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.)

Juanita Coleman

Funeral services for Juanita Coleman, 79, of Athens were held Sunday Sept. 29, at Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home Chapel with Royce Combs officiating.

Burial followed at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Athens.

Juanita died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013, in Tyler.

Juanita was born June 3, 1934, in Sherman, Texas. Juanita was very active with the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Frankston and had been president of the Ladies Auxiliary for many years along with serving as District 19 president for many years.

The auxiliary ladies had many programs which they held benefits for including The Ladies Auxiliary Cancer Fund and Disabled Veterans all which she was very proud of participating in.

Survivors include her husband of 47 years Clifton Coleman of Athens; sister-in-law Joann Parker of Midlothian; stepsons Charles Coleman of San Antonio, Roger Coleman of Louisiana, Steven Coleman of Dallas; and seven grandchildren.

Pallbearers were James Session, Roy Thompson, Jimmy Cross, Billy Jenkins, Paul Hinojosa, and Rick Miller.

Honorary pallbearers were John Michael Davis and J.K. Floyd.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to VFW 5073 Ladies Auxiliary

Cancer Fund, P.O. Box 130, Frankston, Texas 75763.

A message of condolence for the family may be made at www.carroll-lehr.com.

Brian Kenneth Cooper

Funeral services for Brian Kenneth Cooper, 36, of Palestine were held Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, at the Evangelistic Temple with the Revs. Lynn Stroud and Keith Kniffen officiating.

Burial followed at Rock Church Cemetery under direction of Herrington Land of Memory Funeral Home.

Brian passed away Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013, at his residence.

Brian was known as a family man. His heart was his two sons, who were definitely his pride and joy.  He enjoyed being a dad more than anything.  He loved his sons unconditionally. He also loved his wife and was such a great provider for his family.

Brian was the type of person that brightened up a room by just being in it. He had a huge personality and heart, and could make even the most somber person laugh. He was just fun.

He always had a smile on his face. He was always there to lend a hand and help anyone in need.  He also took pride in being a hard worker. He had a work ethic unlike most. It made him proud to support and provide for his family. He always did whatever job he was doing a 100 percent.  He loved riding the backroads and listening to music with his boys.

One of his favorite things was being in the hayfield riding his tractor and baling hay. He had done that since he was a young boy.

He also had a passion for truck driving. He loved cattle hauling the most. He enjoyed riding four wheelers and spending time with his family.

Brian always lived life to the fullest. Everyone he came in contact with loved him immediately.  He will be greatly missed by so many.

Brian is preceded in death by two grandfathers Herbert Cooper and Clyde Bird, and grandmother Mildred Cooper.

Brian is survived by his wife of 17 years, Monica Cooper; sons Kolby and Chase Cooper; mother and stepfather Beverly and Bud Scheppler; father and stepmother Ken and JoAnne Cooper; grandmother Juanita Bird; sisters Becky Spears and husband Tom, Beth Mohan and husband Cody; nieces Madison Spears, Morgan Spears, and Adyson Mohan; nephew Hayden Mohan; and many more family and friends.

Pallbearers were Lynn Isabell, Brandy Bird, Chris Ingram, Kevin McDonald, Wilsey “Booger” McMahon, Kelly Murphy, Steven McCreary, Dustin Stibbins, and Jason White.

View online at www.herringtonfuneral.com

Jennie E. Dougherty

Funeral services for Jennie E. Dougherty, 87, of Berryville were held Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston with the Rev. David Malone officiating.

Burial was at Still Waters Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville.

Mrs. Dougherty passed away Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, at her home in Berryville.

She was born Jan. 30, 1926, in Monroe County, Iowa to Duward and Violet Foster.

She is preceded in death by parents; husband Raymond Dougherty; daughter Connie Fulkerson; grandson Paul Fulkerson; great-grandson Douglas Linsenmann; five brothers; and one sister.

Survivors include her son Jack Dougherty of Dayton; daughters Lynda L. Jones and husband Chuck, Nina Dougherty of Berryville; sisters Midge Gebhart Centerville, IA, Joyce Long of Oskalska, IA; brother Andy Foster of Oskalska, IA; fourteen grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; 25 great-great grandchildren; and bunches of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Dean Linsenmann, Richard Linsenmann, Jonathon Broyles, Jacob Broyles, Josh Jones, Justin Leonard, and Dusty Needham.

