Frankston Area Obituaries — 1999-Present

Here are the obituaries posted for the current month from information provided courtesy of local and area funeral homes and published on their websites or those submitted by families. If an obituary is overlooked and it is desired that it be posted, please inform us at frankstondepotlibrary@gmail.com . Families may request changes or additions, if required. If you have an obituary for a person who has connections with someone or some family in the Frankston-Poynor-LaRue or Lake Palestine area that you want posted to this month or to the archives, and is not currently posted, please let us know at frankstondepotlibrary@gmail.com . Obituaries selected or submitted should follow a format which is essentially consistent with other obituaries posted here or by funeral homes and follow standard grammatical style. Through arrangements with funeral homes and/or the families, we will publish pictures with current obituaries. We will add pictures to archived obituaries from the print version of The Citizen newspaper prior to September 2019 when available. Pictures with archived obituaries posted after that will be added in cooperation with funeral homes or on requests from families.  As was the tradition of the Citizen newspaper, obituaries are published at no charge.

(Obituaries listed chronologically by date of death or funeral service.)

Frances E. Gulihur

Frances E. Gulihur, 78, was born Nov. 2, 1941 to Charley and Ida Marseal (Stroud) Russell, and passed away Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020 in Frankston.

A funeral service was scheduled at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 at First Baptist Church in Frankston. Rev. Scott Wiley officiated.

Visitation began on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 from 6 to 8 o’clock in the evening at Autry Funeral Home, Frankston.

Francis was previously employed for 30 years as a Certification Officer for Deer Park ISD. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, and working in her flower beds. In her spare time, she enjoyed reading. One of the things that brought her great happiness was spending time with her grandchildren. Francis was known for her sweet disposition, beautiful smile and deep love for her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Left to cherish her memory are her husband of 59-1/2 years, William “Bill” Gulihur of Frankston; sons, Ronnie E. Gulihur and wife Renee of Sugar Land, and Robert K. Gulihur and wife Mary-Margaret of Pasadena; daughter, Gay Nell Gulihur and wife Felicia of Houston; brothers, Van Russell and wife Marilyn of Pasadena, and Galen Russell and wife Linda of League City; sister, Debbie Barmore and husband Cliff of Liverpool; and sister-in-law, Ida Nell Flournoy of Deer Park. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Allyson Gulihur, Lauren Gulihur-Kantowski and wife Kayleigh, Megan Gulihur, Maggie Gulihur; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Van Russell, Galen Russell, Les Langdon, Wayne Smith, Aaron Barmore, and Cliff Barmore.

The family wishes to thank Hospice Plus of Palestine for their special care. If desired, memorials may be mailed to Hospice Plus 321 E. Spring St. Suite 121 Palestine, TX 75801.

Teresa “Nana” Bridges

Teresa “Nana” Bridges, 78, was born March 2, 1941 to Sheriff Allen and Irma Orene (Theis) Horton, and passed away Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 in Tyler.

A funeral service was scheduled at 10 AM. Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020 at First Baptist Church in Frankston. Rev. Scott Wiley officiated. Mrs. Bridges was laid to rest at Earle’s Chapel Cemetery.

Visitation was on Monday, Feb. 10, 2020 from 6 to 8 o’clock in the evening at Autry Funeral Home, Frankston.

Mrs. Bridges was a member of First Baptist Church in Frankston. She worked for 10 years as a paraprofessional in Frankston ISD, adored her family and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Paul Vernon Bridges Sr.; and a son, Brian Lee Bridges.

Left to cherish her memory are sons; Bobby Bridges and wife Alejandra of Spring, Texas, Billy Bridges and wife Melissa from Idabel, Oklahoma, Paul Bridges Jr. of Tyler, daughters; Paula Willis and husband Eric of Frankston, Penny Prince of Valliant, Oklahoma, and a daughter-in-love; Sonja Bridges of Addison. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren; Maghan Lee, Morgan Bridges, Wesley Lundy, BreeAnn Campbell, Braden Lorraine, Halyn Willis, Dylan Willis, Joey Willis, Casey Prince, Wesley Prince, Clark Bridges, Brian Bridges, Dustin Pace, Jason Bridges, Jake Bridges, Kristen Roberts, Courtney Hill, and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great children.

Pallbearers were her grandsons.

