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.)

Billy J. Dunklin

Funeral services for Billy J. Dunklin, 73, of Chandler were held at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 26, at First United Methodist Church of Chandler with Dr. Gary Fitzgerald, Rev. David Luckert and Rev. Bill Yohe officiating.

Burial was at the City Cemetery in Frankston with Masonic graveside services under direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

Mr. Dunklin died Friday, Feb. 23, following a sudden illness.

He was born March 5, 1927 in LaRue and lived most of his life in the East Texas area.

Mr. Dunklin served in the Navy during World War II. He started his banking career with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. as a bank examiner in the early '50s. He served as vice president of the First State Bank of Frankston, president of Troup Bank and Trust, president of Crockett State Bank, and organized and served as president of First National Bank of Bullard.

Mr. Dunklin was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Chandler. He was a member of the William Foster Masonic Lodge 312 of Frankston and a former member of the Shriners, Lions Club and Rotary Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Byron Dunklin and Winnie Dunklin Lovelady; stepfather, Troy Lovelady; and a step-brother, Jamie Lovelady.

Survivors include his wife, Pauline Reed Dunklin; sons and daughter-in-laws, Mike and Pat Dunklin of Bullard, Jim and Mary Dunklin of Tyler; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jimmy Dan and Vickie Dunklin, Edward and Bernice Lovelady of Jacksonville; four granddaughters, three grandsons, two great-granddaughters, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Stephen Dunklin, Randy Dunklin, Todd Dunklin, Allen Warrington, James Keith Warrington, Dale Davis, Bruce Wofford, Gary Reed, Larry Costlow and Tim Lovelady.

Honorary pallbearers were Jimmy Lade, George Tipton, Herbert Riley, Eugene McElroy, Clayton Barrett, Tony Herrington, Marshall Ellis and Bob Phillips.

Memorials may be made to the building fund of the First United Methodist Church of Chandler, P.O. Box 69, Chandler, 75757.

Robert Calvin Querry

Funeral services for Robert Calvin Querry, 62, of Stella, N.C., formerly of Frankston, were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at Thompson Funeral Home chapel in Frankston, with the Revs. Jeff Godwin and J.A. Griffin officiating.

Burial was in Wofford Cemetery.

Mr. Querry died Thursday, Feb. 22, at his residence.

He was born June 15, 1938 in Frankston, son of Leroy and Mary Querry.

He was preceded in death by his father; and a brother, Rayford Querry.

Survivors include his wife, Kay Querry, Stella, N.C. a son, Chris Querry and his fiancé, Dana Temprano, Hubert, N.C.; a daughter and son-in-law, Michele and Erik Bonstrom, Gaithersburg, Md.; his mother, Mary Querry, Frankston; brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth and Sonya Querry, Frankston; a sister-in-law, Joyce Querry, Poynor; one grandson, Justin Querry of Hubert, N.C.; and several nieces and nephews and other relatives.

Erlene D. Berry

Graveside services for Erlene D. Berry, 91, of Tyler were held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, at Tyler Memorial Park Cemetery with Rev. Dennis Cable officiating.

Mrs. Berry died March 5 in Tyler.

Burial was in Tyler Memorial Park under direction of Memorial Funeral Home in Tyler.

Mrs. Berry was born March 16, 1909 in Canton. She had lived in Tyler since 1930. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church and a homemaker.

She was preceded in death of her husband, C.W. Berry; and a son-in-law, M.B. Wilson.

Survivors include a daughter, Janet B. Wilson of Tyler; four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.

J.O. Lively

Funeral services for J.O. Lively, 88, of Grapeland, were held at 3 p.m. Monday, March 12, at the First Baptist Church in Grapeland with Rev. David Bradley officiating.

Burial followed in the Livelyville Cemetery in Houston County under the direction of Bailey & Foster, Grapeland.

Mr. Lively died Friday, March 9, in a Crockett hospital.

He was born Aug. 13, 1912 at Percilla to Preston and Vella Elliott Lively.

Mr. Lively was a farmer and also served as a Houston County Constable. He was a veteran of the Army and served in World War II. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and a member of the First Baptist Church in Grapeland.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Winfred Welch; and three brothers, Artie Lively, Olney Lively and Elliott Whitaker.

Survivors include his wife, Lillian Lively of Grapeland; daughters, Grace Ann McCarty of North Carolina, Yvonne Powers of Pollok, Mary Martin of Conroe, Sally Mullican of Frankston, Claudette Moffitt of Springfield, Colo., and Dannie Lively of Spring; sons, Ray Lively of Grapeland, Joe Ed Lively of Troup, Ricky Lively of Spring, and Tommy Coy Lively of Grapeland; and three brothers, Louie Lively of Grapeland, William L. Whitaker of Humble and Mayo Whitaker of Tucson, Ariz.; and 27 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Grandsons served as pallbearers.

Ray William Bragg

Graveside services for Ray William Bragg, 73, of Frankston were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 11, at the Wofford Cemetery near Frankston with the Rev. J.A. Griffin officiating.

Services were under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home in Frankston.

