Obituaries

Albert Perkins
Services for Albert “Al” Robert Perkins, 86, Gun Barrel, will be held today at 11 a.m. at the Tyler Memorial Funeral Home with the Revs. Mickey Loftis and Mike Adalian officiating. Interment is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, at Little Elm Cemetery in Little Elm.
Perkins was born Aug. 25, 1924, in Sugartown, La., and died Jan. 10, 2011, in Tyler.
Perkins was a well-known and beloved community leader of Gun Barrel City.
He was reared in Magnolia and joined the Army Air Corp while in Magnolia High School. He was a veteran of World War II.
Perkins, along with his wife, Ellen Louise, organized the Citizens for Beautifying Gun Barrel City in 1987. Under his wife’s leadership, Gun Barrel City won second place in the “Keep Texas Beautiful” competition – three years in a row.
Perkins helped his wife form the first parade, known as the “Kickoff Campaign,” in conjunction with the “Keep Texas Beautiful,” to win awards for Gun Barrel City.
He worked with the city for many years as a concerned citizen, councilman and mayor. Perkins was instrumental in the organization of the area food bank, Share and Care, in Gun Barrel City. If you needed something or needed help, you could always count on “Al” and Louise.
He was preceded in death by his wife in January, 2009.
Survivors include sons Eddy Michael Perkins and wife Lori, Tyler; Thomas Addison Perkins and wife Debbie, Galveston; and Robert Gerald Perkins and wife Jolynn, Allen; brother Bill Perkins and wife Betty, Friday; stepdaughters, Jacqualyn Lynch and husband Doug, Tyler; Cynthia Williams and husband Len, Pilot Point; stepson David Sims and wife Jan, Krum; grandchildren Andy, Brad, Chris and David Perkins, Alison King and Adrianna Ricard; step-grandchildren D.L. and James Sims, Jr., Belinda Tompkins, Misty Yarotsky, Daymon Sims, Samantha Webb, Tonya Boyer, Jay Sims, Jolene Kershaw, Laurie Pierrel, Josh Williams, Lacey Rozell and Jennifer Sims; several great-grandchildren; nieces; nephews; cousins and a host of friends.

Ronald Westbrook
Services for Ronald Glade Westbrook, 63, were held on Jan. 12, 2011, at Prairie Point Cemetery in Bazzett, under the direction of Parker-Ashworth Funeral Home in Kaufman.
Westbrook was born Feb. 25, 1947, in Navarro County to Ruby Nell Shelton and Clyde Glade Westbrook and died on Jan. 8, 2011, in Dallas.
Westbrook was reared in Kerens and then joined the U.S. Army in the Corps of Engineers during the Vietnam War.
After the service, Westbrook worked for TU Electric as the power plant manager in Trinidad for 29 years. He lived in Trinidad for 16 years.
He received his associate’s degree from Navarro Junior College.
Survivors include sons Cory Westbrook and wife Cara, Wylie; and Wesley Westbrook, Kaufman; companion Pamela Carter Westbrook of Kaufman; sisters Susan Westbrook and Pam Denman; grandson Landon Ryan Westbrook; many other relatives and friends.

W.C. Donaghey
Services for William Clumbis “Dub” Donaghey, 83, Kemp, were held Jan. 12, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church in Mabank, with Rev. Walter S. Evans officiating. Interment followed at Restland Cemetery in Roxton. Arrangements were under the direction of Eubank Funeral Home in Mabank.
Donaghey was born May 30, 1927, in Mt. Pleasant, to Lara Agnes Newman and James Andrew Donaghey and died Jan. 6, 2011, in Kaufman.
He was fondly known as “Dub,” and he loved to fish and work on lawn mowers. He was also a gardener and loved taking care of dogs and cats. He was Baptist by faith.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Deleon Donaghey; son Howard Sturdavant; and brother Donald Donaghey.
Survivors include sons William Wolf, Van; James Donaghey, Decatur; Jimmy Donaghey, Seven Points; daughters Mary Donaghey, Seven Points; Betty Kelly, Decatur; Susan Sherrard, Dallas; Nancy Tetter, Dallas; brothers Jimmy and Charles Donaghey; sisters Juanita Tant, Sherry and Fay Jones; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; other family members and many friends.

Bobby Irby
Services for Bobby Irby, 84, were held Jan. 2, 2011, at Kaufman Cemetery, under the direction of Parker-Ashworth Funeral Home of Kaufman. A memorial service followed at First United Methodist Church of Kaufman.
Irby was born May 17, 1926, to Ocia and Ben Irby and died Dec. 31, 2010, in Kaufman.
Irby attended Warsaw School and entered the U.S. Navy serving in WWII. After the service, he returned to Warsaw and drove a truck for 20 years. He was promoted to transportation supervisor for Frito Lay, where he worked for 30 years. Bobby retire in 1987.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Kaufman.
Irby married Lillie “Jerry” Jones Oct. 25, 1947, in Crandall. She preceded him in death on Jan. 8, 2006. He was remarried on Aug. 9, 2007, to Patsy Ishmael in Cash.
Survivors include wife Patsy, Kaufman; son Phillip Irby and wife Lou, Kaufman; stepson Troy Lennon, Cedar Creek; stepdaughters Darlene Stewart, Rowlett; Jennifer Southall, Forney and Melissa Jones, Sachse; sister Ira Bell Crawley, Kaufman; grandson Paul Irby, Utah; 10 step-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.

