Category: Obituaries

David L. Williams of Montalba, went to be with his heavenly father on January 13, 2018 in Palestine, Texas. He was born on May 23, 1942 in Palestine, Texas to Grady Hall Williams and Ruby Lou Rhoades Williams.

David grew up on his beloved family farm in the Springfield Community. He attended the Springfield United Methodist Church. He also attended Cayuga High School and graduated in 1959. Following graduation, he attended Henderson County Junior College. He worked for a short time at Curtis Mathis in Athens. Around the time that David began his family, he started working for Nipak in Trinidad. He was employed there for approximately 13 years. During this time, Mr. Williams made a home for his family in Murchison, Texas. He called Murchison home for over 30 years.

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Funeral services for John A. “Dick” Rash have been scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Autry’s Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home Chapel.

Burial will follow at Leagueville Cemetery.

Mr. Rash passed away January 10, 2018 in Tyler.

He was born November 22, 1932 in Brownsboro, Texas to the late Tom and Stella Mitchell Rash. Poppa was a lifelong resident of Brownsboro and the youngest of 7 children. He served our country in the United States Army. He retired from Kelly Springfield Tire Company and Brownsboro ISD Bus Dept. He had a side job of maintaining several local cemeteries which he really enjoyed. A passion of his was growing large gardens and he was known by man as “The Watermelon Man.” His selfless big hearted character will be missed by many.

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Funeral Services for Catherine Griffin, 81, of Athens are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 14, 2018 at the Hannigan Smith Funeral Home Chapel in Athens with Bro. Kris Menifee officiating. Interment will follow at Malakoff Cemetery.

Ms. Griffin passed away on January 10, 2018 in Athens.

Catherine Shirley Cox Griffin was born November 16, 1936 in DeKalb, Texas the daughter of Haskell Cox and Dorothy Fannin Cox. She was a member of the Calvary Baptist church and a dedicated homemaker. She was a member of the Athens Senior Singles Club and loved playing cards, especially 42. Catherine loved painting; all kinds of arts and crafts and gardening in her spare time.

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A Celebration of the Life of Tina Butler Shipes of Athens will be held from 3-5 p.m., Saturday, January 13, 2018 at the Hannigan Smith Funeral Home of Athens.

Tina Denise Butler Shipes was born September 29, 1969 in Tucson, Arizona the daughter of David Stanley Butler and Imogene Long Butler. Her father was in the Air Force and she grew up in many communities all over the country before the family settled in Athens. She became a flight attendant shortly after finishing school. She then started her own family and became a registered nurse, so she could be closer to her children and home. She enjoyed watching the New England Patriots and Tom Brady, going to the beach, listening to Jimmy Buffett music and loved traveling with her husband. Tina was loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.

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A celebration of the life of Curtis Smith, 43, of Athens will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 13, 2018 at New York Baptist Church with Bro. Donald Thomas officiating. Interment will follow at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Athens.

Curtis went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, January 6, 2018 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Curtis Shane Smith was born June 27, 1974 in Tyler, the son of Charlie Curtis Smith and Thelma Joyce Swartzwalder Smith. He loved his job as a lineman; working for TVEC for over 14 years before transferring to Nueces Electric Cooperative in Corpus Christi. He was an outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish as a young man and later fell in love with the beach life. He enjoyed a good game of Blackjack and being with his friends. He loved his wife, his kids and the rest of his family. He will truly be missed by all that knew him.

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