Allen Bragg

Allen Bragg, 73, was born Dec. 14, 1946 to Ray and Mary Lou (Weesner) Bragg,and passed away Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020 in Tyler.

Allen is a veteran of the Vietnam War, where he served in the Air Force. Allen began his career in banking and worked in Athens, Bullard and Whitehouse in different positions, retiring as a senior vice president. He was the volunteer Fire Chief in Berryville and later a volunteer firefighter in Poynor. He also served as the Mayor of Poynor.

Allen was an avid reader, well read on many subjects and amassed quite a library during his lifetime. He enjoyed spending coffee time at the “liars table” in the local café. He was an animal lover and gave a home to many stray animals.

His second career was a Landman where he worked as a Senior Right of Way Agent in Texas and the surrounding states. He was proud of his small cattle farm and lovingly gave his cows flower names.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, William Alvin Bragg and sister, Mary Ann Derossett.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 47 years, Diana Bragg of Frankston; son, James Bragg and wife Lynda of Bullard and daughter, Janet Kamowski and husband Thomas of Dallas. His brother is David Bragg and wife Stephanie and sister, Alice Fay Nolen and husband Dick, all of Frankston. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Colton, Chase, Chris, Kari, Dustin, Dillon and Jeff.; numerous great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services for Allen were held on Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 2 P.M. at Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

Curtis W. Corley

Funeral services for Curtis W. Corley, 70, of Athens were scheduled for 1 P.M. Friday Feb.14, 2020 at Rock Hill Baptist Church in Brownsboro with Rev. Danny Bristow officiating. Burial followed at Red Hill Cemetery under the direction of Autry’s Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home.

Curtis passed away Monday Feb. 10, 2020 in Tyler.

He was born Aug. 26, 1949 in Athens to the late Eugene Warren and Lena Louella Ponder Corley. Curtis was president of his graduating 1967 Brownsboro class, which won a state basketball title for the Brownsboro Bears.

He got his Bachelor’s degree at Sam Houston State University. Curtis was voted Henderson County Coach of the Year 14 times.

Following college he taught and coached at Eustace, but he spent most of his career at LaPoynor where he started the Little Dribblers program before he began his 26 year coaching career. This was a special community to him, “It was a very good time, interesting time, and special time in my life. I guess the best thing about it was all of the people I have coached are now my friends. I know their moms and dads and children. I am glad that I have had the opportunity to live through that.” Coach reflected.

After retiring at LHS he coached at the Brook Hill school and then coached a season at Cross Roads, where he was recently coaching Junior High girls. He said in an interview that when he looks back at all of the players he has coached and people he has met, he believes his life is complete. Many people describe him as much more than a coach; he was the best kind of friend, husband, father, papa, and he loved people most of all. He knew how to make others feel special and was honored when La Poynor dedicated their new Nichols-Corley gymnasium to honor his legendary coaching career. He said it made it even more special because it was shared with a great friend.

Of all the lives he touched, he was most proud to be a husband, father, and papa to his wife Prissy of 47 years, daughter Brooke, and grandchildren Kindle and Canyon Marsh of Winnsboro.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years Prissy Corley of Athens, daughter; Brooke Marsh and husband Gannon of Winnsboro, grandchildren; Canyon Marsh and Kindle Marsh both of Winnsboro, sisters; Lou Jean Epperson and husband Ed of Murchison, Gail Taylor and husband Dan of LaRue, Peggy Arthur of Brownsboro and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Paul Arthur, Ronald Epperson, Larry Epperson, Tommy Dykes, Kim Evans and Terry Lynn Brown.

Honorary pallbearers were Ben Bearden, Dwayne Nichols, John Buck Scarbourgh, Dan Taylor, Curtis Means, Marshall Crawford , Glen Dykes and Homer Benton.

Visitation for family and friends was held at Rock Hill Baptist Church Thursday evening, Feb. 13 from 6-8 P.M.

Darrell Edward Allen,

Darrell Edward Allen, of LaRue, was called home to his eternal residence in Heaven, on Sunday, the 16th of February 2020. He was born in Houston, Texas on December 18, 1956 to Donnie Allen and Minnie Belle Garner Allen Locke.

He was preceded in death by his father, Donnie Allen; his sister Lucretia Steagall.

