December 30, 1938 – June 4, 2026
NOCONA – Pauline Heathington, 87, died on June 4.
There was a visitation from 1 p.m. until service time on June 8 at Molsbee Chapel Church. A celebration of life followed at 3 p.m. with minister Weldon Wright officiating. Pallbearers were grandsons, Jesse, Garrett, Thomas, Eythan, Phillip, Cash and Joe Tom Hancock. Honorary pallbearers were granddaughters, Amber, Taylor, Alex, Shaden and Kaylee.
She was born on Dec. 30, 1938 in Nocona to John and Cora Gross Bellah. She was a Pentecostal and involved in Women of Wisdom group at Freedom Life Church in Bowie. She married Mike Heathington on Oct. 7, 1984.
She is preceded in death by her parents and seven siblings.
She is survived by her husband, Mike Heathington, Montague; children, Tammy Beckham, Nocona, Cindy Billings, Nocona and Laurie Klimkoski, Childressberg, AL; sisters, Nita Rodgers, Fort Worth and Pat Bella, Athens; 20 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Freedom of Life Church – WOW, 204 Theatre Dr., Bowie, TX 76230 or Molsbee Chapel Cemetery Assn.

January 9, 1933 – June 6, 2026
NOCONA – Helen Louise Murphey, 93, died on June 6.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. on June 16 at Jerry Woods Funeral Home in Nocona. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. A graveside service will immediately follow in Nocona Cemetery.
She was born on Jan. 9, 1933 in Winters to Curtis and Ophelia Sledge. On Oct. 9, 1965 she married Billie Raye Murphey.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Curtis and Ophelia Sledge; all six siblings; first husband, Elmer Womack; husband, Billie Raye Murphey; daughter, Kelley Murphey and son, Raymond Murphey.
She is survived by her children, Greg Womack, West Columbia, Kathy Hardin, Gainesville, Karen Hutchings, Mullin, Vicki Jones, Valley View, Alan Murphey, Sanger and Christie McGuffin, Gene Autry, Oklahoma.  
  In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to The Carpenter Shop of Nocona.

February 8, 1931 – April 21, 2026
FUQUAY-VARINA – Joe Emerson Probst, 95, passed away peacefully at home in Fuquay-Varina, NC on April 21, 2026.
Joe was born in George West on Feb. 8, 1931 to Arthur and Corinne Probst. Joe received a banking degree from the University of Texas in 1952. His 60-year banking career began as a national bank examiner for the U.S. Treasury. He worked at several banks after that, but the highlight of his career was at Legend Bank in Bowie, where he was president for 22 years. He loved his work at the bank and continued to serve on the board of directors for eight years after retirement.
Joe lived his life, both personally and professionally, with honesty and integrity. He was active in the First United Methodist Church in Bowie and a long-time member of the Bowie Chamber of Commerce and Bowie Rotary Club.
He enjoyed gardening and was known to produce a bumper crop of tomatoes every summer. He also enjoyed all kinds of puzzles and you could always find him reading one of the three newspapers he subscribed to.
Joe was a generous man who loved spending time with his children and their families, who happened to live in four different states across the country. He believed in the importance of regular family gatherings and started a tradition of bringing his children and grandchildren to Lake Gaston, NC every summer – a tradition that continued for many years.
Joe was preceded in death by Laurice, his wife of 54 years and older brother, Eugene Probst.
He is survived by a sister, Elaine Bennett, George West; four children, Trish Powell, Fuquay-Varina, NC, Paula Allen, South Fork, CO, Laura Probst, Seattle, WA and Joe E. Probst, Jr., Citrus Springs, FL; seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren – all who will miss him dearly.
In remembrance of Joe’s life, the family asks that charitable donations be sent to Wake County Meals on Wheels, www.wakemow.org/, where Joe was a volunteer.
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