Obituaries

Bennie Taylor
Services for Bennie Tom Taylor, 83, were held April 18, 2011, at the Moorhead Epps Funeral Home Chapel in Gun Barrel City. Interment followed at Grovehill Memorial Park in Dallas, under the direction of Moorhead Epps Funeral Home in Gun Barrel City.
Taylor was born May 25, 1927, in Covington to Bessie Mae Griffith and William Drew Taylor and died April 14, 2011.
He was preceded in death by son Ronnie Stubblefield.
Survivors include his wife Dollie Pat Taylor; children Don Taylor, Druann Brown, Mickey Stubblefield, and Carrie Dearmond; grandchildren Gary, Tammi, Terra, Russell, Britney, Kindra, Michael, Carrie, Sherrie, Joe, Casey, Brian and Shane; 18 great-grandchildren; numerous other family members and many friends.

Edna Smith
Services for Edna E. Smith, 83, were held April 15, 2011, at the Payne Springs Baptist Church with the Rev. Danny Dennie officiating. Interment followed at the Payne Springs Cemetery, under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Smith was born Sept. 16, 1927, in Bristol to Fon and Ardie Burk Childers and died April 13, 2011, in Athens.
She loved her “church family” at the Payne Springs Baptist Church.
Smith was employed by Safeway for more than 22 years.
She was preceded in death by her parents and granddaughter Rena Webb.
Survivors include children Billy Burnett, Marie Rogers and husband Allen, Jean Webb and husband Johnny, Tommy Burnett and wife Donna, Larry Smith and wife Linda, and Ronald Smith; 12 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and two special cousins Doris and Midge.

Jerry Hall
Services for Jerry Wayne Hall, 63, Dallas, were held April 18, 2011, at Eubank Cedar Creek Memorial Chapel in Mabank with the Rev. Kenneth Hensley officiating. Interment followed at the Oaklawn Cemetery in Mabank, under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
He was born Nov. 22, 1947, in Dallas to Ruby Marie Bragg and Wilson Henry Hall and died April 15, 2011, in Dallas.
Hall attended school in Mabank.
He was a longtime employee of New World International, Inc. of Dallas. He retired in 2009.
Hall was also employed at Safeway for more than 14 years.
He loved to race cars and had a big heart.
Hall was Baptist by faith.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include son Jerry Dewayne Hall and wife Stacy, Mesquite; daughter Jennifer Anne Campbell and husband Jason, Gun Barrel City; brothers Dennis W. Hall and wife Joy, Austin; Robert Hall, Gun Barrel City; sister Nancy Lockwood and husband Anson, Crosby; numerous nieces and nephews; other family members and many friends.

Edna Coker
Arrangements for Edna “Granny” Earl Coker, 63, Gun Barrel City, are under the direction of Tomlinson Funeral Home in Seven Points.
Coker was born Dec. 17, 1947, in Corsicana to Ila Fay Smith and Robert Earl Bell and died April 18, 2011, in Athens.
She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
Coker was a member of the First Baptist Church in Eustace.
She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Dorothy Gene Hull and sister Shirley Fay DeMoss.
Survivors include her husband of 32 years, Daniel “Knightrider” Coker; daughter Edna Ann “Summer” Gibson; sons James Lesie Mahoney and Robert Dewayne Griffith; brother Robert Bell; sisters Barbara Jones, Sandra Wikerson, Mary Lynn Hagger and Linda Borlace; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Sybil Cook
Services for Sybil Louise Cook, 88, Malakoff, were held April 17, 2011, at the Malakoff First Assembly of God Church, under the direction of Tomlinson Funeral Home in Malakoff.
Cook was born Dec. 7, 1922, in Pottsville, Ark., to Lois and Clyde Roberts and died April 14, 2011.
She graduated from Pottsville High School, business school and Southwestern Assembly of God University in Waxahachie.
Cook was an ordained minister for more than 70 years.
She married the Rev. O.B. Cook in Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 23, 1944. The couple had four beautiful daughters.
During their years of ministering, the couple pastored at Edgewood Assembly of God, Flatwood Assembly of God, Sentinel Assembly of God in Oklahoma, Whitehouse Assembly of God, Mineola Assembly of God, Jacksonville Assembly of God and Malakoff Assembly of God.
During retirement, they pastored Mexia Assembly of God and Canton Assembly of God.
Rev. and Sister Cook were married 55 years before he died Sept. 15, 1999.
She was also preceded in death by her daughter Verla Cook Wilbanks; sisters Ruth Roberts Kendrick and Hazel Roberts Prior.
Survivors include daughters Vanna Nokes and husband Eddie, Malakoff; Vonita White and husband M.L., Coppell; Velda Cook Fritz, Athens; grandchildren Mike and Brian Nokes; DeAnn Vedder; Tavia Hunt and Billy Wilbanks; five great-grandchildren; brothers Earl Roberts and wife JoAnn Roberts, Waxahachie; Bob Roberts and wife Geneva, Springdale, Ark.; Charles Roberts and wife Ann, Talco; Fred Roberts and wife Dorris, Fairview; and other family members.

