Shelby County Today

12/09/2023

Douglas Dean McDonald, 66, of Tenaha, passed away Friday, December 8, 2023, in Lufkin.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday, December 11, 2023, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at Ramah Baptist Church in Tenaha with Bro. Keith Keele officiating. Interment will follow at Sholar Cemetery in Joaquin.

Born June 27, 1957, Douglas is the son of Joseph McDonald and Ruby Woolsey McDonald. He was a member of Ramah Baptist Church in Tenaha.

He is survived by:
Wife, Sandra McDonald of Tenaha

Son, Jason McDonald, and wife, Michelle of Tenaha

Grandchildren: 
Crystal Barbee, and husband, Dylan of Mabank
Corey McDonald of Tenaha

Great-grandchildren:
Eli Barbee
Adelin Barbee

Brothers: 
Calvin McDonald, and wife, Tammy of Marshall
David McDonald, and wife, Pat of Tenaha
Jimmy McDonald of Zwolle, Louisiana

Numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives

Preceded in death by parents, Joseph McDonald and Ruby Woolsey McDonald; brothers, Joseph McDonald and Alvin McDonald; and sister, Ann Lampley.

Online condolences & tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfh.com

12/07/2023

Shannon Spruiell, 57, of Gary, passed away Sunday, November 26, 2023, in Tyler.

A private memorial service will be held at a later time.

Born August 15, 1966, in Fort Worth, Shannon is the son of Billy Spruiell and Vivian Wynn Spruiell.

He is survived by:

Children:
Ashley Kunkel of Center
Kenneth Windham Jr. and wife Silvia of Center
Dustin Windham and wife Hollie of Nacogdoches

Grandchildren:
Nacole, Khloe, and Jace Kunkel of Center
Kenneth Windham III and Kayden Windham of Center
Leighton Windham of Nacogdoches

Former wife, Connie Smith of Center

Brother, Randall Spruiell and wife Sherry of Grand Prairie

Nephew, Kendall Spruiell of Grand Prairie

Nieces:
Cassidy Clark and husband Scott of Grand Prairie
Jocelyn Shaw of Grand Prairie

Great-nieces and great-nephews:
Anna Bell and Violet Clark
Evan and Owen Shaw

Numerous aunts and uncles

Special uncle and aunts:
Danny Michael
Joyce Danielson
Donna English

Preceded in death parents, Billy Spruiell and Vivian Wynn Spruiell; brother, Ronald Spruiell.

Online condolences and tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfh.com.

12/07/2023

Mary Connie Elizabeth Adams, 72 of Center, Texas, passed away peacefully at The Hospice of East Texas in Tyler, Texas on the evening of Friday the 24 of November 2023 after being diagnosed in September with stage four cancer.

The Memorial Service was held December 5th at First Methodist Church on Potter St. in Center, Texas where she attended. To view the service on Facebook, click here. At a future place and time designated by the family, her ashes will be scattered along the Chattahoochee River.

As a young adult Ms. Adams became a Master Weaver at Dunson Mill in LaGrange, Georgia. She received a B. A. in History from University West Georgia and later enjoyed her work as a teacher. She was a lifetime member of Dunson Baptist Church in her native city, LaGrange, Georgia. She believed in striving to become a better person, reading a good book for entertainment and reading the Bible for guidance.

She is survived by:

Brothers:
Hilton Hammett Adams
Woody Stephen Adams

Many nieces, nephews and grandn’s.

Ms. Adams is preceded in death by her oldest brother Waymon Timothy Adams, her beloved mother Sarah Gertrude (Higby) Adams, her father Waymon Homer Adams, and her grandparents, Ian and Ida (Hyatt) Adams and Ben and Bessie Higby.

12/05/2023

John Wilson Horn, 82, passed away on Sunday evening, November 26, 2023, at home in Moss Point, Mississippi, with his family by his side.  He was the husband of Gwen Horn. They shared 23 beautiful years together.

Born in Logansport, Louisiana, he was the son of Woodrow Wilson and Floy Faye Gates Horn. He attended Logansport High School and graduated in 1959. He served in the United States Air Force, A1FC, and continued as an active reservist until 1965. He worked in corporate finance and banking, was an entrepreneur and spent the last 39 years of his working career as a corporate personnel manager.

