The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 139, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page: 3 of 16
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THE GILMER MIRROR, Gilmer, Texas April 14, 2016 — Page 3A
Janet Wofford
Ingram
1914 - 2016
Janet Wofford Ingram, a
descendant of early Texas
cattleman and Indian fight-
er Ross Kennedy, was born
to William Mitchell and
Margery Peters Wofford
Nov. 30, 1914, in the small
southwest Texas town of
Sabinal in Uvalde County.
She died in Austin, Texas,
March 29, 2016. She was 101
years old.
Janet and her sister, Isa-
bel, started school in Sabi-
nal but moved to Austin
with their widowed mother
when she took a teach-
ing job there. In 1931 Ja-
net graduated from Austin
High School, where she was
a Red Jacket and editor of
the Comet. She worked her
way through the Univer-
sity of Texas, variously em-
ployed by the Engrossing
Department of the Texas
Legislature, the National
Youth Administration, the
Texas Employment Service,
the Office of the President
of the University of Texas,
and an accounting firm. She
graduated from UT in 1937
with a B.Sc. in chemistry
and a minor in zoology.
After several post-grad-
uation months skylarking
with a friend in Boulder,
Colo., Janet was summoned
home. Her mother and sis-
ter, concerned that she had
no job, had hired her out to
teach English to preschool
children in Eagle Pass.
There she met her future
husband, Temple Byrn In-
gram of Terrell, Texas, a
civil engineer working on an
irrigation project known to
this day as “the Ditch.” They
spent many an evening din-
ing and dancing at the Cafe
Moderno across the river
in Piedras Negras. Along
the way, Janet said (but
Temple denied) that Temple
picked up the nickname the
“Champagne Playboy of the
Rio Grande.” They did not
immediately marry, and Ja-
net left to work and study
for a year as a laboratory
technician at Huntington
Memorial Hospital in Pasa-
dena, Calif, while Temple
waited for her in Austin. On
her return, Janet worked
at Brooks General Hospital
in San Antonio until she
and Temple married in 1941
and she joined him in Aus-
tin, where he worked for
the Texas Highway Depart-
ment.
After the U.S. entered
WWII, Temple built and
maintained airstrips in
Britain while Janet and
their firstborn child shared
a home in San Antonio
with her sister, Isabel, and
brother-in-law, Sam Weller.
She volunteered as a Gray
Lady with the Red Cross
and worked in other war ef-
forts until Temple’s return
in 1946. When he took a job
as resident engineer with
the highway department,
they moved with their
three-year-old daughter to
Gilmer, in the piney woods
of northeast Texas.
Besides raising four chil-
dren, Janet actively partici-
pated in community affairs
in Gilmer. A member of the
First Methodist Church, she
was involved in Methodist
Women and served on the
church board. She worked
tirelessly for the PTA, the
Camp Fire Girls, the Boy
Scouts, and United Way.
She was a member and offi-
cer of the Bluebonnet Club.
A longtime and eventually
permanent board member
of the East Texas Yamboree
Association, she was also a
charter member and early
chairman of the Yamboree
Group at the Texas Folklife
Festival. She worked on
many Chamber of Com-
merce projects and as a
board member. She was
a charter member of the
Gilmer Great Books Club
and the Texas Art Alliance
and a longtime member of
the Friends of the Library.
Once the children were
grown and Temple retired,
Janet learned bookbinding,
they both took up weaving,
and they traveled over the
world.
After almost forty years
in Gilmer, Janet and Tem-
ple moved back to the Hill
Country she so loved. While
living near Johnson City
and in Austin, Janet taught
adult literacy and actively
supported the Friends of
the LBJ Library and the
Lady Bird Johnson Wild-
flower Center. She enjoyed
the Austin Symphony, the
Austin Lyric Opera, picnic
lunches on the banks of
Town Lake and among the
peacocks at Mayfield Park,
and time with family and
friends at the house on the
Pedernales.
Janet was a lifelong Dem-
ocrat, with an abiding inter-
est in politics. She counted
ballots in Upshur County
elections back when elec-
tion results appeared on a
big blackboard on the court-
house square. Into the last
weeks of her life, she was
discussing the 2016 presi-
dential campaigns with her
children and looking for-
ward to voting for Hillary
Clinton in November.
