Joel "Dick" Thedford

Joel "Dick" Thedford, 74, passed away in the home he built 50 years ago after a long struggle of Lewy Body disease and heart trouble. Services were held Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007 at Stewart Family Funeral Home chapel, with burial at Cathedral in the Pines.

Joel was born in the Dixie Community on Aug. 16, 1932 to Hubbard and Vivian Richardson- Thedford. He was a member of the Dixie Baptist Church for a number of years. He attended school in Noonday, Tyler High School, Dale Carnegie and Tyler Junior College.

He served in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee in the Philippines and Alaska from 1950-1953. After his discharge he married his sweetheart, Wilma Marlene Camp, on July 18, 1953.

Joel worked for Texas Power & Light in Tyler and Lufkin until March of 1977 with 23 years of service. He then started his own business building homes and then eventually began to work as a power line contractor for TP&L until his retirement in 1996. He was associated with the Smith County Investment Group since 1984.

He was best known for his generosity, love for playing dominoes, cards, hunting and fishing with his friends, and most of all having his family and friends around. His children and grandchildren were very special to him.

Joel served as president of the Noonday Volunteer Fire Department for several years. He was a 32nd Degree Mason for 46 years in Tyler Lodge 1233 and currently in Henry Marsh Bell Lodge, Whitehouse.

Joel is survived by his loving wife, Wilma; daughter and son--inlaw, Marlena and Ronald Bartlett of Flint; and son and daughter-inlaw, Randy Joel and Kelly Thedford of Tyler; two sisters, Donna Bacon of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Linda Jean Riddle of Houston; three grandchildren, Chad Aaron Thedford of Tyler, Christopher Michael Bartlett of Tyler and Eric Scott Thedford of Tyler; and three great-grandchildren;

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Jack Thedford of Woodbury, N.J.

Pallbearers were Murray Lancaster, David Miller, Arthur Beeler, Glenn McTee, Steve Phillips and Charles Oldham.