DEWEY LEE WOODARD, 80, passed away at the Medical Center of Plano on Monday June 9, 2014. A funeral service to celebrate his life and honor his memory will be conducted at Starrett Funeral Home at 2:00 p.m. Thursday June 12, 2014, with Rev. Bill Coleman officiating. Following the service his body will be laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery.
Dewey was born December 14, 1933 in Minter, Texas, a son of Talma Buford and Jennie Fay Thompson Woodard. He was one in a family of six children, attending school and graduating from Deport High School in 1951. He served his country honorably in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956, being stationed in El Paso, Texas and at Esslingen Kaserne, near Stuttgart, Germany. In 1953 he married Alice Bacon in Lovington, New Mexico, and for the next ten years the made their home in Kermit, Texas as Dewey worked for the Kermit Motor Company, developing a lifelong love for cars.
In 1963 the young Woodard family moved to Paris, where he owned and operated the family business, Woodard Exxon for the following forty years. Closing the business in 2003, his was the distinction of owning the last full-service station in Paris, truly the end of an era. Following retirement he continued to buy and sell antique cars and enjoyed membership in the Red River Valley Honkers club, and more recently in the Road Runners Car Club. He was never happier than when he and Alice took to the open road in one of his vintage automobiles.
Preceded in death by his parents, he had also seen four brothers and a sister depart this life: Ray Woodard, Gordon Woodard, T.L. Woodard, Paul Woodard, and Marybelle Igo. Dewey is survived by his wife of sixty years, Alice; two sons, Lee Woodard and wife Teresa and Brooke Woodard, all of Paris; five grandchildren, Jessica Woodard, of McKinney, Matt Woodard and wife Taylor, of Blossom, and Chris Mayfield and wife Christian, Jennye Woodard and Brittany Woodard, all of Paris; and a great-grandson, Seth Mayfield.
His presence will be keenly missed by his special group of coffee-drinking buddies, as well as a host of extended family and friends. Serving as pallbearers will be Chris Mayfield, Matt Woodard, Jack Jernigan, Ken Paulhamas, Don Wall, and Doug Weiberg. He was fair in his business dealings, truthful in his character, looked for the best in every person whom he met, and lived by the Golden Rule. His departure leaves the world a poorer place, but the lives he touched have been made richer from knowing the man who was Dewey Woodard.
Friends may register in Dewey’s Book of Memories at www.starrettfunerals.com .
Mary Robbie Melton, 86, of Paris, a loving mother, grandmother & great grandmother, passed away Monday, June 09, 2014. Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 11th, at Bright-Holland Funeral Home with Rev. Mike Atkins officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 – 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Melton, the daughter of Leslie & Sophie Miller Howie, was born May 23, 1928, in Paris. On Dec. 14, 1946, she married Norman Eugene Melton, building forty years of family and memories before his death on May 20, 1987. Robbie attended Novice Baptist Church.
Her parents, a daughter-in-law, Sue Lynn Melton and a sister, Helen Thrasher preceded her in death.
Survivors include three sons, Gary Bruce Melton & wife Kellye of Palestine, Norman Lee Melton & wife Judy of Texarkana, AR and Phillip Jay Melton of Paris, ten grandchildren, seventeen great grandchildren, a brother, Leslie Howie, Jr. & wife Sue of Paris, along with several nieces & nephews and a host of friends.
Casket bearers will be: Brandon Melton, Britt Melton, Daniel Hayes, Brian Howie, Don Thrasher and Shane Melton.
To leave a message or tribute for the family please visit www.brighthollandfuneralhome.com.
Roberta Millsap, 90, of Paris, passed away at her home, Monday, June 9, 2014. Bright-Holland Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dolon J. Miller, 82, of Reno, passed away at Paris Regional Medical Center, Monday, June 9, 2014. Bright-Holland Funeral Home is in charge of his arrangements.