OBITUARIES
Mary LaVell Mitchell
October 2, 1928 – December 23, 2021
BRIDGEPORT – The family of Mary LaVell Mitchell, 93, is deeply saddened to report her passing on Dec. 23, 2021 at her home of 48 years in Bridgeport, TX with daughters at her side.
A funeral service for Mary will be at 2 p.m. on Dec. 31 at the Cates Street Church of Christ in Bridgeport, officiated by brother Scott Strother. The burial will follow in Bridgeport’s Eastside Cemetery. The visitation also will be at 1 p.m. on Dec. 31 at the church.
Mary was born on Oct. 2, 1928, in Jack County to Archie Thomas and Ettie Reed Hicks. She attended school in Rocky Point and later at Bowie High School. On Dec. 21, 1945, just a few months after the end of World War II, she married returning veteran, Herbert Aubrey Mitchell in Montague County. He was known to friends, colleagues and co-workers as H.A. or just Mitch.
In the next few years, her husband took jobs as a bulldozer operator on-road and dam projects and the family lived in 14 different towns in Texas. During this time, her son, Thomas and daughters, Jan and Doris were born before eventually settling in Bridgeport. Nearly two decades later, her son, Joe and daughter, Dee Ann were born. In March of 1972, H.A. was killed in a fiery oil field accident, leaving Mary to raise their two small children. To make ends meet she went to work for the Bridgeport Independent School District and retired after 20 years.
All who knew her attested to the fact she was a shining example of honesty, integrity and virtue. She was an accomplished seamstress, who made countless quilts for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She once made matching shirts for her husband and children before a vacation trip so all could be easily spotted.
She also was an outstanding cook, especially cakes and pies. She was an active member of Cates Street Church of Christ and was a founding member of the Wise County Quilt Guild.
She remained alert and vivacious, even attending and actively participating in a Thanksgiving Day gathering in Bowie with her extended family. She succumbed after a brief illness.
She is preceded in death by her siblings, Elizabeth Hicks, Rotha May Hicks, Sadie Tage, Janie Ford, Florine Deweber and Archie Thomas Hicks, Jr.
She is survived by her children, Thomas Mitchell and wife, Jo, Las Vegas, Jan Graham and husband, Jim, Bridgeport, Doris Casey and husband, Dave, Copper Canyon, Joe Mitchell, Austin and Dee Ann Mitchell, Conroe; six grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cates Street Church of Christ, 1406 E. Cates Street, Bridgeport, TX 76426, Wise Choices Pregnancy Resource Center, 604 N Trinity St, Decatur, TX 76234, and CASA of Wise County, 300 E. Pecan St, Decatur, TX 76234.
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February 2, 1927 – November 21, 2025
CALIFORNIA – Norma Jeanne Fulcher, 98, passed away in November 2025, in Sherman Oaks, CA. She had been a resident of Los Angeles for 67 years.
Her final resting place will be in Elmwood Cemetery in Bowie.
Norma was born on Feb. 2, 1927 in Post Oak, TX, where her family owned a cattle ranch. After graduating from high school at 16, Norma attended Texas State College for Women in Denton where she was an honor student in journalism.
Advertising would be her career path, and it all began at Joske’s department store in San Antonio. From there she moved to Dallas where she worked as an advertising copywriter for Neiman Marcus. Her next step was Jantzen swimwear in Portland, OR and eventually to Los Angeles to work at Carson/Roberts, the largest advertising agency on the west coast at the time. Among her accounts were Max Factor and Mattel, and she wrote one of the first ads for the Barbie doll. Later in her career, she freelanced and worked at Art Center in Pasadena.
Norma liked to cook and host dinner parties for friends. She enjoyed art exhibits and attending musical performances in LA. After retirement, she was a docent for 25 years at the Huntington Library, art museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino.
Norma is survived by her four nieces.
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August 4, 1944 – January 1, 2026
BOWIE – Izella Gray Boyd, 105, passed away Jan. 1, 2026.
A graveside service was at 11 a.m. Jan 5 in Oakwood Cemetery, Jacksboro.
Izella was born March 9, 1920 to Janie (Hensley) and John Elbert Gray in Jack County, TX. The sixth daughter of 12 children, Izella was the last surviving child of the Gray union. She married Oscar L. (Dutch) Boyd on Aug. 4, 1944.
Dutch and Izella raised their family in Bridgeport, where she was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bridgeport. Relocating to Bowie in the mid-90s, she became a member of the First Baptist Church of Bowie.
Izella was fiercely competitive and independent, and kept the 42 games at the Bowie Senior Citizens Center going strong for many years. Later years were spent at Independence Hall, where bingo was a staple.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; son, Mike Boyd; son-in-law, Donald Morton and 11 siblings.
She is survived by daughter, Mary Jo Morton; two grandchildren Cindy (Ross) Hamilton and Rhonda (T.M.) Bigley; six great grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren.
The family of Izella would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Independence Hall and Solaris Hospice for the compassionate and excellent care provided to her.
Arrangements entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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April 5, 1927 – December 28, 2025
BOWIE – “Patsy” Ruth West Lyons, 98, passed away Dec. 28, 2025 in Bowie.
The family received friends from 9 to 11 a.m., prior to the service on Jan. 2 at the White Family Funeral Home.
A funeral service was at 11 a.m. on Jan. 2 in the chapel of the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie. Burial followed at Hopewell Cemetery.
Patsy was born April 5, 1927, in Vernon to David Hamilton West and Lucille McGinty West. She married James Brock Lyons on Jan. 4, 1947 in Fort Worth. They celebrated 70 wonderful years together before his death in 2017.
She was a 1945 graduate and recently honored as the oldest living graduate of Bowie High School. Patsy was a 53-year member of Bowie Chapter #16 Order of The Eastern Star. She worked at G. C. Murphy Company in Fort Worth before retiring to Bowie where she worked for Fry Funeral Home for many years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, David and Lucille West; three brothers; one sister; husband, James Brock Lyons; son, James Brock Lyons Jr., and daughter -in-law, Beverly Lyons.
Patsy is survived by her daughter, Karen Self and husband Leroy, Bowie; 11 grandchildren, Lynette Fultz and husband Robert of Decatur, James Self and wife Brittany, Bowie, Stephanie Morgan and husband David, Mansfield, AR, April Robles and husband Mikey, Mansfield, AR, Brock Lyons III, Mansfield, AR, Kiemeche Corbin and husband Westin, Charleston, AR, Dakotha Lyons, Van Buren, AR, Lannie Self, Dallas, Terry Self and wife Vonda, Coppell, Cheri Brittain and husband Dusty, Mineola and Troy Self, Newark; 14 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren and one soon to arrive.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home of Bowie.
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