IN LOVING MEMORY OF RAITH LYNWOOD SMELSER, JR

 

Raith Lynwood Smelser, Jr of Center, Texas, died peacefully at his home on Saturday, July 23 surrounded by his loving family, friends, and dog, Peaches. Lynwood was born January, 24, 1936 in Ringgold, Louisiana. After graduating from Minden High School (class of 1959) he entered Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering. Upon graduation he went to work for the U.S. Forest Service.   In 1976 he became manager of a cooperative project between the Forest Service and NASA. He worked closely with NASA and the Apollo astronauts on this project. Then in 1976 he was selected to manage a 170,000 acre area called Land Between the Lakes for the Tennessee Valley Authority. Lynwood retired from Federal service in 1992 and moved to Center. Retirement never lasted long as he became engineer for Brown Builders in Shreveport, Louisiana on contracts for Barksdale Airforce Base. Lastly he became a consultant for Wheeler Law Office where his work with riding lawnmower cases involving small children became a job that he was most proud of. Helping families cope with the loss of children in these cases became his passion. Lynwood was also a recognized hunter, fisherman, and craftsman of hunting knives. He was the owner of Delta S Engineering and served on many National Boards during his career.

Preceded in death by his mother Catherine Smelser and father Raith Smelser, Sr and stepmother Sara Smelser. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Betty O’Donnell Smelser; son John Ryland Smelser of Center; son Mark Raith Smelser and wife Mandy Vickery Smelser of Troup, Tx; Grandson Jake Raith Smelser of Troup, Tx; and step-sister Susan LaFitte of Shawnee, Ok. Also sister-in-Laws Gene Albright of Longview and Kathryn Axen  and her husband and Lynwoods best friend Albert Axen of Center. Numerous nephews and a very special niece Ava Axen who lovingly became one of his caregivers. His life was also filled with memories of many special friends where ever he lived. 

Lynwood was a very intelligent individual who always could answer the most complex question with ease. Whether speaking to a convention of thousands or a group of few, he was always using his experiences in life to relay a special message. His greatest life accomplishments were his family and making sure they were happy. He was most happy when he was with his grandson Jake, watching him grow and learn how to fish, hunt, and play golf. If he could talk to us today he would say, “John it is ok, I am at peace.” 

The family would like to give a special thank you to Dr. Jane Todd, Sara Lloyd, and devoted friend Don Weaver.

A memorial celebration will be held later as Lynwood requested cremation. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the First United Methodist Church in Logansport, Nursery Fund – P.O. Box 177,  Logansport, Louisiana 71049. Funeral arrangement are under the direction of Mangum Funeral Home.

You may sign the online registry book at www.mangumfuneralhome.com

Services are under the direction of Mangum Funeral Home Center, Texas

 

 

 

 

 

Earl Cedell Chessher, Sr., 89, of Timpson, passed away Wednesday, July 13, 2016, at his residence.

 

Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, July 15, 2016, at The Called Out Church in Center. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, July 16, 2016, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center.  Interment will follow at Weaver Cemetery in Timpson.

 

