Obituaries

Robert Williams
Our precious husband, father, son, brother and uncle passed away peacefully Nov. 30, 2009, after suffering a severe injury on his job.
Robert Barton “Bart” Williams was born July 2, 1961, in Dallas.
He accepted Christ and was baptized in 1974, at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.
He graduated in 1979, from Bryan Adams High School and joined the U.S. Air Force.
He returned from the service to marry his sweetheart Mimi Kinsey Williams Nov. 30, 1984. They would have been married 25 years the day he died.
Survivors include his loving wife Mimi; devoted daughters Brittany and Sarah; father and stepmother Bob and Barbara Williams; mother and stepfather Carol and Phil Laquey; and father-in-law Raymond Kinsey.
He will be missed by his sisters and their husbands Christy Lancaster and Cindy and Barry Zalae; and Kelly and David Halpert; halfbrother Ryan Williams; stepbrothers and wives Brooks and Jan Laquey, Craig and Andrea Hulcy; and stepsisters Linda Zawadzki and Carol and Glenn Lickstein; inlaws Matt and Sheryl Kinsey, Greg Kinsey and Stacie Wright.
He was loved by his aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews and will be missed by all.
He will surely be missed by a host of friends as he was always the life of the party and never at a loss for words or opinions.
His attitude and outlook on life were best described by one of his fellow workers who said “Bart never came to work with a chip on his shoulder and always had a smile.”
The family wishes to thank everyone in the Trauma ICU at East Texas Medical Center for the loving care he received, but also the compassion and understanding they showed the family.
His memorial service was held Dec. 5, 2009, at the Eubank Funeral Home in Mabank.

Pedro C. Rivera
Memorial services for Pedro C. Rivera, 83, Kemp, were held Dec. 5, 2009, at the Tomlinson Funeral Home in Seven Points with Josh McDonald officiating.
Rivera was born Oct. 14, 1926, in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba, to Apolonia Baez and Pedro C. Rivea and died Nov. 30, 2009, in Tyler.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Dionisia Antelo, Caridad Rivera and Maria Rivera.
He retired from Parkland Hospital in Dallas in the engineering department.
Survivors include his wife Gloria Rivera; daughter Ana Canup; and son Pedro J. Rivera.

Fred Harper
Services for Fred Lovell Harper, 92, Kemp, were held Dec. 5, 2009, the Anderson-Clayton Bros. Funeral Home in Kemp. Interment followed in the Kemp City Cemetery.
Harper was born Sept. 27, 1917, in Pocahontas, Ark. to Dolly Bell Ballard and William Harper and died Nov. 24, 2009.
He was preceded in death by his parents and loving wife Frances Shipley Watkins Harper.
He served his country in the Army Air Corps. and then worked as a chief of training and employee relations for the Veterans Administration.
In 1952, he was hired by Gifford Hill as a safety engineer and retired in 1985 with more than 30 years service.
Survivors include his daughter Melinda Harper Hackstaff, Denver, Colo.; son Paul Watkins Harper and wife Catherine, Dallas; grandchildren Natalie Hackstaff, Eleanor Hackstaff, Emma Harper and Charles Watkins Harper; sister-in-law Patty Watkins Herndon, Fort Worth; close family friend Jerry Francis, Kemp;plus numerous nieces, nephews and a host of family and friends.

Malcolm Tarno
Malcolm Everett Tarno was born in Waskom, Oct. 25, 1942, to Oscar M. Tarno and Mary Alice Chandler.
He passed away Nov. 29, 2009, at home in Seven Points.
Malcolm is preceded in death by four brothers Clifford A. Tarno in 1953, Bryon M. Tarno in 2007, Winifred J. Tarno in 1995 and Milford Wayne Tarno in Feb. 1998.
Malcolm graduated from Scurry-Rosser High School in 1961.
From there he started school to become a plumber, welder and pipefitter.
He joined Local Union 100 and worked for 47 years. He retired from there and lived in Dallas for a couple of years.
Then he moved to Cedar Creek Lake in 2002.
He enjoyed a speed boat he bought for pure pleasure. He enjoyed every minute of it.
Then, he bought a 1923 roadster. He enjoyed the roadster and entered it in car shows around the lake area.
He enjoyed life to the fullest.
Then cancer took all that away. God called him home.
Malcolm is survived by his wife Susan Tarno of Seven Points; son Todd Tarno, Corpus Christi; stepson John David; stepdaughter Stacy. He recognized Monica Richard as his daughter. He also recognized Kenny J. Bullock as his son after his daddy passed away; three brothers Melvin O. Tarno, Gun Barrel City; Paul Fred Tarno and wife Janet, Gun Barrel City; and Eulis Tarno and wife Eveylyn, Kemp; three sisters Bonnie Harris, Gun Barrel City; Edna Vinnell McRee and husband Tommy McRee, Gun Barrel City; and Alene Risk, The Colony; lots of nieces and nephews; and friends that enjoyed just being around Malcolm for his jokes and sense of humor and laughter.
Memorial services were held at Eubank Funeral Home in Mabank Dec. 3, 2009.

Audrey Hightower
Services for Audrey Hightower, 84, Payne Springs, were held Dec. 4, 2009, at the Payne Springs United Methodist Church with the Rev. David Diller officiating. Interment followed in Moorehead-Melton Cemetery under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Hightower was born Sept. 1, 1925, in Macon, Ga. and died Nov. 30, 2009, in Payne Springs.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Angus Hightower, and two sisters.
Previously of Richardson, she had resided in Payne Springs for the past 25 years and was a member of the Payne Springs United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her sons William Stanley Hightower and wife Carol, Carbondale, Pa.; and Steve Hightower, Payne Springs; eight grandchildren; other family members and many friends.