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.)

Jo Ann Fears

Memorial services for Jo Ann Fears, 79, of Sweeny were held Monday, Feb. 26 at the First Baptist Church in Sweeny with the Rev. Jerl Watkins officiating under direction of Baker Funeral Home in West Columbia, Texas.

Mrs. Fears passed away Friday, Feb. 24.

She was born Oct. 20, 1926 in Athens to Corrie and Palmyra Hill. She grew up in Frankston and spent her formative years there. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Pan American University in Edinburg and her Master’s Degree from Prairie View A&M University. She taught school in Los Fresnos and Bay City. Later, after moving to Sweeny in 1970, she taught school there until her retirement in 1989.

Mrs. Fears was an active member of First Baptist Church in Sweeny for many years. She served as a “pink lady” with the Sweeny Community Hospital Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, John Bunny Hill and sister, Marcy Vermillion.

Survivors include daughter and son-in-law, Bethan and Edward Walker of Sweeny; grandchildren, Edward Walker IV and wife, Amber of Spring, Christopher Walker of Dallas, Sarah Walker of San Marcos; great-grandchildren, Spencer and Isaac Walker of Spring; nephew, Mike Vermillion and wife, Dianne of Athens; niece Pat Jones and husband, Bailey of Reading, Pennsylvania and a host of friends.

Honorary pallbearers were Edward Walker IV, Christopher Walker, Jerry Boleyn, Michael Heinroth, Larry Piper and Kenneth Lott.

Gene Goodson

Graveside services for Gene Goodson, 65, of Dallas were held Tuesday, March 7 at Olive Branch Cemetery in Frankston under direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

Mr. Goodson passed away Monday, March 6.

He was born March 13, 1940 in McKinney.

Mr. Goodson was a retired pest control exterminator.

He was preceded in death by daughter Sherry Lynn Goodson.

Survivors include his wife Jean Goodson of Dallas; son Marvin Eugene Goodson, Jr. of Dallas; step-son Keith Fenley of Royse City; daughter Paula Fenley of Mesquite; brothers and sisters-in-law W.C. and Judy Goodson, Mark and Deb Goodson, all of Dallas, Bo and Evie Goodson of Gun Barrel City and Sidney Goodson of Seagoville; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews.

Edward V. ‘Eddie’ Dunn

Graveside services for Edward V. “Eddie” Dunn, 80, of Mabank and formerly of Frankston and LaRue, were held Wednesday, March 8 in Old Elizabeth Cemetery in Roanoke under direction of J.E. Foust & Son Funeral Directors, Grapevine.

He passed away Monday, March 6.

Mr. Dunn was a farmer and rancher.

He was preceded in death by wives Wanna Faye Dunn and Ruby P. Dunn and son Gary Dunn.

Survivors include daughter and son-in-law Sharon and Robbie Reynolds; step-daughter Carolyn Carrol; grandchildren Tamra Reynolds, Doug Dunn and wife Melissa, Becky Dunn, Jeff Joplin, Joan Cullum and Jayne Germany; and six greatgrandchildren.

Mary Alma Forester

Funeral services for Mary Alma Forester, 98, were held Friday, March 10 at Thompson Funeral Home with Rev. Bob Waldman and Rev. Doug Howell officiating under direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

Burial was in the Athens City Cemetery.

Mrs. Forester was born December 25, 1907 in Chireno to the late Edwin Forrest and Cora Elizabeth Graham. She attended schools in Henderson and San Augustine counties. She was a Baptist.

She was preceded in death by first husband, Alfred A. Stogner in 1939, by her second husband, John Bethel Forester in 1986, daughter Glenda Odessa Patterson in 1994, four sisters and four brothers.

Mrs. Forester was a retired waitress.

Survivors include daughter Loretta Davis of Frankston, five grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were grandsons, Dean Bryant, Johnny Bryant, Buck Bryant, Stephen Bryant, Caleb Bryant and Daniel Bryant.

Mattie P. Albright

Funeral services for Mattie Pearl Albright, 88, were held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 25 at the Frankston High School auditorium with Rev. S. Douglas Turk officiating under direction of Mercy/McGowan Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

She passed away Saturday, March 18.

Mrs. Albright was born September 1, 1917 in Shreveport, Louisiana to George and Mary Dabner.

She attended UCLA. She lived in California for 32 years and in Frankston for 32 years. During her time in Frankston, she was Mayor Pro-Tem of Berryville from 1991-96, and helped to establish and was a member of the Berryville City Council. She was the founder of the Berryville Chamber of Commerce in 1987, serving as President in 1989 and 1992. She served as President again in 1994 after the chamber changed its name to the Lake Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce. She was also an active member of the Mount Olive Sand Flat Baptist Church where in 1998, she served as the President of the Missionary Society. Her other affiliations include the Top Ladies of Distinction and the National Council of Negro Women.

Mrs. Albright was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, William D. Albright, Sr. in September 2003.

Survivors include her sons, William D. Albright, Jr. of Gaithersburg, Maryland and Gerald A. Albright of Castle Rock, Colorado; four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Jesse Pruitt, Jr.

Jesse Pruitt, Jr., 73, of Frankston passed away Wednesday, March 22. Services will be under direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston. No services are scheduled at this time.

Mr. Pruitt was born September 11, 1932 in Lapaloma. He was a self-employed auto mechanic.

Survivors include his wife Betty Pruitt of Frankston; sons Allen Pruitt of Frankston, Randy Pruitt of Wichita Falls and William Pruitt of Arkansas; daughters Linda Pruitt of Arkansas, Kelly Pruitt of Rockport and Tammy Pruitt of Tennessee; brother and sister-in-law John and Jean Pruitt of Mathis; and several grandchildren.

Clayton Allen Southard

Graveside services for Clayton Allen Southard, 22 months, of Berryville were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 30 at Liberty Hill Cemetery with Mr. Dale McCorkle officiating, under direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

Clayton passed away Sunday, March 26.

He was born May 24, 2004 in Dallas.

Clayton’s mother, Amanda Southard remembers him as “a miracle of God. Clayton was a ray of sunlight shining down to Earth. Even though Clayton’s time was brief, I cannot count how many lives he touched with his smile and love for life. Clayton was a true miracle that we all got to witness for 22 months. Clayton will be missed, but not forgotten. In loving memory — Amen.”

Survivors include his parents, Dennis and Amanda Southard of Berryville; siblings, Holly Southard, Heather Southard and Chris Southard, all of Copperhill, Tennessee; grandparents, Wayne and Carolyn Southard of Jacksonville, Nancy Williams of Flint and Jack and Sue Williams of Jacksonville; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Pallbearers were Chris Southard, P.J. Southard, Donna Southard Wright and Jack Williams.

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