Obits

Vernice White

Ms. Vernice White, 64, of Pittsburg, was born July 20, 1951, to Vernest Duffey and Beatrice Cook Duffey. She passed away July 22, 2015. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Jimmy White. Services were held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at Shady Grove Cemetery under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Hughes Springs. An online guestbook may be signed at www.reeder-davis.com.

Ethel Bailey was born July 4, 1933 in Pittsburg, Texas and died July 14, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. Ethel is survived by her loving husband, James Bailey, and many other loving family members and friends. Funeral service was held July 20, 2015 at Jeter & Son Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas followed by interment at Crossroads Cemetery in Pittsburg, Texas.

Thelma L. Hicks, 98, was born Dec. 9, 1916, in Camp County and died July 14, 2015 at Pittsburg Nursing Center in Pittsburg, Texas.

Mrs. Hicks was a member of First Baptist Church of Pittsburg. She is preceded in death by her spouse, Lacy Hicks; parents, Bert Roberts and Effie Gertrude Hall Roberts and sister, Gladys Holcomb.

Survivors include one son, Brian Hicks and wife, Sharon, of Pittsburg; grandchildren Christopher Pilgrim and Kelcey Griffin; great-grandchild Gunner Pilgrim and sister, Bernice Dodson of Pittsburg.

The family received visitors from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at Erman Smith Funeral Home. Services were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 16, at Erman Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Pittsburg with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery.

Online condolences may be left at www.ermansmithfuneralhome.net.

Mrs. Bonnie Jenkins, 87, of Avinger, Texas, was born Dec. 21, 1928, in Lasater, Texas and passed away July 6, 2015 in Avinger.

Services for Mrs. Jenkins were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at Avinger Baptist Church under the direction of Haggard Funeral Home in Jefferson. Visitation followed the service in the fellowship hall. A memorial guestbook may be signed at www.haggardfuneralhome.com.

Gwen Nelson, age 88, of Scroggins, Texas, passed away Saturday, June 27, in Winnsboro, Texas surrounded by her family.

Mrs. Nelson was born to Roy and Lady Jo Wright and grew up in McKinney, Texas. Following high school, she married and had three daughters. She and her family resided in the Dallas, Texas area for 25 years. She was an active member at Lake Highlands Baptist Church. She was involved in the music ministry and was a youth choir director. She enjoyed a wonderful career as an executive secretary at Texas Instruments where she eventually retired from. She met the love of her life, Elmer Nelson.

Dennis Rowden was born in Simi Valley, Calif.

He embraced the free spirit of life, love and destiny.

He leaves to treasure his memory, wife, Pamela Rowden; step-daughter, Ashley Hutson; step-son, Austin Huston; father and mother, Dennis Sr. and Patricia Rowden; sister, Dennice Stoner and nieces, Ashley and Austin Stoner.  He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Rozzie “Nonnie” Sizemore.

The Reverend Edward Baggett was born on November 22, 1946 in Fort Worth, Texas and passed away on Saturday, June 27, 2015 following a courageous eight-year battle with cancer.

His parents were Edward E. and Mary Allen Baggett. He is a descendant of Jesse Billingsley, a participant in the battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolutionary War and an early Bastrop County legislator.

Ed graduated from the University of Houston in 1970. While in Houston, he became deeply involved in the work of Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, managing a coffee house and singing and playing in a group called Keyhole, which later changed to the group called Fisherfolk. In 1974, he moved to England to participate in more music making and pastoral outreach with the Fisherfolk, who were well known internationally. The group, including Ed, performed at the famous Edinborough Fringe Festival, which displayed amateur music and theater groups.

Dorothy Franklin, 86, of Pittsburg, Texas, died Tuesday, June 30, 2015, at Mission Manor Healthcare in Mt. Vernon, Texas.

Mrs. Franklin was born Nov. 16, 1928, in Pittsburg to George Bailey Bradshaw and Birdie Edwards Bradshaw. She was the owner and operator of the Franklin Food Store in Pittsburg and a member of the Pittsburg First Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, seven sisters and her husband, John D. Franklin. Survivors include son, David Wayne Franklin and wife, Lisa, of Pittsburg; daughter, Judy Croley and husband, Beau, of Pittsburg; grandchildren Jennifer Copeland, Bobby Croley and David Franklin and great-grandchildren Mason Copeland, Matthew Croley and Diego Croley.

Donald G. “Donnie Anderson, 86, was born Oct. 6, 1928, in Cox City, Okla. and passed away July 3, 2015, in Mount Pleasant, Texas.

Mr. Anderson was a retired auto mechanic and cattle rancher. He loved fishing, hunting, drinking coffee with friends, cutting firewood and gardening.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Raymond and Bernice (Vaught) Anderson; brothers, Loyd and James Anderson; sister, Lula Faye Shurbet and step-grandson, Rod Russell.

Marie Parker Nowlin, 92, formerly of Pittsburg, died Thursday,June 25, 2015 at her home in Athens. Graveside services were held June 29 at 10 a.m. at Rose Hill Cemetery in Pittsburg with Virgil Faires officiating. Mrs. Nowlin was born on January 16, 1923 in Rodessa, Louisiana.

Mrs. Nowlin was a member of the Church of Christ and the Silver Threads senior citizen’s band in Pittsburg.

She is survived by her children, Charles W. Nowlin Jr. and wife LeAnn of Bryan, Charlotte King and husband Jimmy of Rosenberg, Delores Holubec and husband Cliff of Athens; sister, Nell Miller of Pittsburg; grandchildren, Brian Scott King, Robert Gavin King, Sally Nowlin, and Sandy Gross; great grandchildren, Gavin Nicholas King, Jacob King, Adam Kin, Anna King, Jenna Marie Reis, Jaxon Gross, and Madeline Larae Gross.

Mrs. Nowlin was preceded in death by her parents: Frederick Doyle Parker and Lee Hutchins Parker; her husband, Charles W. Nowlin Sr., two sisters and five brothers.