Aidyn Ray Walker

Aidyn Ray Walker, infant, of Sanger, was born and passed away on Monday, November 12, 2007 in Denton, Texas. 

Graveside service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday November 16, 2007 at the Sanger Cemetery with Sam Redfearn officiating.

Aidyn is survived by his parents, Amanda Ferguson of Sanger and Travis Walker of Slidell; maternal grandparents, Deborah Brockett of Sanger and Adolph Lugo of Tioga; paternal grandparents, Archie and Tammy Walker of Slidell; maternal great-grandparents, Bob and Georgia Ferguson of Aubrey; and paternal great-grandparents, Bert and Bessie Bland of Slidell.

Coker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Elmer Karl Trietsch

Elmer Karl Trietsch, 84, of Sanger, passed away Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at Lake Forest Good Samaritan Village.  He was born March 23, 1923 in Denton County, TX to Gus and Lena (Klein) Trietsch.  He attended Public Schools and was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church.  He served in the US Army during World War II.

A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, November 16, 2007 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church, 703 N. Elm, Denton, with Pastor Russell Tieken, officiating.  Burial will follow in the Blue Mound Cemetery.  The family will be at the Mulkey-Mason, Jack Schmitz and Son Funeral Home 705 N. Locust, Denton for visitation from 6 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 15, 2007.

Mr. Trietsch is survived only by Nieces and Nephews and other extended family members.

On line condolences at www.mulkeymason.com.

Boyce Brannan

WHITESBORO - Boyce Brannan was born on January 27, 1924 in Wills Point, Texas and graduated to Glory on Monday, November 12, 2007 in Whitesboro, at the age of 83 years, 9 months and 16 days. He was the son of Jess and Ada Brannan. His father was mayor and justice-of-the-peace of Edgewood, Texas. His mother was a schoolteacher and church organist.

He was “saved” as a young boy while attending a brush arbor meeting. Jesus Christ became the center of his life and the leader he followed. Many people received Christ as their Lord and Savior as a result of his preaching, teaching and fervent soul-winning efforts.

After graduating from Grand Saline High School, Boyce attended Draughn’s Business College in Fort Worth.  He pursued a career in printing as a linotype operator working for the “Grand Saline Sun,” the Quinn Printing Company, The Fort Worth Press and was the printer for the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas.

He married his beautiful bride, Viva Lee on July 8, 1943. Together they built a Christian home for their sons, Sid, Steve, Ted and Tim. God blessed their union with sixty-two years here on earth and an eternity in Heaven.

Married only a few months, Boyce joined the United States Navy. He served during World War II as a “Fighting Seabee.” His primary duty was as a bulldozer operator. On one beach landing in the Pacific Theatre he drove ashore with his dozer blade raised deflecting the bullets of the enemy. He achieved the rank of Petty Officer 2^nd Class Metalsmith and was awarded “The Bronze Star.”

He surrendered to preach in the early 1950s and served as an associate pastor in Fort Worth on the staffs of The First Baptist Church and The Castleberry Baptist Church. He was the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Andrews, Texas, Denton Baptist Temple in Denton, Texas and Plymouth Baptist Temple in Plymouth, Minnesota. He served more than 50 years in the ministry. In later years he was the owner of the Capital Stewardship Development Company raising money for Churches across the United States.

Boyce was preceded in death by his wife Viva Lee; his son, Tim; his mother and father; and his sister Christine.  He is survived by his sisters, Louise and Sally and his brother, Gene.

His living legacy can be seen in his sons and their wives and families: Sid and Jane Brannan and their sons Terry, Jeff and Brian; Steve and Linda Brannan and their son Steve; and Ted and Karen Brannan and their children Kari, Kevin, April and Amber. He has eleven great grandchildren.

He was a sailor, a printer, and a preacher, but his greatest claim-to-fame was as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. To Viva Lee and his friends he was Boyce. To his sons and daughter-in-laws he was “Dad.” To the rest of his family he was “Papa.” This is how he will be fondly remembered!

Funeral services will be held at Meador Funeral Home in Whitesboro, Texas on Saturday morning, November 17, 2007 at 10 a.m. Family visitation will be from 7 - 8 p.m., Friday, November 16, 2007 at the funeral home.  The family will travel to Sand Flat cemetery in Grand Saline for the interment.

