Obituaries

Patty Madison, age 91, passed away on Saturday, January 9, 2021. Patty was born September 16, 1929 in Paola, Kansas to Kenneth and Hazel Bair.

John Darden, longtime Forney resident, passed away at home on Friday, January 8, 2021. John was born in Lamar County, Texas on September 25, 1938 to John Haskell and Myrle Marie Chancellor Darden, both of whom preceded him in death along with his brother, James Darden, brother-in-law, Jim Crow and sister-in-law, Shirley Darden.

DELBERT DURWOOD HENDON was born May 6, 1937 and passed away January 2, 2021 at the age of 83. He had lived in Forney since the age of 2 and was a member of First Baptist Church of Forney.

Born in 1942, K. T. Oslin was one performer who used her own real name/initials also as her “stage name”— Kay Toinette Oslin—K. T. was an Arkansas infant, who grew up in Alabama and Houston, and then later moved to New York to make a name for herself on Broadway. After bit parts in Hello, Dolly! and Promises, Promises, she determined that she would never “hit it rich” or even semi-wealthy in musical theatre performing and said she was afraid she would just “have a grimy little actress’s life” if she did not move on, which she did by taking parts in commercials and by singing “jingles” for various productions.

Randall Lloyd Martin, 83, of Mesquite, TX 75150, died December 12, 2020 at 9:07 a.m. while hospitalized in Mesquite with Covid complications. Randall was born October 18, 1937 in Wills Point, TX to William Carrol Martin and Fairy Eldis Kemp.

Annie L. Cherry Chandler-Bland, age 74, of Forney, Texas, passed into the presence of Jesus on December 19, 2020. Annie was born in Beckville, Texas, on January 6, 1946, to Nellie Geneva and James Samuel Cherry. She grew up in Beckville and was very involved in school activities. She played the clarinet in the junior high and high school bands, was a member of the tennis team, the Future Homemakers of America, and the National Honor Society. In 1964, her senior year at Beckville High School, she was voted The Most Beautiful Girl and also the Football Team Sweetheart. After graduation, she moved to Dallas and began working for Southwestern Bell, where she was soon chosen as a model to introduce their new Princess Phone at the State Fair of Texas.

Jess Ennis Moore passed away suddenly at his home in Forney on December 10, at the age of 69. He was born in Columbus, GA, on January 2, 1951.

Andrea Margaret Edwards of Heartland, TX died on November 30, 2020 at the age of 76, but her larger-than-life persona, infectious laugh and positive spirit will never be forgotten.

On Sunday, December 6, 2020, Jeremy William Morgan went to be with the Lord at the age of 44. Jeremy was born on June 5, 1976 in West Memphis, Arkansas, to William and Thelma (Young) Morgan. He spent his early years in Arkansas, and then was raised in Waxahachie, Texas. He played on the State Champion football team in 1992, and graduated from Waxahachie High School in 1994. On July 12, 1997, he married Teri Susanne Butler. At Southern Methodist University, Jeremy was a four-year letterman and graduated with honors in 1998. He and Teri raised three children, Addie, William, and Hannah in Waxahachie, and Jeremy coached little league, baseball, softball, and basketball for his children and countless other young ones. After many years in the business world, Jeremy chose to step back and pursue the Lord’s calling on his life to be a high school football coach and teacher. He taught and coached at Waxahachie High School from 2016 to 2018, and began at Forney High School in the fall of 2018.

Shelia Frey, 68, of Forney, Texas, passed away on December 1, 2020, in Forney, Texas. She is preceded in death by her parents, Billy and Evelyn Graham, her daughter Stacey Frey, and her son, Steven Frey.

Edward D. Berg, “Dewayne” passed away at age 85 on Saturday, Nov. 28th after a one year battle with dementia. Born January 22, 1935 in Guymon, OK, he was the son of Albert Edward Berg and Ruth Pauline Smith. The grandson of immigrant Norwegians, Dewayne grew up in a large, hard working family of farmers and laborers. He was especially close to his Norwegian grandmother, Olga Eline Meinhart Berg. The family was musical and close knit.

Steven Allen Jones, “Steve,” age 60, of Seagoville, Texas, passed away Monday, November 23, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. He is survived by three daughters: Katie McCann (Kevin), Jenny Wilcox (Tolby), and Lauren Jones; 6 grandchildren: Natalie, Matthew, Beau, Waylon, Peyton, and Mila; mother, Joyce Jones, and sister, Laura Vanloh (Dale). Steve was preceded in death by his father, Allen Jones.

Mr. Dakota Pardue, 25, of Henderson, formerly of Royse City, passed away on Nov. 22, 2020 when a truck entered his lane of traffic causing a head on collision. He was born June 29, 1995 in Hot Springs, AR and graduated from Rockwall-Heath High School, class of 2014.