Obituaries

Betty Couch
Services for Betty Ruth Couch, 84, were held Feb. 13, 2012, at St. James on the Lake Episcopal Church in Kemp.
Couch was born April 13, 1927, to Ora Lee Tyler and John R. Kizzia in Kaufman County and died Feb. 9, 2012.
She was known by many family and friends as “Bett.” She loved fishing, dirt track racing, sewing, gardening and reading and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchild.
Couch worked for the Mabank I.S.D. as a bus driver and received the Panther Paw Award.
She was Episcopal by faith and attended St. James on the Lake Episcopal Church in Kemp.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and two sisters.
Survivors include her son Jackie Lynch and his wife, Shirley, of Gun Barrel City; grandchildren Jason Lynch of Benbrook, Jacquelyn Lynch of Mabank, and William Lynch of Gun Barrel City; brother Johnnie Kizzia and his wife, Alice, of Wills Point; sisters Vivian Tull of Athens, Cynthia Slayton and her husband, Frank, of Rule; great grandchild Brayden Smith of Mabank; other family and many loving friends.
Condolences may be posted online at www.eubankcedarcreek.com.

Paul Ciardo
Services for Paul Ted Ciardo, 77, of Tool, were held Feb. 14, 2012, at St. Jude Catholic Church with Father Dan Daugherty presiding.
Ciardo was born Nov. 30, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wis., to Barbara Oswald and Salvatore Ciardo and died Feb. 2, 2012.
Ciardo was a graduate of Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, Wis., and married Anita Kaye Bishop Jan. 30, 1954. They remained happily married for 58 years.
He was a proud member of the US Navy from 1952-55. Upon leaving the service he went into the insurance business until 1980. After that he opened his own business and has remained an independent business owner since.
He owned the Old West Auction and Flea Market in Seven Points, Steak House and Chicken Shack.
Ciardo was an active member of the St. Jude Catholic Church in Gun Barrel City, belonged to the Big Brother Organization in Dallas, and active with the food pantry making food baskets and toys at Christmas.
He received the Family of the Year Award through St. Jude and was a member of the Knights of Columbus where he was a past Knight of the Year.
Ciardo also coached baseball and basketball in Dallas, with his kids.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Salvatore Ciardo, sister Barbara Hobgood and granddaughter Chasity Pierson.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Kaye Ciardo, of Tool; daughter Victoria Zabojnik and her husband, Mike, of Trinidad; sons Anthony Ciardo and Dena Hayes of Tool, Christopher Ciardo and his wife, Janie, of Ennis, Scott Ciardo and his wife, Melba, of Scurry; grandchildren Vanessa Byrce and husband Sam, Dana Kennedy, Angela Bohannon and husband, Bryan, Keesa Pederson and husband Kyle, Paul Ciardo, Casey Ciardo and wife Dana, Amanda Ciardo, Staci Moore and husband Wade, Savanna Pierson, Ryan Ciardo, Felica Borchardt, Jennifer Burson and husband Bart and Lindsey Borchardt; 24 great-grandchildren; brother Joseph Ciardo of Wis.; numerous nieces, nephews, friends and family members.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Cancer Society, Dallas Chapter, at 8900 John Carpenter Freeway Dallas, TX 75247 or www.cancer.org.
A personal tribute may be posted online at www.eubankcedarcreek.com.

Allen Stanford
Services for Allen Leon Stanford, 77, of Kemp, were held Feb. 14, 2012, at the Anderson Clayton Brothers Funeral Home Chapel in Kemp. Burial was at the International Order of Odd Fellows cemetery, in Ravenna, under the direction of Roselawn Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens of Seagoville.
Stanford was born Dec. 28, 1934, in Ravenna, to Dovie Lee Newton and Mance Stanford and died Feb. 11, 2012, at his residence in Kemp.
He was a truck driver for several years and worked as the business agent for the Teamsters Local Union 745. He was also vice president of the AFL-CIO for several years.
Stanford was a Christian and married Joann Sanders in 1963. He enjoyed cattle and horse ranching, helping other people and loved his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son Darrell Stanford, grandson Joseph Ferrell and two brothers.
Survivors include his wife of almost 50 years, Joann Stanford, of Kemp; daughters Deena Spakes and her husband, Marty, of Kemp, Belinda Ferrell, of Colorado; son Steve Stanford of Balch Springs; grandchildren Salina Spakes of Kemp, Katrina Canida and her husband, Robert, of Kemp, “Little” Marty Spakes of Kemp, Pius Ferrell and his wife, Misty, of Kemp and Avery Ferrell of Kaufman; great grandchildren Danny and Delanie Spakes, Abbye Canida, Lacey, Bree and Emilee Weisinger; sisters Juanita and Carolyn; numerous other friends and relatives.