All her life Janet loved
learning new things. She
loved books, baseball,
bridge, Scrabble, cross-
words, travel, her family,
and her friends, renewing
old friendships and begin-
ning new ones wherever she
went. She had a great laugh
and a beautiful smile.
Janet was preceded in
death by her parents, her
husband, Temple and her
beloved sister, Isabel Wof-
ford Weller.
She is survived by her
children, Margaret Ingram,
Patricia Ingram and hus-
band, Steve Edwards, Tem-
ple Ingram, Jr., and wife,
Janet, all of Austin, and Jim
Ingram and wife, Charli, of
Driftwood; eight grandchil-
dren; fifteen great-grand-
children and a host of niec-
es, nephews, and friends.
A memorial service will
be held in the Murchison
Chapel, First United Meth-
odist Church, 1201 Lavaca,
Austin, on Saturday, April
16, at 3 p.m., followed by a
reception for friends and
family at Janet’s townhouse
at 1 Woodstone Square, Aus-
tin. Valet parking will be
provided at Woodstone. In
lieu of flowers, please con-
sider a donation to the Lady
Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center or a charity of your
choice.
Obituary and memorial
guestbook available online
at www.wcfish.com
Arrangements by Weed-
Corley-Fish Funeral Home,
(512) 452-8811
Sgt. Major Edward F. Komac, Jr. (ret)
1936 - 2016
EdwardKomac, Jr., 79, passed
away peacefully at home with
his wife, Barbara, by his side.
He was born Aug. 1936 in
Chicago, 111., the oldest of three
children of Edward and Phyllis
Komac. He died on March 27
and was buried with full mili-
tary honors on April 1, in Fort
Snelling National Cemetery in
Minnesota.
He joined the Army in 1955
and served in Korea as an anti-
aircraft gunner and infantry-
man. On his return to the states,
he was trained on Explosive
Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and
trained with the 5th Airborne
special forces. He served three
tours in Vietnam, Laos and
Cambodia and then served in
Germany, Israel and Egypt,
before becoming an instructor
at West Point.
Edward retired from the
Army in 1986 receiving many
service awards: Legion of Merit,
3-Bronze Stars, 3-Meritorious
Service Medals, 4-Army Com-
mendation Medals with V for
Heroism and Combat Infan-
tryman Badge (21 certified
battles).
He worked for Honeywell/
Alliant Tech Systems as EOD
personal andtestingmunitions.
After the first Gulf War, he spent
18 months in Kuwait clearing
bombs and mines. Returning
home, he worked with a private
company cleaning up old mili-
tary bases and with the St. Paul,
Minn, police identifying bombs
and helping fight terror plans
after 9-1-1.
He was preceded in death by
his parents and brothers, Dennis
and Jerome Komac.
He is survived by his wife of
42 years, Barbara Komac and
one son, Edward F. Komac, III,
daughter-in-law, Yan Lin Komac
and granddaughter Kate Feng
Komac all of Gilmer.
Fern White
1914 - 2016
Graveside services for Mrs. C. A. Fern White, 101, of
Gilmer, were held at Enon Cemetery on Saturday, April 9,
at 2 p.m. with the Rev.Marion Palmer officiating, under the
direction of Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer. Mrs. White
passed away on Wednesday, April 6, in Gilmer. She was born
on June 5, 1914 in Upshur County, to Sidney Alpheus and
Agnes Itasca Oliver Tucker. She was a retired teacher and a
member of the First Baptist Church in Gilmer.
Mrs. White is survived by her grandsons, Bret and Char-
lie White; great-grandchildren, Oliver and Adam White; two
nieces and one nephew.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl White
and son, Bob White.
Visitation was held on Friday, April 8, at Croley Funeral
Home.
Please leave online condolences at www.croleyfh.net.
Gladewater Opry
lists entertainers
for Saturday show
The Gladewater Opry pres-
ents a two-hour country
music show every Saturday
at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults
and $5 for children.
