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.)

Billie M. Campbell

Funeral services for Billie M. Campbell, 73, of Frankston were held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 1, at the Thompson Funeral Home in Frankston with Rev J.A. Griffin officiating.

Burial was in the Poynor Cemetery.

Mrs. Campbell died Sunday, May 30, in a Jacksonville hospital.

She was born in Frankston on Nov. 14, 1930.

Survivors include her husband, Durwood Campbell of Frankston; sons and daughters-in-law, Robert and Carol Hudson of Nevada, John and Cheryl Hudson of Edgewood; daughters and sons-in-law, Judy and Steve Crawford, Wills Point, Kathy Avery of Gainesville, Bett and Jeff Rickard, and Carolyn and David Grubbs, all of Frankston; step-daughters, Carol Hoffman of Minnesota and Cindy Davis of Jacksonville; brothers, Charles Anderson of Dallas, Jimmy Anderson of Shreveport, James Anderson of Seagoville and Dewayne Anderson of Mabank; sisters, Joyce McAfee of Seagoville, Christine Lambright of Mesquite, Betty Womack of Lancaster, Nancy Lamb of Toledo Bend, Wanda Bourns of Seagoville and Brenda Skaggs of Gainesville; 29 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Maxine King

Graveside services for Maxine King, 70, of Shenandoah, Iowa were held on Saturday, May 29, at 10:30 a.m. at the Essex Cemetery with Rev. John Swenson officiating. Arrangements were by Hackett-Livingston Funeral Home.

Mrs. King died Wednesday, May 26, in an Omaha, Neb. hospital.

She was born Oct. 20, 1924, in Kemp, Tex., daughter of Charley and Vinnie (Moore) Taylor.

Mrs. King attended school in Kemp and graduated from LaPoynor High School. She spent her early life in East Texas and was a member of the LaPoynor High School basketball team..

On Jan. 11, 1945, she married Filbert King in Widbe Island, Wash. They settled on a ranch in Livermore, Calif. and had two children, Jeannette and Charlie. They moved to Hayward, Calif. and later to a ranch in Oakdale where they lived for 23 years. She was employed as a waitress at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club, Brawley’s Restaurant in Oakdale and also the Hershey’ chocolate factory. She moved back to the LaRue/Poynor area to take care of her parents until their death. In 1994 she moved to Essex, Iowa and later to Shenandoah. She was a 4-H sewing leader for 15 years and a member of the Essex American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 333 for 10 years.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Charley and Vinnie Taylor; brothers, Jack and Glen Taylor; sister-in-law, Ethel Dickerson; brother-in-law, Elmo King; her husband, Filbert King; and son, Charlie King.

Survivors include her daughter, Jeanne DeRosa and her husband Darrell of Hollister, Calif; a daughter-in-law, Jane King of Red Oak, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Geneva Taylor and Christine Taylor, both of Texas; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Page County Home Health or to Elm Heights Care Center.

Don Withers

Memorial services for Weldon Vern “Don” Withers, 81, of Frankston were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 2, at Tyler Christian Church with Brother Bill Goble officiating.

Burial was in Red Hill Cemetery, Murchison, under direction of Chandler Memorial Funeral Home, Chandler.

Mr. Withers died Sunday, May 30, at his residence.

He was born April 23, 1923 in Comanche to the late Charles and Sylvia Withers.

He lived in Frankston for 18 years, and was a co-founder of the Parkinsonians of East Texas (PET), a special support group for Parkinson’s patients, and formation of a new library for Parkinson’s patients that will be housed in the East Texas Medical Center Pavilion. Prior to retirement, he was refractories specialities manager with Kaiser Aluminum in Ohio, Missouri and Indiana. He served with First Radio Squadron during World War II and also served in the Korean War. Mr. Withers was a Mason in Houston and a deacon at Tyler Christian Church.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Billie Pauline Withers of Frankston; daughters, Donna Regina McLemore of Austin and Treva Deanne Pytlik of Cortland, Ohio; a son, Charles Dean Withers of Cleveland, Ohio; and three grandchildren.

