Frankston Area Obituaries — 1999-Present

Here are the obituaries posted for the current month from information provided courtesy of local and area funeral homes and published on their websites or those submitted by families. If an obituary is overlooked and it is desired that it be posted, please inform us at frankstondepotlibrary@gmail.com . Families may request changes or additions, if required. If you have an obituary for a person who has connections with someone or some family in the Frankston-Poynor-LaRue or Lake Palestine area that you want posted to this month or to the archives, and is not currently posted, please let us know at frankstondepotlibrary@gmail.com . Obituaries selected or submitted should follow a format which is essentially consistent with other obituaries posted here or by funeral homes and follow standard grammatical style. Through arrangements with funeral homes and/or the families, we will publish pictures with current obituaries. We will add pictures to archived obituaries from the print version of The Citizen newspaper prior to September 2019 when available. Pictures with archived obituaries posted after that will be added in cooperation with funeral homes or on requests from families.  As was the tradition of the Citizen newspaper, obituaries are published at no charge.

(Obituaries listed chronologically by date of death or funeral service.)

Joan Mitchell

Funeral services for Joan Mitchell, 55, of Frankston were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, in the Thompson Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston.

Burial was at the Old Bethel Cemetery in Frankston.

Ms. Mitchell died Monday, July 30, in a Tyler hospital.

She was born Feb. 13, 1946 in Palestine. She was a longtime resident of the county.

Ms. Mitchell was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her father, Dennis Clay Mitchell and son, James Clay Lane.

Survivors include her mother, Clara B. Mitchell, Palestine; sisters, Glenda Saunders, Frankston and Patricia Walker, Frankston; numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Jeff Wright, Robert Thrush, Joel Smith, James Newman, Dennis Newman and Sidney Vance.

Honorary pallbearers were Joshua Berryhill and Jonathon Thrush.

Scott Daly

BRUSHY CREEK - Funeral services for Scott Daly, 16, of Brushy Creek, were held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, at Capps Memorial Chapel, Fairfield, with Brother Bubba Rutherford and Dr. Jack Shoultz officiating.

Graveside services were held at 5 p.m. at Neches City Cemetery.

Mr. Daly died Friday, July 27, in Fairfield.

He was born July 10, 1985 in Tyler to Leslie Daly and Sharon Morton.

Mr. Daly attended Anderson County Christian School and was currently enrolled at Fairfield High School. He as a member of Palestine Civil Air Patrol Wing.

Survivors include his father and stepmother, Leslie and Sally Daly, Brushy Creek; mother and stepfather, Sharon and Reggie Morton, Butler; and grandparents, Jerry and Joy Daly, Brushy Creek, David and Ginger Carter, Chandler, Patsy and Larry McMichael, Jacksonville.

Pallbearers were Dave Carter, Jeramiah Daly, Jeff Carter, Steve Boyd, Michael Keener, Mark Daly and Methodist Men of Brushy Creek United Methodist Church.

If desired memorials may be made to Methodist Children's Home Scholarship Fund, 1111 Herring Avenue, Waco, 76708; or Brushy Creek United Methodist Church, care of Lois LaRoe, Rt. 7 Box 7338, Palestine, 75803.

Betty Walls

Funeral services for Betty Walls, 66, of Reese, formerly of Lewisville, were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, in the Thompson Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville, with Walter White officiating.

Burial was in the Reese Cemetery.

Mrs. Walls died Thursday, Aug. 2, in a Tyler hospital.

She was born Nov. 15, 1934 in Harlingen.

Mrs. Walls was an elementary school teacher with Frankston ISD and a member of the Church of Christ. She was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa Sorority.

Mrs. Walls was preceded in death by her mother, Maurine Moody.

Survivors include her husband, James F. Walls, of Reese; sons and daughter-in-law, Larry D. and Bridget Walls of Nederland, and Donald G. Walls of Eastland; a daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Don McWhorter of Sanger; her father, L.B. Moody of Big Sandy; sisters and brothers-in-law, Martha and Ed Pace of Hawkins, Margaret and James Page of Kilgore; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Charles Berry, Josh Walls, Ryan Richard, Kent Hesterley, Mathew Walls and Toby Underwood.

