Cooke County — The Gainesville Daily Register publishes obituary information as a public service from forms provided to area funeral homes. Deadlines are 4 p.m. the day prior to running and pendings by 8:45 a.m. the morning of the obit. Photo cost is $15. The funeral home register may be added at no additional cost. Additional information not included on the form may be added — however, a fee will then be charged for the entire obituary. Obituary information is accepted only from funeral homes. The Gainesville Daily Register reserves the right to edit information and determine the format.

EARL RAY SPEARS

Aug. 1, 1938 - July 26, 2010

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished

the course, I have kept the faith...” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, Earl Ray Spears, lost his hard fought battle with cancer on Monday, July 26, 2010.

Ray dearly loved his family and all dearly loved him. He will be missed beyond measure, but we take comfort in our faith that we will see him again.

Ray is survived by the love of his life, Glenda Kay Martindale Spears; son, William D. “Bill” Spears of Colorado City and son and daughter-in-law, Alan Ray and Leann Spears of Era; sisters, Patricia Rainbolt and Jeanne Khoury, both of Dallas; grandchildren, Claudia Marie Spears and Hal Ray Spears, both of Era; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Mary Martindale, Gynelle and Earl Lemons, Billy and Linda Martindale, Larry and Linda Martindale, Max and Sherry Martindale, Sandra and Wayne Kyle, Dianne and Charles Haley and Rita and Davis Cowling and many adored nieces and nephews.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, W.O. “ Pat” and Beatrice Long Spears; and father and mother-in-law, C.D. and Claudia Martindale; brother-in-law, Robert Martindale; sister-in-law, Ellen Martindale; nieces, Natalie Cowling and Sara Lemons and sister-in-law, Ellen Martindale.

Ray was a sergeant in the Texas National Guard, 49th Armored Division and served in active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He had a 45-year career in the oil industry and retired from Texaco. He was also an active farmer and rancher. He was a member of the Hillcrest Church of Christ.

Ray enjoyed family RV trips to Colorado and talking every day to his brothers-in-law and their weekly golf games. Although he did not play the game, he became very proficient in riding the golf cart and picking up their golf balls. He was also a serious fisherman and loved the outdoors.

Services will be held on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 10 a.m. at the Commerce Street Church of Christ. Gene Davenport will officiate.

Brothers-in-law will serve as pallbearers.

Burial will follow at the Valley View Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Clement-Keel Funeral Home.

If desired, memorials may be made to Hillcrest Church of Christ. No visitation is planned.

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RICHARD CHARLES SUTTON

Funeral services for Richard Charles Sutton, 46, of Gainesville are set for Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 10 a.m. at the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home Chapel, with Larry Sullivant officiating.

Burial will follow in the Rosston Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home.

Richard was born May 4, 1964 to Jim Sutton and Diane Hoover in Gainesville. He passed away on Saturday, July 24, 2010 at Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth. Richard liked fishing with his daughter, Zoe, spending time hog hunting with his best friend "Sketter" a red heeler, doing leather work, woodworking and riding horses.

 Richard is survived by his father, Jim Sutton of Gainesville; his mother, Diane K. Hoover of Gainesville; his daughter, Zoe Elizabeth Gregg-Sutton; the love of his life, Mandy Gregg; brothers: Chris Sutton of Abilene and Chad Clement of Mississippi; sister, Janice Davis of Gainesville; aunt and uncle, Donnie and Ina Fischer of Muenster and Gary and Gayla Sutton of Gainesville; uncle, Lloyd Sutton of Gainesville; aunt, Cheryl Sutton of Gainesville; grandmother, Ruth Hoover of Gainesville; brother-in-law, Charles Davis of Gainesville and many nieces, nephews, other family and friends.

Richard is preceded in death by his grandparents, A.G. and Alyce Sutton; aunt, Clella; cousin, Robert Murray; grandfather, Richard Ray Hoover and brother, Clay Clement.

Pallbearers will be Steven Butts, Randy Hott, Gary Meek, Zach Gregg, Charles Davis, Bryan Nance, Mike Beaver, N.D. Murry, Raymond Butts and Jimmy Don Fischer.

Family visitation will be held this evening, July 27, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made in Richard’s memory to Noah's Ark, 2501 N. Weaver, Gainesville, TX 76240 or Abigail's Arms, 114 S. Dixon, Gainesville, TX 76240.

You may sign the online registry at www.geojcarroll.com.

