OBITUARIES
Helen Ellzey
August 28, 1929 – April 6, 2026
NOCONA – Helen Ellzey, 96, passed away on April 6, 2026 in Nocona, TX.
The funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. on April 9 at Forestburg United Methodist Church with the Rev. Gregg Parr officiating. The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. at the church, prior to the service. A burial will follow at Perryman Cemetery.
Helen Marie Cook was born in Forestburg on Aug. 28, 1929 to Odus and Vashti Wilson Cook. She graduated from Forestburg High School. She married Dixie Lee “Dick” Ellzey on May 28, 1945. Dick joined the U.S. Marines and after basic training the two of them lived at Camp Le Jeune, NC. In 1946, they returned to Forestburg and started their family. They lived in Odessa and Snyder for a few years where Dick worked in the oil field. They returned to Forestburg with their growing family. Dick ran a service station business and Helen helped him there until she started attending college at Cook County Junior College in 1959.
In 1960, they moved to DeQuincy, LA. Dick taught mechanics at Sowela Tech and Helen continued her education at McNeese State College. She received her bachelor of art in elementary education in 1963 and began her teaching career. She taught in elementary schools in DeQuincy and in Lake Charles. She continued her education and earned a masters degree and education specialist certification.
She retired in 1987 at the time she and Dick moved back to their hometown of Forestburg. They bought country property, built a home there and enjoyed raising cattle and growing large gardens. Helen went back to teaching at Forestburg ISD and taught sixth grade for five years.
Helen was a wonderful cook and enjoyed feeding and caring for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She and Dick participated in many community and church activities in their hometown.
After Dick’s death in 2012, Helen continued living on her farm and spending time with her family.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Dick; parents Odus and Vashti Cook; sister, Ouilda Cook Jones; brother, H.D. Cook; daughter, Stephannie Huck; son-in-law, Jim Lemoine; grandson, Ben Davison; great-granddaughter, Allie Elizabeth Hebert and great-grandsons Sam Davison and Duke Goyne.
Helen is survived by three children, Sonja Davison, Shelia Lemoine and Eric Ellzey; 10 grandchildren Zack Davison (wife Christine), Stephan Goyne (wife Lindsay), Eric Lemoine (wife Alex), Brad Lemoine (wife Jill), Tim Davison (wife Jessica), Courtney Hebert (husband Robby), Abby Lemoine (husband David Bueno), Ellen Ellzey, Alex Huck (wife Carly), Evan Ellzey (wife Libby); 17 great grandchildren Ember and Joseph Davison; Iris, Edward, and Helen Kawas; Tab, Jude, and Farrah Hebert; June Lemoine; Odus and Bo Goyne; Gunner, Scotty, and Brandon Mushaney; Sarah and Emmeline Ellzey; Harper Huck; several nieces; nephews and cousins.
The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff at Grace Care Center of Nocona for the loving care they showed our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Donations to Perryman Cemetery Fund would be greatly appreciated.
Paid publication
OBITUARIES
Imogene Dalton Evans
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
OBITUARIES
Mark Dean Hancock
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.
OBITUARIES
Minnie Allen Walker
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.
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