Damon Michael Herron

Damon Michael Herron, infant son of Candice Herron passed away Thursday, July 17, 2008 at Presbyterian Hospital of Denton.

A visitation will be held Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 1pm at Denton Funeral Home.

Damon is survived by his mother; grandparents, Rose and Mike Herron; his great-grandparents; and several aunts and uncles.

Services are under the direction of Denton Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Dr. Bobby Short Thomas, 92, of Denton passed away Thursday, July 17, 2008 at her residence.  There will be a celebration of her life, Sunday, July 20, 2008 at her residence, 2017 Brown Dr., Denton from 4 – 6 p.m.

In Lieu of flowers the family has requested that memorials be made to Ann’s Havens Hospice, Denton Christian Preschool or Denton School Foundation.

Wayne Smith

Wayne Smith, 65, of Denton, died Wednesday July 16, 2008 at St. Paul Hospital in Dallas.

Mr. Smith was born June 23, 1943 in Silver City, NM to Joseph Wayne and Estelle Smith. He graduated from Temple High School in 1961. He served in the United States Army during the Vietnam conflict and then he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in business. He was married to Judy Lewis on June 20, 1970 in Temple. He was a member of the Asbury United Methodist Church and was one of the original members of the Denton Elk’s Lodge. Wayne was one of the founding owners of CBS Mechanical; owner of CMI Building Systems and most recently he was Senior Project Manager for Wayne Allen Construction in Denton.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday July 19, 2008 in the chapel of Mulkey-Mason, Jack Schmitz and Son Funeral Home. Rev. Jim Bob McGinnis will officiate the service. Interment will be at a later date at Bellwood Memorial Park in Temple.

Survivors include his wife, Judy L. Smith of Denton; daughter, Kimberly Dawn Smith of Dallas; son, Kenneth Wayne Smith and his wife, Shala Geer-Smith of Lantana; grandchildren, Brennen Kenneth Smith and Brock Charles Smith; mother, Estelle Smith of Temple; sister, Vera Greenfield and her husband, David Greenfield of Belton.

Mulkey-Mason, Jack Schmitz and Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Bruce Griffin Temple,

Bruce Griffin Temple, 54, of Corinth, passed away Wednesday, July 16, 2008.  He was born September 1, 1953 in Lubbock, Texas to Robert Earl Temple and Rebecca Margaret Griffin Temple.  Bruce was a graduate of MacArthur High School in Irving, TX and attended Texas Tech University.  He was employed as a travel agent with Galactic LTD in Arlington and spent his non-working hours cheering on the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers , and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Bruce is survived by his loving wife of 14 years, Debbie Temple, his mother, Reba Temple;  his children,  Nicole Watkins and her husband, Ashly , Clint Temple and his wife, Shelly,  Michael Griffith and Keri Peschel and her husband, Mike; eight grandchildren;  his brothers, Mike Temple, Sr. and Bill Temple, Sr.; and several nieces and nephews.   He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Temple and his sister, Beth Randle.

A funeral service will be held, Saturday, July 19, 2 P.M., at Flower Mound Presbyterian Church, Flower Mound, Texas.  In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to Tri-Cities Fellowship Church, 295 E. Tripp Rd., Sunnyvale, TX  75182.  Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home, Lewisville, TX is in charge of arrangements.

Thomas Eugene Shuford, 63, passed away Sunday, July 13, 2008, at his home in Marfa.

Tom Shuford was born May 11, 1945 in San Antonio. Mr. Shuford was a writer, journalist, teacher and proud father of six. His father founded the journalism department at North Texas State University in Denton. Mr. Shuford majored in journalism as an undergraduate student at North Texas, and his first work as a journalist was at the Denton Record-Chronicle.
Mr. Shuford went on to complete a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in communications at the University of Texas at Austin. He joined the faculty of Tarleton State University at Stephenville in 1973. In 1976, he moved to the University of Texas at Arlington. He taught journalism there for almost 30 years, specializing in public affairs reporting and media law.

