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.)

Chad Smith

Funeral services for Chad Smith, 42, of Frankston, are scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, August 7, 2015, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston with Ron Ivey and Don Cantor officiating.

He will be laid to rest in Frankston City Cemetery.

Mr. Smith passed away Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, in Tyler.

He was born May 11, 1973, in Jacksonville.

Chad was a member of Church of Christ and William Foster Masonic Lodge #312 AF and AM in Frankston.

He was an avid fisherman and hunter who enjoyed the outdoors and being around his friends.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Penny Smith.

Survivors include parents O’Neal and Charlotte Smith of Frankston; a sister Vicky Haynes and husband Ben of Poynor; nieces and nephews Clint Douglas, Makenzie Roberts, Nancy Moseley, Justin Roberts, Ben W. Haynes and Jacob Haynes.

Pallbearers will be Trent Cook, Ryan Bizzell, Jeremy Smith, Kevin McDonald, Mikey Tidmore and Kelly Saunders.

Honorary pallbearers will be the members of William Foster Masonic Lodge #312.

Visitation will begin on Thursday, August 6, 2015, with family receiving friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

Rather than customary condolences, memorials may be made to the William Foster Masonic Lodge #312 P.O. Box 312, Frankston, Texas 75763.

Reba Cummings

Graveside services for Reba Cummings, 76, of Frankston, were held Saturday, August 1, 2015, at Carroll Springs Cemetery in Athens with the Rev. Don Harvey officiating.

Services were under direction of Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

Mrs. Cummings passed away Wednesday, July 29, 2015, in Frankston.

She was born March 3, 1939, in Brown County, Texas, to Ruth and Buford Kinchen.

Reba was a member of the Cove Springs Baptist Church in Jacksonville.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth E. Cummings and daughter, Pamela Gail Cummings.

Survivors include her sons, Kenneth Wayne Cummings of Jacksonville, Douglas Ray Cummings of Frankston, Buford Daniel Cummings of Jacksonville, David Eugene Cummings; brother Martin Kinchen of Rusk and sister Judy Roth of Denver, CO.; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

De Wayne Shults

Services for De Wayne Shults, 81, of Palestine were held Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, at Bailey & Foster Chapel with Kevin Wright officiating.

Burial followed in Brushy Creek Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Bailey & Foster.

Mr. Shults died Tuesday at Trucare Living Center. He was born Aug. 27, 1933, in Post, Texas to Calvin and Pauline Rhoderick Shults.

Mr. Shults was an employee for the U.S. Post Office. He married Anna Jean French December 23, 1955.

Mr. Shults was preceded in death by his parents, children; Brenda, Damon, Kevin, Leslie, and Stephen, grandson, Nathan and two sisters, Nelra and Annita.

He is survived by his daughters-in-law Nancy, Nita, and Marcy; grandchildren Jennifer, Verity, Derrick and wife Kristen, Dustin and wife Ashley, Devon, Riley, Heather, Bethany and husband Clay, and Erica; eleven great grandchildren, Isabella, Brittany, Jerod, Stanley, Christopher, Lauren, Brooke, Harlow, Emily, Blair, and Noah.

To view online leave condolences or sign the guest book go to www.baileyandfosterfuneralhome.com.

Mona Raye Shaw Osborn

Funeral services for Mona Raye Shaw Osborn, 85, of Troup were held at First United Methodist Church in Troup on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Tommy Earl Burton officiating and with interment following at Pinecrest Cemetery in Troup.

Ms. Osborn passed away Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, in Troup, Texas. She was born on May 28, 1930, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Ira D. Shaw and Alta L. Davis Shaw.

Ms. Osborn was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Troup for many years. She energetically volunteered for the monthly Senior Day at the Troup Library. She belonged to multiple “game playing groups,” and she always played to win, especially at Rummikub. She was also in the first organized group of the Apache Bells, at Tyler Junior College.

Ms. Osborn was preceded in death by her brother, Ira Don Shaw and her beloved husband John Dean Osborn. He was the love of her life. She returned to his arms one day prior to their 67th wedding anniversary.

She started a play school in her home, which was later moved to the First United Methodist Church of Troup. She closed her play school to become a teacher’s aide in a kindergarten classroom.

After receiving her teaching degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, she taught kindergarten for 25 years at Troup ISD.

In April of this year, she was honored at the Troup Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her many years of dedicated service to Troup ISD children.

Survivors include two children, Chuck Osborn of Tyler and Gigi Selman and husband Larry of Frankston; 4 grandchildren, Andy Osborn, Shelley Pfister, Clint Selman, and Adam Selman; 6 great grandchildren, Riley and Callie Selman, Parker Osborn, Abigail Osborn, Emma Pfister and Giselle Pfister. She was lovingly known to family and friends as “Mert.” She was the most patient, kind, and fun-loving grandparent a child could want.

Pallbearers were Butch Dubre, Tim Shaw, Clint Selman, Adam Selman, Andy Osborn and James Branham. Honorary Pallbearers are Joe Carlyle and Larry Selman.

The family received friends and loved ones at the Cottle Funeral Home Chapel, Troup from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015.

Memorial donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Troup, 202 E. Duval Troup, Texas 75789.

Online registration and condolences are available at www.cottlefuneralhome.com.

