Obituaries

Evelin Read

1925-2015

Evelin Foster Read, 89, of Magnolia, Ark, formerly of the Old Bethel Community, died Monday, June 8, 2015, at the John R Williamson Hospice House in El Dorado, Ark.

Evelin was born Dec. 24, 1925, in Canton and was a member of the Philadelphia United Methodist Church.

She was a homemaker who enjoyed gardening and loved flowers, birds and all creatures great and small.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Lovie Foster; husband, Howard G. Read; sister, Thelma Poston; and brothers, Avell Foster, Hollan Foster, and J.W. Foster.

Lewis O. Vawter Jr.

1921-2015

Funeral services for Lewis O. Vawter Jr., 94, of Marshall were held Sunday, June 7, 2015, at Eastern Hills Church of Christ in Marshall.

Interment followed at Grange Hall Cemetery. Lewis passed away June 5, 2015.

Lewis Orin Vawter Jr., was born May 7, 1921, in Marshall to Lewis O. Vawter Sr. and Lucille Maude Wyatt Vawter.

He served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II stationed at Carswell Air Base in Fort Worth. He served as an expert mechanic on B-17 aircraft achieving the rank of sergeant prior to his discharge in October 1945.

Tragically, his older brother, Perry Wyatt Vawter, was killed by enemy aircraft on Mindoro Island in the South Pacific days before he was to return to the U.S.

While in the Army Air Corp, Lewis married Evelyn Frances Holiday of Hughes Springs.

Services for Adan “Dan” Perez Jr., 62, of Edgewood were held June 3, 2015, at St. Therese Catholic Church in Canton with Father Selvaraj and Deacon Alan Stehsel officiating under the direction of Eubank Funeral Home. 

Interment was in Haven of Memories Memorial Park.

Mr. Perez passed away May 31, 2015, in Dallas.  He was born Nov. 4, 1952, in Premont to Adan Sr. and Susana Perez.

Mr. Perez was a member of St. Therese Catholic Church where he was a Knight of Columbus.

He joined the U.S. Marine Corp in January 1973.  He met his wife, B.J., in Havelock, N.C., in January 1980 and married in Fullerton, Calif., Nov. 20, 1982.

He left the Marine Corp in October 1983 and spent many years as an engineering director for Hospital Corp of America. In 1994, Dan and B.J. opened BJ’s Specialties where they manufactured air horns for motorcycles. They traveled across the U.S. with their business until 2008.  Dan has been semi-retired since that time.

Services for Mary Beth Whitaker, 80, of Canton, were held Wednesday, June 3, 2015, at First Baptist Church of Canton with Bro. Mark Moore officiating under the direction of Eubank Funeral Home.

She passed away May, 31, 2015, in Tyler.

Beth was born Oct. 26, 1934, to Andrew and Violet Ogletree.

Interment was in Haven of Memories.

Beth grew up in Canton where she graduated school. She was member of First Baptist Church of Canton. She married her high school sweetheart after they finished school. Beth lived live to serve her family and community. She enjoyed her art, gardening and community projects.

Services for Eddie Wayne McAdoo, 58, of Canton, were held Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at First Baptist Church in Canton with Steven Carroll and Dr. Mike Roberson officiating under the direction of Eubank Funeral Home. 

Interment was in Haven of Memories.

Mr. McAdoo passed away Thursday, May 28, 2015, in Tyler.  He was born Sept. 7, 1956, in Mulberry, Ark., to Lloyd Ray and Mary Ethel Davis McAdoo.

Eddie Wayne was a member of First Baptist Church in Canton.  Above all, he loved God, his wife, family, friends and golf. 

Mr. McAdoo is survived by his wife of 28 years, Debbie McAdoo; two sons: Gatlin McAdoo and Cody Wayne McAdoo; daughter, Bobbye Raye McAdoo; brother, Donald Ray McAdoo; and numerous other family members. 

Eddie was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Linda Louise Humphrey. 

Pallbearers were Brad Bogle, Jason McAdoo, Brandon Bogle, Cody McCleary, Justin Bogle, Jerid McAdoo, Layton Bogle and Stephen Russell. 

Services for Fred Harrell, 73, of Mabank are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday June 6, 2015, at Eubank Funeral Home in Canton with Bro. Dale Harrell officiating.

He passed away May 28, 2015, in Mabank after a long battle with mesothelioma.

Fred was born March 3, 1942, in Texas City to Odie and Clovis Harrell.

Fred grew up in Bryant Ark. where he attended school. He later graduated from Little Rock Tech in 1961. He joined the Army and served his country during the Vietnam War.

Fred was a collector of antique cars and model trains. He loved NASCAR and spending time at the lake with his family.

Visitation services for Rickey Jay Phillips, 61, of Edgewood, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2015, at Allan Fuller Funeral Home Chapel in Wills Point.

He passed away early Saturday morning, May 30, 2015, in Tyler.

Jay was born Oc. 19, 1953, in Wills Point, the son of Vernon Richard Phillips and Doris Rae Pickens Phillips. 

He was a lifelong resident of Edgewood and in 1972 he graduated from Edgewood High School.  Jay was in commercial construction most of his life, until his health failed. 

He enjoyed riding horses, fishing and hunting.  Jay was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon Phillips on March 18, 2013 and Doris Rae Phillips on May 11, 2008.

Jay is survived by a son, Jeff Phillips and wife, Jennifer of Rockwall; two daughters, Melissa Cooper of Edgewood and             Taylor Phillips of Canton; two brothers, Richard Phillips and wife, Karen of Edgewood

JoAnn Paris Halbert was born in Martins Mill Oct. 10, 1934, to Eugene Spencer Paris and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Emma Daniel Paris.  JoAnn passed away at her home in Kaufman on May 29, 2015. 

 JoAnn married Jerry Glynn Halbert Aug. 7, 1953, in Athens. 

She has been in the Kaufman Community since 1989.  She had been married 62 years and was the mother of three children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. 

JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers Van Frank Paris, Alton Paris, Edwin Paris, Willie Bryant Paris; sister, Joyce Schetlin; and grandchildren, Stephanie Ann Halbert and Wesley Blake Halbert. 

Funeral services for Valretta Crawford, 93, Canton, were held Monday, May 25, 2015, at Hilliard Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jerry Truett officiating. Burial was in Haven of Memories Cemetery, Canton. Mrs. Crawford passed away on May 22, 2015, in Tyler.

Valretta Crawford was born Sept. 17, 1921, in Ben Wheeler to the late Ampie Burl Wright and Ola Lee Hobbs Wright. She had lived in the area all of her life and was of the Baptist faith. She was preceded in death by two sons, Jerry and Terry Crawford; three grandchildren, Gene Crawford, Toni Moody and Jerry Wade Crawford.

Survivors include her two children, Jan Rodgers of Grand Saline and Johnny Crawford of Canton; eight grandchildren, Ellen Black and husband Kasey, Marcus Rodgers and wife Rachel, Dana Brunner, Dee Dee Crawford, Deanne Crawford, Jerry Crawford, Jr., Brenna Crawford and Leslie Crawford; and six great-grandchildren.

Services for Lesa Yant, 55, of Grand Saline, were held Friday, May 22, 2015, at Roundflat Pentecostal Church with Bro. Homer Morgan officiating.

Interment followed in Creagleville Cemetery.

Ms. Yant passed away May 19, 2015, in Tyler.  She was born March 20, 1960, in Grand Saline.