During his time as a professor, Mr. Shuford continued to work as a freelance journalist, and his stories appeared in a number of Texas magazines and newspapers.
In 2003, Mr. Shuford moved to the Big Bend to help found The Desert-Mountain Times newspaper. He served as the paper’s news editor for the length of its publication and went on to write for other Big Bend area publications, including the Big Bend Sentinel and the Desert Candle.
In all his journalism, Mr. Shuford displayed a rigorous ethical sensibility and an uncommon decency. Mr. Shuford’s eye for the telling detail and his ability to capture the essence of an individual carried over into fiction writing, which he pursued most intensely in the last years of his life. In 2006, a collection of Mr. Shuford’s short stories – entitled A Letter from Marfa – was published by the Desert-Mountain Institute.

Mr. Shuford’s loving and moral character, his fundamental goodness and his courage were and will remain an example for others. He is remembered for the joy and the humor he brought to his relationships and to his work.

Mr. Shuford is survived by his partner and muse, Gretchen Coles of Marfa; his sister, Betty Grace Shuford of Washington, D.C.; his brother, Dan Brooks Shuford and wife, Sharon, of Atlanta, Georgia; his ex-wife, Margaret Layton of Austin and their children, Tracy and husband, Mr. Shuford Patton of Seattle, Wash.; and Clark and wife, Jennifer Shuford of Austin; his ex-wife, Lanette Causey and their children, Daniel Shuford of Austin; Capricia Prikryl and husband, John Martin of Austin; Josh and wife, Jaime Prikryl of Hong Kong, China and Mumbai, India; and Ian Prikryl and wife, Lexi Martin of Austin. Survivors also include eight grandchildren.

The family asks that memorials be directed to the American Cancer Society, which provided so much assistance to Mr. Shuford and his loved ones during the last years of his life.

Nell N. Chastain

Nell N. Chastain, 83, of Rogers AR, formerly of Denton, passed away Wednesday, July 9, 2008 in Rogers AR.  She was born October 25, 1924 in Lorenza TX to Harry and Laura Manley Marks.  She married T.R. Chastain on November 8, 1941 in Marietta OK.  She had retired from TWU Bookstore as purchasing clerk.

Graveside service was held Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 11 a.m. at Little Elm Cemetery with Rev. Randy Snow officiating.

She is survived by her husband, T.R. Chastain of Rogers; son, R.G. Chastain of Nacogdoches; daughter, Leah Chastain of Rogers AR; granddaughter, Vanessa Hunton; grandson, Rich Chastain; granddaughter, Brooke Bozenan; and two great-grandsons.  Her parents and four sisters precede her in death.

Thomas Dyson

Thomas Dyson, 26, of Hickory Creek, passed away Tuesday July 15, 2008 at Denton Regional Medical Center.

Thomas Dyson was born November 10, 1981 in Lewisville to Terry and Gay (Newman) Dyson. He graduated from Lake Dallas High School. He served in the United States Army and worked in construction.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday July 19, 2008 in the chapel of Mulkey-Mason, Jack Schmitz and Son Funeral Home, 705 N. Locust, Denton. Interment will follow at Flower Mound Cemetery, Flower Mound. Visitation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday July 18 at the funeral home.

Survivors include his son, Jonathan Thomas Dyson of Hickory Creek; daughter, Zabrina Elena Dyson of Grapevine; parents, Terry Dyson and Gay Dyson of Hickory Creek; grandmother, Maxiene Dyson of Lewisville; grandmother, Frona Newman of Hickory Creek; great grandmother, Elva Pockrus of Lake Dallas; and brother, WT Dyson, II of Lake Dallas.

Condolences may be sent to: Dyson Family, P.O. Box 1053, Lake Dallas, TX 75065.

William W. “Bill” Hopkins

William W. “Bill” Hopkins, 81, of Pampa (originally from Sanger), passed away on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 in Sanger.

Bill was born on May 2, 1927 to Will and Metha (Winkelmann) Hopkins in Denton County, Texas. He married Margaret Purgason on November 28, 1947 in Denton, Texas. She preceded him in death on November 11, 2006. He served his country during World War II in the United States Army.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, July 18, 2008, at the First Baptist Church, 708 Fifth Street, Sanger, Texas. Burial will be in Pampa, Texas.

Survivors include 3 sisters, Mildred Cogdell and Betty Bishop of Sanger, and Martha Thorell of Whitesboro; and a sister-in-law, Bettye Gray of Amarillo. He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; son, Steven Ray Hopkins; sister, Virginia Behake; and brother, Sam Hopkins.