Obituaries

Funeral services for Joan “Hen” Bell are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2015, at First Assembly of God Church in Wills Point. Burial will follow at White Rose Cemetery under the direction of Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point.

Joan departed this life Friday, June 19, 2015, at her home in Canton.

Joan Marie Bell was born May 14, 1954, in Brenham, the third child of five, to George and Evelyn Harris Bell. She grew up and attended school in Brenham. Joan confessed her faith in Christ at an early age and became a member of New Hope Missionary Church in Brenham. She was a very active member in the choir and also loved singing quartet style with her sisters, known as the “Bell Sisters”.

Memorial service for Hulen David Owen, 64, of Point, formerly of Wills Point, is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Sunday, June 28, 2015, at Allan Fuller Funeral Home Chapel in Wills Point with Preacher Mike Morrow officiating.  Interment will be at Rock Hill Cemetery near Wills Point.

He passed away Friday morning, June 12, 2015, in Greenville.

Hulen was born May 6, 1951, in Wills Point, the son of Chester Lenior Owen and Lottie Mae Ellis Owen.  He was raised in Wills Point and graduated from Kaufman High School.  He attended college at Abilene Christian University.  Hulen was employed by the WPISD in the mid 1970’s and from 1990 – 2015 he worked at the Emory Livestock Auction.  He enjoyed reading and spending time with his family and friends.  Hulen was of the Baptist faith.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Chester and Lottie Owen and three brothers, Barry Owen, Thomas Owen and Delbert Owen.

Services for Bobby L. Courtney, 79, were held Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at the Eubank Funeral Home in Canton, with Karen Purdy officiating.  Burial was in South Park Memorial Park in Pearland.

Mr. Courtney passed away Monday, May 4, 2015, in Tyler.  He was born March 3, 1936, in Groesbeck to Hayden and Ester Mae Courtney. 

Bobby was a member of the First Baptist Church in Alvin.  He lived in the Houston area for many years before moving to Wills Point five years ago.  Bobby was a retired truck driver. 

Mr. Courtney is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jessie; two sisters; and one brother.

Mr. Courtney is survived by his son, David Courtney of Forney; daughter, Mary Wells of Wills Point; daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Sam Alex of Alvin; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Steve La France, Mike La France, Justin La France, Rusty Henderson, Robert MacClelland and Billy Ray Courtney.

Vivian Marine Hail, 83, of Wills Point was born June 23, 1931, and died June 7, 2015. 

Graveside services were held Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at Mixon Cemetery in Jacksonville under the direction of Hiett's LyBrand Funeral Home Wills Point.

Funeral services for Turner Harrison Honea, 86, of Wills Point, were held Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at Trinity Baptist Church in Wills Point with the Rev. Jeremy Ogdie officiating. 

Interment followed at Bright Star Cemetery north of Wills Point under the direction of Allan Fuller Funeral Home in Wills Point.

He passed away Friday afternoon, June 5, 2015, in Tyler.

Turner was born on May 7, 1929, in Tennessee Colony, the son of George Duncan Honea and Effie Nason Winder Honea.  He was raised in Quinlan and in 1946, he graduated from Quinlan High School.  On April 16, 1971, he married Joy Lynn Wilson.  Turner was the manager of Palace Theatre in Dallas and police officer for the Dallas Police Reserve.  He also was t he owner of Turner Projector Service in Wills Point, owned and operated Plaza Theatre in Canton from 1985 to 1996 and owned Wood-N-Rail BBQ in Wills Point. 

Funeral services for Amy Ruth Sledge, 89, of Grand Saline, formerly of Wills Point, were held Saturday, June 6, 2015, at Allan Fuller Funeral Home Chapel in Wills Point with Mr. Alvis Nichols officiating.  Interment followed at Myrtle Springs Cemetery near Wills Point.

She passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in Grand Saline.

Ruth was born on Sept. 1, 1925, in Wills Point, the daughter of Nat Wade and Rebecca Mathis Wade.  She was raised in Wills Point, where she attended public school.  Ruth was married to Grady Windell McBride and later married Sterling Sledge.  She was employed by Terrell State Hospital where she worked as a nurse’s aide.  Ruth was a member of the Wills Point Church of Christ.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Nat and Rebecca Wade; two husbands, Grady Windell McBride and Sterling Sledge; two brothers, Odis Wade and Thurman Wade and three sisters, Vera Wade, Velma Brown and Esther Lea Howard.

Funeral services for Francis “Sonny” Groessel Jr., 61, of Terrell, were held Monday, June 1, 2015 at the Wills Point Church of Christ with Bro. Eugene Edens officiating. 

Interment followed at Neill and Harris Cemetery in Terrell under the direction of Allan Fuller Funeral Home in Wills Point. 

He passed away early Thursday morning, May 28, 2015, at his residence in Terrell.

Sonny was born Oct. 19, 1953, in El Paso, the son of Francis William Groessel, Sr. and Alice Katherine Turner Groessel.  He was raised in El Paso and Terrell, where he has lived most of his life. 

Visitation services for Rickey Jay Phillips, 61, of Edgewood, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2015, at Allan Fuller Funeral Home Chapel in Wills Point.

He passed away early Saturday morning, May 30, 2015, in Tyler.

Jay was born Oc. 19, 1953, in Wills Point, the son of Vernon Richard Phillips and Doris Rae Pickens Phillips. 

He was a lifelong resident of Edgewood and in 1972 he graduated from Edgewood High School.  Jay was in commercial construction most of his life, until his health failed. 

He enjoyed riding horses, fishing and hunting.  Jay was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon Phillips on March 18, 2013 and Doris Rae Phillips on May 11, 2008.

Jay is survived by a son, Jeff Phillips and wife, Jennifer of Rockwall; two daughters, Melissa Cooper of Edgewood and             Taylor Phillips of Canton; two brothers, Richard Phillips and wife, Karen of Edgewood

Joan Lee Lake, 78, of Wills Point was born Nov. 12, 1936, and died May 30, 2015.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at Hiett's LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point.

Burial was in White Rose Cemetery in Wills Point.

Funeral services for Johnnie Lou Johnson, 90, of Wills Point, formerly of Edgewood, were held Wednesday, June 3, 2015, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. Burial followed at White Rose Cemetery in Wills Point.

Johnnie passed away May 29, 2015, in Wills Point.

Johnnie Lou Capehart was born June 8, 1924, in Vera to John O. and Nancy Kendrick Capehart. Johnnie graduated from Millsap High School and then attended nursing school where she became a licensed vocational nurse.

She married Alfred Johnson Sept. 12, 1945, and they made their home in Irving.  Johnnie was employed as a nurse for Internist, Dr. Shilpak in Irving.  She enjoyed performing at the Soundbyte Theatre in Irving and the Millsap Playhouse in Millsap. Johnnie was featured in a Whitman-Russell Stover Candy commercial and an Advil commercial.  She also enjoyed modeling, swimming, singing, dancing and riding horses.