To sign the online registry, go to www.meadorfuneralhome.com.

A.H. "Brink" Brinkman

A.H. "Brink" Brinkman, a longtime Denton resident, moving here with his wife, Lucille in 1941 from Iowa passed away Monday, November 12, 2007.

He was born on a farm in Blackhawk Co., Iowa on January 5, 1916 to William H. and Orlinda Moeller Brinkman.  He was employed by the Chevrolet Company for 20 years, 14 of those years with Grace-Barrow Chevrolet in Denton.  He along with his wife, Lucille owned and operated Brinks Auto Parts for 26 years, retiring in 1980.

Brink was an active member of the Denton Lions Club for 60+ years, having served as its President two times.  He also served District 2E2 of Lions Club International as District Governor in 1969 - 1970.  He was one of the founders and member of the Board of Directors of Lions District 2E2 Organ and Eye Bank.  He served for three years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Lions Crippled Children Camp in Kerrville, Texas.  He was a life member of the Texas Lions Crippled Children's Camp and of District 2E2 Lions Organ and Eye Bank and a Melvin Jones Fellow of Lions Club International Foundation. While in the Automotive Wholesalers of Texas he served on the Board of Directors for several years and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. 

Brink volunteered in several organizations.  He served AARP on the state level as assistant State Director and as State Volunteer Recruiter.  He was a member and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Adult Day Care of North Texas when it opened.  He served on the Resident Council of Denton Good Samaritan Village, member of Retired Senior-Volunteer Program, member of the advisory Board of Directors as Chairman of the Denton Senior Center and served on the TWU Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee.

Brink was always active in his church, serving as President of the Church Council, Sunday School Superintendent, and Sunday school teacher, serving on the Building Committee and Pastor Call Committee and many other committees.

Visitation will be Wednesday, November 14, 2007 from 6 – 8 p.m. at DeBerry Funeral Directors.  Funeral service will be Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Matt Gaston officiating.  Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park.  Pallbearers will be Tab Boliver, Mitchell Boliver, Brandon Brinkman, Stephen Wisdom, Steve Barton and Terry Parton.  Honorary pallbearers will be members of Denton Lions Club and Monday Morning Bible Study Group.

He is survived by his wife, Lucille Brinkman of Denton; daughters, Jeneane Boliver and husband, Tommy of Denton, Betty Wisdom and husband, Hardy of  Combine; son, Bill Brinkman and wife, Gloria of Dallas; grandchildren, Tab Boliver, Mitchell Boliver and wife, Meg, Kim Barton and husband, Steve, Kelley Parton and husband, Terry, Stephen Wisdom and wife, Heather, Brandon Brinkman and wife, Bretta, Emily and Amanda Brinkman; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great great-grandchild; brother, Jim Brinkman and wife, Shirley of Austin; sister, Coral Morgan and husband, Peter of Miami FL; and numerous family members and friends.

Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to the Memorial Fund at First United Methodist Church or to Ann's Haven/VNA Hospice.

Forrest "Bud" Cothern

Forrest "Bud" Cothern, 82, passed away Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at Denton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.  He was born May 18, 1925 in Clinton, Illinois to Forrest and Leone (Walker) Cothern.  Upon graduation from Clinton High School, he joined the Air Force and trained as a B-25 Bombardier in California and Texas.

He attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity.  He graduated from the University of Illinois Dental School in Chicago and married Joanne Dancy, a nurse at the U. of I. Research Hospital on June 25, 1949.  They moved to Denton, Texas in 1951 where he practiced dentistry for 36 years.  Dr. Cothern held a life membership in the Texas Dental Association.

He and his wife belonged to several square dance clubs and enjoyed dancing for 37 years.  He liked to go trailer camping with his family, and he and his wife visited 41 foreign countries, most with a trailer.

Bud served as president of the Denton Dental Society, president of Fourth District Dental Society, and served on the Parks and Recreation Board of Denton.  He served as an adult Boy Scout leader with Troop 67 during the years his sons were active in Boy Scouts.  At one time, he was a member of the Hitch 'N Pitch Camping Club, The Denton Toastmasters Club and the Noon Kiwanis Club.  He was a member of First Baptist Church, Denton, where he worshipped God for sixty-six years.