Pallbearers were grandsons, Ryan and Andrew McLemore, and nephews, Craig and Alan Wiggins, Jerry, Jeff and Jim Speer.

Honorary pallbearers included John Turner, Leonard Hendren, William Butts, Jack McClung, Chuck Jacobsen and Steve Gullekon.

If desired, memorials may be made to Tyler Christian Church, 2916 CR 1125, Tyler, 75704, or Parkinsonians of East Texas, in care of Pat Ragsdale, 224 Mobile, Tyler, 75703.

Carroll Coker

Funeral services for Dennis Carroll Coker, 68, of Frankston were held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 7, in Bailey & Foster Chapel in Palestine with Rev. George Folmar officiating.

Burial was in Roselawn Park with arrangements under the direction of Bailey & Foster Funeral Home.

Mr. Coker died Friday, June 4. in a Tyler hospital.

He was born July 19, 1935 in Elkhart to Joe B. Coker and Adell Simpson Coker. Mr. Coker was a Baptist. He served in the U.S. Army and was retired from Enron.

Mr. Coker was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Joe Weldon Coker and Gary Coker; and a grandson, Chris Toole.

He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Peggy Coker of Frankston; a daughter, Sondra Tyer and her husband Roger of Palestine; sons, Ricky Freeman and wife Virginia, and Steve Freeman and wife Dottie, all of Palestine; two brothers, David Coker of Frankston and Darrell Coke of Crockett; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Mark Freeman, Andres Flores, Miguel Aguilar, Jeff Coker, Doug Brown and Eugene Jenkins.

Honorary pallbearers were Michael Freeman and Steve Lisiecki.

Frank Davis Delaney

Funeral services for Frank Davis Delaney, 75, of Mesquite were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 10, at Laurel Oaks Funeral Home Chapel in Mesquite with Steve Bailey, minister, officiating.

Burial was in Laurel Oaks Memorial Park.

Mr. Delaney died Monday, June 7, in Mesquite.

He was born April 5, 1929 in Rusk. Mr. Delaney was a retired barber and a member of the Mesquite Church of Christ. He was a veteran of the K

Korean War with the United States Marines.

He was preceded in death by a son, Dace Delaney.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Joyce McLane Delaney, formerly of Frankston; two daughters and sons-in-law, Sandra and Rocky Yarbrough of Mesquite, and Deborah and Charles Garrett of Tyler; a daughter-in-law, Gloria Delaney of Jonesboro, Ark.; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Flossie Hamilton and Mary Hamilton; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

Richard and Shirley McLane, Gordon and Paula McLane and Nelle McLane of Frankston were in Mesquite for their brother-in-law’s services.

Dorothy 'Sweetney' Ellis

Funeral services for Dorothy “Sweetney” Ellis, 66, of Frankston were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 12, at Mount Olive Baptist Church of Frankston with the Rev. Lonnie Ross officiating.

Burial was in Mount Olive Cemetery under direction of John R. Harmon Undertaking Co., Tyler.

Mrs. Ellis died Friday, June 4, in a Tyler hospital.

She was born Jan. 23, 1938, in Frankston, and attended Carver High School and Prairie View A&M University. Mrs. Ellis lived in California for more than 30 years where she retired from Los Angeles public school system. She lived in Frankston for the last eight and one-half years, and was a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Isaac Ellis; sons, Romel Ellis of Longview, Carnester Ellis, Glen Ellis and David Ellis, all of California; daughters, Dionne Ellis of California, and Debra Lewis of Frankston; brothers, Joe L. Burks and Oscar Burks, both of Frankston, and James Burks of Athens; a sister, Vernell Yepp of Hempstead; and 12 grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Romel Ellis, David Ellis, Carnester Ellis, Myschal Stafford, Glen Ellis, James “Pete” Burks, Renard and Kirk Burks.