Darrell was self-employed for 40 years as a concrete contractor. He enjoyed many outside sports, including bicycling, hunting, fishing, and sporting clays. Darrell was a member of Flint Baptist Church in Flint. He loved his church and his church family dearly. Darrell loved Jesus with all he had. He accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior later in his life, and he was determined to tell everyone he met about Him and wanted to make sure that they too would be in Heaven someday. Darrell loved his family dearly, especially his loving and devoted wife of 42 years, Lisa. His children and grandchildren were his pride and joy. He had a special bond with his Fresh Race Team, the bicycling group that he was a part of in Tyler. He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.

Survivors include his wife Lisa Allen; son, Blaine Allen and wife Candice; daughter, Marissa Hamilton and husband Jim; his mother, Minnie Belle Locke; parents, R.B. and Peggy Richardson; sister, Byron Ramirez and husband Sammy and Johnnie Allen and husband Steve; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Lana and Marvin Miller, brother-in-law Thomas Steagall; grandchildren, James Hamilton, Beckham Allen, Hayes Hamilton, Penelope Hamilton, and GiGi Allen; also surviving are numerous friends, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers are Marvin Miller, Steve Allen, Sammy Ramirez, Gary Almon, Tracey Holder and Danny Tidmore.

Friends are cordially invited to visit with the family and share memories of Darrell on Tuesday evening, February 18, 2020 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Autry’s Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home.

Funeral services to celebrate Darrell’s life will be at 10:00 AM on Wednesday morning, February 19, 2020 at Autry’s Carroll-Lehr chapel. Private family burial to follow at Myrtle Springs Cemetery in LaRue.

Donations may be made to the Flint Baptist Church, 11131 FM 2868 Flint, Texas 75762, or the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America at www.myasthenia.org .

Wanda Warrington Ard

Wanda Warrington Ard, age 87, of LaRue passed away on February 27, 2020 at her home. She was born on November 28, 1932 in Corsicana, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Sam Warrington, S.J. Warrington, Buddy Warrington, Bill Warrington, Bob Warrington, Wayne Warrington; sisters, Jewel Warrington and Marianna Moffett.

Wanda was a homemaker most of her adult life. Taking good care of her two boys which were the light of her life. She enjoyed bowling and going to garage sales for a pass time. She will be greatly missed by her boys and all who knew her.

Survivors include her sons, Joe Ard and John Ard; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held on Monday, March 2, 2020 at New York Cemetery.

Rev. Bobby J. Herndon

A funeral service for Rev. Bobby J. Herndon, age 81, of Frankston, is scheduled at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston. Rev. Morris Ivey will officiate. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. He will be laid to rest at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas.

Rev. Herndon passed away Saturday, February 29, 2020 in Tyler, Texas.

Bobby was born December 1, 1938 in Oil City, Louisiana to Delry and Allie (Hippler) Herndon.

Bob fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming either an engineer or a missionary. He was a lifelong member of Longview First Assembly of God. He graduated from Longview High School in 1957. He attended Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

In 1958, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Korea. He graduated from LeTourneau University in 1967 with an Aeronautical Degree and his pilot’s license. He worked with the team of engineers performing pre-flight testing at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX on the Apollo 11 spacecraft that made the first moon landing.

After attending French language studies in Lausanne, Switzerland, he served as a missionary in Senegal, West Africa and later in Brazzaville Congo, Africa. He served as a Cessna 172/180 bush pilot. He retired in 2004 to Frankston, TX after working as a service engineer for the Aerospatiale and Turbomeca helicopter company in Grand Prairie, TX.

He lived out the LeTourneau University missions’ statement, “Claiming Every Workplace, In Every Nation As Our Mission Field.”

He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Eloise Herndon.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife; Linda F. Herndon, sons; Jonathan C. Herndon and wife Annie from Plano, David M. Herndon and wife Krysta from Lindale, brothers; Billy Herndon and wife Nelda of Longview, Mike Herndon and wife Pat of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is also survived by five grandchildren; Autumn, Ashley, Elijah, Allyson, and Evangelyn, one great-granddaughter, Rosie and numerous nieces and nephews.

Sons and nephews will serve as pallbearers.

(Obituaries posted contain information posted by funeral homes and/or families. Families may request changes or additions, if appropriate or required.)