Obituaries
Elmer E. Alford
— Services for Elmer E. Alford, 87, of Palestine will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bailey & Foster Chapel with Dan Manuel officiating. Burial will follow at Land of Memory Cemetery with full military honors accorded by the Barksdale Air Force Base, Bossier City, La. Arrangements are under the direction of Bailey & Foster Funeral Home, Palestine.
Mr. Alford died Tuesday at Palestine Regional Medical Center.
He was born Aug. 1, 1922 in Edgerly, La. to Lee and Lavada Ethel Leach Alford.
Mr. Alford was a member of the Crockett Road Church of Christ. He was retired from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a senior warden. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University.
Mr. Alford served in the Army Air Corp during World War II and retired after 22 years of service as a flight engineer with the 509th Air Refueling Squadron of the 509th Bomb Wing. He was a past patron of the Order of the Eastern Star No. 395 of Palestine, and a past Master of the Tyre Lodge No. 198 of Tennessee Colony. He was a member of Cars of Palestine.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Ruba Mae Schattel and Loretta Patton; and a brother, Kenneth Lee Alford.
Mr. Alford is survived by his wife of 67 years, Maurice P. Alford of Palestine; a daughter, Carolyn A. Martin; a son, Jimmy E. Alford and wife Jeannette of Palestine; a sister, Lavada Apodaca of Colmesneil; a brother, W.P. (Chubby) Alford of Palestine; three grandchildren, Chris Alford of Moody, Michael Martin and wife Shea of Allen, and Kelli Anne Robinson and husband Cody of Lovelady; and a great-grandson, John Michael Martin Jr.
Pallbearers will be Chris Alford, Michael Martin, Cody Robinson, Larry Schattel, Montee Poole and Lee Evans. Honorary pallbearers will be George Patton, Gary Schattel, Randy Apodaca and Kenny Alford.
Condolence calls will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bailey & Foster Funeral Home, Palestine.
Memorials may be made to the David E. Foster Hospice Unit at Palestine Regional Medical Center, 2900 S. Loop 256, Palestine, Texas 75801.
To view online, leave condolences or sign the guestbook go to www.baileyandfosterfuneralhome.com
