Inez Best
Inez Best of Irving died Sept. 27. She was 71. Born Aug. 19, 1926 in St. Augustine, Fl., Mrs. Best was a member of St. Luke's Catholic Church for 28 years. She is survived by her husband, Robert Best; daughters and sons-in-law Sandee and Rick Reynolds, Mary and Jerry Allen; son Bobby Best; sister and brother-in-law Gloria and Charles Hafertepe; nine grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at St. Luke's Catholic Church. Interment
at Calvary Hill Cemetery, Dallas. Arrangements by Sparkman-Crane Funeral Home, Dallas.
Araya Nicole Scott-Clemons
Araya Nicole Scott-Clemons, an infant, died of natural causes at Parkland Memorial Hospital Sept. 26. She is survived by parents Donald Clemons of Arlington and Melissa Scott of Irving; as well as grandparents Francis and Lucia Scott of Irving. Graveside services were held Sept. 29 at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens, the Rev. Ken Parlin officiating. Arrangements by Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home.
David M. Cox Sr.
David M. Cox Sr., 73, of Irving died Tuesday, Sept. 30, in an Irving hospital. Born March 28, 1924, he was a retired contractor and a member of the Baptist faith. A U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, he was an avid hunter and fisherman. Survivors include his wife, Lottie Cox of Irving; his sons and daughters-in-law, David and Lissa Cox of Crowley, and James and Marsha Cox of Springtown; his daughter and son-in-law, Laura and Don Glover of Mansfield; his grandchildren, David M. Cox III, Tony Cox, Jamie Cox, Charlotte K. Cox, Jennifer Ferrell, Ashlei Hobert, and Danny Moore; and four great-grandchildren. Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Ken Parlin officiating. Burial will be in Sowers Cemetery.
Robert Cope Fryer
Robert Cope Fryer, 34, of Irving died Sunday, Sept. 28, in an Irving hospital. Born Jan. 12, 1963, in Stuttgart, Germany, he was a manager for Motorola in Fort Worth. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he also owned his own business called Whose the Caterer for the past two years. Survivors include his wife, Lisa Fryer of Irving; his brothers, Frank Fryer III of Fort Worth, and Don Fryer of Macon, Ga.; and his father, Frank Fryer Jr. of Isle of Palms, S.C. Services were conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Donnelly's Colonial Chapel with the Rev. Nick Olson officiating.
Elmer Bailey Hunt
Elmer Bailey Hunt of Irving died Sept. 29 at Irving Hospital. He was 87. Born in Waldron, Ark. May 15, 1910, Mr. Hunt had been an Irving resident since 1949. He is survived by his wife, Willie Mae Hunt; son Bailey Ray Hunt of Irving; daughter Carole Weatherford of Corpus Christi; brother Fred Hunt of Waldron; five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Graveside services were held Oct. 1 at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens, Bob Weatherford officiating. Arrangements by Chism-Smith Funeral Home.
Ruby Dale Spelling
Ruby Dale Spelling of Irving died of natural causes Sept. 26 in Arlington. She was 86. Born in Ellsworth, Ark. Aug. 16, 1911, Mrs. Spelling is survived by sons Lawrence Spelling of Irving, Ron Spelling of Katy; daughter Florence Hawkins of Oklahoma City; brother Junior Raper of Scranton, Ark.; sister Melvina Butler of Fresno, Calif.; seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death her step father J.H. Raper and brothers Jim, Morris and Claud Turner. Services were held Sept. 29 at Roller Funeral Home Chapel, Paris, Ark. Interment
at McKandree Cemetery, Subiaco, Ark.
Teresa Stagner
Teresa Stagner, 37, of Irving died Sunday, Sept. 28, in an Arlington hospital. Born in Burnet, she had been a resident of Irving since 1985 and taught special education for the past 8 years at Hutchison Junior High School in Arlington. She also was a member of the Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her brother, Billy Alan DeSpain. Survivors include her husband, Rick Stagner of Irving; her son, Dustin Stagner of Irving; her parents, Billy and Betty DeSpain of Marble Falls; her sisters, Deborah Lynn DeSpain of Marble Falls and Sheila Joanne Ischy of Georgetown; her mother-in-law, Evis Stagner of Grand Prairie; her sister-in-law; Gayla Sowell of Grand Prairie; four nieces; and four nephews. Services were conducted at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Bean-Massey-Burge Chapel. Additional services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Marble Falls Church of Christ in Marble Falls. Burial is in Smithwick Cemetery near Marble Falls.
Laura U. Wilbanks
Laura U. Wilbanks of Irving died of natural causes Sept. 27 at Irving Hospital. She was 87. Born in Boonton, N.J., July 3, 1910, Mrs. Wilbanks was a widowed homemaker and a member of Plymouth Park Congregation of Jehovah's Witness in Irving. She had lived in Irving since 1972. Mrs. Wilbanks is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Darrel and Sandra Wilbanks of Carrollton, Curtis B. and Mary-Alice Wilbanks of Terryville, Ct.; 11 grandchildren, including Marc and Rick Harrison, both of Carrollton; 14 great granchildren, nieces and nephews and many friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carey J. Wilbanks, grandson Daniel Wilbanks and great grandson Brian Wilbanks. Services were held Sept. 30 at Donnelly's Colonial Funeral Home Chapel, Shelby Graves and Tommy Coley officiating. Interment
at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens. The family requests memorials be made to the Jehovah's Witness, Plymouth Park Congregation, 2804 Rock Island, Irving, 75060.
Criswell Townsend Yantis
Criswell Townsend Yantis, 25, of Dallas died Monday, Sept. 29, at his home. Born July 16, 1972, in Irving, he was a waiter for Joe's Crab Shack in Dallas. A resident of Irving for most of his life, he was 1990 graduate of MacArthur High School and attended the University of North Texas. He also was a member of Northgate Methodist Church, where he had been a counselor for the United Methodist Church Camp of Texoma for the physically and mentally handicapped. Survivors include his parents, Ora Lynn and Tom Abney of Austin, and Robert and Sheryl Yantis of Austin; his brothers Todd Webster Yantis and Todd Lyn Abney, both of Dallas; and numerous other relatives. A memorial service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Chism-Smith Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Larry Tinsley officiating. Burial will be Friday, Oct. 3, at Hall Cemetery in Freer.
