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.)

Ray Hughes

Ray Hughes went home to be with his Lord, surrounded by his family on Jan. 28, 2015, in Tyler.

Funeral services for Hughes, 86, of Frankston, were held Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, at First Baptist Church of Frankston with the Rev. Scott Wiley and the Rev. George Folmar officiating. Interment, with Masonic graveside rites, were at Frankston City Cemetery. Services were under the direction of Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

He was born Oct. 1, 1928, in Fincastle, Texas.

Ray was past worshipful master and a 60 year member of William Foster Masonic Lodge AF and AM of Frankston. He was also a 32nd degree Mason and was a Shriner. He was an usher and member of First Baptist Church of Frankston.

He was preceded in death by his parents George and Beatrice Hughes; sisters Reba Berchey and Evelyn Leavings; and a daughter-in-law Valarie Hughes.

Survivors include his wife of 66 years Meddie “Bet” Hughes of Frankston; son Allen Ray Hughes and wife Jackie of Frankston; daughter Gerri Clem and husband Darell of Kingwood; four grandchildren Billy Ray Hughes, Toby Ray Hughes and wife Niki, Coy Allen Clem, Crystal Michelle Boomer and husband Derek; six great-grandchildren Valarie, Cooper, Brody, Stella, Dallas, and Shane.

Pallbearers were Coy Clem, Toby Hughes, Bobby Dousay, Donnie Leavings, Cole Hutchinson, Derek Boomer, Mark House, and Andrew Dousay.

Honorary pallbearers were members of William Foster Masonic Lodge of Frankston.

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

Naomi Bearden Hataway

Funeral services for Naomi Bearden Hataway, 95, of Cedar Hill, were held Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston with Bro. George Folmar and Bro. James Engle officiating. Interment was at Corine Cemetery in Jacksonville.

Services were under direction of Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

Mrs. Hataway passed away Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, in Cedar Hill.

She was born May 19, 1919, in Cherokee County.

She was a member of Hilltop Baptist Church in Berryville.

She was preceded in death by her husband J.C. Hataway; parents Jesse and Ima Bearden; sisters Norma Bearden, Glinda Rains, and Imogene Glasscock; and son-in-law Jerry Isham.

Survivors include her son Jon Hataway and wife Glenda of Lubbock; daughter Glynda Isham of Cedar Hill; grandchildren Angie Martin and husband Mike of Lubbock, Jeff Isham and wife Wendy of College Station, Shelley Arp and John of Kempner, and Brandi

Williams and husband Shane of Lubbuck.

She is also survived by eight great grandchildren Malori Steadman of Midland, Kellsie Isham and Jace Isham both of College Station, Kaitlin Arp of Kempner, Alexis Martin, Allison Germany, Aiden Martin and Tim Williams all of Lubbock; and two great-great grandchildren Avery and Keely.

Pallbearers were Larry Rains, Jeff Isham, Shane Williams, Jace Isham, Mike Martin and John Arp.

Honorary pallbearers were Tim Williams and Aiden Martin.

Memorials may be made in honor of Naomi to Hilltop Baptist Church, 11269 CR 4117, Frankston, TX 75763.

Debbie Susan Cullard

Graveside services for Debbie Susan Culland, 62, of Berryville, were held Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at Garden Oaks Cemetery in Berryville.

Services were under the direction of Autry Funeral Home in Jacksonville.

Mrs. Culland passed away Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in Frankston.

She was born Jan. 7, 1952, in Midland to Harold and Jo Estelle McCann.

Debbie was a member of The Order of the Eastern Star No. 610 in Longview. She was a true animal lover.

She was preceded in death by daughter Skeeter Hawley, and grandparents Joe and Mike McClendon.

Survivors include her husband Roger Culland of Berryville; and sister Mina Faye Bruner.

Phil Singleton

Graveside services for Phil Singleton, 64, of Athens, Texas, were held Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at 3 p.m. at Oakview Cemetery in Mullin, Texas, with Ivan Chesser officiating.

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

Phil went to heaven January 29, 2015.

He was born Aug. 16, 1950, in Brownwood.

Mike Tolner

Michael J. “Mike” Tolner, 71, of Austin, Minnesota, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, at his home near Austin.