Honorary pallbearers were Edward Reagan and Fred Rosser.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of East Texas of Tyler.

Delbert R. 'Dusty' Motal

Funeral services for Col. Delbert R. "Dusty" Motal, 68, of Lake Jackson were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at Lakewood Chapel in Lake Jackson with the Rev. Craig Taylor officiating.

Burial was at 6 p.m. at Poynor Community Cemetery with the Rev. David Mahan officiating.

Mr. Motal died Wednesday, Aug. 1.

He was born May 3, 1933, in El Campo to Edward and Ethel Motal.

He served as a distinguished officer and pilot in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years, graduating from Air War College in 1973.

Mr. Motal moved to Lake Jackson in 1991.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Barbara Motal; and brothers, Melvin, Rooster and Darrell.

He is survived by daughters and a son-in-law, Toni Brewer of Poynor, and Cherie Hanks-Anderson and Kie of Athens; son and daughter-in-law, William and Laura Motal; nine grandchildren; longtime friend, Katy Brown; her children, Georgette Walker, Don Allen Brown and Terry Lee Brown; brothers, Anthony Motal of Alvin and Gerald Motal of Conroe; and sisters, Arlene Benner of Port Lavaca and Rhonda Atchette of Spring.

Pallbearers were Chad Motal, Harlo Atchette, Mike Hanks, Don Allen Brown, Christopher Brown and Rick Shepard.

Esther Louise Shook

Funeral services for Esther Louise Shook, 76, of Frankston were held at 10 a.m. Thursday Aug. 9 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Tyler with the Rev. John Barrington officiating.

Burial was at Moore Gardens in Arlington at 2 p.m.

Services were under the direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

Mrs. Shook died Monday, Aug. 6 in a Tyler hospital.

She was born April 18, 1925 in Anamoose, N.D.

She was a retired teacher and was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church of Tyler.

Survivors include her husband, Paul J. Shook, Frankston; sons, Robert Stenseph, Mesquite and Mark Stenseph, Athens; one grandson, Robert Stenseph, Mesquite.

Pallbearers were William Parr, Glen Williams, Jack McClung, Don Park, Al Cobb and Willard Galloway.

Benton George Williamson

Funeral services for Benton George Williamson, 85, of Crockett were held Friday, Aug. 3, at 10 a.m. at Claybar-Waller-Ramsey Funeral Home in Crockett with Rev. E.P. Ramsey Jr. officiating.

Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery in Lovelady.

He was born April 10, 1916 in Frankston, son of Albert and Maudie Williamson. He was one of 13 children and a twin. He was reared on a farm and went to school in Frankston.

Mr. Williamson was preceded in death by his first wife, Alene, and two sons, Jerry and Terry.

He lived in Trinity for several years and worked as a logger. Later he moved to Houston where he had a long career in the lumber business, and retired in 1988 to a small farm in Crockett.

Survivors include his wife, Mattie Marie Williamson of Crockett; a daughter, Janice Marie Maire of Dickinson; a step-son, Michael D. Woodard of The Woodlands; a sister, Cordelia Smelley of Blanchard, La.; grandchildren, extended family and friends.

Laura Bacon Colson

Funeral services for Laura Bacon Colson, 97, of Frankston were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the First Baptist Church of Frankston.

Burial was in Frankston City Cemetery under direction of Thompson Funeral Home of Frankston.

She died Saturday, Aug. 18, in Tyler.

Mrs. Colson was born Nov. 10, 1903 to A.H. Bacon Sr. and Laura Anderson Dixon. She lived in Frankston most of her life.

Mrs. Colson taught school for many years in Eureka, Frankston, Tabor, Donie and Malone. After retiring from teaching, she was a bookkeeper at K. Wolens Dept. Store.

She married W.G. Colson Dec. 25, 1923. He was superintendent of Frankston Schools for a number of years until his death in 1951.

