September - October 2006

Services are scheduled for "W.G." Wesley Gordon Bonner, Jr. for Friday, September 29th at 2:00 PM in the Chapel at Autry Funeral Home with Rev. Newton Hambrick officiating, burial will follow the service at West Shady Grove Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 28th from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home

Sibyl Weatherby Brown  passed away peacefully on September 25, 2006. Born on August 30, 1918 in Troup, Sibyl was a lifelong resident of the Jacksonville area and a 65 year member of the First United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Willis Gates Brown in 2003.

     Sibyl is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Mary Sibyl and David Gray of Dallas; her son and daughter-in-law Bob and Laurie Brown of Jacksonville; and grandchildren, David Gray, Jr., Patrick Brown and Cari Brown.

    The family offers a special thanks to Venita Johnson, Kathy Woods, Lola Ragsdale and Evelyn Boyd for the loving and tender care they provided Sibyl over the years.

Reverend Barbara Hugghins will officiate at a Graveside service at 1:00 PM on Thursday, September 28th at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Autry Funeral Home. Visitation will begin on Wednesday, September 27th after noon with no family visitation scheduled.

     In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to The Alzheimer’s Alliance of NE Texas in Tyler, 3613 S Broadway St., Suite 401, Tyler, Texas 75701 or the organization of your choice.
Donations be made to the Alzheimer's Allicane of NE Texas in Tyler, 3613 S Broadway St , Ste 401, Tyler, Texas 75701 or the organization of choice.

Services are scheduled for Hilmar Kuhlmann, 91 of Bullard for 4:00 PM, Tuesday, September 26th at Bullard First Baptist Church with Revs. Kenny Cargil & Tom Pasnel officiating, burial will follow in Bullard Cemetery.

The Kuhlmann family will receive visitors on Monday evening, September 25th from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home.

Abby Claire Leone 9/24/2006 -9/24/2006

Graveside services are scheduled for Friday, September 29th at 11:00 AM in Still Waters Memorial Gardens.

Iris Deloris Moore 11/3/1942 -9/23/2006

Services are scheduled for Deloris Moore, 63, of Rusk for Sunday, October 1st at 2:00 PM in the Chapel at Autry Funeral Home with Rev. Vernon Lee Officiating. Burial will be in the Mixon Cemetery.

The family will receive visitors on Saturday, September 30th from 6 to 8 PM at the Funeral Home

Funeral services for Billy Moorhead, 81 of Jacksonville are scheduled for Tuesday, September 26th at 10:00 AM in the Chapel at Autry Funeral Home. The Rev.s Kirby Hill & Bruce Mitchell will officiate. Burial will follow the service in Union Grove Cemetery.

The Moorhead family will receive visitors on Monday evening September 25th from 6 to 9 PM at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Union Grove Cemetery, c/o Mary Jo Smith, 218 Pebble Beach, Jacksonville, TX. 75766

A Chapel service is scheduled for Opal Teal, 92 formerly of Jacksonville for Sunday, September 24th at 3:00 PM in the Autry Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Eddie Ballard & Rev. Vernon Lee officiating, burial will follow at the Bullard Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Sunday prior to the service from 1:30 PM until service time at 3:00 PM.

Memorial services are scheduled for Betha Mae Dorris, 92 of Jacksonville for Wednesday, September 20 at 11:00 AM in the Chapel at Autry Funeral Home with Rev. Dr. Bruce Webb officiating. Mrs. Dorris was well known for her dedication as Dean of Women at Lon Morris College.
Memorials may be made to Central Baptist Church Building Fund

Rosary will be recited at 7:00 P.M. on Saturday September 16, at Autry Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held Monday September 18, at 11:00 A.M. at Autry Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at McDonald Cemetery in New Summerfield. Family visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Sunday evening at the funeral home.