Survivors include his brother Don (Laura) Tolner of Austin, MN, formerly of Berryville, Texas; sister Sharon (Don) Fenton of Ellsworth, Wisconsin; nieces and nephews Tammy Westrich, Kimberly Burgan, David Martin, Billy McKinney, Donald Fenton, Jr., Jon Fenton, April Macedo, and Cheryl Fenton; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents Donald and Mildred (Booker) Tolner Jr.

He was known to many as ‘Uncle Mike’.

A private family services will be held at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin. Interment will be in Garden Oaks Cemetery, Berryville, Texas, at a later date. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.

LaTonya Hambrick

Funeral Services for LaTonya Denise Hambrick, 34, of LaRue, were held Saturday at First Baptist Church in Poynor with the Rev. John Taylor III officiating.

Burial followed in Pleasant Hill Cemetery under direction of John R. Harmon Undertaking Company of Tyler.

Ms. Hambrick died Feb. 1, 2015, in Smith County. She was born Nov. 2, 1980, in Henderson County.

Victor Fields

Victor Fields of Austin, Texas, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015, at the age of 67.

Vic was born in Jacksonville, Texas, on May 2, 1947, to Harry and Maggie Fields of Frankston. Harry was the depot agent in Frankston for many decades and Maggie was a renowned artist. Both parents preceded him in death.

Vic was a 1965 graduate of Frankston High School and voted "Most Likely to Succeed."

He received his degree at The University of Texas in Austin; where he met his future wife, the former Sherry Klar.

He was accepted to Columbia University in New York City; earning his Masters' Degree in Russian Studies, under the guidance of Zbigniew Brzezinski, who later became famous as U.S. National Security Advisor.

After graduation from Columbia, Vic was hired as an analyst by the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, during the height of the Cold War era.

Following this, he was employed by Dow Chemical Co. in Chicago where their sons were born.

Once again, the lure of academia called. Vic and family moved to Lubbock for his pursuit of a law degree at Texas Tech University.

During this time, their daughter was born. After law school and passing the bar, he joined the Ramey Law Firm in Tyler; becoming a partner and developing his career while he and Sherry raised their children. In the late 1980's, Vic's final career move was returning to Austin, the place he and Sherry loved.

There, Vic continued practicing law and established his own law firm. He watched the children grow into adulthood (each earning degrees from UT) and enjoyed a wonderful life in the heart of Texas.

Vic is survived by his wife Sherry of Austin; son and daughter-in-law Tim and Rebecca Fields of Vancouver, Canada; son Mike Fields and his son, Grayson; daughter Lauren Fields all of Austin; brother and sister-in-law Gene and Jemmy Fields of Ann Arbor, Michigan; nieces Robin Fields of Tyler and Alison Fields of Cincinnati, Ohio; sister-in-law, brother-in-law and nephew, Terry, David and Geoffrey Shames of Berkley, California; a host of loving family and long-time friends. Also leaving behind his faithful companions, Ranger and Blue Duck.

A memorial to commemorate Vic will be placed at Wofford Cemetery, Frankston.

Louise Hearn

Elnora “Louise” Hearn, 89, passed away peacefully Feb. 12, 2015, at the Hospice of East Texas Home Place in Tyler after a short illness.

Louise was born in Palestine April 14, 1925, to Benjamin Lenson Hearn and Sarah Elnora Lively Hearn.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother William Lenson (Bill) Hearn.

She is survived by three sisters Marie Anderson of Golden, Colo., Wanda Berry and husband J.B. of Frankston, Shan Andrews of Frankston; two brothers B.L. Hearn and wife Jeanette of Frankston and Harold Hearn and wife Sharon of Flint.

She was a member of Frankston Church of Christ.

Louise spent many years painting houses in the Palestine area and was appreciated for her quality work.

Autry Funeral Home in Frankston was in charge of the arrangements.

The funeral was Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston. Interment followed at Roselawn Cemetery in Palestine.

Harland Rick Klika

Harland Rick Klika passed away on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, at Trinity Mother Francis Hospital.

He was born Sept. 22, 1938, to George and Johanna Klika in Bovina, Wisconsin.

He was a resident of Frankston for 20 years.

He is survived by his wife Pat; sisters Izzy and husband Bob Huelsbeck, Georgie and Mike Gilbertson; his children Penny, Vicky, Rusty and grandchildren.

A homecoming service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2015, at Frankston Assembly of God.

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