Mr. Chessher was born March 9, 1927, in a small town and community called Carlisle, Trinity County that is now under Lake Livingston waters to Thomas Henry Chessher and Lizzie Attlean Chessher. He was one of six boys and two girls. Earl spent his boyhood pulling cotton, dragging the yards-long burlap sack behind him and working the rows for his father, a share cropper. He lived in a log cabin in Carlisle, enjoyed the outdoors, and got into the usual amount of trouble as any active young boy will do. Earl Sr. never left behind his humble beginnings and his faith and love for God, having been raised by a brush arbor lay minister and a family that believed in praying at meals as well as often during each day. Old-fashioned remedies such as a dose of laundry bluing kept the kids alive to adulthood. He attended public schools, but spent most of his life learning at the school of life, reading the Bible and discovering the things about life which young men of his time were inclined to do. He joined the United States Coast Guard in 1945, where he served on the U.S.S. Admiral W.L. Capps, bringing back troops from the Pacific Islands, where they had fought the Japanese during World War II. It was during this time that Earl became aware of a beautiful country girl with flaming red hair who, seeing that her friends and cousins were writing this boy from Houston, where she had been born, decided to get his address and write him too. It didn’t take long for Earl’s letter writing endeavors to dwindle from a few young ladies to just one, and that was the girl who was to become his wife and mother to five children. They were married, with Margaret “Margie’s” grandfather conducting services in her home, the home of her parents, Clarence and Mary Margaret Mitchamore, of Goodrich, Texas. The story is that Margie agreed to marry on Christmas Day, ONLY if Earl Sr. promised to always have two gifts under the tree ... one for Christmas and another for their anniversary. A hard-working man of faith, strong work ethics, the highest of integrity and incredible mental, moral and physical strength, Earl Sr. spent most of his adult life as an adult-class teacher, helping young and older adults alike gain a better understanding of the Lord’s teachings and the Word as given in the Bible. He loved his involvement in various churches and was blessed by many for having been introduced to a life of Christian living by this dedicated man. A life-long calling to the ministry came to fruition in 2001, when Earl Sr. answered to God’s insistent command, and he, along with the support of family and friends and fellow believers, established The Called Out Church, where it has now celebrated 15 years, and continues to grow. In his professional life, Earl was an award-winning insurance salesman. His standards for truth, and his integrity often butted heads with management at the insurance companies for whom he worked, including Prudential Life, Colonial Life and Accident and many others. He enjoyed gardening, carpentry and barbecuing. Nearly the first thing Earl did upon moving to a new home with the family, was build a brick pitt barbecue in the back yard. That was just his way, and all those who got a taste of his secret sauce and recipe, along with Mom’s pies, could never stop talking about the moveable feasts they enjoyed. Upon moving to Center, Texas, Earl established a successful fencing business 41 years ago, which continues today. It is impossible to travel many miles in the Shelby, Panola and surrounding counties without seeing some of his work. Earl had the ability to use a divining rod to locate pipes and cables, and he could accurately step off to the foot, the length of fencing required for virtually any job. He, along with the assistance and care of his oldest daughter, Philda, helped keep Margie alive and living a quality life during her 12-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. And when the digging of thousands of fence post holes destroyed his shoulders, Earl finally stepped down from that physical labor. He took up reading the Bible over and over, preaching and carving out walking sticks from the many cedar fence posts recycled from the hundreds of jobs he did, replacing fencing that had been around for nearly a century, in places. Earl spent his last years with his family as well, the patriarch of the Chessher clan, where his unique sense of humor, stamina, determination and sometimes strength of will kept the whip cracking, but none of the family cringing. He lived a Christian life by example, and remained a man of love and faith in God until his final breath. He will be missed by too many to count and respected by even more.

 

He is survived by

Wife: Margie McKinzie Chessher of Hawthorn Community of San Augustine

 

Sons:

Earl Chessher Jr of Huntington Beach, California

Clarence Chessher of Timpson

Cecil Chessher and wife, Gina, of Center

 

Daughters: 

Philda Adams and husband, Steve, of Timpson

Jacquelyn Fountain and husband, Donny, of Center

 

Step Daughter: 

Theresa Smith and husband, Glenn, of Cypress

 

Grandchildren:

Travis Chessher and wife, Jenny

Andre Chessher

Arthur Chessher

Stevie Adams and wife, Jean

Michael Reed and wife, Andrea

Christie Deckard

Melanie Lopez and husband, Luis

Darren Fountain and wife, Morgan

Bridgett Cockrell and husband, Andy

Chasity Cooper and husband, Shane

Chad Chessher and wife, Jenney

Mary Chessher and Bo

Sarah Chessher

 

34 Great Grandchildren

 

Brother:

Henry Lee Chessher

 

Sisters: 

Elaine Banks

Madelyn Grondine

 

Life-long friend: Duane Sutton

 

Preceded in death by 

Wife of 62 years: Margaret Mitchamore Chessher

Parents: Thomas Henry Chessher and Lizzie Attlean Chessher

Brothers: Lynn Chessher, Oran Chessher, 3 infant brothers