Honorary pallbearers were Oscar “Cheetah” Burks, Frank Yepp, Joe L . Burks, Kenny Yepp, James Burks, Ramsey Flower, Joe N. Reed II and Emmanual Lewis.

Dorothy Black Poston

Funeral services for Dorothy Black Poston, 85, of Dallas were held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 16, at Restland Wildwood Chapel in Dallas.

She died Saturday, June 12, in Dallas.

Mrs. Poston was born May 25, 1919 in Ada, Okla.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Marcus Poston; parents, Gideon Oscar and Oma Black; sisters, Irene Black and Laquetta Black Holloway.

She is survived by her daughters, Sue Poston Bartlett and husband Charles Bartlett, Lynda Poston Smith and husband Robert Smith; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and one brother, Ronald N. Black of Frankston.

Jack Holcomb

Private memorial services for Jack Holcomb, 68, of Poynor will be held at a later date under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

Mr. Holcomb died Monday, June 21 at his residence.

He was born July 25, 1935 in Carroll Springs.

Mr. Holcomb was a retired prison guard, with 25 years of service with TDC. He served in the U.S. Army and was a Methodist.

Survivors include his wife, Sue Holcomb of Poynor; a son, Russell Holcomb of Chandler; daughters, Sandra of Farmersville and Rhonda of Frankston; a sister-in-law, Kathleen Holcomb of Carroll Springs; nephews, Kenneth Allen of Carroll Springs, and Joe Holcomb of LaRue; a niece, Kim Feagins of Carroll Springs; and several great nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Children’s Hospital in Dallas in honor of Trey Shelley.

Lavada Howell Sweat

Funeral services for Lavada Howell Sweat, 93, of Frankston were held Sunday, June 20, at 4 p.m. at Thompson Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston with the Rev. George Folmar officiating.

Burial was in Liberty Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Sweat died Friday, June 18, at her residence in Frankston.

She was born Nov. 5, 1910 in Stanford.

Mrs. Sweat was employed with Frankston Paper Box Factory for 11 years, and was a member of HillTop Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by three husbands, Corbett Howell, Clancy Cave and Percy Sweat; a daughter-in-law, Linda Howell; granddaughter, Cindy Dingler; a great grandson, Zachary Browne; three sisters and three brothers.

Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Charles and Lecreta Howell of Hallsville, David and Martha Howell and James and Betty Howell, and Jerry Howell, all of Frankston; a daughter, Lynda Howell of Palestine; a brother and sister-in-law, Rosco and Bernice Ruff of Frankston; a sister and brother-in-law, Nila and Ralph Robinson of Bienville, La.; 18 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, seven great-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were grandsons and great-grandsons.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of East Texas, 41111 University Blvd., Tyler, 75701.

Lemuel Wilkins Vaughan

Graveside services for Lemuel Wilkins Vaughan, 57, of Brushy Creek were held Thursday, June 24, at 10 a.m. at the Brushy Creek Cemetery with Thompson Funeral Home of Frankston in charge. Bros. Bud Peters and Ronnie Holcomb officiated.

Mr. Vaughan died Saturday, June 19 at his residence in Brushy Creek.

He was born Nov. 26 in Brushy Creek and attended school in Frankston. Mr. Vaughan was a heavy equipment operator, served in the U.S. Air Force for four years and was a Baptist.

He was preceded in death by his father, Russell Aubrey Vaughan; a brother, James Vaughan; and brother-in-law and best friend, Tom Wagoner.

Survivors include his wife, Sandralene Perry Vaughan of Brushy Creek; sons, Michael Vaughan and Bryan Vaughan, both of Brushy Creek; step daughters, Shondra Newman of Frankston and Farrah Wathen of Brushy Creek; his mother, Beulah Vaughan of Brushy Creek; a brother, Jerry Vaughan of Bradford; sisters, Linda Holcomb of Bradford, Winnie Evelyn Harris of Frankston and Juanita Shaw of Dallas; and six grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Neal Megason, Jim Morris, James Mezzell, Bill Reierson, Red Mitchell and Bill Simmons.

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