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 Ballinger

Funeral services for Ray Ballinger, 64, of Lake Palestine were held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, at Thompson Funeral Home chapel in Frankston with Rev. J.A. Griffin officiating.

Burial was in Frankston City Cemetery.

Mr. Ballinger died Sunday, July 2, in a Tyler hospital.

He was born July 22, 1925 in Tennessee.

Mr. Ballinger was a retired plant supervisor of 25 years for Klein Products. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a member of the Frankston Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5073.

Survivors include his wife, Josephine Ballinger, Lake Palestine; a son, John Ballinger Berryville; a step-son, James Cummings, Frankston; two step-daughters, Suzette Fisher of Liberty, Ky. and Dianna Johnson, California; and a sister, Hazel Wade, Georgetown; and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Daniel Gattis, D.L. Martin, Harvey Cachtot and Darrel Sawyer.

Pallbearers were nephews.

Bessie Lee Pitcock

Funeral services for Bessie Lee Pitcock, 82, of Lewisville and formerly of Frankston, were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home in Lewisville with Chris White officiating.

Burial was in Roselawn Memorial Park in Denton with Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Pitcock died Tuesday, July 11, at RHD Memorial Medical Center in Farmers Branch.

She was born April 20, 1918 in Coleman, daughter of William Young and Mildred May Brown Ary.

She married Robert Wesley Pitcock on July 11, 1938 in Denton County.

Mrs. Pitcock was a member of the Garden Ridge Church of Christ in Lewisville and a former member of the Frankston Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her husband on Aug. 31, 1995; and a brother, James William Ary in November 1992.

Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Ken Mills, of Lewisville; a sister, Ida Mae Kirk of Lewisville; four grandchildren, Wesley, Meredith, Andrea and Jeffrey

.

Jessie McKenzie

LARUE - Funeral services for Jessie McKenzie, 75, of LaRue, were held at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at Lone Star Baptist Church with the Rev. Issac McKenzie officiating.

Burial was in Bethel Cemetery under direction of John R. Harmon Undertaking Co., Tyler.

Mr. McKenzie died Friday, July 7, in a Tyler hospital.

He was born Sept. 5, 1924, in Henderson County and was a lifelong resident of the area.

Mr. McKenzie attended Moore Station School and retired from Brownsboro Lumber Co. He was a member of Lone Star Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Lee McKenzie.

Survivors include sons, Jessie McKenzie, Samuel McKenzie, Tyree McKenzie and Carlos McKenzie, all of LaRue, Stanley McKenzie and Osborn McKenzie, both of Tyler; daughters, Patricia Barnes, Dallas, Joyce Williams, Palestine, Marilyn McKenzie, Athens, Valeria Johnson, Chandler and Hannah McKenzie, LaRue; brothers, Charlie McKenzie, Johnnie McKenzie, Carl McKenzie and Samuel McKenzie, all of LaRue; sister, Elnora Robinson, Waxahachie; 27 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and other relatives.

Pallbearers were Roy Hightower, Stacy Johnson, Charles Anderson, Happy Cook, Charles Hambrick and Nathaniel Henderson.

Honorary pallbearers were deacons of the church.

Mrs. Lonnie Brown

Funeral services for Mrs. Lonnie Brown, 87, of Frankston were held Thursday, July 27 at 10 a.m. at the Frankston Assembly of God with the Rev. J.A. Griffin officiating.

Burial was in the Frankston City Cemetery.

She died Tuesday, July 25 in a Tyler hospital. She was born March 14, 1913 in Eustace.

Mrs. Brown was a homemaker and a member of the Frankston Assembly of God.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Marshall Brown.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Travis and June Brown of Frankston, a brother and sister-in-law, Roy F. "Jack" and Ora Lee "Pete" Rolison, Houston; two grandsons, Dr. James Brown and his wife, Nancy and Seth Brown; two great grandchildren, Casey and Laura Brown.

Pallbearers were Dr. James Brown, Seth Brown, Darrell Rolison, Bennie Rolison, Roy Lee Rolison, Delwin Rolison, John E. Houston and Morris McLane

.

Ray Robertson

Funeral services for Ray Robertson, 69, of Frankston, formerly of Arlington, were held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 27, in the Thompson Funeral Home Chapel in Frankston with Rev. Bobby Walters officiatingBurial was at Garden Oaks Memorial Park in Berryville.

Mr. Robertson died Monday, July 24, in a Tyler hospital.He was born March 29, 1931 in Altus, Okay!.

Mr. Robertson was a member of the Moose Club, an air conditioner technician and a member of First Baptist Church, Frankston.

Survivors include his wife, Loretta Robertson of Frankston; a son, Mark Robertson of Jacksonville; daughters, Debra Walters of Cleveland, Brenda Luker and Wanda Park, both of Houston; a sister, Doris Townsend of Kemp; 15 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Josh Robertson, Cory Robertson, Kevin Robertson, Chad Hamilton, Bobby Walters Jr., Jeremy Hanson, Sammy Hanson and Kenneth Townsend.

Jack Lee Griffith

Jack Lee Griffith of Tyler was born Feb. 21, 1921 and died July 15, 2000.

Funeral services were held under the direction of Burks-Walker-Tippett Funeral Home of Tyler.

Graveside service was held by Dr. Jerry Phelps, pastor of Tyler Metro Church where Mr. Griffith attended.

He attended Tyler Public Schools. Mr. Griffith served in the Pacific Theater of Operations in New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon and the Philippines during World War II and received the Purple Heart.

Preceding Mr. Griffith in death were his parents, Lee and Leanna Bizzell Griffith; a sister, Loleta Griffith Miller; a niece, Sandra Miller Williamson; and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Griffith, and Lawson and Ellen Bizzell.

He is survived by two sons, Stephen L. Griffith and wife, Rhonda, and Sam Griffith of Starville; three grandchildren, Shelly, Emily and Andrew Griffith of Starville; one great-grandchild, Justin Griffith of Starville; a sister, Jewell Davis of Tyler; four nieces, Judy Burleson of Hide-Away Lake, Jill Starks of Tyler, Joyce Querry and Mickye Bristow of Poynor; a great-nephew, Josh Williamson of Hide-Away Lake; an aunt, Lucille Boles of Frankston; and a host of cousins.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Joe F. White

PALESTINE - Services for Joe F. White, 58, Palestine, were held at 10 a.m. Monday, July 24, at Bailey & Foster Funeral Home chapel, Palestine, with the Rev. David Boyd officiating.

Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. at Whitehouse Cemetery, Lufkin.

Mr. White died Friday, July 21, at his residence.

He was born in Angelina County to the late Vernon Franklin and Matilda Riley White.

Mr. White was self employed in independent route sales and was a member of Westwood Church of God.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley White, Palestine; daughter, Darlene Williams, Palestine; sons, Joe E. White, Frankston, and Roger White, Palestine; sister, Laveren Goins, Lufkin; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Brandon Williams, Nathan White, Chad White, David Brummit, David Goins and Garland Hawk.

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