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.)

Roy Darrell Geddes

A graveside service for Roy Darrell Geddes, 90, of Zionsville, IN, is scheduled for 9:30 in the morning Saturday, September 10, 2016, at Garden Oaks Memorial Park in Berryville.

Services are under the direction of Autry Funeral Home in Frankston.

Mr. Geddes passed away Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, in Indiana.

Roy was born July 12, 1926, in Pleasant Grove, Texas, to Roy Thomas and Henrietta (Brister) Geddes.

He was a member of Church of God International. Roy was preceded in death by his parents.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Angeline Geddes; step son, Charles Groce; daughters, Ann Ninness, Betty Kost; and brothers, Gerald Geddes and Jack Geddes. There are nine grandchildren, Tanya, Talia, Rachel, Rebecca, Andrew, Melissa, Jonathan, Kirsten and Anna Lisa; and several nieces and nephews.

Tommy Hawkins

A funeral service for Tommy Hawkins, 53, of Jacksonville, was held Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with Bro. Donny Sadler officiating.

He was laid to rest at Still Waters Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville.

Mr. Hawkins passed away Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Jacksonville.

Tommy was born August 24, 1963, in Graham, Texas.

He was a truck driver and a member of Woodland Heights Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his father, Gene Hawkins.

Left to cherish his memory is his mother, Jean Hawkins of Jacksonville; daughters, Grace Hawkins, Amy Jones and husband Ben, all of Jacksonville; sons, Justin Hawkins of Frankston, Charlie Davis of San Antonio, Jason Hawkins of Tyler; brother, Allan Hawkins and wife Necie, John Hawkins of Frankston; sister, Kathi Rendon of Frankston. Grandchildren are Bryson Hawkins, Lane Hawkins and Gannon Jones and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Clint Hawkins, John Tyler, Ryan Hawkins, Russell Stafford, Jacob Reno, Justin Reno and honorary pallbearer, Dr. Bruce Meek.

Rather than customary condolences, memorials may be made to Woodland Heights Baptist Church, 273 E. SH 204, Jacksonville, Texas 75766.

Dr. Bruce Meek

Dr. Bruce Weldon Meek, 84, died peacefully surrounded by his family at the Meadow Lake Retirement Community in Tyler on Sept. 11, 2016.

Dr. Meek was born on Christmas Day in 1931 to a small town carpenter and his wife, Albert Meek and Mildred Meek.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Kay Meek; and his children and grandchildren; Margo Meek Morgan, her husband Charles and their children Erin Morgan Powell with her husband Tim and Rachel Morgan Farr and her husband Cole Farr; Linda Meek Hale, her husband Pete and their children Justin with his bride Amy and Courtney Hale Gerkin with her husband Carl Gerkin; Kevin Meek and his wife Donna and their children, Jared, Ryan and Jessica; Craig Meek and his wife Suzanne and their children, Madison, Caroline, Davis and Andrew; Jason Meek and his wife Brenda and their children Kennedy, Keaton and Kinsey; and Rocco, his faithful dog.

The size, volume and impact of this progeny is testament in and of itself to Dr. Meek’s impact on our world, but that is not the half of it.

Dr. Meek is preceded in death by his parents, his older brother Donald Meek, killed in action in the waning days of World War II and his stepson, Dirk Whisenhunt.

Dr. Meek was a 1949 graduate of Crete Monee High School of Crete, Illinois, and completed his undergraduate studies in 1953 at Cornell College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

He then received his Doctorate of Medicine in 1957 from Northwestern Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Meek then completed a one year internship and a three year residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Meek was certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1965. He practiced medicine in Dallas at Presbyterian Hospital and was, at times during his practice, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Southwestern University Medical School until his retirement to the wilds of East Texas in 1994.

Dr. Meek was a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Texas Obstetrics and Gynecology Society, and the Dallas - Ft. Worth Obstetrics and Gynecology Society.