Mr. Bragg died Friday, March 9, in a Tyler hospital.

He was born March 20, 1927 in Frankston.

Mr. Bragg was a retired construction worker and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Survivors include three sons, David Bragg and Alvin Bragg, both of Frankston, and Allen Bragg of Poynor; two daughters, Alice Nolen and Mary Derossett, both of Frankston; 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Fay Warrington

PALESTINE - Funeral services for Fay Warrington, 71, of Palestine, were held at 10 a.m. Monday, March 19, at Bailey-Foster Funeral Home Chapel in Palestine, with the Rev. Craig Harris and Jerry Mayo officiating.

Burial was in Roselawn Park.

Mrs. Warrington died Friday, March 16, in a Tyler hospital.

She was born Nov. 28, 1929, in Avinger to the late James Barney and Mary Ethel Phillips Reed.

Mrs. Warrington was a school teacher and had taught at Palestine Middle School.

She was a member of Texas State Teachers Assn. and Calvary Baptist Church.

Mrs. Warrington was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Elizabeth Costlow.

Survivors include her husband, Jack Warrington of Palestine; a daughter, Jackie Lynn Witter of Senatobia, Miss.; sons, Allen Warrington of Tyler, James Warrington and Jeffrey Warrington, both of Palestine; sisters, Pauline Dunklin of Chandler, Vilois Dickerson of Frankston and Joyce Davis of Irving; a brother, Barney Reed of Tulsa, Okla.; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Barry Cook, Mike Dunklin, Jim Dunklin, Larry Costlow, Dale Davis, Bobby Johnson, Mike Reece and David Warrington.

Eugene Guy Bizzell

A memorial service for Eugene Guy Bizzell, 87, of Austin was held at University Baptist Church in Austin on Tuesday, March 20, at 2 p.m.

Mr. Bizzell died Thursday, March 15.

He was born on Nov. 12, 1913 in Frankston to Eugene Bizzell and Nell Murphy Bizzell.

Mr. Bizzell graduated from Lon Morris College, the University of Texas and Northwestern University. He also attended the Pasadena Playhouse School of the Theater in Pasadena, Calif.

Mr. Bizzell was a dedicated teacher who enjoyed working with young people. He taught English, Speech and Drama in Texas public schools for 53 years, and was a debate coach for many of those years.

Mr. Bizzell was named National Teacher of the Year in 1957. He was also chairman of the committee responsible for getting Social Security benefits for Austin teachers.

Mr. Bizzell began teaching in Austin in 1938 at Austin High School, and moved to McCallum High School in 1953. He retired in 1979 at age 65, but was asked to return to McCallum parttime the following year to teach English to Vietnamese refugees and other students who do not speak English. He continued at McCallum in this capacity for another nine years.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father; his brother, Roland Bizzell; and a sister, Nadine Player.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Elisabeth; his children, Stephen, Renee and Janet Bizzell, and Susanne Casey; son-in-law, Dan Casey; and grandson, Kevin, all of Austin; a brother, Ferrell Bizzell, and his wife, Ruby, of Frankston; an aunt, Lucille Boles of Frankston; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews; and other relatives.

If desired, donations may be made to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 100, Austin, Texas 78759, (512) 342-4700, (800) 445-3261; or to the Austin Retired Teachers Scholarship Fund.

Larry Hughey Jr.

Services for Larry F. Hughey, 55, of Lake Palestine, were held at 10 a.m. Monday, March 26, at Lakeside Baptist Church, Berryville, with the Rev. Wyndel Johnson officiating.

Burial was to be at a later date in Bluebonnet Hills Cemetery, Colleyville, under direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

Mr. Hughey died Thursday, March 22, in Tyler.

He was born Feb. 1, 1946, in Lubbock.

Mr. Hughey worked in garden sales at Wal-Mart 108 in Jacksonville, and worked in the greenhouse/horticulture business for many years.

Mr. Hughey was a member of Lakeside Baptist Church of Berryville.

Survivors include a brother, Bob Hughey of Marble Falls; a sister, Lindsey Johnson of Ingram; two nieces and one nephew.

Jethro Johnson

Funeral services for Jethro Johnson, 87, of Tyler were held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24, at Pine Springs Baptist Church, Frankston, with the Rev. Lonnie Ross officiating.

Burial was in Corinth Cemetery, Bullard, under direction of John R. Harmon Undertaking Co., Tyler.

Mr. Johnson died Friday, March 16, in a Tyler hospital.

He was born Oct. 12, 1913, in Neches where he grew up and attended school.

Mr. Johnson lived in Smith County since 1957, was a retired cook and musician, and a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church of Frankston where he served as a deacon.

He was preceded in death by 10 siblings.

Survivors include his wife, Malinda Johnson, Tyler; a daughter, Shallonia Stafford, Tyler; sisters, Lillie Coleman, Tyler, and Fannie Darty, Jacksonville; and one grandchild.

Pallbearers were Oscar Bell Jr., Frank Ross, Bill Shead, Lonzo Rainy Jr., Herbert Warren and Jimmy Donnell.

Honorary pallbearers were nephews.

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