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.)

Jimmy Smith

Services were held for James "Jimmy" Edward Smith, Jr., 39, at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Independence, Mo. on March 1, 2008.

Services were also held at Autry Funeral Home in Frankston on March 3, 2008 with Brother Darin Wood officiating. Interment was in Frankston City Cemetery.

Jimmy passed away on Feb. 26, 2008 at his home in Blue Springs, Mo.

Jimmy was born on Oct. 7, 1968 in Tyler to Jim and Sue Smith of Frankston.

He was a graduate of Frankston High School in 1987 and an alumnus of Texas A&M University where he earned his bachelor of science in watershed management and a master of science in soil and crop sciences.

Jimmy was a member of First United Methodist Church of Blue Springs, Mo. He worked as a consultant for Burns & McDonnell Engineering and was Vice President of the International Right of Way Association.

At work, Jimmy was known as that big friendly guy with a Texas drawl that made everyone feel comfortable and included.

He appreciated nature and spent three summers doing environmental research in Honduras and loved to give presentations about his experiences there.

He was full of love and very outgoing and would talk to everyone he met.

Jimmy greatly enjoyed spending time with his family.

He was preceded in death by his uncle, David Vermillion and his grandparents.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Smith of Blue Springs Mo.; daughters, Cassidy Ann Smith and Colleen Marie Smith both of Kearney, Mo.; his parents, Jim and Sue Smith of Frankston; a sister, Laurie Elkins and Steve of Plano, Texas; nieces and nephew, Blake and Brooklynn Elkins and Dominic Schierbaum; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ana and DL Schierbaum of Edwardsville, Kansas; mother-inlaw and father-in-law, Mirko and Ruzica Vardijan of Edwardsville, Kansas.

Robert Jones

Robert Byron Jones, 89, a native of Frankston and a graduate of Frankston High School, died on Feb. 23, 2008, in San Antonio.

The son of the late M. B. and Arlene Jones, he was born Sept. 23, 1918, in Frankston.

He was buried on Feb. 27 in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio with full military honors.

Mr. Jones served his country for 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and worked 20 years at Social Security after his military retirement. He was also a graduate of St. Mary's University with a master's degree in history.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Ladelle; daughter Carolyn McCarty and husband Jim of Slidell, La.; two grandsons, Bryan McCarty and wife Jessica of New Orleans and John McCarty of Boston; sister, Susie Owens of Chandler; and brother Bill and wife Virginia of Frankston.

Annie Dicus

Annie Myrle Freeman Dicus of Kaufman, formerly of Frankston and Jacksonville, passed away on March 4, 2008 at Sunflower Park Nursing Home in Kaufman.

She was born May 11, 1914 in Frankston.

She had lived in Kaufman since 1995.

She was a member of Grace Fellowship Baptist Church, Kaufman and was a retired seamstress beginning her career in WW II making Army tents.

After her retirement, she was the babysitter for the Swanson and Autry families of Jacksonville.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Buford L. Dicus; four brothers, Eugene, Dan, Tommy and Frank Freeman; one sister, Floreed E. Kimbrough; and one great-grandson, Ikaika Thomas.

She is survived by one son, Albert L. and Lorna Dicus of Honolulu, Hawaii; one daughter, Louise and Danny Hazelip of Scurry; two brothers, Jesse Milburn Freeman of Springtown and T.D. Freeman of Houston; five grandsons, one granddaughter, six great-grandsons, four great granddaughters and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services were held March 8, 2008 at Olive Branch Cemetery in Brushy Creek with the Rev. G.C. Folmar officiating and under direction of Autry Funeral Home of Jacksonville.

Clyde Bird

Services for Clyde Andrew Bird, 81, of Frankston, were scheduled for Saturday, March 15, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel, in Frankston with the Rev. Oles Pinson officiating and under the direction of Autry Funeral Home, Frankston.

Mr. Bird died March 13, 2008.

He was born Sept. 28, 1926 in Rusk County, to Albert Hermon and Bessie Lee Barratt Bird.

He was a truck driver and rancher, a member of the Masonic Lodge of Garrison and a Shriner.

He is survived by his wife, Juanita Bird of Frankston; sons and daughter-in-law, Jerry Bird of Frankston, Mike and Janie Bird of Frankston and Ray Bird ofAbilene; daughter and son-in-law, Beverly and Bud Scheppler of Bradford; 12 grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren; brother, Ed Bird of Alvin; sister, Maxine Domino of Patterson, La.; and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Randy Bird, Shawn Bird, Kris Bird, Dustin Bird, Drew Bird, Brian Cooper, Brice Burrows and Tom Spears.

Honorary pallbearers were Tracy Durham, Carl Adkinson and Cody Mohan.

Lois 'Bit' Bridges

Services for Lois ‘Bit’  Bridges, 63, of Palestine, were held Saturday, March 22, at the Bailey & Foster Chapel with Dr. Barry Roberts officiating.

Burial was in the Broyles Chapel Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Bailey & Foster Funeral Home in Palestine.

Mrs. Bridges died Wednesday in Louisiana.

She was born Nov. 5, 1944 in Palestine, to Raymond and Welda Louise Butler Larson. She was a housewife.

Mrs. Bridges was preceded in death by her parents, her husband W.O. “Wabash” Bridges, her son, Michael W. Bridges and brother, Garland Larson.

She is survived by two sons Christopher Lane Bridges and wife Aneshia of Palestine, Floyd Neil Bridges and wife Melanie of Tyler; a daughter, Elisa Louise Largent and husband Johnnie R. of Neches; eleven grandchildren; one great grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews; and a special group of friends at Lake Palestine.

Pallbearers were Jackie Young, Gary Don Miles, Joe Dee Miles, Jim Norris, Mark Owens, Al Brooks, Andrew Grosvenor and Johnny Gaines.

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