Bud is survived by his wife, Joanne of Denton; two sons and their wives, Bill and Roxanne Cothern of Fort Worth and Don and Susan Cothern of Tyler; and his daughter and her husband, Kay and Peter Bendor-Samuel of Dallas; and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 11 a.m. at the Cindy Nichols Chapel of First Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to the Building Fund of First Baptist Church, Salvation Army or Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Melina Somalie Concepcion

Melina Somalie Concepcion was born November 9, 2007 and passed away November 12, 2007 at Presbyterian Hospital. 

Graveside services will Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 12:30 p.m. at Roselawn Memorial Park. 

She is survived by her parents, Glenda Ortiz and William Concepcion; sisters, Akhia and Shayna; and brothers, Ian and Louie, all of Denton. 

DeBerry Funeral Directors are in charge of the arrangements.

Patrick Joseph Gormley III

Patrick Joseph Gormley, III, born August 21, 1931 in Lexington, KY, passed away Sunday, November 11, 2007 with Rita, his loving and devoted wife of 53 years at his side. 

He had been a resident of Pilot Point, TX for 23 years, where he was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.  Patrick, a much loved and admired husband, father and grandfather was a graduate of Ohio State University, earned his Masters Degree at Abilene Christian University, was a Korean War veteran, an avid sailor, and served the community as a Meals on Wheels program volunteer. He was proud to have been a professor of adult continuing education classes at SMU. Patrick will be remembered for his motivational wisdom, his great smile and quick wit, and will be greatly missed by those who loved him.  

He is survived by his wife; their four children, Craig, Dennis, Peggy, Beth, their spouses; and six grandchildren. 

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 400 St. Thomas Aquinas Ave., Pilot Point, TX  76258 (940-686-2088). 

A.H. ‘Brink’ Brinkman

A.H. “Brink” Brinkman, a longtime Denton resident, moving here with his wife, Lucille, in 1941 from Iowa passed away Monday, November 12, 2007.

He was born on a farm in Blackhawk Co., Iowa on January 5, 1916 to William H. and Orlinda Moeller Brinkman. He was employed by the Chevrolet Company for 20 years, 14 of those years with Grace-Barrow Chevrolet in Denton. He along with his wife, Lucille owned and operated Brinks Auto Parts for 26 years, retiring in 1980.

Brink was an active member of the Denton Lions Club for 60+ years, having served as its President two times. He also served District 2E2 of Lions Club International as District Governor in 1969 - 1970. He was one of the founders and member of the Board of Directors of Lions District 2E2 Organ and Eye Bank. He served for three years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Lions Crippled Children Camp in Kerrville, Texas. He was a life member of the Texas Lions Crippled Children’s Camp and of District 2E2 Lions Organ and Eye Bank and a Melvin Jones Fellow of Lions Club International Foundation.

While in the Automotive Wholesalers of Texas he served on the Board of Directors for several years and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. 

Brink volunteered in several organizations. He served AARP on the state level as assistant State Director and as State Volunteer Recruiter. He was a member and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Adult Day Care of North Texas when it opened. He served on the Resident Council of Denton Good Samaritan Village, member of Retired Senior-Volunteer Program, member of the advisory Board of Directors as Chairman of the Denton Senior Center and served on the TWU Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee.

Brink was always active in his church, serving as President of the Church Council, Sunday School Superintendent, and Sunday school teacher, serving on the Building Committee and Pastor Call Committee and many other committees.

Visitation will be Wednesday, November 14, 2007 from 6 – 8 p.m. at DeBerry Funeral Directors. Funeral service will be Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Matt Gaston officiating.

Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Tab Boliver, Mitchell Boliver, Brandon Brinkman, Stephen Wisdom, Steve Barton and Terry Parton. Honorary pallbearers will be members of Denton Lions Club and Monday Morning Bible Study Group.