Dorothy Mae Caldwell 3/12/1935 -9/13/2006

Services are scheduled for Dorothy Mae Fletcher Caldwell, 71 of Rusk for Saturday, September 16 at 4:00 PM at Autry Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Mixon Cemetery with Mr. Kevin Naillieux & Mr. Matt Jensen officiating the service. The family will be accepting friends from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home on Friday evening, September 15, 2006.
Memorials be made to American Cancer Society (Breast Cancer Research) 1301 S Broadway, Tyler, TX. 75701

Funeral services for Jonathan Sanders, 19, of Jacksonville are scheduled for Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at 2:00 PM at Autry Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Gary Hampton & Rev. Benny Brooks officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Grove Cemetery near Maydelle.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home on Monday, September 11, 2006

Services have been scheduled for Laura Mae Cox, 86 of New Summerfield for Thursday, September 7, 2006 at 10 AM at Autry Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Andy Cox officiating. Burial will follow at Henry Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home on Wednesday, September 6.
Memorial made to Gallatin Missionary Baptist Church, PO Box 183, Gallatin, TX 75764 or Heart to Heart Hospice, 1402 Rice Rd, Ste 100, Tyler, TX. 75703

Bettye Earle Raines was born February 6, 1931 at home in Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas, the daughter of Albert Milton (Booster) Earle and Lela Jewel Wall. She attended elementary and secondary school in Ironton and graduated from Jacksonville High School at age 16.

Bettye attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville and graduated from Texas State College for Women (now Texas Women's University) in 1951. Bettye met the young local pastor, Reverend William (Bill) Hall Raines, Sr. in 1953 while he was assigned to Cherokee Methodist Circuit and they were married at Earle's Chapel in 1954.

Bettye and Bill served as a pastor's family with the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church in a variety of churches in Southeast Texas. In the most recent years they have served in a variety of Houston churches and retired from Onalaska United Methodist Church. Bettye and Bill have two children: Elizabeth Earle Raines and William (Billy) Hall Raines, Jr. both of Houston.

In 1964 Bettye went back to school and received her Masters of Library Science degree. She served as the school librarian for Royal High School and Royal Elementary in Brookshire, Texas.

Bettye participated in a variety of service organizations in whatever community they served. She was active as a member of the United Methodist Women's Organization and often taught Sunday school and presented special mission projects. She had a lifelong love of books and gave regular book reviews. While living in Beaumont she was a member of the local Junior Forum. While working at the University of Houston she was a member of the American University Women's Association.

In 1972 after seeing both of her children into or through high school she returned to college at the University of Houston to work on her Masters Degree of Social Psychology. Bettye spent over twenty years as a Researcher in the Psychology department where she was responsible for writing grants and editing and writing books with the well known Dr. Richard I. Evans. Working together they developed the "Just Say No" tobacco and drug and cessation research. Bettye retired from the University to dedicate her time to her three beautiful granddaughters, genealogy research and well deserved retirement with her husband. In 1996 Bettye and Bill moved to their current home in the Earle's Chapel community on the old Earle homestead where she spent many years as a child.

Bettye and Bill celebrated 50 years of marriage just recently at Earle's Chapel in 2004 and were looking forward to celebrating their 52nd anniversary in February of 2007.

She was preceded in death by her brother Arlon and her mother Jewel Earle. She is survived by her husband, the Reverend William Hall (Bill) Raines, Sr., her brothers and sisters-in-law Jack & Barbara Earle and Neil & Selena Earle, her sister-in-law Barbara Earle, her children Elizabeth Earle Raines and Billy & Cheryl Raines, both of Houston, grandchildren Rebecca Denise Raines, Elizabeth Ann Raines and Marianna Michelle Raines.

Visitation will be held at Autry Funeral Home (1025 SE. Loop 456, Jacksonville) on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006 from 6 to 8 PM. The funeral service will be held at Earle's Chapel at 2 PM Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006 under the direction of Autry Funeral Home, Memorials can be made to the Jacksonville Public Library, 502 S Jackson, Jacksonville, TX. 75766 or the Earle's Chapel Cemetery Association, PO Box 602, Jacksonville, TX. 75766.

Graveside services for Dillon Ray Gerstenberger 23 days old are scheduled for Wednesday, November 1, 2006 at 11:00 AM at Mixon Cemetery with Rev. Mark Towns officiating. No visitation is scheduled.