He was an avid gardener and enjoyed canning, woodworking, fishing and hunting. He will be remembered for his compassionate spirit, soft heart, love of people, out-going nature and willingness to volunteer wherever he was needed.

He is survived by:
Wife, Mrs. Gwen Horn

Sister, Mrs. Portia Faye Horn King (Ronald King) and family of Joaquin

Brother, Mr. Terry Lee Horn (Mary Townsend Horn) and family of Dothan, AL

Son, Mr. Todd Horn of Richmond, TX

Mr. Wm. Kelly Horn (Veronica Cramer) of Grand Prairie, TX
Mrs. Jill Maureen Horn Reed (Suzanne Reed) of Denton, TX

Grandchildren:
Alexandra Robison
Jonathan “Marshall” Horn (Hannah Hixon Horn)
Haley Elizabeth Horn Solana (Chase Solana)
“Levi” Harrison Horn (Jordan Cox)
Trevor Wilson Horn
Libby Tanner (Drake Woodson)
Taylor Tanner Bramble (Austin Bramble)

Great-grandchild, Bailee Bramble

Pets:
Maxie
Angelina
Nubbins
Dollie

He is preceded in death by his father and mother, Mr. Woodrow Wilson Horn and Mrs. Floy Faye Gates Horn, and his stepson, Mr. Robert “Robbie” Tanner.

The Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at the New Vision Church of God in Moss Point, MS, on Thursday, November 30th at 2:00p.m., at 11507 Patrick Henry St., Moss Point, MS 39562.

The funeral service will be held at the Cool Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Logansport, LA, on Saturday, December 9th at 1:00p.m., at 3953 Marshall Rd., Logansport, LA 71049 with the interment to follow at the Cool Springs Cemetery.  The viewing/visitation will be held from 12:00p.m., to the time of the service.

If you desire to send flowers, please send them to Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 943 Polk St., Mansfield, LA 71052.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

12/04/2023

Yvonne Harris Permenter (91) passed away at Pine Grove Nursing Center after a long illness on December 3.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, December 6 at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will be one hour prior at the First Methodist Church of Center, officiated by Malcom Monroe and Mary Lynn Tinkle. The interment will be at Oaklawn Memorial Park.

Yvonne was born May 17, 1932 in Center. Her father was Austin Harris, and her mother was Ruby Green Harris. She lived most of her life in very close proximity to her birthplace. After she graduated from Center High School at the age of 16, she went to Houston. There she married in 1949 Elvin Permenter, a Huxley boy. This marriage would last for 61 years.

Yvonne Permenter was preceded in death by her husband Elvin, by her parents, by a sister Maggie Harris Strebeck, and by three stepsiblings, Marguerite Harris Kiss, Robert Harris, and Monroe Harris. She is survived by one sister, Johnnye Kraemer of Center.

Much of Yvonne’s life was dedicated to the dairy/cattle farm that she and Elvin maintained. But she also spent many hours with her grandchildren, and later, with her great-grandchildren. That time included many horse shows and rodeos, many ball games, and lots of daisy-picking. But she also gave many years to the service of the First Methodist Church. Besides lots of church camps, lots of field trips, and many pans of chicken spaghetti, her service included her serving as a Sunday School teacher, MYF leader, Bereavement Committee chairperson, acolyte director, church secretary, diaconal minister and as a third and fourth grade director at Lakeview Camp. Yvonne spoke of all these times with fond remembrance. She also worked several years as the office manager at General Shelters of Texas before her “retirement.”

Yvonne was most proud of her two children:
James Permenter (Butch) and his wife Deb live in Granbury, TX
Belinda Loftice and her husband Matt live in Center

James’s family is Michelle Permenter and Julianne Horst of Center, April Miller and her husband Kevin of Melissa, TX, and Crystal Crews of Midland.

Belinda’s children are John Stirman and his wife Robin of Richmond, TX, and Megan Holt and her husband Wayne of Center.

