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
November 28,1928 – June 9, 2026
DENTON – Imogene Dalton Evans, 97, passed away on June 9, 2026.
A visitation will begin at 1 p.m. on June 20 at DeBerry Funeral Home and at 2 p.m. the funeral service will follow. A grave side service will immediately follow at Roselawn Memorial Park 3801 Roselawn Dr., Denton.
Imogene Dalton Evans was born on Nov. 28, 1928 in Coleman County Texas to Samuel and Effie Clara Dalton. She was raised on the family farm and ranch near Gouldbusk attending local schools and graduating high school from Mozelle High School.
Growing up she worked in the fields and with the cattle and sheep alongside her brothers. She gained a great work ethic that stayed with her throughout her life. She felt blessed to have three careers. She worked with her husband Joe Evans in their plumbing, heating and air conditioning business. After it was sold because of Joe’s health, she returned to college to finish her education, receiving a BS degree from North Texas State University (now UNT) and a master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University. She began work as a county extension agent in Montague County, retiring in 1991. She moved back to Denton and began a career in real estate in 1993.
Family was extremely important to her. After working all day she would work at night canning and freezing food from the family’s garden. One of her sayings she will be remembered for is a quote “waste not, want not.”
She was proceeded in death by her husband, Joe B. Evans in 1991; daughter, Regina Pitt in 2011; son, Joe B. Evans Jr. in 2015; daughter, Sharon Griffith in 2023; parents and three brothers.
She is survived by her grandsons, Scott Griffith, Fort Worth, Chad (Milly) Griffith, Dallas and “Trey” (Julie) Joe B. Evans III, Bowie; granddaughters, Lindsay (Kyle) Coker, Dallas, Shannon (James) Mares, Krum, and Lydia Evans, Bowie; great-grandchildren, Case Janopoulos, Krum, Emarie Evans, Bowie, Harper and Ellis Griffith, Dallas, Jack Griffith, Fort Worth, Berkleigh and Reagan Mares, Krum, and Collins and Myer Coker, Dallas; sister, Anna Walker, Saginaw; and nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrust to DeBerry Funeral Home, Denton.
Paid publication
June 21, 1958 – June 10, 2026
NOCONA – Mark Dean Hancock, 67, died on June 10, 2026.
A memorial service will be from 2-4 p.m. on June 28 at the Turquoise Owl in Nocona.
He and his twin, Mike, were born on June 21, 1958, in Gainesville to Harvey F. Hancock and Jean (Hancock) Shears. He graduated from Nocona High School in 1976. He also attended North Texas University. He had several careers in his lifetime—the Boys’ State School in Gainesville, Tucker Rocky Distributing and numerous oilfield companies.
He is preceded in death by his parents; a half-sister and grandparents.
He is survived by two sons, Ben Hancock and Sam Hancock; brothers, Harvey Hancock and Mike Hancock; sisters, Kathy Tomlinson and Patty Crabtree; two grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews; and great-nieces and nephews.
Arrangements entrusted to Jerry Woods Funeral Home, Nocona.
January 20, 1938 – June 12, 2026
BOWIE – Minnie Allen Walker, 88 years, 4 months, and 23 days old died June 12, 2026.
There was a visitation from 5-6 p.m. on June 14 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home Chapel.
A funeral service took place at 2 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church on June 15. Interment followed in Ringgold Cemetery.
She was born Jan. 20, 1938, to Clarence and Eunice Allen in Ardmore, OK on what had once been reservation land. She was the only one of nine children to be born in a hospital. She graduated from Prairie Valley High School, where she played basketball and volleyball.
In 1959, she married her soulmate, Jerry Walker, and they built their extended family over the next 56 years. She worked for Dude’s Duds briefly, and at the Ford dealership in Nocona for many years. She served as Nocona City secretary and then as Nocona City manager, retiring in 2005 after a total of 23 years. The Walkers lost Jerry in 2018, and she moved to Independence Hall in Bowie a few years ago.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Walker; parents; and siblings, Alice Harper, Sam, Doie and David Allen.
She is survived by her three daughters, Karen Walker, Linda Wickersham and Kathy Sayers; three step-daughters; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sisters, Joan Tettleton and Barbara Ice; and many nieces and nephews.
She had a lifelong love of flowers, so flowers to remember her are welcome or donate to the Carpenter Shop, 400 Boston St., Nocona, TX 76255.
Arrangements entrusted to Jerry Woods Funeral Home, Nocona.
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News