Services for Jim Canter, 77, Jacksonville are scheduled for Saturday, October 28th at 2:00 PM at Central Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Bruce Webb officiating.
Burial will be in the Still Waters Memorial Gardens under the direction of Autry Funeral Home, Jacksonville.   Coach Canter died October 26, 2006 in Tyler.
    He was born November 13, 1928, in Homer, LA to the late Robert E. and Lena Jackson Canter. He married Lucy Kennedy in Nacogdoches in 1950. He attended Kilgore High School and Stephen F. Austin University, where he lettered in three years in football and baseball and was inducted into the SFA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978. He was an All-Lone Star Conference Safety in 1949, while leading the Lumberjacks in punt returns and interceptions. He was an All-Lone Star Conference selection in baseball in 1948 and 1950, pitching the Lumberjacks to three consecutive LSC championships.
    Coach Canter served thirty-three years as football coach and Athletic Director. He coached in Gladewater, Beckville, Stephen F. Austin University, Orange, DeKalb, Southern State University in Magnolia, AR. and Jacksonville. At DeKalb, Coach Canter won four district championships in six years. During Coach Canter’s tenure at Jacksonville High School, he guided the Indians to championship over 50 percent of the time and was named district 8-AAA Coach of the Year in 1974 and 1975. In 1965, Coach Canter earned “Four States Coach of the Year” honors from the Texarkana Gazette, followed by the “East Texas Coach of the Year” awarded by the Tyler Morning Telegraph in 1971.
     Jim Canter was a member and former elder of the First Christian Church, Tyler. He served as chairman of the board at First Methodist Church, Jacksonville, and was an elder and Sunday School Superintendent at First Christian Church, Nacogdoches. He taught the Alpha Omega and Pearl Malloy Sunday School classes at First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville and the Fidelis class at First Christian Church, Tyler. He was active in scouting many years. He served three years on the board of directors of the Texas High School Coaches Association and was presented the President’s Award by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce in 1975.
    He was preceded in death by their son Steve Canter.
     Survivors include his wife Lucy; his sons, Mark Canter and his wife Aline, Jacksonville, and John Canter and wife Nan, Houston; his daughter-in-law Julie Canter, Jacksonville; grandchildren Stephen and wife Rachel Canter, Joseph Canter and Clay Canter, Jacksonville; Caleb Canter, Magnolia; Luke Canter, Ft. Bragg, N.C.; Merry Caroline Canter, McKinney; Miranda Canter and Joseph Lemons Canter, Houston; brother Sam Canter, Blanchard, LA; and sister Earsie Lynn, Bossier City, LA. Pallbearers are Stephen Canter, Caleb Canter, Clay Canter, Luke Canter, Joseph Canter, and George Kennedy, III. Family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday, October 27th at Autry Funeral Home.
     If desired, memorials may be made to the Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, TX. 75701 or to the Rockin’ C Ranch, 5300 CR 325, Lindale, TX. 75771.
Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd, Tyler, TX 75701 or Rockin' C Ranch, 5300 CR 325, Lindale, TX 75771

Services are scheduled for Tommie "Ghostrider" Yarbrough, 56 of Jacksonville for Wednesday, October 25th at 2:00 PM at Autry Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Fred Childs officiating. Burial will follow in Still Waters Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday, October 24th from 6 to 8 PM.

Nonness Jo Childress 04/09/1920 -10/16/2006

Services are scheduled for Nonness Jo Childress, 86 of Jacksonville for Wednesday, October 18th at 10:00 AM in the Autry Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Dr. Bruce Webb officiating, burial will be in Resthaven Memorial Park.

The family will be receiving friends on Tuesday, October 17th from 6 to 8 PM at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd, Tyler, TX 75701 or Central Baptist Church, 1909 East Rusk St, Jacksonville, TX 75766

Funeral services for Pauline Williams, 57, of Whitehouse are scheduled for Tuesday, October 17, 2006, at 10:00 A.M. at First Assembly of God Church in Whitehouse with Rev. Randy Shipman officiating. Graveside services will follow in Walnut Grove Cemetery. Visitation will begin on Monday, October 16, with family receiving friends from 6 PM to 8 PM at Autry Funeral Home.

Pauline passed away on Saturday, October 14, at her home in Whitehouse. She was born in Rusk on January 30, 1949 to Paul and Madie Munsinger. Pauline was a member of First Assembly of God in Whitehouse. She was a Christian, and very active in the church. She loved people, caring more for others than herself.   She was a homemaker. She was a wonderful daughter, mother, and grandmother. She had a loving, wonderful family, and loved her dog Max.

Pauline is preceded by her parents and two sisters, Myrtle Baker and Mary Wilson.