Honorary pallbearers were Terry Broyles, Tye Needham, Cody Needham, Derick Lindsey, Kamron Broyles, Jeremy Needham, Brett Rasmussom, Greg Fulkerson, Michael Fulkerson and Brian Fulkerson.

Mary Griffith Lyles

Funeral services for Mary Griffith Lyles, 92, of Poynor were held Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, at LaPoynor Church of Christ with the Revs. Steve Handley and John Haffner officiating.

Burial was to follow at Poynor Cemetery. Services were under direction of Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

Mrs. Lyles passed away Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, in Palestine.

She was born Dec. 31, 1920, in Poynor to Charlie F. and Mary Moss Milner.

She was on the Poynor Water Board and an active member of the LaPoynor Church of Christ.

Mary worked also worked as a secretary in the oil field business.

She is preceded in death by her parents; first husband Calvin Griffith; second husband Woodrow W. Lyles; two brothers; and six sisters.

Survivors include her sons Michael Griffith and wife Marie, Gary Griffith and wife Dorothy, all of Poynor; four grandchildren Mike Griffith Jr. and wife Lori, James Griffith and wife Laura, Tammy Arnold and husband Andy, Gary Griffith II and wife Tisha; eleven great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Mike Griffith Jr., Gary Griffith II, James Griffith, Hank Arnold, Andy Arnold, and Drew Arnold.

Honorary pallbearers were Colt Emerson and Aaron Hodge.

Rayford Ben Pickering

Rayford Ben Pickering was born on Nov. 25, 1923, at his maternal grandfather’s farm, located a few miles north of the little town of Poynor in Henderson County, with the much beloved Dr. M. A. King of Frankston in attendance.

He departed this life on Oct. 20, 2013, surrounded by family and friends at his daughter Kerry’s home in Dallas.

Rayford attended grammar school at the Old Poynor School and was in the 1941 high school graduating class at the new consolidated school of LaPoynor.

He was serving in the depression area Civilian Conservation Corp. (CCC), at Grand Lake, Colorado when the United States entered World War II on Dec. 7, 1941, and in August 1942, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.

While serving in the Pacific Theater of War on the cruiser U.S.S. Louisville, he participated in most of the naval actions against the Japanese from Guadalcanal to Okinawa, he and his ship surviving three separate Kamikazi attacks during this time.

After World War II, Rayford served in a destroyer on the China Station, and at the University of Kansas as an enlisted instructor with the Navy’s reserve officer program.

Out of the Navy in 1954, and with the help of the G.I. Bill, he graduated from x-ray technology school at Saint Paul’s Hospital in Dallas and soon began a 46 year stint as an employee of East Texas Medical Center in Tyler.

Rayford is preceded in death by his grandparents Lector and Emily (Roberts) Petrey, and his parents, Hubard and Bessie (Petrey) Pickering.

He is survived by daughters Vicki Edwards of the The Colony, Texas, and Kerry and Patti Pickering of Dallas; two brothers Morris of Dallas and Travis of DeSoto, Texas.

Fidelity to family, country and friends was paramount virtues with Ray and he will be missed by those who knew him as an exemplary member of that rapidly vanishing generation that has been called the Greatest Generation.

Services for Rayford B. Pickering, 89, were to be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, at Glenwood Church of Christ in Tyler.

Services are under direction of Walker Tippit Funeral Home.

Ronald 'Ron' Skidmore

Ronald "Ron" Skidmore passed away in Portland, Oregon on Oct. 14, 2013.

Ron was a 1974 graduate of Frankston High School.  

He had a long career in drafting, specializing in CAD, after his certification from Tyler Junior College.

He is survived by his parents John and Estalene Skidmore, formerly of Frankston; a brother Eric and wife Deborah Skidmore of Friendswood, Texas; two nieces Amelia DeLane and Julia Jenkins and husband Jonathan; and one great nephew James DeLane.

He will be greatly missed.  

A special thanks to Gabi and Dawn for their care during his final days.

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