Our gracious Lord and the US government are likely the only ones who know how many new babies Dr. Meek ushered into life, but the number is sufficiently prodigious that seemingly every commercial establishment in Dallas visited by his children would have a clerk that would require the telling of the tale of Dr. Meek’s successful involvement with their birth before any transaction at the establishment could be completed.

Dr. Meek was an active member of a number of churches during his life and during his retirement was a member and leader in the Frankston United Methodist Church in Frankston where he was active in the Methodist Men’s Group and held a number of lay leader positions.

Dr. Meek was a man of charity and action as evidenced by his medical missions to the Republic of Haiti and the innumerable local service projects in Dallas and near his retirement house in the pecan trees and piney woods of his beloved adopted homeland of East Texas.

Dr. Meek brought life into the world, literally and figuratively.

He was the best physician a patient could want whose baritone greeting of “I know you” would bring a smile to the most tired or anxious of new moms.

He attacked life, love and time as one who knew instinctively how fast the clock turns. He was a SCUBA diver when no one knew what that was, a white water kayaker that insisted on making his own boat and a snow skier that eschewed turns. He cared for patients, family and friends with selfless zeal. He built things. He grew things. He raised people, in all meanings of the word. Heaven is his home; we can only hope it needs a cabin, because that is what it is going to get (and maybe an orchard, and a pond, and a barn or two, and....).

Dr. Meek’s family would like to particularly thank the staff of the Meadow Lake Healthcare Facility in Tyler, Texas for the tender care given to this man and to his family during his final days. The Lord works through your hands and words. A celebration of his special life will be held at the Frankston United Methodist Church on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, at 11 a.m. under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home.

A private ceremony for family members to spread Dr. Meek’s ashes will be held in the outdoor chapel of Camp HIOAC (conceived, designed and constructed by the guest of honor) immediately thereafter.

The family has requested that any who wish make a contribution to a charity of their choice in Dr. Meek’s honor or, in continuance of his own stewardship, to the American Parkinson’s Association, 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305, The Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, TX 75701 or the Frankston United Methodist Church, 131 S. Weldon St., Frankston, TX 75763.

Roland Francis Johnson

A memorial service for Roland Francis Johnson, 93, was held on September 17, 2016, in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Roland was born on July 11, 1923, in Frankston and passed away on September 14, 2016, in Nacogdoches.

Roland is survived by his wife of 72 years, Adeline Richards Johnson of Nacogdoches; daughter, son-in-law and grandson Sue Ella Johnson Allen and Thomas Jon Allen and Timothy Richards Allen, all of Houston; brother, Bob Ivan Johnson of Louisville, Kentucky and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by siblings Clyde, Ruth, Billy Harold and James.

He graduated from Frankston High School in 1940 and then served in the US Army.

He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1950 with a BS degree in mechanical engineering.

He began his engineering career with Dow Chemical in Freeport, Texas. Following positions with Betco Constructors in Brazosport, Texas and overseas with Mobil Oil he retired to Nacogdoches in 1985.

Roland and Adeline traveled throughout the country and most recently divided their time between Nacogdoches and their second home in Galveston.

Memorial contributions may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

Ricky H. Williams

A graveside service for Ricky H. Williams, 49, of Frankston, was held Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, at Liberty Hill Cemetery in Frankston with the Rev. George Folmar officiating.

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

Family served as pallbearers.

Mr. Williams passed away Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, in Tyler.

He was born Aug. 29, 1967, in Morton, Texas, to Robert and Judy (Stevens) Williams.

He worked for Brookshire’s as a meat cutter. Ricky was a member of Hilltop Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife Teresa Williams of Frankston; sons Joshua Hays of Rusk, Joseph Hays of Belgium, Justin Caldwell of Frankston; daughter Meagan Wilcox of Palestine; brothers Larry Williams of Troup and Michael Tornatore of Texas City.

He is also survived by two aunts Norma Nichols and Donna Thomas both of Humble; eight grandchildren Bryant, Colton, Taylor, Eathan, Jayden, Sam, Keelan and Layla; and several cousins.

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