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.)

Mary Virginia Tarrant

Funeral services for Mary Virginia Tarrant, 87, of Frankston, are scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, June 4, 2015, at First Baptist Church of Frankston with the Rev. Scott Wiley officiating.

Interment will be at Frankston City Cemetery.

Services are under the direction of Autry Funeral Home in Frankston

Mrs. Tarrant passed away Monday, June 1, 2015, in Tyler.

She was born Sept. 9, 1927, in Frankston to Walter and Mary Lou Overton.

Mary was a caregiver to her family and anyone in need.

For many years, she hosted a Thursday ladies’ luncheon and game hour lunch at her home. At the age of 9, Mary joined the First Baptist Church of Frankston and had been a member ever since.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Alvis D. Tarrant; sister and brother-in-law, Juanita Conley and Gene; and brother-in-law Walter Lee.

Survivors include her daughters, Cheri Abbott and husband Don of Tyler, Deborah Tarrant of Frankston; sister Hazel Lee of Beaumont; grand dog Sophie of Tyler; special friend Lisa Traylor of Frankston; and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Johnny Taylor, Johnny Burks, Bobby Bradford, Mickey Tarrant, L.J. Smith and Joey Maxwell.

Honorary pallbearers will be Don Abbott, Larry Welch, and Jerry Nichols.

Rather than customary condolences, donations in memory of Mary Virginia may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund at P.O. Box 38, Frankston, Texas 75763.

Jack Benny Hawkins

Services for Jack Benny Hawkins, 73, of Frankston were held Tuesday, May 26, at the Boren Conner Funeral Home Chapel in Bullard with Ken Owens officiating.

Mr. Hawkins was born Nov. 30, 1941, in Kilgore to Billy Hawkins and Opal Blagg Hawkins.

He was a contractor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Lillian Hawkins, sister June Winkel, brothers Jimmy Hawkins, Billy Hawkins and Larry Hawkins, and daughter Sherry Davis.

He is survived by his daughter Robin Bowman, sisters JoAnn Dunman, Jean Brennam, Jannie Philley, Peggy Presidge; brother Jerry Hawkins; six grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Marvin W. England

Graveside services for Marvin W. England of Luling, godfather of Kathryn Graham of Frankston, will be held in the Luling Cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 6.

Mr. England, who died May 31, was born September 30, 1914, on a farm in eastern Guadalupe County just across the San Marcos River from Luling. He was the son of Marvin M. “Bud” England and Mabel Bridges England.

He attended the Bethany and Woodrow Center Schools before the family moved to Luling in 1924 where he continued his schooling. He left school after the 10th grade to work in the Magnolia Refinery with his father.

A few years later, he began part-time work for the Southwest Natural Gas Company, soon becoming a full time employee and assuming the job of local manager in 1942.

Except for his military service in World War II, he continued as local manager with Southwest Natural Gas and its successor, Arkla Gas, until his retirement in 1979.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy, aboard the battleship U.S.S. South Dakota, holding the rank of Seaman First Class when he was honorably discharged in 1946.

He was affiliated with The Church of the Annunciation -- Episcopal for many years, serving on the Church Vestry, and as Junior Warden and Senior Warden.

Marvin is survived by his son, D. Gene England; his grandsons, Meric England and wife, Kerri, and Scott England and wife, Linda; and great grandchildren, Austin Blake and Lauren, all of Terre Haute, IN. Also surviving are his step daughter, Shirley Jean Streetman; granddaughters - Shawna Faye Rawlinson and Sheila Jean Knight; great granddaughters, Shelby Jean Rawlinson and Summer Jean Knight; and a god daughter, Kathryn Huffman Graham of Frankston. Arrangements are under the care of O’Bannon Funeral Home of Luling.

Mattie Mae Dixon

Funeral services for Missionary Mattie Mae Dixon, a native of Frankston, were held on June 6, 2015, at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Chandler.

Missionary Dixon, 94, died on May 31, 2015. Burial was in Pine Springs Cemetery in Frankston under the direction of Community Funeral Home of Tyler.

Her services were officiated by Pastor Mylanda Smallwood of the House of Faith with Bishop Robert L. Davis as the eulogist. Solos were performed by Sister Marilyn Smallwood and Lady Sandra Scruggs.

Missionary (Maw-Maw) Dixon was born to Ras and Charlotte Smallwood on June 7, 1921, in Frankston. She was married to Jessie Dixon on Aug. 25, 1937. The couple had seven children and reared a granddaughter, Diane Dixon.

She grew up and was educated in Pine Springs Public School District. She and her husband later moved to Waxahachie, then to Reagor Springs before moving back home to Frankston.