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TONY DWAYNE DAVIS

Memorial services for Tony Dwayne Davis, 49, of Gainesville, are set for Thursday July 29, 2010 at 7 p.m. at the Hillcrest Church of Christ, with David Gray officiating.

Visitation will follow the memorial service. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home.

Tony was born on March 30, 1961 in Dallas to Weldon D. and Rae Ann Stephenson Davis. He passed away Sunday, July 25, 2010 in Grayson County.

Tony is survived by his parents; aunts, Nelda Ford of Valley View, Doris Stephenson of Valley View, Wanda Cole of Sanger and Linda Davis of Gainesville; aunt and uncle, Carol and Waymon Davis of Lampasas and a large allotment of loving cousins.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Debbie Davis; grandparents, Tom and Murl Stephenson of Valley View and Cordie and Lois Davis of Sanger; great-uncle, Bert Stephenson of Valley View; uncles, Sterling Stephenson of Valley View, Wallace Stephenson of Valley View, D.W. Davis of Fort Worth and Kenneth Davis of Clovis, Calif.; aunt, Sterlena Stephenson of Valley View and an aunt and uncle, Shirley and Jimmy Dyer of Mesquite.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hillcrest Church of Christ, 1712 O’Neal St., Gainesville, TX 76240

You may sign the online registry at geojcarroll.com.

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SHARON JOHNSON

Funeral services for Sharon Johnson, 61, of Gainesville, are set for Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Hubert Wright officiating.

Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, under the direction of the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 28, 2010 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

Sharon was born on July 21, 1949, in Ardmore, Okla. to Lowell and Jeannie Saylor Bransford. She passed away July 26, 2010.

Sharon retired from Gainesville Independent School District where she taught third grade and Head Start for 20 years. She also was a member of the First Baptist Church in Gainesville and the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.

Sharon is survived by her husband, Lynn Johnson of Gainesville; her son and his wife, Mike and Heidi Johnson of McKinney; her daughters and their husbands, Cheryl and Pat Shaughnessy of Highland Village, Christy and Eric Johns and Misty and Steve Schmitz, all of Gainesville; her grandchildren, Brett and Molly Johnson, Ryan, Trevor and Presli Shaughnessy, Garrett and Grant Hess and Kenadie and Nicholas Schmitz. She is also survived by her brother and his wife, Bob and Pam Bransford and their children, Amanda and Scott of Gainesville, as well as her sister-in-law and husband, Debbie and Frank Jones of Waxahachie.

Mrs. Johnson was preceded in death by her parents, Jeannie and Lowell Bransford.

Memorial contributions may be made to the youth group at First Baptist Church of Gainesville, 308 E. Broadway, Gainesville, TX 76240 or to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the cure of breast cancer. Mail: Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Attn: Donor Services, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309. Telephone:1-877-G-KOMEN (1-877-465-6636).

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LAWRENCE GOETSCH

DENISON — Funeral services for Lawrence T. Goetsch, 85, of Denison will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman.

Burial will follow at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 29 at Brookside Memorial Park in Humble. Services are under the direction of Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman.

Mr. Goetsch passed away Thursday, July 22, 2010 at the Homestead of Sherman.

Lawrence Theodore Goetsch was born Oct. 9, 1924 in Houston, to the late Vernon and Maude (Moneyhon) Goetsch. He attended Texas A&M where he studied poultry husbandry. Lawrence and Mildred Sutherland were married Dec. 25, 1946 while living in Houston. He later moved to Spartanburg, S.C. where he worked as a teacher at the school for the blind and later returned to Corpus Christi where he worked at the State Commission for the Blind. In 1976, he and Mildred moved to Sherman where he had accepted a job teaching piano tuning at Grayson County College. He taught at GCC until retiring in 1991. Mr. Goetsch opened a music store in 1982 on California Street in Gainesville. He and Mildred operated the store for 15 years, retiring in 1997. Lawrence and Mildred lived in Gainesville until moving back to Sherman in 2007. Mr. Goetsch was a member of the Piano Technician Tuner’s Guild and he was of the Baptist faith.

Mr. Goetsch is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mildred of Denison; two daughters, Carol Goshorn of Sherman and Linda Goetsch and her husband Tony Matthews of Gainesville; one brother, Wesley Goetsch and wife Barbara of Kingsville; three grandchildren, Dawn Goshorn, Rebecca Goshorn and Samuel Goshorn; three great-grandchildren, Seth Goshorn, Alyssa Goshorn and Gabe Goshorn and eight nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday at Waldo Funeral Home.

The online register book can be signed at waldofuneralhome.com.

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