Mrs. Colson was a member of Frankston First Baptist Church, and served in several departments through the years. She was an active member of the Gleaners Sunday School Class.

Mrs. Colson was a life member of Texas Retired Teachers, Henderson County Retired Teachers, charter member of the Frankston Garden Club and Frankston Chapter No. 1113 Order of Eastern Star.

She is survived by a niece, Patsy Brooks of Pasadena; and two nephews, Billy Bacon of Frankston and Oneal Bacon of Newton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, W.G. Colson; parents, A.H. Bacon Sr. and Laura Anderson Bacon; brothers, Boyd Bacon, Murphy Bacon, W.O. (Woody) Bacon, Drew Bacon, William Bacon and Guy Dixon; sisters, Hazel Bacon, Lucille Beard and Elizabeth Park.

Pallbearers were Bill Hyde, Bo McKinney, David Hughes, Stanley Brooks, Britt Bacon, Dude Bacon, David Brooks and James Crews.

Honorary pallbearers were Ralph Brooks, Jimmy Reynolds, Terry Bacon, Billy Bacon, Adult Men’s Bible Class, Johnny Burks, Arnie Clakley and Oneal Bacon.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, Frankston City Cemetery Fund or Hospice of East Texas.

Sherry Lynn Goodson

Funeral services for Sherry Lynn Goodson, 34, of Dallas, were held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 17, in the Thompson Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston with Rev. Theo Johnson officiating.

Burial was in the Olive Branch Cemetery under direction of Thompson Funeral Home, Frankston.

She died Monday, Aug. 13, in Dallas.

Ms. Goodson was born Nov. 17, 1966 in Dallas.

She graduated from Balch Springs Christian Academy in 1985. Ms. Goodson was a member of Seagoville Road Baptist Church in Seagoville.

Survivors include a son, Jay Jay Brown of Mabank; her parents, Gene and Jean Goodson of Dallas; brothers, Steven Keith Fenley of Royce City; a sister, Paula Jean Fenley of Mesquite; grandmothers, Ruth Goodson of Dallas and Zenoba Pruitt of Lufkin; and several nieces and nephews.

Frances Gillespie Greene

Graveside services for Frances Gillespie Greene, 87, of Dallas were held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 30, in the Restland Memorial Park in Dallas.

Memorial services were at 11 a.m. at Central Christian Church with Rev. Norm Stolpe officiating.

Mrs. Greene died at her home in Dallas Monday, Aug. 27.

She was born in Dallas Jan. 14, 1914 and was schooled in Kaufman and Frankston.

Mrs. Greene worked for General Motors, Inc. from the late 1940’s until her retirement in 1975.

She married L.C. (Tom) Greene in June 1955. He preceded her in death in Oct. 1984.

She is survived by her brother, Robert Gillespie of Berryville; a sister and brother-in-law, Lillian and Wesley Murphey of Woodway; a sister-in-law, Opal Burnett of Dallas.

Among the surviving nieces and nephews are Joe Robert Gillespie and his wife Diane of Clear Lake; Frances Rhea Fontenot and her husband Perry of Pasadena, James Thomas Gillespie of Texas City, Barbara Murphey Taylor and her husband Jeff of Otascocita.

Willie ‘Peter’ Smith

Funeral services for Willie “Peter” Smith, 80, of Frankston were held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 24, at Evans Spring Baptist Church with Lonnie Ross officiating.

Burial was in Dabbs Cemetery near Frankston under direction of Mercy/McGowan Funeral Home, Jacksonville.

Mr. Smith died Wednesday, Aug. 15, in a Tyler nursing home.

He was born Nov. 20, 1921, in Neches and attended Clemons School in Neches.

Mr. Smith was a truck driver, and a member and deacon of Mount Olive Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife and a brother.

Survivors include nephew, David Adams of Tyler.

Pallbearers were friends.

Honorary pallbearers were deacons of the church.

(Obituaries posted contain information posted by funeral homes and/or families. Families may request changes or additions, if appropriate or required.)