John Taylor

Graveside services for John T. Taylor, 70, of Frankston, were held Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, at Frankston City Cemetery with Bro. George Folmar officiating. Services were under the direction of Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

Mr. Taylor passed away Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, in Tyler.

He was born Oct. 17, 1944, in Dekalb, Texas to Katherine and V.L. Taylor.

John was a barber for many years in Frankston.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Hollis London.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Judy Taylor of Frankston; son, Paul Taylor and wife Candy of Chapel Hill; daughter, Laurie Adams and husband Randy of Frankston; brothers, Windal Lindsey and wife Mary Jane of Mt. Pleasant, Mike Taylor and wife Judy of Pittsburg, Texas; aunt, Janice Hatfield of Mt. Pleasant; brother-in-law Tommy Jaggers and wife Brenda, of Frankston; grandsons, Wade, Jasper and Wyatt; and several nieces and nephews.

Honorary pallbearers were Louis Clakley, Shannon Clakley, H.G. “Nick” Nichols, Wayne Gideon, Shane London, Jimmy Reynolds, and the SCS Hunting Club.

Rather than customary condolences, donations in memory of John may be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd. Tyler, Texas 75701.

Josephine Blanton

Funeral services for Josephine Blanton, 88, of Frankston, were held Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston. Interment was at Frankston City Cemetery.

Mrs. Blanton passed away Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015, in Tyler.

She was born Nov. 1, 1926, in Grans, Oklahoma to Clora Allen and William Owens.

Josephine was a member of the Open Door Baptist Church in Mesquite.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Travis Allen Blanton, Sr.; daughter, Joyce Corley; grandson, Jacob Aaron Hoffman; brothers, Billy Thomas, and Enoch Owens; sons-in-law, Dave Huggins and Dan Langley.

Survivors include her daughters, Donna Huggins of Tyler, Kelli Blanton of Tyler, Lori Burchett and husband Randy of Frankston; sons; Randy Scott and wife Carolyn of Houston, Travis Allen Blanton, Jr. of Mesquite; brothers, Raymond Owens of Sallisaw, OK, Cheek Owens of Bartsville, OK; grandchildren, Susie Burris, Jenifer Krieger, Melissa Scott, Melanie Kirk, Scott, Tyler, and Jordan Burchett, Nathan, Ashley, and Michael Hoffman, John Paul Eltife, Travis Allen Blanton III, Grayson Blanton; great-grandchildren, Maigan, Emmalee, Kathryn, Andrew, Carlile, Rhianna, Jaxon, Ian, Joey, Austin, Brooklynn, Carson, Tyson, Presley, and Payton; and two great-great grandchildren, Bryson and Lane.

Grandchildren served as pallbearers.

Ray Franklin Harris

On, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, Ray Franklin Harris, 78, of Frankston left this earth to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He passed away at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler and was surrounded by his family and friends.

He was born to the late L. B. and Thelma Harris on Oct. 13, 1936, and was a lifelong resident of the Frankston area.

He graduated from LaPoynor High School in 1956 and worked his whole life in the construction and concrete industry.

Having a keen eye for detail and understanding, he managed many large and small projects and owned his own company.

Ray was an active member of First Baptist Church of Frankston, a member of the Pairs and Spares Sunday School Class and served as a past city council member for Frankston.

He had a passion for gardening, traveling, watching western movies, and spending time with his family.

Mr. Harris is survived by his wife of 58 years, Evelyn Vaughan Harris; his sons Bobby Harris and wife Ginger of Flint, and Thomas Harris and partner Peter of Dallas; his daughters Debbie Harris Scott and husband Craig of Temple, Sonya Harris White and husband Joe of Crandall, and Paula Harris Hintz and husband Paul of Chapel Hill.

He has 16 grandchildren: Joseph Raines and wife Lori, Brooke Harris Peery and husband Joey, Heath Scott, Trent Scott, Chris White and wife Meghan, Jackson White, Kate Hintz Stewart and husband Cory, Paige Hintz, Brighton White, Jase Harris, Parker Hintz, and Riley Harris.

His four great-grandchildren are Brittney Raines, Grace Peery, Gracie Raines, and Reece Peery.

He leaves two brothers, James Harris of Jacksonville and Jimmy Harris of Athens along with three sisters, Nettie Holland of Malakoff, Nell Hall of Frankston and Diane Beard of Frankston.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother L .B. and Thelma Harris, his daughter Janet Harris and his brother Elvin Harris.

Pallbearers for the service were his grandchildren.

A viewing was held Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, at Autry Funeral Home. The funeral was held Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, at First Baptist Church in Frankston. The burial followed at Bushy Creek Cemetery.

Clifford Gerrit Blink

Graveside services for Clifford Gerrit Blink, 91, of Murchison, were held Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, in the Rock Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Rick Gray officiating. Burial was under direction of Chandler Memorial Funeral Home.

Mr. Blink passed away August 18, 2015, in Athens. He was born July 23, 1924, in Harvey, Illinois to Harry and Mary Blink.

Survivors include sons, Clifford Gerrit Blink, Jr. and wife Silvia of Momence, Illinois, C.W. “Shorty” Blink and wife Donna of Wanatah, Indiana; daughter, Madge Menninger and husband Alan of Frankston; six grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.

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