Nevil Lambert
Services for Nevil G. Lambert, 81, Payne Springs, were held April 19, 2011, at Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. John Hernandez officiating. Interment followed in the Payne Springs Cemetery, under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Lambert was born Sept. 2, 1929, in Yantis to Ruby G. Gentry and E.A. Blystone and died April 14, 2011, in Payne Springs.
She loved to fish and enjoyed crocheting.
Lambert was a member of the Rebekka Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was Baptist by faith.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband John Charles Lambert in 1999; and sister Dora Elizabeth Bowden.
Survivors include son Jerry W. Jordan, Mabank; grandchildren Jerry R. Jordan and wife Wendy, Cedar Hill; Billy Don Jordan, Dallas; great-granchildren Robert, Christian and Daniel Jordan, all of Cedar Hill; sister Myrtle Higgins, Lancaster; brother Billy Blystone, Lancaster; other family members and many friends.

Tommy Boatman
Visitation services for Tommy Joe Boatman, 81, Seven Points, were held April 19, 2011, at Tomlinson Funeral Home in Seven Points.
He was born March 28, 1930, in Dallas to Edna Ola Shreves and Elmer Talbert Boatman and died April 16, 2011, in Gun Barrel City.
Boatman was employed by The Hollywood Door Company for 36 years as a sales supervisor.
He was employed for 10 years with the West Cedar Creek Municipal Utility District.
Boatman was a member of St. Jude Catholic Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Jane Mitchell; daughter Sharon Gray and husband Scott, Bon Carbo, Colo.; sons Tommy J. Boatman and wife Linda, Gun Barrel City; John R. Savage and wife Becky, DeSoto; brother Gene Boatman; grandchildren Wendy Rene Harris and Cody Boatman; great-grandchildren Aspen Rene Carter, Christina Marie Carter and Taylor Caren; great-great-grandchild Mallorie Webster.

James Lewis
Services for James Alton Lewis, 81, Gun Barrel City, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday (today), April 21, 2011, at the First Baptist Church of Mabank with the Revs. Brent Tucker and Chris Sweet officiating. Interment will follow in Oaklawn Cemetery in Mabank, under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home of Mabank.
Lewis was born Jan. 17, 1930, in Alma to Josephine Lee Wright and James Owen Lewis and died April 18, 2011, in Gun Barrel City.
Friends and family knew him as James.
He will always be remembered for his love of his wife, Christine, as well as his kids and grandchildren.
Lewis loved hunting, fishing, gardening and sitting in his garden while drinking his coffee every morning.
He always enjoyed planting flowers and working on the farm.
Lewis worked for Sears and Roebuck for more than 40 years but was the Operating Group Manager for the last 16 years of that time. He retired in 1988.
He also served on the board of directors for Sears Federal Credit Union.
He served as a board member of the Mabank Independent School District, serving one term as president.
Lewis was a past president of the Lion’s Club.
He was very involved in the community and was instrumental in the incorporation of Gun Barrel City.
Lewis served on the first Gun Barrel City council, as well as Deputy Marshal of Gun Barrel City and Henderson County.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mabank for more than 25 years and taught Sunday school.
Lewis proudly served his country in the U.S. Army.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Thomas Lewis; sisters Beth Burris and Sybil Higginbotham; and son Billy Don Lewis.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Christine Lewis, Gun Barrel City; sons John Lewis and wife Joy, James Lewis and wife Gail, Jack Lewis and wife Jan; daughter Melinda and husband Mark; brother Aubrey Lewis and wife Connie; sisters Mary Patterson and husband Kenneth, Betty Bowden and husband Son; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; other family members and many loving friends.