Royce Cox
Services for Royce Eugene “Scoot” Cox, 87, were held Jan. 8, 2011, at Moorhead Epps Funeral Home in Gun Barrel City. Interment followed in the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery.
Cox was born June 18, 1923, in Sherman and died Jan. 5, 2011, in Tyler.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Almeda Brown Cox; brother Jack Cox and sister Faye Snyder.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Cavell Cox; children Carolyn Eaton and husband Delton, Darrell VanLeer and wife Amy and Sharon Fenimore; brother Coy Cliborne; sisters Zuellea Pennington and Joann Arnold, eight grandchildren, four great- grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren; numerous other family members and many friends.
Pallbearers were John David and Joe Huse, Bennie and Wendell Dryden, Richard Smith and C.J. Smith, Tommy and Bill Cox and Tom Wilks.

Suzanne Hightower
Arrangements for Suzanne E. Hightower, 66, Gun Barrel City, were under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Hightower was born on Oct. 10, 1944, to Amanda Elizabeth Womble and Rocine William Hightower and died on Jan. 6, 2011.
She was affectionately known as MiMi to her grandchildren, who were her passion. She also loved to read, watch TV, travel, and do needlepoint.
Hightower attended Texas Tech University. She became the Director of Catering with the Dallas Country Club, Brookhollow Country Club, and the Dallas Women’s Club.
She was Methodist by faith and a member of the Cochran Chapel Methodist Church in Dallas.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Survivors include daughter Sarah Willingham and husband Jason; granddaughters Hannah and Rebecca; grandson Nathaniel; sister Sharla Kojro and husband Raymond; brother William Kenneth Hightower; niece Gina Etchieson; nephew Lawrence David Etchieson; other family and many loving friends.

Benjamin Weitzman
Services for Benjamin Weitzman, 86, were held Jan. 6, 2011, at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, under the direction of Moorhead Epps Funeral Home in Gun Barrel City.
Weitzman was born June 17, 1924, in Dallas to Thelma Pearl Green and Harry Weitzman and died Dec. 31, 2010, in Athens.
He was preceded in death by his parents and wife Pearl Hafter Weitzman.
Survivors include children Larry Weitzman, Howard Weitzman and wife Sheryl, Kathy Nicholson and husband Weldon; daughter-in-law Martha Weitzman; five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; numerous other family members and many friends. 

Savanna Smith
Services for infant Savanna Rose Smith, Mabank, were held Jan. 11, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church of Mabank with the Rev. Chris Schoolcraft officiating, under the direction of Tomlinson Funeral Home in Seven Points.
Smith was born Dec. 30, 2010, in Kaufman to Ciara Kastner and Joshua Smith and died Dec. 31, 2010, in Dallas.
Survivors include her parents, grandparents Heaven and Steven Medford; Melia and Edward Smith; and Toni Kastner; and great-grandmother May Juckett.

Patsy Guthrie
Arrangements for Patsy “Pat” Guthrie, 73, were under the direction of Moorhead Epps Funeral Home in Gun Barrel City.
Guthrie was born on Dec. 16, 1937, in Dallas to Rema and Schauler Lewis and died Jan. 3, 2011, in Athens.
She was preceded in death by her parents and sister Shirley Latham.
Survivors include her husband of 40 years, Steve Guthrie; children Latisha Seidler, Cheryl Ann Blackwell and husband Bobby, Teresa Arrington and husband Charles, and Gerald Guthrie; sister Wanda Baker and husband Michael; brothers-in-law Tommy Latham, Larry Wright and wife Melinda; five grandchildren, one great-grandchild; numerous other family members and many friends.

Patsy Voyles
Services for Patsy Naomi Voyles, 72, were held Jan. 7, 2011, at Moorhead Epps Memorial Chapel in Gun Barrel City. Burial followed at Moorhead Melton Cemetery in Eustace.
Voyles was born May 11, 1938, in Amarillo to Beulah Robbie Clayton and Isaac Joseph Tow and died Jan. 5, 2011, in Athens.
She was preceded in death by her parents, also siblings Bob Tow, Jean Campsey and Ruth Tow.
Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Louis Voyles; children Shirley House and husband Stanley, David Voyles and wife Carey, Vicky Gannon and husband Michael; brothers I.V., Frank, and Max Tow; sisters Sybil Wood, Shirley Moore, and Mary Hancock; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.