Sybil Pickering Bowman, 91, a longtime Paris resident, passed away Monday, February 11, 2013, at Legend Healthcare.
Sybil was born on May 15, 1921, in Lamar County near the Biardstown and Glory communities, the daughter of Dee and Eunice Smith Pickering. She was a graduate of Paris High School. She retired from Westinghouse after 30 years and worked over 20 years at Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home. She and her husband owned and operated the Loop Truck Stop for several years. Sybil was a member of First United Methodist Church.
On July 22, 1939, she married the love of her life, Jay Bowman. He preceded her in death on March 16, 1979. Sybil will be remembered as a lady who took pride in her appearance and was always impeccably dressed in fashionable attire. Last year she won the Snappy Dresser Award for being the best-dressed resident of Legend Healthcare.
Sybil was preceded in death by her husband Jay Bowman; parents Dee and Eunice Pickering; brothers Charles Dee Pickering and Dewey Pickering and 21 brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
She is survived by her son Jay P. Bowman and wife Ginna of Paris; three grandchildren: Bradford Jay Bowman of Austin, Rebecca Bowman, Shana Bowman of Houston and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, February 16, 2013, in the chapel of Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home with Rev. Van Lazaroff officiating. The family will receive friends after the service in the chapel. Private burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to First United Methodist Church or the Downtown Food Pantry in care of the church.
Floyd Junior Woodard, 86, of Blossom passed away Tuesday February 12, 2013 in Mother Francis Hospital in Tyler. Fry-Gibbs Funeral Home will conduct graveside services at 2:00 p.m. Friday Feb. 15 at Forest Chapel Cemetery with Rev. Brad Michael officiating. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the cemetery.
Floyd was born Nov. 2, 1926 in Breckenridge, Texas a son of Robert Floyd and Essie May Green Woodard. He married Betty Jo Maxfield on Nov. 10, 1947 in Paris. He served his country proudly in the U.S. Navy during WWII serving aboard a mine destroyer. He served in the Philippines and Japan and was instrumental in moving the natives off Bikini Island during the nuclear weapon testing in 1946. After being employed by Dow Chemical Co. in Freeport, Texas for 27 years, he and Betty moved to Blossom where he enjoyed his horses, cows, dogs and cat who he called Gomer.
He was preceded in death by his parents and grandson, Kevin Nettles; sister Mary Virginia Casey and a brother James Vardell Woodard.
Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Betty; son Barry D. Woodard; daughter Vicki Nettles and husband Mike; grandchildren Tanner Nettles, Noah Nettles, Lindsey Woodard, Ashley Woodard, Kaleigh Woodard; great grandchildren Trentyn Nettles, Slade Nettles and Sebastian Nettles.
Online condolences may be made at www.fry-gibbs.com.
Gwendolyn “Gwen” Huggins, 87 of Paris, left this life for her heavenly reward on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at her home.
A graveside service has been scheduled for Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 1:00 P.M. at Evergreen Cemetery with Tommy Gantt officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 P.M.
She was born in the Broadway Community of Lamar County. She worked at Uarco for 35 years as an Administrative Assistant. After retiring from Uarco she went to work for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and worked for another 7 years.
She is survived by her son, Michael Huggins; niece, Cindy Boswell and husband Rhett and their son, Austin.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam Huggins; her parents. W.J. and Leon Duncan Hutchings; sister, Margie Doyal.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Bert Hussey and Doug Melton.
Mom will be missed by all she touched in her early life.
Online condolences may be sent to the Huggins family at http://www.fry-gibbs.com.
Calvin E. Anderson, 77, of Sumner, died at 5:58 PM, Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at Stillhouse Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. A graveside service is set for 11:00 AM, Saturday, February 16, 2013 at Prairie Ridge Cemetery with Bro. Currey Jones officiating. No formal visitation hour will be observed. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Anderson was born August 22, 1935 in Paris to George W. and Bertha Lorene Holcomb Anderson. He graduated from Paris High School and worked in the automobile body repair business for many years. He married Nell Johnson on January 25, 1957. She died December 20, 2002.
Mr. Anderson is survived by three children, Phillip Anderson and wife, Susan of North Carolina, Tony Anderson of Temple, Texas, and Melissa Arnold and husband, Mark of Sumner; six grandchildren, Chris Anderson and wife, Summer of Florida, Megan Anderson, Josh Anderson, both of North Carolina, Daniel Anderson of England, Lucas Arnold and wife, Stephanie, and Lora Arnold, all of Sumner; one great-grandchild, Aubrie Jo Arnold; a special friend, Eddie Ray Henry of Paris; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Wylie Thurman and Carlos Anderson.
Online condolences may be made to the Anderson family by visiting www.fry-gibbs.com.