Obituaries

Glen Roberson Sr.
Services for Glen Edward Roberson Sr., 69, Payne Springs, were held Sept. 16, 2009, at the Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. James Jacobs officiating. Interment followed in Cedar Creek Memorial Park under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Roberson was born Feb. 2, 1940, in Cherokee County and died Sept. 13, 2009, in Mesquite.
He was preceded in death by his life partner Vergus Swindell, sister Patsy Houston and parents Gertrude and William Roberson.
He was a manager and had resided in Payne Springs for 45 years and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mabank.
His family would like to give a special thanks to Sabrina Jones.
Survivors include his son Glen Edward Roberson and wife Lou, Dallas; daughter Noda Roberson and friend Michele, Garland; brother Doyle Roberson, Dallas; sisters Darlene Gage, Gladewater; and Reba Kelly, Dallas; grandchildren Glen E. Roberson III and Jeffery Wayne Roberson; and great-grandson Michael Roberson.
Pallbearers were Jeffery Roberson, William Roberson, William Roberson Jr., Jimmy Roberson, Andrew Hall and Larry Jones.

Mary Estes
Services for Mary LyBrand Estes, 82, Wills Point, were held Sept. 13, 2009, at Russell Memorial United Methodist Church in Wills Point with the Revs. Bill Hedges and Ray Reed officiating. Burial was at the White Rose Cemetery in Wills Point under the direction of Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point.
Estes was born June 29, 1927, in Greenville to the late Mary Jarrett and O.S. Hervey.
She was reared in Greenville and graduated from Greenville High School.
She attended Texas Women’s University and East Texas State Teachers College (Texas A&M University-Commerce.)
She married John Chester LyBrand in 1946, and they lived in Dallas prior to moving to Wills Point in 1950.
The couple formed Eubank and Company in 1950, which later became LyBrand Funeral Homes, Inc. with locations in Wills Point, Quinlan, Point and Edgewood.
She was active in every aspect of the company. Her husband preceded her in death Aug. 5, 1981.
She later married Bill Estes May 23, 1986, in Edgewood.
She was a member of Russell Memorial United Methodist Church, where she served in many different capacities.
She was a former member of the Chancel Choir and currently served on the board of the Pastor-Parrish Relationship Committee.
She was a member of the Friendship Sunday School Class and the Sunshine Circle.
She is a past board member of the Wills Point Independent School District School Board, serving from 1964 to 1968, and was instrumental in the distribution of the polio vaccine in Wills Point.
She also served as a member of the board of directors of White Rose Cemetery from 1960 to 1987.
She is preceded in death by husbands John C. LyBrand and Bill Estes; and by daughters Mary Elizabeth LyBrand and Eugenia LyBrand; her parents, brothers Jarrett Hervey and John Hervey and sister Oney Beth Hervey Boren.
Survivors include her son, Herschel Leonidas LyBrand and wife Linda of Mabank; daughter Lucia LyBrand Deen and husband Billy Jack, Canton; brother J.B. “Dick” Hervey, College Station; grandchildren Lucas LyBrand Deen and wife Meagan, Canton; Meredith LyBrand Drake and son Chancellor, McKinney; Capt. Sam Alan Deen and wife Ashley, Fort. Hood; John Lance LyBrand, Wills Point; and Samantha and Justin Baas and daughters, Reagan and Lauren, New Braunfels; stepchildren Elaine and Monty Staton, San Antonio; Scott, Denise and Cody Estes. Wills Point; Brian, Sheila and Patrick Estes, Baltimore, Md.; and many other relatives and friends.
If desired, memorials may be made to Russell Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 S. 4th St., Wills Point, TX 75169 or White Rose Cemetery, P.O. Box 98, Wills Point, TX 75169.
Pallbearers were Bruce G. Miracle, Jerry Branum, Robert G. Hindman, Dyde Manning III, Blant Edward Castleberry, Prater Monning, Henry Hallman and Dr. Travis Deen.
Honorary pallbearers were J.F. Pratt Jr., Dyde Manning Jr., Robert Y. Asmussen Jr., Victor H. Jordan, Dr. Robert Gilbreth, Theo “Cotton” Miles, Don Baker, Billy Deen and Dr. F. David Winter.