Yvonne’s great-grandchildren are Campbell Beck, Austin Miller, Jake Miller, Madison Stirman, Luke Stirman, Lynleigh Holt, and Rhett Holt.

Pallbearers are Wayne Holt, Tim Kraemer, Tom Kraemer, Kevin Miller, John Stirman, and Rick Strebeck. 

Please consider any donations be made to the First Methodist Church of Center.

All of Yvonne’s friends and “church kids” are invited to this celebration of her life.

Online condolences and tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfh.com.

12/04/2023

Evelyn E. (Brandt) Neel, 93, of Timpson, Texas, passed away on November 30, 2023, in Nacogdoches, Texas. She was born on May 6, 1930, in New Braunfels, Texas, to the late Albert E. and Alma (Taylor) Brandt.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at Tennessee Presbyterian Church in Shelby County, Texas with Bro. Robert Adamson officiating. A visitation will be held prior to the service from 9:00 to 10:00 am on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at Tennessee Presbyterian Church, Shelby County, Texas. Interment will follow at Tennessee Cemetery, Shelby County, Texas.

Evelyn was born and raised in New Braunfels, Texas. She graduated from Solms School. Evelyn and David raised a beautiful family together. They had a chicken farm together in Timpson. Evelyn was an exceptional cook and has a recipe book that has been passed on from generation to generation. She enjoyed traveling with David always joking along the way. Evelyn had an amazing talent for embroidery. She was completing projects up until 6 months before her death. Evelyn loved spending time with her grandchildren. She was a very loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister. 

Evelyn is survived by:

Son, Dennis Conran

Grandchildren:
Dennise Braeutigam and husband, Jason
Stephen Conran and wife, Shelley

Great-grandchildren:
Jayden Braeutigam
Colton Braeutigam

Sister, Lillie Jonas

She was preceded in death by her husband, David Neel; parents, Albert and Alma Brandt; 4 sisters; and 2 brothers.

Serving as pallbearers are Stephen Conran, Jason Braeutigam, Colton Braeutigam, and Joe Friedenfeld.

To send condolences and sign the online guest book you may go to www.taylorfh.net.

12/01/2023

Hugh L. Daw, 80, of Joaquin, passed away Thursday, November 30, 2023, in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Sunday, December 3, 2023, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, December 4, 2023, at Watson & Sons Chapel with Bro. Martin Ferguson officiating.  Interment will follow at Daw Cemetery in the Ashton Community of Joaquin.

Born February 20, 1943, in Joaquin, Hugh was the son of Waymon Daw and Euna Seago Daw. In 1961, Hugh graduated from Joaquin High School. Following high school, he went to work on off shore drilling rigs in South Louisiana. He later expanded his career in the oil field, where he worked in Bahrain, Dubai, and Indonesia. He lived and worked all over the United Arab Emirates, and traveled to several different countries, always saying he had been around the world twice. After five years of working overseas, he returned to South Louisiana. He eventually came home to Joaquin to raise his family. When the oil field went belly up in the eighties, he made a new career in the trucking business, owning his own fleet of trucks and becoming the VP of Fleetwood Trucking. Upon his retirement, he pursued his hobbies in the world of rodeo, which he loved, by raising bucking bulls and hauling them across country to PBR events. His other favorite pastimes were traveling once a year to Colorado to elk hunt with family and friends, which he did for over thirty years. He loved cattle, riding backroads with his beloved dogs, and spending time with his children and grandchildren and his Lone Cedar Missionary Baptist Church family.

He is survived by:

Daughters: 
Joel Bumback and husband Mike
Dawn Hutchins and husband Jacob

Grandchildren: 
Tyler McSwain and wife Peyton
Bailee Smith and husband Cole
Dawson Kay and wife Alex
Deakon Kay
Harlow Hutchins
Michael Bumback Jr. and wife Chelsea
Luke Bumback

Great-grandchildren:
Landry McSwain
John Tyler McSwain
Paxton McSwain
Brynn Bumback
Mikelyn Smith

Greats on the way, Dax Kay, and Stevie Kate Smith

Nieces and nephews: 
Barry Baker
Dale Baggett
Tracy Thorndyke
Rhonda Gregston
Susan Hughes
Carey Colotta
Mitzi Matthews
Barbara Richards

Sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: 
Hazel Brittain
Ella Manshack
Pete Baggett

Beloved mother of his children, Joyce Noble

Preceded in death by parents, Waymon Daw and Euna Seago Daw; sisters and brother, Patty Kupnicki, Virginia Baker, and Maurice Westbrook; and son-in-law, John Paul McSwain.

