OBITUARIES
Eula Fay Watson

Eula Fay Watson
May 19, 1918 – June 30, 2016
JACKSBORO – Eula Fay Watson, 98 years and 49 days, passed away June 30, 2016 in Fort Worth, TX.
A visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. July 8 at Coker Funeral Home in Jacksboro.
A service will be at 10 a.m. July 9 at First Baptist Church in Jacksboro with burial following in Oakwood Cemetery.
Eula Fay was born on May 19, 1918 to Oscar A. and Minnie Symintha (Jackson) Whitsitt at Squaw Mountain, TX. She married Melvin E. Watson on May 19, 1936 in Joy. They celebrated 62 years of marriage before his death in 1998.
Eula Fay was an active member of First Baptist Church, The Red Hat Society, The Jacksboro Gardening Club and The Jacksboro Country Club where she had been an avid golfer for years. She finally gave up golf because she said, “I’ve outlived most of my playing partners.” Her main goal in life was to stay active.
She was the first female court bailiff in Jack County. At one time she owned and operated a children’s clothing store in Bowie after her first granddaughter was born, but found it too confining.
Following that venture, she raised quail, truck farmed and worked at Haggar Slacks. Her final business venture was trapping and selling live raccoons. This ended abruptly when one of the raccoons managed to get out of the cage and tap her on the shoulder while she was driving them to the sale. She was the mother to three boys, hated to cook, but was always ready to fish and tramp around the ranch.
Many family and friends believed she was a “card shark” when it came to playing SkipBo. She won at Bingo so many times Concerned Citizens ran out of prizes. She was an uninhibited 42 and 84 player. She was strong willed, hard headed and smart as a whip.
She was independent, interested in everything and a feisty pioneer woman. She loved John Deere lawn mowers, but disliked horses. Eula Fay was a cancer survivor, having beaten it twice.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Melvin E. Watson; son, Larry James Watson; two brothers and seven sisters.
She leaves behind two sons, Ronald E. Watson and wife Shirley, and Donald D. Watson and wife Susan; daughter-in-law, Sharon Watson; sister, Margaret McMahon; grandchildren, Pamela, Cherami, Steven, Damon, Jennifer, Forrest and Laura; great grandchildren, Calista, Trenton, Winston, Amanda, Matthew, Jordan and Ethan; plus many nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorials may be made to Concerned Citizens or the American Cancer Society. Visit www.cokerfuneral.com for online tributes.
Paid publication
OBITUARIES
Wade Shelton

November 24, 1929 – April 28, 2025
NOCONA – Wade Shelton, 95, died on April 28, 2025 in Bowie.
A visitation was at 11 a.m. on May 3 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel. A funeral service followed at 2 p.m. at the gazebo at Molsbee Chapel Cemetery on May 5 officiated by Pastor Phillip Weitner.
He was born on Nov. 24, 1929 in Nocona to Walter Shelton and Mildred Kidwell Shelton. He was a hard-worker most of his life working mostly as an industrial machine mechanic and also managing the drive-in movie theater in Nocona. He was a member, deacon and sometimes ministered at Molsbee Chapel Church of the Brethren. He married Thelma Wright on Nov. 24, 1956 in Lubbock. She preceded him in death in 2012.
He is preceded in death by his wife; parents; brothers, Weldon Shelton and Paul Shelton; and sisters, Oleta and Bonnie Baggett.
He is survived by his children, Serina Thomas, Bowie, John Shelton, Sunset and Steve Holcomb, Nocona; four grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.
OBITUARIES
Fern Hollaway Caswell

July 7, 1925 – April 28, 2025
BOWIE – Fern Hollaway Caswell passed on April 28, 2025 at the age of exactly 99 years, nine months and three weeks.
A graveside service took place at 11 a.m. on May 1 at Sunset Cemetery in Sunset with Doyle Wade officiating.
Fern was born at her parents’ home just outside of Sunset on July 7, 1925, she was the youngest child and only daughter of J. A. (Jim) Hollaway and Arah Sigler Hollaway. Growing up with three older brothers, she learned quite early on how to hold her own when faced with difficulties. She graduated from Sunset High School as the salutatorian of the Class of 1941. While in school, she was a talented and celebrated volleyball player on winning teams coached by J. I. (Speck) Caswell, the man who would eventually become her husband of 48 years.
Before her marriage, Fern worked at what is now known as the North Texas State Hospital, Wichita Falls Campus, first on the wards and eventually in the business office. After her marriage, the birth of the couple’s children, and the family’s move to Alvord in 1954, she devoted herself to rearing her daughters and working alongside her husband on the family ranch.
After the girls left home, she worked for the Lorch Company, managing their outlet stores in Decatur and Gainesville until the company closed. After her husband’s death, she began a long and varied career at DFW International Airport, driving carts and working in customs and security, all jobs which clearly suited her love of people watching. After getting up at 2 a.m. and driving to the airport three days a week for many years, she eventually retired at 89. Regardless of when and where she was working, she was always Granny and always available to the grandsons and great grandchildren she adored.
An excellent seamstress, Fern had a strong work ethic and a keen fashion sense, both of which she imparted to her daughters. An avid reader of biographies, she was also a lover of all animals, particularly Siamese cats. A longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Alvord, she also served as the District President of the Parent-Teachers Association of Texas.
Fern was predeceased by her husband; parents; three brothers, Berniece, Clay and Harold Hollaway; niece, Deanna Hollaway Hooper and great-niece, Tonya Davis Wallum.
She is survived by her daughters and their spouses, Lana Caswell-Garcia and H.S. (Bert) Garcia, Sherman and Karen Caswell Fowler and Donald Fowler, Chico; grandsons, Wes Fowler, and Kase Fowler and his wife Leslie Bain Fowler, all of Alvord; and great grandchildren, Rachae Fowler Richey and her husband Senior Airman Hunter Richey, Colorado Springs and Keegan Fowler, Alvord; nephews, Billy Dean Hollaway and his wife Sheri, North Little Rock, AR, Bernis Hollaway, Carr, CO and Bruce Hollaway, Buena Vista, AR; and several great and great-great-nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
Paid publication
OBITUARIES
Gary Leo Fergueson

November 11, 1944 – April 19, 2025
BELLEVUE – Gary Leo Fergueson, 80, died on April 19, 2025.
A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on April 24 at Vashti Cemetery with Michael Brannon and Jeff Brannon officiating.
He was born on Nov. 11, 1944 to Vera (Chappell) and Lewis Fergueson. He worked in the food and grocery industry at multiple store chains beginning in Fort Worth and ending in Bowie. He also worked as a rancher at his family farm in Vashti. Fergueson proudly served his country in the United States Army, he completed his basic training in San Fransico and was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Alta Fergueson Brannon.
He is survived by his nephew, Jeff Brannon; niece, Krista Brannon Blackrock; brother-in-law Michael Brannon and a very special friend of 60 years, Helen Ulbig.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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