Herbert Gross Jr.
Services for Herbert Gross Jr., 74, Caney City, were held Sept. 16, 2009, at the Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. John Chism officiating. Burial was in Post Oak Cemetery under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Gross was born Feb. 18, 1935, in Almont, Tenn., and died Sept. 14, 2009, in Malakoff.
He had resided in Caney City for 35 years and was a veteran of the Army and Navy. He was a Christian by faith and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Trinidad. He was a retired electrical journeyman.
Survivors include his sister Doris Worley; 11 nieces; numerous family members and many friends.
Pallbearers were Robert Thompson, William Thompson, Ralph Hester, Daniel Hester, Nathan Brown and Bobby Rylant.
Honorary pallbearer was Gary Stanfield.

Phyllis Bartlett
Graveside services for Phyllis Bartlett, 85, Lindale were held Sept. 16, 2009, in the Lindale City Cemetery with Brother Alan Poteet officiating under the direction of Caudle-Rutledge Funeral Home in Lindale.
Bartlett was born in Wellston, Okla., to the late Ida Della Brown and Asa C. Maston and died Sept. 12, 2009, in Tyler.
She was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers and sisters, and her husband Harold Bartlett in 1963.
Previously of San Antonio and Port Aransas, she moved to Lindale in 2002. She worked as a switchboard operator at Parkland Hospital in Dallas and later was a switchboard supervisor for UT Southwestern in Dallas.
She attended the North Lindale Church of Christ and was a Past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law David G. and Valene Bartlett, Corpus Christi; daughter-in-law Martha Fregia, Quitman; brothers Lewis Maston, San Benito; and John Maston, Lindale; grandchildren Brian Bartlett, Tool; Mandy Fregia, Dallas; and Marnie Trundle, Ely, England; four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Kenneth Patrick
Services for Kenneth E. Patrick, 72, Gun Barrel City, were held Sept. 8, 2009, at the Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Andre Ward officiating. Burial was in Oaklawn Cemetery under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Patrick was born March 18, 1937, in Soper Bluff, Okla. and died Sept. 4, 2009, in Gun Barrel City.
Previously of Arlington, he had resided in Mabank for the past 12 years.
Survivors include his wife Dorothy Patrick, Mabank; sons Kirby Patrick and wife Tricia, Tennessee; and Alan Patrick and wife Vermalyn, Arizona; daughters Lashell Webber and husband Eric, Oklahoma; and Kendra Patrick, Indiana; brother Charles E. Patrick, Mabank; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Eric Webber, Kirby Patrick, Alan Patrick, Kent Warrum, Billy Webber and John McClure.

A.E. Attaway
Services for A.E. Attaway, 81, Enchanted Oaks, were held Sept. 12, 2009, at the Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Byron Jones officiating. Burial was in Cedar Creek Memorial Park under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Attaway was born Aug. 5, 1928, in Miller County, Arkansas and died Sept. 8, 2009, in Athens.
He had resided in Enchanted Oaks for the past 26 years and was a teacher, principal, counselor and coach at all levels. He also was a vocational and academic counselor and test coordinator. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his wife Sue Attaway, Enchanted Oaks; sons Thomas Attaway and wife Nola, Jakima, Wash.; and Michael Attaway and wife Gina, Laurel, Miss.; daughter Susan Attaway, Enchanted Oaks; grandsons Michael Attaway Jr., Tyson Attaway and Daniel Attaway; granddaughters Anna Attaway, Melody Attaway and Joy Attaway; sisters Melba Butler, Texarkana; Jearlene Savell, Rio Ranch, N. Mex.; and Janie Collins, Texarkana.

