Obits

Graveside services were held for Wilma Graves, 86, of Pittsburg on Thursday, Jan . 25, 2018 at Rose Hill Cemetery. Mrs. Graves was born May 23, 1931 in Wood County and she died Jan. 24.

Randy Huitema, of Pittsburg, passed away Wednesday morning, Jan . 17, at the age of 22. Randy was born in Mount Pleasant, Texas on Aug .12, 1995 to R.T. and Ria Huitema. Randy was attending North East Texas Community College, where he was majoring in industrial engineering. Randy is survived by his mother: Ria Huitema; two brothers , Teake Huitema, and Ricky Huitema; his paternal grandmother, Cilia Huitema; along with numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, R.T. Huitema. Services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan . 23, 2018 at the Living Word Church in Pittsburg. Burial was in Leesburg Cemetery in Camp County.

James Darryl “Jimmy” Monts, age 75, of Pittsburg, passed away Thursday evening, Jan . 18, 2018 in Tyler, surrounded by his family. Jimmy was born March 2, 1942 in Gilmer to Hubert and Allyne Monts. On March 2, 1964 Jimmy was drafted into the U .S. Army for service in the Vietnam War. Jimmy saw combat in Vietnam with the 16th Infantry Regiment and was wounded in action in January 1966, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. After his discharge in February of 1966 he returned to the Pittsburg area and worked for over 42 years as a brick mason. Jimmy loved his family, especially his two grandchildren. He was an avid golf player while his health permitted. He was a huge fan of his grandchildren’s athletic events and often traveled to see Mason play baseball, and never missed a football game at which Megan was cheering. Jimmy was a devout Christian and a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Pittsburg.

Robert “Lacy” Seale, of Pittsburg, passed away Friday morning in Pittsburg at the age of 80. Lacy was born Jan . 25, 1937 in Pittsburg , the last of five children born to Eunis and Viccie Seale. He attended school in Pittsburg, where he was an a ll- d istrict football player. After graduating in 1955 he attended Kilgore College and Arlington State. It was at Arlington State where he met the love of his life, Peggie Lynne Payne. The two were wed in 1958 at the Meadowlane Baptist Church in Arlington. The following year he went to work at Lone Star Steel. Lacy enjoyed a career of nearly 30 years before retiring. After he retired from Lone Star Steel he worked at Coker Ford in Pittsburg for a number of years. Lacy was a member of the First Baptist Church in Pittsburg for many years, and he was honored to serve as a deacon for quite a number of them.

Ronda Acker of Mount Pleasant passed away Friday, Jan. 12. She was born Dec. 4, 1963 in Winnsboro John David and Judy Swanson Wilkinson. She graduated from Union Grove High School and was a member of the Revival Center Church of Winnsboro. Left to cherish her memory is her daughter, Heather and her husband Paul Andrews of McKinney; her mother and dad, Judy and Dwight Drake of Leesburg; three grandchildren, Aaron, Benjamin and Richard Andrews; sister, Melissa Goodson and husband Scott of Pittsburg; mother-in-law, Anita Acker and Heather’s father, Randy Acker; as well and numerous nieces, nephew and cousins. She is preceded in death by her father, John Wilkinson; grandparents, H.L. and Lucille Swanson; uncle, Danny Swanson and her father-in-law, Dan Acker. Funeral services were held 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17 at Bates-Cooper-Sloan Chapel. Interment followed at the Macedonia Cemetery. The family received friends 7-9 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Donald W. Reynolds, life-long resident of Pittsburg, passed away Thursday evening, Jan. 18, in Pittsburg at the age of 83. Don was born Sept. 11, 1934 in Camp County to Roy Thomas Reynolds and Gertrude Whorton Reynolds. Don was a graduate of Pittsburg High School and served in the U.S. Army. In 1966, he began working at the newly opened Erman Smith Funeral Home in Pittsburg. In the early 60s Don and Mary opened Don Reynolds Flowers and Gifts, and would operate that business until their retirement in 2001. Don was one of the founders of Camp County EMS where he also served as Director for many years. Don was one of the founding fathers of Cypress Bank and after his retirement he stayed busy as a board member for Cypress Bank. He was also very involved with his church, Greer Boulevard Church of Christ. He was a member of Pittsburg Rotary Club for 57 years where he was a Paul Harris Fellow Mr.

William Leon “Dub” Murrell, 70, of Pittsburg was born Dec . 28, 1947 in Lecompte, La. and died Jan .12, 2018 in Tyler. Services were held 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan . 13, 2018 with burial at New Mine Cemetery.

David R. McNeil was born Dec. 17, 1943 in Pittsburg to Rayford and Lois Cooke McNeil and passed away on Jan . 6, 2018 in Longview. He was a baptist and retired from Lone Star Steel . He is survived by his wife, Glenda Bynum McNeil of Pittsburg; son, Charles Keith McNeil and wife Carrie of Pittsburg; eight grandchildren, Whitney McNeil, Shonda McNeil, Shelby McNeil, Trevor McNeil, Dustin McNeil, David Keith McNeil, and Cody and Braidon Thompson; one great-grandchild, James-Wayne Levi Wittebort; daughter-in-laws, Dusty McNeil Whisenhunt and April McNeil; one sister, Shirley Thurman and her husband Johnny of Garland. He is preceded in death by his parents, sons, Craig McNeil and Stephen McNeil. Services w ere held 10 a.m.Tuesday, Jan . 9, 2018 at Erman Smith Funeral Home with burial in Spring Hill Cemetery in Titus County. Visitation with the family w as held 5-7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

James “Buck” Martin of Gilmer, formerly of Pittsburg, died in Tyler Saturday morning, Jan . 13, at the age of 86. Mr. Martin was born Jan . 15, 1931 in Pittsburg