Hazel Massey
Services for Hazel E. Massey, 92, of Kemp, were held Feb. 13, 2012, at Laurel Land Memorial Park, in Dallas under the direction of the Anderson Clayton Bros. Funeral Home in Kemp.
Massey was born Sept. 1, 1919, in Alto and died Feb. 10, 2012, after a short illness.
She married Johnnie Massey in 1939 and began Massey Glass Company in the early 1950s operating it until her husband’s death in 1971.
Massey then moved to Kemp and opened The Kemp Restaurant, where people from all around would stop in for meals she prepared.
Massey was happiest surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She was known to all as “Me-Me.”
Survivors include her children, Bobby Massey of Kemp and Barbara Massey Wolfe of Longview; grandchildren David Massey and his wife, Cathi, of Kemp, Ronda Bryant and her husband, Clay, of Ore City, Lesha Massey Hamilton and her husband, Eugene, of Kemp, Cinda Massey Bonds and her husband, Kendall, of Lubbock; great-grandchildren Kyle Bryant and his wife, Lanaya, of Dangerfield, Ashley Bryant of Ore City, Chelcy Bryant Rigo and her husband, Jeremy, of Longview, Ellie Hamilton Levano and her husband, Jose, of Dallas, Trevor Hamilton of Kemp, Steven Hamilton of Kemp, Darcy, Joleigh, Cassie and Brinley Bonds of Lubbock; great-great-grandchildren Liam Lewellen of Ore City, and Jordan Bryant of Dangerfield; daughter-in-law, Judy Massey of Kemp and son-in-law, David Wolfe of Longview.

Emuel Kinder
A celebration of life for Emuel Leon Kinder, 83, was held Feb. 11, 2012, at the New Covenant Baptist Church in Mesquite, where he was an active member.
Kinder donated his body to the UT Southwestern Medical Research Center in Dallas.
He was born May 28, 1928, in Pottsville, Ark. to Lyda Bell Pickens and Everett Kinder and died Feb. 4, 2012.
Prior to his illness, he enjoyed his family, golf, yard work, fishing, camping, hunting, Texas Hold’em with the family and singing. He also enjoyed participating as a member of the Mesquite Rutherford Senior Center.
He will be remembered most for his entertaining stories and jokes, family reunion campouts at Lee Park in Malakoff and Caney Cove Camp Grounds and family visits, singing at nursing homes and socials all over Texas.
Kinder and his wife, Betty, were long time residents of Mesquite and had celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary Jan. 27, 2012.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Ruby Joyce Kinder Newcomb of Payne Springs.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Jean Watkins Kinder; children Gary Leon Kinder and wife Marsha of Littlerock, Calif., Sherri Lynn Kinder Cannon and husband Wayne of Forney, Michael Lee Kinder and wife Susie of Mabank, Suzanne Lachelle Kinder Ray and husband Dave of Mesquite; grandchildren Jarrod Escon Kinder and wife Maggie of Valencia, Calif., Heath Landon Kinder and wife Heather of San Marcos, Calif., Kymberly Nicole Kinder of Lancaster, Calif., Joshua Brandon Kinder and wife Ashley of Kaufman, Tiffany Gail Koob and fiance Mike Holt of Terrell, Shawn Wayne Cannon of Forney, Chanley Nicole Ray of Mesquite, Mitchell Wayne Ray of Mesquite, Lexie D’Ann Ray of Mesquite; great-grandchildren Miranda Ester Kinder of Valencia, Calif., Braden Austin Koob of Terrell, Logan David Koob of Terrell, Logan Michael Kinder of San Marcos, Calif., Jak Anderson Kinder of Kaufman, Victoria Joyce Kinder of San Marcos, Calif.; brothers and sisters James Don Kinder and Mary of Seagoville, Kenneth Burl Kinder and Judy of Indio, Calif., William Newcomb, brother-in-law of Payne Springs, Jackie Wayne Kinder and Donna of Fort Worth, Helen Marie Marshall of Phoenex, Ariz.; along with many family members and friends.

Robert O’Brien
Services for Robert O’Brien, 63, of Gun Barrel City, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, at Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
O’Brien was born Sept. 20, 1948, and died Feb. 12, 2012, at his home on Cedar Creek Lake in Gun Barrel City.
He graduated from St. John’s College High School in 1966 and St. Edward’s University in 1971. He received his master’s degree from the University of Dallas in 1976.
O’Brien retired as a systems analyst for the Dallas Fire Department and was a member of Grace Community Baptist Church.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and spending time with family. His favorite quotes included: “if it flies, it dies” and “I didn’t do it, but I’m sorry, and I’ll never do it again.”
Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Pamela O’Brien; sons Kevin and Michael O’Brien, their wives Delaney and Tabatha O’Brien; granddaughter Jillian O’Brien.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to Grace Community Baptist Church at P.O. Box 266 Mabank, TX 75147.
A personal tribute may be posted online at www.eubankcedarcreek.com.

Dennis Candage
Tool City Councilman Dennis Jay Candage died at his home suddenly, early Tuesday.
Candage has served on the Tool City Council since May, 2010.
He and his wife, Nancy, were married Nov. 6, 2010. The couple resided in Paradise Bay.
Candage has lived in the area for 40 years, always active in the community.
Candage was a member of the Tool Volunteer Fire Department, he served on the Building and Grounds committee at Providence Baptist Church and was caretaker for the Tool Cemetery.
Memorial Service for Candage will be at the Providence Baptist Church in Tool on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11 am. In lieu of flowers the family request' a donation may be made to the City of Tool Volunteer Fire Dept at Tool City Hall.