Performing on Saturday,
April 16, will be Dorothy Hin-
man, Callie Howard, Lance
Moore, April Sanders, Jay Ol-
son, Kaylynn Backus, and fea-
turing Tim Price of Longview,
along with The Texas Smoke
Band.
Obituary Policy
Information on obituaries is published free of charge in The Gilmer Mirror. All obituaries
follow a standard form and any request by family members for deviation from this form
will require payment for the obituary.
The Mirror does not list survivors beyond the immediate family — spouse, children,
parents, brothers and sisters, and grandchildren, inclusion of any other survivors will re-
quire payment for the obituary. (Exception: Should a person have no survivors other than
a niece, nephew, etc., then that relative may be listed.)
There will be a $10 charge for a photograph run with a free obituary.
Bobby Driggers
1951 - 2016
Graveside services for
Bobby Driggers, 65, of Gilmer
were held 2 p.m. Wednes-
day, April 13, at Enoch Cem-
etery. The family receive
friends Tuesday, April 12, at
McWhorter Funeral Home.
Bobby was born on Feb.
19, 1951 to Walter and Marie
Driggers in Tyler. He died
April 10, in Gilmer.
Mr. Driggers loved sports
of all kinds, actively coach-
ing baseball and football,
and later enjoyed umpiring.
Bobby loved to hunt and fish
as well. He graduated from
John Tyler High School.
He is survived by his wife,
Denise Driggers; children,
Shannon DeWitt, Bonnie
Newman and Casey Drig-
gers; sisters, Betty Colston
and Beverly Alford; brother,
Benny Driggers and seven
Grandchildren
Mr. Driggers is preceded
in death by his parents; son,
Brandon Dale Driggers and
brother, Billy Dean Driggers.
Please visit Bobby’s on-
line register book at www.
mcwhorterfh.com to leave a
memory for the family.
lXccWfiorter
FUNERAL HOME
1074 Siare Hvy 300 Gilmer, TX
mcwkorlcrQi.cuni 'i03-734-7070
Alvin Jo
Brannon
1957 - 2016
No services are planned
for Alvin Jo Brannon, 59, of
Gilmer. Cremation arrange-
ments are under the direc-
tion of Grubbs-Loyd Funeral
Home in Gilmer.
Born on Jan. 2, 1957, in
Abilene, to Billy Lorston and
Mabel Marie Brannon, he
died on Thursday, April 7.
He was a phone lineman for
ATT.
He is survived by two
sons; three daughters; sever-
al grandchildren; four broth-
ers, Billy Brannon of Gilmer,
Billy Earl Brannon of Odes-
sa, Jerry Don Brannon of
Abilene, and Troy Wayne
Brannon of Oklahoma; and
three sisters, Bebe Rassun-
sen, Peggy Holston, and Judy
Skiles, all of Abilene.
No visitation is scheduled.
Online condolences may
be left at grubbsloydfh.com.
Ruthie Edwards
1938 - 2016
Funeral services for
Ruthie Edwards, 78, of
Gilmer, Texas were held on
Saturday, April 9, 2016 at
10 a.m. at Croley Funeral
Home Chapel in Gilmer
with the Dr. Ray Thompson
officiating. Interment
followed at Enon Cemetery
in Upshur County.
Mrs. Edwards passed
away on Tuesday, April 5,
2016. She was born on Feb.
13,1938 in Gilmer to Charlie
Peak and Mary Ann Turner
Upchurch. She was a Vet-
eran of the United States
Army and a member of
Enon Baptist Church. She
married Harold Wayne Ed-
wards on Nov. 13,1964 in El
Paso, Texas.
Mrs. Edwards is survived
by her husband, Wayne Ed-
wards of Gilmer; son and
daughter-in-law, Sam and
Brandi Edwards of Glade-
water; daughter and son-
in-law, Miranda and Brad
Root of Hallsville; grand-
children, Hannah Edwards
and Sammy Edwards of
Gladewater, Victoria Root
and Braden Root of Halls-
ville and numerous nieces
and nephews.
