Obituaries

Edith Copprell
Services for Edith Marie Copprell, 91, Mabank, were held June 13, 2006, in the Old Bethel Cemetery in Van Zandt County with the Rev. Don Bell officiating under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Copprell was born Nov. 15, 1914, in Rockdale and died June 10, 2006, in Carrollton. She was preceded in death by her husband Otha Copprell, and grandchildren Page Poston and Ryan Poston.
She was a homemaker, lived in the Cedar Creek area from 1964 to 1993 and served as a nurse aide. She was a member of the Lakeview Assembly of God Church.
Survivors include her daughter Laverne Childers, Dallas; grandchildren Debbie Smith, Carrollton; Randy LaGrone, Colleyville; and Cher Poston, Oklahoma; daughter-in-law Laverne Poston, Dallas; great-grandchild Stephanie Nicole Smith, Carrollton; great-great-grandchild Harlee Carter, Carrollton; nieces, nephews, other family members and many friends.

John Avant
Services for John T. Avant “PaPa,” 82, Palestine, were held June 14, 2006, in the Providence Baptist Church with internment in Tool Cemetery under the direction of Eubank Cedar Creek Funeral Home in Mabank.
Avant was born May 20, 1924, in Kemp and died June 11, 2006, in Duncanville. He had lived in Palestine for the past 26 years and was of the Baptist faith.
He was a sheetmetal worker and veteran of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. He received the Purple Heart.
Survivors include sons Johnny and Rita Avant, Kemp; Lonnie and Cindy Avant, Eustace; Doyle and Laura Avant, Canton; and Dennis and Cathy Avant, Rusk; daughters Barbara and Clement Bandy, Duncanville; and Cathy and Mike Cagle, Quinlan; grandchildren Vada and Chris Lowrey, Tina Jenkins, Christi and Mike Shortes, J.R. Ybarbo, Jay and Brooke Woolverton, Cody and Renee Avant, Wendy and Joey Scott, Raci Welch, Casey Avant, Laci Avant, Serena and James Burelsmith, Tony Avant, Michelle Avant, Shane Box and Scott Eliason; great-grandchildren Jamie and Ashley Williams, Taylor Shortes, Candice Carrer, Dylan Shortes, Johnny Avant, Natasha Woolverton, Justin Avant, Kara Ybarbo, Macayla Woolverton, Samantha Scott, Scarlett Scott, Joseph Scott and Dilllan Winder; sisters Billy Pat Everett, Mabank; Margaret Don Thompson, Mabank; nieces, nephews, other family member and many friends.

Steven Roy Lacefield
Services for Steven Roy Lacefield, 58, Mabank, were held at the Church of Christ in Temple, Okla. June 7, 2006, with Minister Lavelle Layfield officiating under the direction of Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home in Temple. Burial was in Temple Cemetery.
Lacefield was born Nov. 19, 1947, in DeQueen, Ark. and died June 3, 2006, in Royal, Ark.
He married his high school sweetheart Jackie Kindred June 1, 1968 in Temple where he was also baptized.
Lacefield was the owner of Lacefield Investments, a corporation which included Lacefield Chevrolet, Cadillac, Pontiac, Buick Dealership; Shanoan Springs Nursing Home in Chickasha, Okla. and Don’s Port Marina plus many other real estate properties in Texas.
Survivors include his wife Jackie Lacefield of Mabank; sons, Brandon Lacefield and wife Jennifer of Crandall; Faron Lacefield and wife Joni of Canton; daughter Farrah Butler and husband Billy of Tool; grandchildren Lacy, Jacy, Tyler, and Kyla.; brother Don Lacefield; sister Iowana Walch; mother Pearlene Lacefield; nieces, nephews, other family members and many friends.
He will be missed dearly by all.
Pallbearers include: Paul Jeffery, Gerald Collier, O.C. Dobbins, Jerry O’Conner, Jerry Wright and Art Doughty.
Honorary Pallbearers: Ramon Gutierrez, Bobby Ellis, Bobby “Slim” Bogan, Dennis Daft, Billy Butler, and Dana Forgy.

Elmo Whitten
Services for Elmo Darius Whitten, 82, Mabank, were held June 14, 2006, at Anderson Clayton Bros. Funeral Home in Kemp, with the Rev. Bobby Jock officiating. Interment followed at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas.
Whitten was born March 20, 1924, in Ladonia, and died June 12, 2006, at his residence in Mabank.
He was a member of the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Eustace and was a music director at the church. He played the guitar and sang.
Whitten was a veteran, serving in the Army during World War II.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Whitten, and three brothers, Orville, Bobby and Dub, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn of Mabank; daughters Linda Said of Mesquite, Janie Francis and husband Earl of Tool; and Linda Whitten of Texas; sons Donald Whitten and wife Sonja of Gun Barrel City; and Billy Shepard and wife Vicki of Rowlett; 12 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.
The online guestbook at www.andersonclaytonbros.com.

Jonathan Wakefield
Services for Jonathan Ray Wakefield were held June 14, 2006, at the Church of the Nazarene in Gun Barrel City. Interment was in Guthrie Cemetery under the direction of Tomlinson Funeral Home in Seven Points.
He was born Dec. 23, 2005, and died June 10, 2006, in Dallas.
Survivors include his parents Michael and Dana Wakefield; brother Simon Silva; great-grandmother Susie Baker; aunts and uncles Tina and Clarence Newton and Sharon and Jerry Young; and cousin Catherine Young.

Anjeanette Fisher
Services for Minister Anjeanette Yvette Joyce Fisher, 29, Malakoff, were held June 11, 2006, at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Malakoff with the Revs. Carl Woodard and Kednick Graves officiating. Burial was in Steen Cemetery under the direction of Cain-Brown’s Memorial Funeral Home in Malakoff.
Fisher died May 31, 2006, in a Dallas hospital.
She graduated from Waco High School in 1995, and attended McLenman Community College. She was a member of the Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church in Waco.
Survivors include her parents Adolphus Sr. and Evelyn Joyce Fisher, Malakoff; sisters Alva Eberhart, Antoninette Wilks and Angeletta Fisher, all of Waco; brother Adolphus Fisher Jr., San Angelo; grandmother Katie Fisher; one niece; two nephews; and other relatives.