He is survived by his wife, Lucille Brinkman of Denton; daughters, Jeneane Boliver and husband, Tommy of Denton, Betty Wisdom and husband, Hardy of  Combine; son, Bill Brinkman and wife, Gloria of Dallas; grandchildren, Tab Boliver, Mitchell Boliver and wife, Meg, Kim Barton and husband, Steve, Kelley Parton and husband, Terry, Stephen Wisdom and wife, Heather, Brandon Brinkman and wife, Bretta, Emily and Amanda Brinkman; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great great-grandchild; brother, Jim Brinkman and wife, Shirley of Austin; sister, Coral Morgan and husband, Peter of Miami FL; and numerous family members and friends.

Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to the Memorial Fund at First United Methodist Church or to Ann’s Haven/VNA Hospice.

Forrest ‘Bud’ Cothern

Forrest “Bud” Cothern, 82, passed away Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at Denton Reha­bilitation and Nursing Center.

He was born May 18, 1925 in Clinton, Illinois to Forrest and Leone (Walker) Cothern. Upon graduation from Clinton High School, he joined the Air Force and trained as a B-25 Bombardier in California and Texas.

He attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. He graduated from the University of Illinois Dental School in Chicago and married Joanne Dancy, a nurse at the U. of I. Research Hospital on June 25, 1949. They moved to Denton, Texas in 1951 where he practiced dentistry for 36 years. Dr. Cothern held a life membership in the Texas Dental Association.

He and his wife belonged to several square dance clubs and enjoyed dancing for 37 years. He liked to go trailer camping with his family, and he and his wife visited 41 foreign countries, most with a trailer.

Bud served as president of the Denton Dental Society, president of Fourth District Dental Society, and served on the Parks and Recreation Board of Denton. He served as an adult Boy Scout leader with Troop 67 during the years his sons were active in Boy Scouts.  At one time, he was a member of the Hitch ‘N Pitch Camping Club, The Denton Toastmasters Club and the Noon Kiwanis Club.  He was a member of First Baptist Church, Denton, where he worshipped God for sixty-six years.

Bud is survived by his wife, Joanne of Denton; two sons and their wives, Bill and Roxanne Cothern of Fort Worth and Don and Susan Cothern of Tyler; and his daughter and her husband, Kay and Peter Bendor-Samuel of Dallas; and seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 11 a.m. at the Cindy Nichols Chapel of First Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to the Building Fund of First Baptist Church, Salvation Army or Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Elsie Valek Mahdak

Elsie Valek Mahdak, 85, formerly of Dallas, passed away Sunday, November 11, 2007 at the Villa Ascunsion Center in Princeton. She was born June 24, 1922 in Ennis, Texas to Joe A. and Mary (Lanicek) Valek. On September 8, 1946, she married Ludwig Lewis Mahdak in Ennis, Texas. She was a member of the St. Philips Catholic Church in Dallas for 40 years and a member of SPJST Lodge 84 in Dallas and KJZT Lodge 16 in Ennis.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Lewis Mahdak; one brother, Joe Valek; and sisters, Mary Wood, Lillian McElroy, Jo Ellen Vitovsky, Barbara Newman and Sister Mary Victor (Agnes Valek).

She is survived by her four children, her son, Michael and wife, Carol (Slovak) Mahdak of Hutchins; and her three daughters, Barbara Mahdak of Dallas, Karen (Mahdak) and husband, Richard Wick of Denton and Sharon (Mahdak) and husband, Russell Slicker of Allen; and her grandchildren, Stephanie Slicker, Ryan Slicker and Lauren Wick. She is also survived by her brother, Wesley Valek and wife, Evelyn; and sister, Georgia Salik, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. 

She was a blessing, a kind and caring person and will be greatly missed by all that knew her.

Viewing and Rosary service will be at Sparkman/Crane Chapel, Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at Calvary Hill Mausoleum North Chapel and Cemetery, Dallas, Texas on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 2 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to:  Vitas Charity Hospice Fund, 8585 N. Stemmons Freeway #700, Dallas, TX 75247, or Villa Ascunsion Living Center, 830 East Hwy 380, Princeton, TX 75407 or Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (www.alzfdn.org) 322 English Ave. 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001.

SPARKMAN/CRANE FUNERAL HOME

10501 GARLAND ROAD

DALLAS, TX 75218

214-327-8291