All Obituaries

Trudy Jean Smith, age 73, of Dallas, Georgia, formerly of Deport, Texas, died November 29, 2020. She was born on November 29, 1947, to Jefferson Truett Smith and S. Margeria Jeffus in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She was one of the surviving crew members of Eastern Airlines Flight #401 that crashed in the Florida Everglades shortly after takeoff from Miami on Dec. 29, 1972.  For many years she was a strong advocate for crew and passenger safety in the airline industry speaking to Local and...

Elizabeth Ann (Oliver) DeBerry, age 84, of Deport, Texas, died November 28, 2020. She was born on November 12, 1936, to Lester Oliver and Ethel Thomas. Ann spent many of her adult years as a homemaker and as an RN. She is survived by her daughter-in-love, Janice Rhodes; granddaughters, Amy Michelle Carter of Kaufman, Texas, Angela DeBerry of Tyler, Texas, and Rachel Martelle of McKinney, Texas; and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Thomas...

Funeral Services for Paden Riley Bridges of Bogata, Texas, will be held Tuesday, November 17, at 2:00 pm at Calvary Baptist in Talco, with Kerry Adamak officiating. Interment will follow at Smith-Rosalie Cemetery in Rosalie, Texas. A time of visitation will be held Monday, November 16, 2020 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the church.  Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and State guidelines, we want to remind everyone to practice proper safety and social distancing. Paden was born March 18, 2003 in...

Doris Irene Murphy of Maumelle, Arkansas passed away peacefully in the early morning hours Sunday, November 8, 2020 at 97 years of age.  She was born on April 29, 1923 in Halesboro, Texas to Ben Ward and Lillie Mae Parker.  Her long life was filled with many loves: her God, her family, which she devoted her life to, and her country – which she served by traveling to Oregon during WWII to weld ships for the war effort. She also enjoyed bowling, reading and bird...

Sarah Frances Albritton, 86, of Detroit, Texas, died Wednesday, November 4, 2020 in Clarksville, Texas. She was born on March 22, 1934 in Dekalb, Texas. Sarah worked at Kraft Foods. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Stephen Allbritton, and is survived by many nieces and nephews. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, November 6, 2020 at Bethel Cemetery in Detroit, Texas under the direction of Wood-Haggard Funeral Homes.

James Elton Archibald passed away Sunday, October 25, 2020 at his residence in Bogata, Texas.  He was born on August 15, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas to Ruben and Omiee Archibald. He is survived by his two sons, Gary E. Archibald of Lancaster, Texas, and James Archibald of  Waxahachie, Texas. He is preceded in death by his wife, Doris Archibald and a daughter, Cynthia Archibald Wilson. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Shirley Jane Vickers of Bogata, Texas passed away Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 77 years of age.  She was born January 26, 1943 in Pineville, Louisiana to Norman and Ida Jane (Smith) Couch. Shirley was a hard worker all her life which found expression in her many loves and interests such as cooking, canning, Cajun food, Elvis, the Lion’s Club (serving several years as secretary) The Food Pantry, Bogata Missionary Baptist Church and many others. Her greatest love though, her...

Ruthie was born to Josie Williams White and Rufus White in Cuthand, Texas on March 12, 1922, and passed away peacefully on October 12, 2020 in Clarksville, TX at the age of 98. She was the wife of her late husband, Samuel D. Sheffield, of Bogata, TX   Ruthie worked hard her whole life: she picked cotton, worked in factories, cooked, sewed – worked the cows and took care of everyone.  She truly had the gift of hospitality.  If you ever left her home hungry – that...

Johnnie Elmo McLemore, Jr., of Commerce, Texas passed away Sunday, October 11, 2020 at 90 years of age.  He was born on May 26, 1930 to Johnnie and Virginia “Virgie” McLemore. Johnnie honorably served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, following his military career Johnnie returned to Plano, Texas where he worked as an operations manager for Honeywell. He retired after 30 plus years of service.  Over his lifetime, Johnnie served as a deacon and music...

Willie Ernestine Clark, 97 of Bogata, Texas left the loving arms of her children on October 9, 2020 at 4:55 AM to join the loving arms of her beloved Savior, Jesus our Lord. Willie was born on October 15, 1922, in Cuthand, Texas, to Ernest and Iva McConnell Williams. Willie was a longtime resident of northeast Texas and McCurtain County Oklahoma. She was a member of the Cuthand United Methodist Church, the Bogata Lions Club and devoted mother, and grandmother. Left to cherish her memory...