She served as a Missionary Bible Teacher, a Prayer Warrior, and Church Mother and was noted for spreading the Word of God all over East Texas.

Survivors include four daughters, Jessie R. Jones of Fort Worth, Inell Lewis of Frankston, Margie Butler and Emma Parhams of Waxahachie; two sons, Robert Dixon Sr. and Hazel of Tyler, Ronnie J. Dixon and Harriet of Round Rock; three sisters, Marjorie Smallwood of Tyler, Lauro Mae Smallwood and Mercy Hatton of Waxahachie; three sisters-in-law, Margie Smallwood of Lufkin, Amanda Woffard of Ennis and Carolyn Smallwood of Tyler; one special son-in-law, John Butler of Palestine; one prayer partner, Minister Stanley Becks; 28 grandchildren; 83 great-grandchildren; 34 great-great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a baby son R. T. Dixon; two brothers, Arthur Lee and Marvin Smallwood; a sister Alene Woods; three sons-in-laws James W. Lewis, Jimmy Parhams and Eddie Jones; and one great-granddaughter LaTavia Campbell.

Pallbearers were Jason Butler, K. D. Butler, Anthony Dennis, Eric Dixon, Robert Dixon Jr., Jimmy Lewis, Keith Parhams and Larry Parhams.

Honorary pallbearers were Damien Butler, Eric Dixon, Greg Dixon, Elmer Hall, Corey Lewis, James Lewis Jr., Cornelius Van Zandt and Tommy Turner.

Naomi Birdwell Cook

Funeral services for Naomi Birdwell Cook, 80, of Frankston, were held Monday, June 15, 2015, at First Baptist Church Frankston with the Rev. Scott Wiley, the Rev. Olin Boles and the Rev. J.A. Griffin officiating.

Interment followed at Frankston City Cemetery under the direction of Autry Funeral Home.

Mrs. Cook passed away Friday, June 12, 2015, at her home in Frankston.

She was born Sept. 15, 1934, in Anderson County to Alvie and Minnie Birdwell.

Naomi was a member of the First Baptist Church Frankston.

She was preceded in death by her husband Thomas Cook; parents Alvie and Minnie Birdwell; and brother A.L. Birdwell, Jr.

Survivors include her son Tommy Dale Cook and wife Lisa; daughter Gena Lee Stoke and husband Aaron; grandchildren Jesse Cook, Minnie Baker and husband Matt, Anissa Stoke, Jett Stoke; great-grandchildren Brooklyn Baker, Braylyn Baker, Devyn Cook; nephew Elmer Gene Birdwell and wife Gale; nieces Amber Scarbrough, Brandi Birdwell; and sister-in-law Christine Birdwell.

Pallbearers were Johnny Burks, Raymond Nichols, Bo Ousley, Billy Dean, Mike Cook and Jerry Beard.

Honorary Pallbearers were all her loving and caring friends.

Frances Ann Frazier

Frances Ann Frazier, 75, of Wylie passed away on June 12, 2015. Frances was born in Tarrant County, Texas, in January 1940, to Christine and Orvis Norwood.

She was raised by her maternal grandparents, Enoch and Bertha Hitt in La Rue, Texas, where she attended La Poynor school and graduated from South Oak Cliff High School in 1958.

Frances married Jack R. Frazier, Jr. in 1957.

She was a homemaker, but was employed as a bookkeeper, baker and seamstress throughout the years.

She enjoyed being outdoors, gardening, creating delicate ornate eggs, going to the Texas State Fair and traveling with family and friends.

She was a member at Crestview Baptist Church in Richardson, Spring Valley Baptist Church in Dallas and most recently, First Baptist Church Wylie.

Frances answered God’s call in her early 20’s to lead a Sunday school class, a calling she was devoted to for over 40 years.

She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, cousin and friend to many.

Frances is survived by spouse Jack R. Frazier, Jr. of Wylie; son and daughter-in-law Steve and Tory Frazier of Gilmer; daughter Cindy Ventris of Wylie; daughter and son-in-law Becka and Tracey Zaplatel of Wylie; granddaughter and spouse Charlsie and Jeff Andreason of Lindale; grandson and spouse Lucas and Alex Frazier of Asheville, NC; grandson and spouse Sgt. Codie and Kelsey Lewis of Baton Rouge, LA; grandson Chris Bloyd of Gilmer; grandson Frazier Ventris of Wylie; grandsons Grant and Scott Hunter of Wylie; granddaughter Katie Clines of Terrell; great-grandchildren Caedmon, Cambry, Johnny Owen and Enoch Andreason of Lindale; sister Llady Faye Barnett of Galveston; and numerous cousins.

Frances was preceded in death by her grandparents, mother and father.

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