Neola Dean Fondren, 96 years, passed from this life January 3, 2013. Mother is a Christian of the Baptist faith, with love and trust in her Lord. She is now in a wonderful place with God's love. She was born in Snyder, Texas, February 24, 1916, to Ollie Pearl and W.A. Eastman. She shared a home with her daughter and son-in-law in Denison, Texas. We celebrate her life, her beautiful sense of humor, the poetry she quoted, and her kind and gentle ways.
Mrs. Fondren is preceded by her parents, Pearl and Arthur Eastman, her loving husband, Clebert V. Fondren, and her siblings, Ruby Lobban, Carroll Eastman, Martin Eastman, Hazel Jones. She is survived by her only child, Elsie Ann Tunnell, who loves her dearly, and her devoted son-in-law, Freddie Tunnell, her niece and husband, Janyce and Bryan Morgan, their children and grandchildren, her niece and husband, Ellen and Michael Allison, their children and grandchildren, nephew and wife, David and Jody Jones and their children, her step-granddaughter and husband, Dena and Jay Harris, their children and grandchild and her step-grandson and wife, Kirk and Sabina Tunnell, their children. It is with loss that we part with her, she is dearly missed.
Those who know her best remember her cheerful and happy demeanor, her ever-present beautiful smile. She was a loving wife who was ever supportive of her husband, as he was of her. She was a loving and caring mother, who took joy in her daughter. She loved and appreciated her son-in-law, who was attentive and ever caring of her.
Before losing most of her sight, she loved to read, crochet, knit, sew, work crosswords, and watch Jeopardy and NFL football. Since, she has loved her radio and remarked often what a wonderful idea it was for her. She listened to ESPN and Christian services on Sunday, as well as political and other news. Mother was a Republican. She remembered when all of Texas had only the Democrat Party, with the Republican Party eventually coming into our arena.
Services will be held on January 9, 2013 at 12:00 p.m., at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow, in Allen, Texas. Interment will follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park where she will be laid to rest beside her husband. Officiating pastor will be Reverend Valerie Mireb of Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, Lydia, South Carolina.