She was preceded in
death by Charlie P. Up-
church, Mary Ann Up-
church, Stanley Upchurch,
Lillian Gillentine, J.C. Up-
church, Opal Baird, Ruby
Darling and Charles Up-
church.
Pallbearers were Roy
Upchurch, Sam Edwards,
Randy Root, Nick Jackson,
Jeremy Jackson, and Brad
Root.
Honorary pallbearers
will be Sammy Edwards
and Braden Root.
Visitation was held on
Friday, April 8, at Croley
Funeral Home.
Please leave online con-
dolences at www.croleyfh.
net.
Iva Lois May
1938 - 2016
Services for Iva Lois May,
78, of Longview were held
Friday, April 8, at 4 p.m. at
McWhorter Funeral Home
with the Bro. David Reeder
officiating. Burial followed
at Hopewell Cemetery in
Upshur County.
Iva was born on Feb. 16,
1938 in Gilmer to Jim and
Lona Warren and passed
away on April 6, 2016 in
Longview.
Mrs. May is survived
by three daughters, Cindy
Seay, Penny Ford and
April Rangel; numerous
grandchildren and great-
grandchildren.
LKcWfiorter
FUNERAL HOME
1074 State H wy 300 Gilmer, TX
tncwh«t££fo.£am 903-734-7070
Billy J. Reese
1935 - 2016
Celebration of Life for Bil-
ly J. Reese, 80, of Gilmer will
be held 2 p.m. Saturday, April
16, with the Bro. Holland
Atchley and the Bro. Jared
Gould officiating at the New
Way Country Church.
Billy was born on Dec. 25,
1935 to Jack and Oda Belle Re-
ese in Nashville, Ark. He died
April 8, 2016 in Longview.
Mr. Reese was a retired
Millwright for Dean Lumber
Company and a member of
New Way Country Church.
He is survived by his wife,
Corine Minshew Reese; chil-
dren, Jack Reese, Michael Re-
ese, Dana Reese, Donna Reid,
Ricky Reid, Debra Monts
and Rocky Reid; brothers,
Homer, Larry, Harold and
Alfred “Hope” Reese; sisters,
Jo Jones, Jan Peek and Mary
“Monk” Musick; 20 grand-
children and 27 great-grand-
children.
Mr. Reese is preceded in
death by his parents and his
sister, May Tabor.
Please visit Billy’s on-
line register book at www.
mcwhorterfh.com to leave a
memory for the family.
LHpcWfiorter
FUNERAL HOME
1074 5<ate Hwy 300 Gilmer, TX
nicwho-ri trill.coni yGJ-734-7070
George Stephen
Barnes
1956 - 2016
Services for George
Stephen Barnes, 59, of Ore
City, are pending with Croley
Funeral Home in Gilmer. He
was born on June 27, 1956 in
Birmingham, Ala. to George
D. and Verna Tyree Barnes
and died on Monday, April 11.
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and it’s easy to overlook one.
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GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP
BEGINNING MONDAY, APRIL 18 & CONTINUING THRU MAY 23
6:30 PM
LANTANA ACTIVITY CENTER on LANTANA ROAD
(Just North of Gilmer off Highway 271)
OPEN TO ANYONE AT NO COST
SPONSORED BY CROLEY & GRUBBS-LOYD FUNERAL HOMES
Gilmer, Diana, Gladewater, Hawkins
And
HOSPICE CARE TEAM
Projected Schedule of Topics:
> “Where Am I?” - Phases of the Grief Process
> Who is REALLY on My Support Team ?
> Steps to Making Progress
> Relationships - Past, Present, Future
> The Positive Side of Grief
> Dealing with Physical and Emotional Symptoms
“The Shotgun Effect”
> Anger, Guilt, Depression & Self Pity Issues
> Acceptance & Hope
> “Where to From Here?”
For further information, call:
Croley Funeral Home, 903-843-2555
Grubbs-Loyd Funeral Home, 903-843-2577
Wayne Norvell, Director of Chaplaincy, Hospice CareTeam, 903-663-5300
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Parker, Vic. The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 139, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 14, 2016, newspaper, April 14, 2016; Gilmer, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth878097/m1/3/: accessed June 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Upshur County Library.