Obituaries

Mary E. Ryan
Services for Mary E. Abee Ryan, 87, Gun Barrel City, were held Sept. 15, 2007, at Aley United Methodist Church with the Rev. Eston Williams officiating under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Ryan was born Aug. 20, 1920, in Portia, Ark., to Mary Taylor and John Alexander Abee and died Sept. 12, 2007, in Gun Barrel City. She was preceded in death by her brothers Roland, Walter, George, Noel and Ernest Abee and sister Ruby Freeman.
She was an avid bridge player and golfer all her life. She enjoyed time with her family and friends, dancing on Saturday nights and creating beautiful clothes by sewing and knitting.
She owned a knitting shop and was active in family businesses, a John Deere dealership and later a men’s wear shop. She was a member of the Aley United Methodist Church and was active in the American Legion Auxiliary.
Survivors include her husband Clifford F. Ryan, Gun Barrel City; son Fred Ryan, Gun Barrel City; daughter Jeri Ryan Bothamley and husband Dennis. Laconia, N.H.; sister Juanita Campbell, Gun Barrel City; grandchildren Ryan Bothamley and wife Heidi, East Hampton, Conn.; Adam Bothamley, Brooklyn, N.Y.; and great-grandson Will Bothamley, East Hampton, Conn.
Pallbearers were Dennis Bothamley, Ryan Bothamley, Randy Rose, Randy Bacon and Steve Bailey.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of Cedar Creek Lake, P.O. Box 2025, Malakoff, TX 75148.

Lila V. Heather
Services for Lila V. Heather, 99, Kaufman, were held Sept. 16, 2007, at the Beacon Church of Christ in Gun Barrel City with Ken Maddox and Don Struck officiating under the direction of the Anderson Clayton Bros. Funeral Home of Kemp. Interment followed in the Shiloh Cemetery.
Heather was born July 23, 1908, in the Styx Community to the late Luel Dolphus and Martha Jane (Struck) Robertson and died Sept. 14, 2007, in Kaufman. Her husband Joe Sherman Heather preceded her in death Feb. 22, 1988. Also preceding her in death were three sisters, a brother, her son Sherman Heather, granddaughter Debra Heather and great-granddaughter Angel Kaye.
She was a member of the Beacon Church of Christ in Gun Barrel City and worked at Miss Marilyn Mfg. Company in Kaufman for 19 years as a seamstress. She married Joe Sherman Heather Nov. 11, 1928.
Survivors include her son Joe Heather and wife Georgie, Kaufman; daughter Elizabeth Booker and her husband Jerry, Prescott, Ark.; grandchildren Johnny Heather, David Heather, Karen Gilbert, Mary Jo Walters, Robert Heather and Holly Potts; 11 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; and sister Rachel Hodges.
Pallbearers were Coy Dozier, Robert Heather, James Godwin, Don Brooks, Steve Maples and Hayden Parmelly.

Patricia Akins
Services for Patricia Akins, 64, Gun Barrel City, were held Sept. 15, 2007, at the Eubank Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Tommy Merchant officiating. Interment was in Laurel Land Memorial Park in Dallas under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Akins was born March 25, 1943, in Dallas and died Sept. 13, 2007, in Gun Barrel City.
Previously of Grand Prairie, she had resided in Gun Barrel City for the past year.
Survivors include her husband Richard Akins, Gun Barrel City; daughters Kimberlie Gillean, Cleburne; and Sheryl Albers, Azle; son Christopher Akins, Grand Prairie; step-children Richard and Samuel Akins, Leonard; and Michael Akins, Denton; five grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and brother John Woolschlager Jr., Yakenville, N.C.

Julius Padgett
Julius “Sonny” Padgett, 71, Mabank, died Sept. 13, 2007, in Mabank.
Arrangements are under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Padgett was born March 25, 1936, in Dallas.
He was a truck driver and had lived in Mabank for the past eight years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his sister Sandra Carroll, Mabank; brother Winston Padgett, Mabank; daughter Terri Zuber, Dallas; two nieces and nephews; and numerous relatives and friends.

Danny Lee Dennis Sr.
Services for Danny Lee Dennis Sr., 55, Kemp were held Sept. 18, 2007, at Anderson Clayton Bros. Funeral Home in Kemp with Tim Stevens and R.J. Stevens officiating. Interment was in Pyle Prairie Cemetery in Kaufman County.
Dennis was born Sept. 26, 1951, in Kaufman County and died Sept. 15, 2007, in Kaufman County. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Johnny Dennis.
He was a member of the Church of Christ in Kemp and attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas.
Survivors include his wife Betty Dennis, Kemp; children Brenda Gilbreath and husband David, Payne Springs; Danny Lee Dennis Jr., and wife Melissa, Mesquite; Christopher Dale Dennis and wife Kayleen, Kemp; and Chad David Dennis, Kemp; grandchildren Britany, Kimberly, Nicholas, David Lee, Dylan, Alisha, David Allen, Ryder, Taylor and Caleb; brothers Robert Dennis, Seven Points, and Kirby Purvis, Longview; numerous other relatives, extended family members and friends.
Pallbearers were Billy Jones Jr., Bobby Wayne Jones Jr., Kirby Purvis, David Hancock, Jack Broadhurst and John Taylor.

Arthur Endres
A memorial service for Arthur “Loren” Endres of Mabank, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 21, at the Eubanks Cedar Creek Lake Funeral Home in Mabank.
He was born Feb. 12, 1942, in Oakland, Calif. and died Sept. 6, 2007.
He was married 27 years to the love of his life, Debra Ann Endres, who preceded him in death in 2004.
Previously of the Mid-Cities area, he had lived in Mabank for the past three years.
Survivors include his children Jeanie Larsen, Loren Endres III and Lynn Blasi; six grandchildren and Debra’s two girls, Leslie Sisk and Lori Murphy and their four children.