Obits

John Hart Efurd, 87, surrounded by the family he loved so much, passed from this earth to his heavenly home on June 5, 2016, in Pittsburg, Camp County, Texas. He was born February 16, 1929, to John William and Mary Addie Thomas Efurd of Pittsburg. He was the 10th of 12 children. He graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1947. Mr. Efurd was a decorated veteran serving with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. He married his childhood sweetheart and beautiful bride, Sandra Martin, also of Pittsburg, in 1952. Mr. Efurdwas a hardworker, often persevering through times of adversity, while working tirelessly from sun up to sun down. He loved the land and he, along with his wife, began planting peach trees in 1972 which quickly grew into a successful business known as Efurd Orchards. He attended Crossroads Missionary Baptist Church his entire life, serving as deacon the majority of that time. He was a man of deep faith and conviction.

Services for Lois Ellen McAlester, 89, will be Wednesday, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Steve Packer and Bishop Joseph Strickland officiating. Interment will be at Willow Oak Cemetery in Upshur County. Mrs. McAlester was born Dec. 6, 1927 in Bagwell, Texas. She died Sunday, June 5 in Waxahachie. She attended First Baptist Church of Pittsburg and was a member of Lydia Sunday School Class. She was a retired teacher and past president of the Camp County Teachers’ Association. She was also a former Pink Lady. Survivors include two sons, Timothy Lee McAlester and wife Kathy; Terry McAlester and wife Mary; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Shelby Lee McAlester, and parents Charley Gaston Strickland and Mary Elizabeth Perkins Strickland; a son, Ronald Drew McAlester; two brothers, Raymond Strickland and Gaston Strickland. Pallbearers were JoeMarsh, Phil Scudder, George Frost, Ash Brown, Lee Crane and Brett Coe.

Services for Henry “Horsefly” Edward Insall, 72, were held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Erman Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Pittsburg with the Rev. David Posey officiating. He was born Jan. 15, 1944 in Gilmer and died May 30 at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. As a master industrial electrician and HVAC, he loved spending time with his family while boating water skiing , fishing and camping. He was an accomplished private pilot and had a passion for making things go fast, including his Corvette and dydrostring vector ski boat. He was a member of the South Jefferson Baptist Church for many years. He is survived by his wife Nita; one son Ryan Insall; one daughter Renee Kinney and her husband Adam; one step daughter, Lori Duncan and her husband Vernon; two brothers, Joe Insall and Dan Insall; two sistersin-law, Sandy Pearson and Judy Insall; his mother-inlaw Bonnie Foster. Honorary pallbearers were Steve Agan, Chuck Cottrell, Alex Foster, A. J.

Wanda Jean Warrick, age 58, of Pittsburg, passed away Monday, May 16 in Dallas. Wanda was born Dec. 22, 1957 in Pittsburg to William and Joyce Jenkins Kimbell. On May 4, 1979, in Pittsburg she married Larry Warrick. Over the next 37 years they would laugh, love and raise two children, Johnathan and Ben. Wanda loved to help others, it was this love that drove her to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. She worked at both East Texas Medical Center - Pittsburg and Titus Regional Medical Center in Mount Pleasant. She also worked at Moore’s Nursing Home. In addition to her nursing, Wanda also served as a re ghter with the Pittsburg Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years. She was the department’s rst female re ghter and had the honor of obtaining the rank of Lieutenant, and later Captain. Mrs. Warrick loved the outdoors, and especially enjoyed gol ng and shing. She loved to travel and took special pleasure in her trips to Alaska with Larry to go salmon shing.

Services for Kenneth Mayo, 75, were held at Erman Smith Funeral Home Chapel Friday, May 20 with Tammy Nelson and Mike Bridges o ciating with interment in Macedonia Cemetery. Mr. Mayo was born March 31, 1941 in Pineville, La. He died Tuesday May 17 at Pittsburg Nursing Center. He was a member of the First Pentecostal Church of Pittsburg Full Gospel. He enjoyed hunting and shing. He is survived by his spouse Barbara Quinn May of Pittsburg; one son, James Mayo of Pittsburg; numerous grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; two brothers Don Mayo of West Monroe, La. and Dan Mayo and wife Geraldine of Elmer, La. He was preceeded in death by his parents, George Cleveland Mayo and Ruby Eugene readgill Mayo, two sisters, Mary Lou Irijean and Alie Marie Mayo; three brothers, James, Gerald and Billy. Pallbearers were Vincent McCain, Kelvin McCain, Donald McCain, Jessie Quick, Jr., Daniel Quinn and Ray Duke. Honorary pallbearers were nephews and men of the church.

Clifford Earl Allen died May 11 at the Clairmont Nursing Home in Tyler. He was born in Gilmer on May 21, 1957. e funeral was held Saturday, May 14 at Mt. Lebanon C.M.E. Church in Pittsburg with the Rev. Terry Moton o ciating. Interment was in Rocky Mound Cemetery in Rocky Mound.

A memorial service for Robert Wayne “Blackjack” Marshall of Pittsburg, who passed away Wednesday, May 4, at the age of 72, will be held on this Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (with the memorial service starting at 11) at the Circle C Cowboy Church, located at 1757 Farm to Market Road 3417 in Mount Pleasant. A reception will be held following the service. In lieu of owers, please donate to your favorite charity.

Services for Randy Green, 61, were held at Erman Smith Funeral Home with Eric Lynch and Larry Green o ciating. Interment was in Crossroads Cemetery. Mr. Green died May 21 at Medical City Dallas Hospital. He was born April 12, 1955 in Dallas. He worked at the Faulkner Chevrolet service Center and was a member of the Mission Church in Mount Pleasant. He is survived by one son, Brandon Green of Joshua; three grandchildren, Cason, Makayla and Hanna Green; three brothers, Larry Green of Mount Pleasant, Roy Green of Pittsburg and Jimmy Green of Pittsburg. He was preceded in death by his parents James Irvin Green and Bonnie Faye Blair Green. Pallbearers were Tommy Green, Danny Green Brian Green, J. T. Self, Steven Green and James Green. Honorary pallbearers were employees of Faulkner Chevrolet. Online condolences may be le at www.ermansmith funeralhome.net.

Services for Mark Hammonds, 42, of Gilmer were held on Tuesday, May 3, at 2:00 p.m., at Croley Funeral Home Chapel in Gilmer with Pastor Jim Wolstenholm o ciating. Mr. Hammonds passed away Saturday, April 30, 2016 at a Longview hospital. Mr. Hammonds was born on July 17, 1973, in Mount Pleasant to David Paul and Luann Abshier Hammonds. He was employed with Upshur Rural Electric, a lifetime resident of Upshur County and was a member of the Gilmer Church of the Nazarene. He is survivedbyhiswife,DanielleHammonds ofGilmer; children, Brandie Hammonds of Big Sandy, Melissa Hammonds of Longview, Louren ompson of Gilmer, Dillon ompson of Gilmer, Joseph Hammonds of Gilmer, and Victoria Hammonds of Gilmer; father and step-mother, David and Marsha Hammonds of Mount Pleasant; mother and step-dad, Luann and James Jones of Pittsburg; sister, Lori Hooper of Pittsburg; step-brothers, Bryan Lawrence of Mount Pleasant, T.J.

Services for Johnny W. Morse, 80, were held May 14, at Erman Smith Funeral Home Chapel with Interment in Oakwood Cemetery. He was born in Corsicana Jan. 25, 1936. He died May 9 at his home.