Melvin Bailey

Melvin Bailey, 61, of Sanger, passed away on Saturday, June 28, 2008, in Denton, Texas.  Services are pending with Coker Funeral Home, 403 Pecan Street, Sanger. Telephone: (940) 458-3311.

Martin Elmer Kacena

Martin Elmer “Marty” Kacena, 92, of Denton, died on Friday, June 27, 2008. Services are Pending with Denton Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Winnie Hendricks Starr

Winnie Hendricks Starr passed away in Houston, TX on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at the age of 90. Winnie was born in Tioga on February 28, 1918. She was married to Ermano Riley, raised four children, and graduated from North Texas State College. She taught school in Wylie and retired after 30+ years with the Houston Independent School District.

Winnie had 3 sons and a daughter. Richard died in 2000 and Wayne who died in 2006. Winnie is survived by her loving son, Daniel Russell, and daughter, Angela Sue. She is also survived by numerous other special relatives and friends. There are many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who have been blessed by their loving and dearly loved “MeMaw.”

She will always be remembered. Words cannot express the joy that she brought to all of our lives. We will miss her and continue to miss her throughout our lives. She will live in our hearts forever and a day.

Services will be held at the Hickory Creek Baptist Chapel in Denton on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 11:00am.Viewing will be held before and after the service.

Samuel D. Starnes

Samuel D. Starnes passed away Saturday, June 28,at his home surrounded by his family after being diagnosed in March with a rare form of cardiac cancer. He was 23 years old.

Sam was born in Houston Texas on September 18, 1984.  He has lived in Tyler since age 6.  He attended Woods, Hubbard and Robert E. Lee School.  He was an Honors student scheduled to graduate in May of this year from the University of Texas at Tyler.

He is survived by his parents, Floyd and Penny Falls Starnes of Tyler, and older brother H. Lee Starnes of College Station, his fraternal grandmother, Martha

Starnes of Tyler, his paternal grandparents of Sanger, TX, Joe and Patty Falls, Maria Falls of Grapevine, Drew Falls and family of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Jan and Kenneth Starnes of Bossier City, Louisiana, Julia Starnes of Tyler.

A celebration of Samuel’s life will be held at Tyler State Park on Sunday, July 27, at 7p.m.

Memorials can be made to Scott & White Hospital, Temple, TX Legacy Hospice, Tyler, TX American Cancer Society, wings foundation, or the charity of your choice.  For more information, please go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/samuelstarnes.

Martha Kay Clampitt

Martha Kay Clampitt, 60, of Denton was escorted by heavenly angels into the presence of her Lord and Savior on June 28, 2008 at her home.  Kay was born in Valley View, Texas to Opal Christian Clampitt.  She was the granddaughter and great granddaughter of early Cooke and Denton County settlers.

Kay's mother died when she was two years old.  She was raised by her older sisters and brothers. She was also preceded in death by the love of her life, her son, J.T.  She attended Denton High School.

The family will be at DeBerry Funeral Directors, Tuesday, July 1, 2008 from 1 p.m.   - 2 p.m. for visitation.  Funeral services will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the Chapel of DeBerry Funeral Directors with Rev. John Stout officiating. She will be buried beside her son at the Valley View Cemetery at a later date.

Kay is survived by three sisters: Brenda Hacker of Atlanta, TX, Betty Nichols of Carrollton, and Nita DeBerry of Denton; three brothers, Roger Clampitt of Houston, and Kenneth and Les Clampitt of Denton as well as eight nieces and seven nephews.

We, Kay's family, look forward to a joyous reunion with Kay when we all get to Heaven.

J.P. “Speck” Manire

J.P. “Speck” Manire, 89, of Denton passed away Sunday, June 29, 2008 in Denton.  He was born May 1, 1919 in Greenwood to Arthur and Ida Manire.

 He graduated from Decatur High School and also graduated from Decatur Baptist College and U.N.T.  He served in the U.S. Army Air Force during WWII in the European Theatre.  He married Doris Wanda Hendricks in 1954.  She preceded him in death.  He worked for Borden’s Dairy and retired from Parkland Hospital.

Visitation will be Wednesday, July 2, 2008 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at DeBerry Funeral Chapel.  Graveside service will be Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 10 a.m. at Roselawn Memorial Park. 

He is survived by a son, Phil “Little Joe” Manire and wife Kim; grandsons, Cody “Peewee” Manire and John Manire; granddaughter, Beth “Rosey”.

He is preceded in death by is parents, wife, Doris and 3 brothers, Robert “Roboat”, Don “Crellon”, Leon “Leaky” Manire and sister, Daisy.

”Yippie" Avice Maye Collins

”Yippie" Avice Maye Collins, 94 of Argyle, passed away Saturday, June 28, 2008 at Rambling Oaks Courtyard Extensive Care Community in Highland Village.
Yippie, daughter of Claude L. Hollandsworth and Mary Naomi Bell Hollandsworth, was born in Cooke County, Texas on September 5, 1913.  She resided in Lake Dallas most of her life before moving to Lake Kiowa in 1977.   Yippie moved to Argyle in April of 1998.  More recently she lived in the assisted living community at Rambling Oaks.  Yippie married Louis R. Gross on October 15, 1934.  Louis preceded her in death in August of 1969.  She then married James H. Collins in 1973, who also preceded her in death in 1978.

Yippie attended grade school in Spring Grove and graduated from Gainesville High School in 1930.  After high school she graduated from Gainesville Junior College.  A high school speech teacher picked a group of girls for the Gainesville Circus, including Yippie.  She first performed as a Martha Washington statue, and later as a "ladder girl." While performing in the circus acts, Yippie met her husband-to-be, Louis Gross.  He played the trombone in the circus band.  In 1934 she and Louis were married in Waxahachie and moved to Dallas where he worked with his
father in the furniture business.  Yippie was employed by an insurance company during this period.  She also received her pilot's license when her husband Louis, a military pilot returned home from duty.  They enjoyed many years of flying together.
In October 1946 Louis and Yippie purchased the Lake Dallas Telephone Company, a pioneer independent telephone operation.  Yippie learned to operate the switchboard installed in their home with 150 telephone subscribers at the time
Upon the death of Louis in 1969, Yippie became president of the family owned business and remained in that capacity until her retirement in 1985. She was an active member of a number of telephone company organizations. Yippie was president of the Texas chapter of Independent Telephone Pioneers of America.  She served on the national board of ITPA during the period 1974 to 1986.  She was a lifetime member of this association after 40 years of service. Yippie was active in another telephone group know as OPASTCO, an organization for protection and advancement of small telephone companies.
The Lake Dallas Telephone Company was one of the original founding members of this group in 1963. During her professional telephone career Yippie attended conventions all over the United States.  In 1989, the Texas Independent Pioneers inducted her into the Hall of Fame for her distinguished service to an independent telephone company from 1946 to 1979.  She received the John Knox Johnson award in 1992 from ITPA.

Carolyn Louise Barling

Carolyn Louise Barling, 67, of Denton, died Saturday, June 28, 2008. Services are pending with Denton Funeral Home and Cremation Services.