She is survived by her husband, Sherman Williams of Whitehouse; sons and daughters-in-law, Mike and Shannon Costlow of Whitehouse, Randy and Carol Costlow of Fountain, Colorado, Lee Williams of Whitehouse, and Paula and Sherman Williams of Whitehouse. Brothers Curtis Munsinger of Maydelle, Paul Munsinger of Pierce’s Chapel, Donald Munsinger of Palestine, and Billy Wayne Munsinger of Pennsylvania. Sisters Charlsey Jakubik of Troup and Virginia Woodall of Ore City. Nine grandchildren, Emily, Jessica, Nicholas, Christopher, Abigail, Chloe, Rachel, Jonathan, Madeline, and several nieces and nephews.

Services for G.A. Marshall, 81 of Jacksonville are scheduled for Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 2 P.M. in the Autry Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. David Hallum, Rev. Hank Chandler & Charles Dickerson officiating. Graveside services will follow in Still Waters Memorial Gardens.

G.A. passed away on Thursday, October 12th in Tyler. He was born in Brushy Creek on November 21, 1924 to George Walter & Eula Mae Harp Marshall.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, served in the Calvary Division under the command of General George S. Patton, while under General Patton’s command G.A. drove a tank for the General. He was discharged in 1945.

G.A. was employed at S & K Church Furniture for 18 years, was owner of M & S Gulf Station for 26 years, employed by Thompson Funeral Home and in 2003 joined the Autry Funeral Home staff. He was a member of Afton Grove Baptist Church and was a former member of the Lion’s Club.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Dorothy Jean Marshall.

G.A. is survived by his wife Maxine Marshall, sons & daughters-in-law Pat & Valerie Marshall of Jacksonville, Mike & Carmen Marshall of Richmon; daughters & sons-in-law, Vicki & Jerry Chambless of Canton and Kathy & Jerry Hawkins of Lake Palestine & step-son Mike & wife Karla Dennis of Frankston; grandchildren, Geoff, Patrick, Amanda & John Marshall, Tammi Smith, Terri Hubbard & Patti Chambless & 9 great grandchildren & 1 great-great grandchild & 3 step-grandchildren, Heath Campbell & Steven & Kimberly Dennis.

Pallbearers will be Charles Dickerson, Frank Diamont, James Williams, Louis Clakley, Bill Lang & Eddie Smith. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday, October 14th from 6 to 8 P.M.

Memorials may be made to the Afton Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, PO Box 1328, Jacksonville, Texas 75766.

Billy Floyd Priest 07/27/1916 -10/12/2006

Services are scheduled for Billy Floyd Priest, 90 of Jacksonville formerly of Austin, for Friday, October 13th at 11 A.M. at Cook Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home Chapel in Austin with Rev. Dr. Jimmy Reece officiating. Burial will follow the service in Cook Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park.

Mr. Priest passed away on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 in Jacksonville.

He was born in Chambersville, Texas on July 27, 1916 to Floyd Hardaway & Alma Rivers Priest. On August 1, 1938 he went to work for the City of Austin in the Engineering Department , he left the city of Austin on August 1, 1960 and opened his own office for the practice of Land Surveying. He retired from the Surveying business in 1981.

In 1939 he met Mary Tom Kendall and they later married and had three children; Joe, Sue and Emily.

Mr. Priest was preceded in death by his wife; Mary Kendall Priest, his parents; Floyd and Alma Priest and a great-granddaughter; Lydia Milikien.

He is survived by his son & daughter-in-law, Joe & Jeannie Priest of Dripping Springs; daughters & son-in-law, Sue Priest of Dallas and Emily Morrow and her husband Terry of Jacksonville; grandchildren, Rob Beall of Jacksonville, Allyson Milikien of Round Rock and Hunter Priest of Dripping Springs; and two great-grandchildren; sisters, Virginia Waite of Canyon Lake and Jean Kunitz of Sherman and several nieces & nephews.

The family will receive visitors prior to the service from 10 A.M. until service time. Family members will serve as pallbearers. Local arrangements under the direction of Autry Funeral Home.

Lois Falba Green 2/23/1915 -10/11/2006

Services are scheduled for Lois Green, 91 of Jacksonville for Saturday, October 14, 2006 at 2 PM at the First Baptist Church, Jacksonville with Rev. Vernon Lee, Rev. Dr. Harold Brunson & Rev. C.D. Walker officiating. Burial will be at Jarratt Cemetery.

The family will receive visitors on Friday, October 13th from 5 until 8 PM at the funeral home.