Pallbearers will be Dawson Kay, Deakon Kay, Tyler McSwain, Mike Bumback, Jacob Hutchins, and Michael Kay. Honorary pallbearers will be Glenn Oates, Ricky Lawrence, John Paul Lawson, Darrell Alford, and Clifford Hamilton.

Online condolences & tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfh.com

11/30/2023

Willie Barron Davis, 86, of Joaquin, Texas, passed away on November 28, 2023. He was born on August 6, 1937, in Joaquin, Texas, to the late John Edward Davis and Irene (Jimmerson) Davis.

Graveside services will be held at 2PM on Friday, December 1, 2023, at Jackson Cemetery, with Bro. Micah McArthur officiating. 

Willie was raised in Shelby County. He graduated from Joaquin High School. He proudly served his great country in the United States Air Force. Willie married the love of his life, Thelma Florio, on June 19, 1976. The two have spent over 47 wonderful years together. Willie worked as a millwright most of his career. When he retired, he went to his woodworking shop and enjoyed what he loved. Willie also enjoyed the outdoors, whether it was fishing, hunting, or just sitting on the porch with family and friends visiting. He was a loving husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather. His family was very important to him. Willie was a true friend. Genuine, compassionate, man. He loved the Lord and served him at Jackson Missionary Baptist Church. 

He is survived by:
Wife, Thelma Davis

Sons:
Tony Mattingly and wife Carla
David Davis and wife Tammie Luman
Edward Davis and wife Gayle Louis

Daughters:
Dawn Grimsley Carroll and husband Paul
Nikki Hardy
Tina Mattingly

Sister, Carolyn McGhee and husband Michael

Numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a great-great-granddaughter, Gussie Kate Martin. 

He is also survived by his special shop helper, Easton Hardy.

Willie is preceded in death by his sons, Gordon Mattingly, Billy Mattingly; daughter, Urana Siedler; brother, Kenneth Davis; and sisters, Barbara Cook, and Betty Joan Davis.

Pallbearers serving will Paul Carroll, Haley Baker, Colby Baker, Jacob Carroll, David Davis Edward Davis.

To send condolences or to sign an online register, please visit www.mangumfh.net.

Mangum Funeral Home, Center, is in charge of arrangements.

11/29/2023

V. K. Byndom, 85 of Center, departed this life on Monday, November 27, 2023 at Holiday Nursing Home in Center after a long illness. He was born December 17, 1937 to Charlie and Mildred Williams Byndom.

Funeral service is 11am Saturday, December 2, 2023 at Gates Chapel Baptist Church, CR 2310, Shelbyville, Texas with Reverend Arthur G. Cloudy, Eulogist. Visitation is 10am until 7pm Friday, December 1, 2023 at Community Funeral Home Chapel in Center. Interment is at St. John Cemetery in Center.

V.K. was united in Holy Matrimony to Esterlene (Amy) Goodwin on June 1, 1962. They were married 54 years and to this union one child was born.

He was employed at Hallmark Fixtures for over 40 years and also worked for Sears.

He is preceded in death by parents, Charlie and Mildred Byndom; spouse, Esterlene Byndom; sisters, Ovada White, Cassie Cartwright, and Frances Land; and brothers, Roy Byndom and Charlie Byndom, Jr.

He leaves to cherish his memory:

Son, Keith (Cristy) Byndom of Center

Daughter, Gale Lister

Grandson, Christopher Keith Byndom

Sisters:
Minnie Stansberry
Girtha (Roosevelt) Swindle
Mildred Faye Gardner
Iva Dean (Joe) Boykins

Sister-in-law, Barbara (Clyde) Lister

A host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Services are under the direction of Community Funeral Home, Center, Texas.