Richard Helsley
Services for Richard Wayne Helsley, 66, Kemp, were held Sept. 13, 2009, at the Grays Prairie Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Chris Ricketts officiating. Interment followed in Ware Cemetery under the direction of Parker-Ashworth Funeral Home of Kaufman.
Helsley was born Sept. 1, 1943, in Dallas to Ima Tutt and Joe Helsley and died Sept. 9, 2009, in a Dallas hospital.
He was reared in Mesquite and graduated from W.W. Samuels High School in Dallas. He worked as a mechanic in Dallas for Roger Mier Cadillac and Sewell Village Cadillac.
He also worked for the Dallas County Sheriff as a bus driver for seven years. He loved boating, fishing and hunting with his family. He was a member of the Grays Prairie Missionary Baptist Church. He married Scharlotte Guess in Balch Springs, Dec. 21, 1962.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years Scharlotte Helsley, Kemp; daughters Slone Taliaferro and husband Chris, Cottonwood; and Tess Gorden and husband Terry, Kemp; brother Robert Helsley, Arkansas; sister Elizabeth Burrows, Allen; grandchildren Christian Gorden, Cross Gorden and Ty Taliferro; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Vonda Gallagher
Services for Vonda LaRue Gallagher, 78, Gun Barrel City, were held Sept. 12, 2009, at the Cedar Creek Lake United Methodist Church with the Rev. Chuck Weber officiating. Interment followed in the Baker Cemetery in Kemp under the direction of Tomlinson Funeral Home in Seven Points.
Gallagher was born Aug. 18, 1931, in Commerce to the late Ruby O. Holley and George F. Blaylock and died Sept. 9, 2009, in Athens.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Roy Gallagher and son Ricky Gallagher.
She was a member of the Cedar Creek Lake United Methodist Church and a cofounder of Gallagher’s Paint and Body Shop in Seven Points. She had lived in the area for 33 years.
Survivors include her sons Gerald and Lisa Gallagher, Gary and Melissa Gallagher and Randy and Danene Gallagher; brother John Blaylock; sister Janice Cleere; nine grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Sara Raymond
Services for Sara Raymond, 63, Kemp, were held Sept. 14, 2009, at the Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. James Ragsdale officiating under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Raymond was born Aug. 19, 1946, in Henderson County and died Sept. 11, 2009, in Kemp.
She was a homemaker and resided in Kemp most of her life.
Survivors include her sons James Raymond and wife Traci, Tool; Joe Hernandez and wife Lisa, Corsicana; and Jim Henderson, Payne Springs; grandchildren Brody, Brayden and Meagan Raymond, Sara Hernandez, Schlar Herrin and Mandy Richards; brother Jack Hearne; sisters Weta Spivey and Cleo Jones; other family members and a host of friends.

Don Stearman
Services for Don “Willie” Stearman, 51, Seabrook, were held Sept. 15, 2009, at Tomlinson Funeral Home in Seven Points.
Stearman was born June 25, 1958, and died Sept. 9, 2009, at his home surrounded by his family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jacquelyn and Donnel Stearman.
He was a hard worker and plumber by trade. He was reared in DeSoto, moved to the Cedar Creek area and then to Seabrook.
He was a man full of life and enjoyed having and showing his friends a good time. Some of his many happy times were fishing, playing pool, riding motorcycles and singing. He earned his nickname “Willie” because his type of voice was so close to the same sound as Willie Nelson’s.
It was sometimes hard to tell if it was Stearman or Nelson singing.
But his happiest time of all was being with his beloved wife, Ellen, simply sitting with her and holding her hand. He was truly loved and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include his wife Ellen Stearman, nine children, four grandchildren, one brother, two sisters and many other family members and dear friends.

Jerry O. Butcher
Services for Jerry O. Butcher, 69, Phalba, were held Sept. 8, 2009, at the Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Larry Barrett officiating. Burial was in Goshen Cemetery under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Butcher was born Apr. 18, 1940, in Soper Bluff, Okla.. and died Sept. 5, 2009, in Mabank.
He resided in Phalba since 1979 and was previously of Prairieville.
Butcher was a corporal and a veteran of the United States Army and a member of the House of Grace Church in Edgewood.
He retired from AT&T after 31 years of service then became a truck driver.
Butcher was a Master Mason at Roddy Lodge #734, Mabank; and a member of the Order of Eastern Star chapter 821, Mabank.
Survivors include his wife Janie Butcher, Phalba; sons Dewayne Brown, Mabank; Ricky Hoops, Gun Barrel City; Jerry Kevin Butcher, Fla.; daughters Cathy Renae Butcher, Brownsville; Lakissa Peek, Phalba; sisters Bonnie Walker, Tyler; Wanda Thompson, Patsy Thrift; brother Buddy Butcher; 12 grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and a host of friends.
Pallbearers were Sean Bass, Dewayne Brown, Ricky Hoops, Roy Denbow, Dennis Bell and Steve Crocker.