Obituaries

Keith Baggett

1979-2016

Funeral Services for Keith Tanner Baggett were held Aug.13, 2016, at the First Baptist Church of Cross Roads with Bro. Frank Upchurch officiating. 

A private family graveside was held following the service under the direction of the Hannigan Smith Funeral Home Family of Athens. 

Mr. Baggett went to be with his Lord and Savior Aug. 10, 2016, in Tyler.

He was born on Aug. 20, 1979, in Athens, son of Kenneth Lee Baggett and Sarah Tanner Baggett.  He graduated from Cross Roads ISD in Cross Roads.

He loved his kids with all of his heart. 

Vera Mae Mendoza

1939-2016

Memorial service for Vera Mae Mendoza, 76, of Wills Point, will be held at a later date. 

Mrs. Mendoza died Aug. 8, 2016, in Wills Point.  Arrangements are under the direction of Allan Fuller Funeral Home in Wills Point.

She was born on Aug. 25, 1939, in Mount Olive, Miss.

Allan Fuller Funeral Home – www.allanfullerfuneralhome.com

Judy Germany

1943-2016

Services for Judy Ann Germany, 72, of Grand Saline, were held Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, at the Eubank Funeral Chapel in Canton with Pastor Alan Van Hosser officiating.  Burial was in Haven of Memories.

Mrs. Germany died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016, in Grand Saline.  She was born Nov. 7, 1943, in Compton, Calif. to Ralph James and Bonnie Angeline Walton Attaway. 

H.C. Davis

1917-2016

Services for H.C. “Preacher” Davis, 98, of Grand Saline, were held Aug. 8, 2016, at Corinth Baptist Church with Bro. Billy Smith officiating. Burial was in Corinth Cemetery.

Mr. Davis was born Sept. 30, 1917, in Grand Saline, where he lived his entire life. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Corinth Cemetery Association. 

Charles Huddle

1937-2016

Services for Charles Franklin Huddle, better known as “Sonny,” were held Aug. 8, 2016, at the Eubank Funeral Chapel in Canton with Dr. Mike Roberson and Bro. Steve Glosup officiating.  Graveside services were in Haven of Memories. 

Mr. Huddle, 78, of Canton died Aug. 4, 2016, in Tyler.  He was born Nov. 17, 1937, in Ben Wheeler to William Harmon and Hazel Charlsey Johns Huddle. 

He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Canton.  He grew up in Ben Wheeler and graduated from Van High School.  He was proud to have served in the Marines.  He moved back to Van Zandt County and started his businesses including Custom Metal Works and Huddle Steel Buildings. 

He served two terms on the Canton City Council. 

He was a big supporter of his family's activities and had lot of friends.

Bobby Stafford

1934-2016

Services for Bobby Jarrell Stafford, 81, of Canton, were held Aug. 6, 2016, at Eubank Funeral Home with Bro. Mark Moore officiating.

Interment was at Haven of Memories Memorial Park in Canton.

Mr. Stafford died Aug. 4, 2016, in Athens.

He was born Oct. 6, 1934, in Ben Wheeler to Clarence James and Gladys Marie Stafford.

He grew up in Ben Wheeler and moved to Dallas at a young age. He married Jane Turner Sept. 13, 1959, and they moved to Canton in August 1975.

Mr. Stafford was the owner and operator of Bob's Town and Country Store for 32 years before retiring in 2007 when he sold the business.

He enjoyed fishing, spending time with friends and working in his yard.

Rona Jennings

1951-2016

The family of Rona Faye Jennings, 65, of Eustace, formerly of Canton, will hold a memorial service at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, at Jackson Baptist Church with Pastor Butch Cunningham officiating.

Mrs. Jennings died July 28, 2016, in Tyler. 

She was born April 15, 1951, in Fort Belvoir, Va,. to Melvert Duncan and Bonnie Clyde Jones Bullard.

While her father and later her husband served in the military, she was able to live in Virginia, Japan, Germany and California.  She has lived in the East Texas area for the past 30 years. 

She was a member of Jackson Baptist Church. 

She loved to knit, crochet and sew.  She enjoyed helping others and being around friends and family.

John Dillingham

1923-2016

Services for John Lee Dillingham, 93 of Canton, were July 30, 2016, at Eubank Funeral Home with Bro. Steve Glosup officiating.

Mr. Dillingham died peacefully July 27, 2016, in Scurry.

He was born Jan. 4, 1923, in Gatesville to Joseph Sidney and Willie Estelle Dillingham.

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was a survivor of Pearl Harbor.

He married Margie Ruth Tucker on March 12, 1954, and they resided in Dallas for several years. He held many memberships in various organizations including the Chapter 8 Pearl Harbor Survivor Association. He was a Master Mason and a member of the Jewel P. Lightfoot Lodge No. 1283; Hella Shrine in Garland and Valley of Dallas Scottish Rite all of which he served over 50 years.

He enjoyed westerns, cross word puzzles and murder mysteries.

He was a member of Clearview Bible Church.

Jimmy Wilder, Sr.

1945-2016

Jimmy Lee Wilder Sr. died July 24, 2016. 

He was born March 7, 1945 in Kilgore.  He was the fifth of six children born to John Wilder and Josephine Esther Pearcy Wilder.  His siblings referred to him as “Mama’s favorite” because she had prayed for a baby boy after the stillborn birth of a baby boy in 1943. 

The family moved to Dallas when Jimmy was 3 years old because the oilfields of Kilgore aggravated his asthma.  He attended James W. Fannin Elementary, Alex W. Spence Junior High and North Dallas High School (class of 1963.) 

He worked at A&P Food Store on Skillman for several years and at Kroger Food Store on Mockingbird Lane.  On Oct. 15, 1968, he began his career with the United States Postal Service.  He retired in August 2002 after 34 years as a Special Delivery Messenger.