Center. Funeral services are set for 2:00 PM, Sunday, January 4, 2015 in the chapel of Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Jay Morris and Rev. Floyd Woodard officiating. Burial will follow in Red Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00-6:00 PM, Saturday at the funeral home. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
Dorene was born January 12, 1944 in Paris to Robert Lee and Ella Juanita Hoover Russell. She graduated from East Lamar Schools and married Joe Bailey Vaughan in Pattonville on September 14, 1963. She was a seamstress working for Hollywood Vassarette and Nahas. Mrs. Vaughan was a member of Bounds Baptist Church.
She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who devoted her life to their care. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Survivors are her husband, Joe B. Vaughan; two children, Donald Vaughan and wife, Sabra of Paris and Rebecca Vaughan Bankston and husband, Brad of Sumner; four grandchildren, Steele and Easton Vaughan and Ryan and Bailea Bankston; one brother, Thomas Lee Russell and wife, Donna of Paris; her twin sister, Norene Russell Rose and husband, Mickey of Paris; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be her nephews Gary W. Vaughan, Tommy Vaughan, Carl Hopkins, Jr., Todd Russell, Mark Russell, and Craig Russell.
Memorials may be made to Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong Missions or the charity of ones choice. Online condolences may be made to the Vaughan family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com.
LILLIAN McREYNOLDS, age 89, passed away on December 20, 2014 in Houston, Texas. Memoriaal services will be held at Starrett Funeral Home in Paris, Texas at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2015, with Rev. David Darrow officiating. She will be laid to rest beside her husband John at Evergreen Cemetery following the service.
Lillian was born in Kansas City. Missouri on August 13, 1925, a daughter of Milton Modie Leach and Lillian Sproles Leach. She graduated from Kansas City Junior College in 1944 and from the University of Texas in Austin in 1946 where she received her Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. She was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority while at UT. Upon graduation, she worked as a chemist at Midwest Research in Kansas City, Cotton Research Committee in Austin and later at the Foundation of Applied Research in San Antonio.
Lillian married John W. McReynolds in Kansas City, Missouri in 1946. They lived in Texas in San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Houston before moving to Ponca City, Oklahoma in 1963. In Ponca City, Lillian was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where she served on the Board of Deacons, the Board of Trustees and the Board of Elders. She also enjoyed teaching Sunday School there for many years. She was a member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, a member of Chapter FC of the P.E.O and a member of the Panhellenic Chapter in Ponca City. She was an avid bridge player and loved to play tennis.
She was a founding member of the Investment Club of Ponca City. She taught Algebra and Geometry at the Assumption High for Felician Sisters for several years. John and Lillian lived in Ponca City until July of 2007 when they moved to The Woodlands, Texas. Lillian was living in Spring, Texas for the past two years. Lillian was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, John McReynolds and her sister, Ann Leach Stapleton and her husband, Bill.
She is survived by two sons, John W. McReynolds and wife, Ann of Dallas, Texas, and James R. McReynolds and wife, Debbie of Houston, Texas; a daughter, Jane Ann Byroad and husband, Bob of Houston, Texas and nine grandchildren. She is also survived by her niece Elizabeth Fries and husband, Brian and their three children.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established at the First Presbyterian Church, 1505 E. Grand Ave., Ponca City, OK 74604 and with the Salvation Army.
Friends may register in Lillian’s Book of Memories at www.starrettfunerals.com .
