Obituaries

Beverly Jean Godfrey - wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed from her earthly life to her eternal life on June 18th 2023. She was born on October 13th, 1930 in Prairie Village, Kansas. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Duane, of 64 years. Beverly and Duane were high school sweethearts and married March 17th, 1951. As newlyweds, Duane served in the United States Air Force for the next 4 years they were relocated to live in Hawaii. Their son Duane Jr. was born in Hawaii during that time.

Beverly and Duane were long members of Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church. Beverly was able to witness her daughter married there, the baptism of her two granddaughters Jordan and Ryanne, and the baptism of her two great grandsons Tripp and Ford.

When their children were young, Duane and Beverly enjoyed many camping trips to Colorado. “MeMe” and “Papa” purchased a lake house at Cedar Creek Lake, where countless weekends spent and great memories made. After Duane’s retirement, they traveled to Europe and took several cruises including Greece, Alaska and Hawaii. On their 50th wedding anniversary the entire family went on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate!

Beverly had many hobbies throughout her life. She was an avid bridge player, a Red Hatter and played a mean game of tennis! She was an accomplished painter and well known for her ocean scenes painted on Sand Dollars. Beverly was invited many times into the prestigious Cottonwood Art festival to display her art. Her favorite group of friends were called “The Seven Sisters” which was her quilting group that met every Wednesday night from 1982 to 2015. They were a very special group of ladies, who bonded like a sisterhood, and took several weekend trips together!

She is survived by her son Duane, her daughter Cheryl Lewis and husband Hal; granddaughter Jordan Watson and husband Mat; great grandson’s Tripp, Ford, and Miller; granddaughter Ryanne Lewis.

Her Celebration of Life will be held on July 21, 2023 at 10:00 in the morning at The Wildwood Chapel at Restland Funeral Home, Dallas, Texas.

Beverly was a devoted wife who loved her family, friends and life unconditionally. We will miss that cute smirky smile of hers!

In honor of Beverly’s memory and fight against Alzheimer's, the following donation page has been created for A Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Click Here To Donate https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?idb=207294909&df_id=51623&FR_ID=16958&mfc_pref=T&PROXY_ID=22371712&51623.donation=form1&PROXY_TYPE=20

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Our beloved, Ralph Arthur Herrick, passed away on May 16^th, 2023, in Richardson, TX after battling glioblastoma. He was 83-years young.

Ralph was born in New Jersey in 1940, but was a life-long Texan. He received engineering degrees from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and went on to serve as a Captain in Viet Nam before having a long career as an engineer working on advanced communications systems for Rockwell and Raytheon.

Ralph enjoyed gardening and tinkering and was truly gifted in fixing all things mechanical. He was consistently kind and dedicated his life to being helpful to others. He served his country, his church, his neighbors, friends, and strangers.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 34 years, Doris Herrick; brother, Fred Herrick; son, Scott Herrick; daughters Marlo Herrick and Erin Harvey; step-daughters Sheryl Frank and Dana Masters; grandchildren Adrien and Shannon Herrick, Miranda Harvey, and step-grandchild Haley Dawn Masters.

Services will be held on June 28 at 11 a.m. at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church, 3901 North Star Road, Richardson TX. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, donations to the Glioblastoma Foundation in Ralph’s name are appreciated. https://glioblastomafoundation.org

Ralph's Memorial Website: https://everloved.com/life-of/ralph-herrick/ 

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George William Swenson, Jr. of Plano, Texas passed away on February 7, 2023 at the age of 93.  A loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, he will be missed dearly by those who knew and loved him.

George was born on January 25, 1930 to George William Swenson, Sr. and Ima (Ericson) Swenson in Georgetown, Texas. He grew up in Austin, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and served his country proudly in the Texas Army National Guard. George married Caryl Briggs on February 7, 1959 in Smithville, Texas.

He worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for 37 years and retired as Chief Accountant of Texas in 1991. George spent his second career as auditor with CMA Property Management, retiring after 22 years at the age of 90.   

George is survived by his wife, Caryl Swenson; daughters, Gina Swenson, Lisa Turner and husband, Larry; granddaughter, Megan Swenson and fiancé Zach Callaway; daughter-in-law Nelda Swenson; brother, Wally Swenson; nephews Steve, Doug and Ken Swenson and their families; and a host of other loving family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his son, Todd Swenson; infant son, James; grandson, Mitchell Swenson; and parents, George and Ima Swenson.

In his honor, donations may be made to the American Heart Association to support cardiovascular medical research and education.

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LaNell Liese Helms passed away at home amid family on January 18, 2023 after more than a decade long battle with neural disease. She was 64 years old. LaNell was born in Austin, Texas on July 16, 1958 and lived in Kansas City and Lincolnshire, Illinois in her early years.  The family ultimately settled in Arlington, Texas where she graduated from Bowie High School.

LaNell discovered an interest in computers while attending Stephen F. Austin State University. She graduated in 1981 with a BS in Computer Science and worked as a professional programmer for multiple companies over 20+ years until unable to so due to her illness.

LaNell met Richard Talmage (Dick) Helms, Jr in 1983 and they married a year later. She and Dick raised two daughters and she created a happy home; balancing work, dance classes, soccer games, church, Girl Scout leadership, and being a wonderful wife.

She loved to play tennis and she loved football, as all Texans do. Although she was a Stephen F. Austin alumna, the Aggie Spirit, passed down through her father, lived on in her. She shared that spirit with her daughters, who both graduated from Texas A&M.  She loved cheering on the Ags during football season; she was a firm believer that the team didn't lose, they just ran out of time.

LaNell loved the beach, sailing, decorating her home for every holiday, Jimmy Buffet music, and her big Liese and Chafin families. Visiting with her family was a favorite activity and she kept in touch with them her whole life. She had 22 aunts and uncles and an impressive number of first cousins spread over Texas and nearby states. She was something of a family historian and loved to share her memories.

LaNell displayed incredible bravery and positivity despite her illness prognosis.  Throughout the progression of the disease she never complained, was cheerful with everyone she met, and fought to have as much time as possible with her family. She was loved by all she knew.

LaNell is survived by her husband of 39 years, Richard, daughter Julia Helms Crowdis and husband Creston Crowdis, daughter Kathryn Helms Sanders and husband William Sanders, grandchildren Carter and Caroline Crowdis, sister Karol Whittaker and husband Danny, brother Kurt Liese and wife Gene Ann, sister Kristi Haight and husband Peter, and many nieces and nephews.

LaNell was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Franklin Liese and Mary Lou Chafin Liese, who she loved dearly.

A memorial service will be held at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church in Richardson on Saturday February 11, 2023 at 2:00pm.  In  lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your favorite charity.

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Thelma Ball was born in Newton, Kansas on October 15, 1929 as the second of four daughters of Arthur and Marie Graber. Her father was a professor of English Literature and Debate Coach at Bethel College until the “great depression” made it impossible for them to pay teachers’ salaries. In 1934, the family moved to Wichita, Kansas where her father began working for the Federal Land Bank. A few years later, her parents purchased The American Indian Institute, which had been an agricultural school for Indian boys. The four girls were reared on the farm just adjacent to Wichita University, learning to do farm chores, operate milking machines and help harvest the crops.

Thelma attended public schools in Wichita through Wichita State University, graduating in 1951 with a degree in Music Education. She was a member of Mortar Board., Mu Phi Epsilon and Pi Kappa Psi (Gamma Phi Beta). Following graduation, she accepted a position in Flint, Michigan where, as a violinist she played in the Flint Symphony in addition to teaching in the public schools. She returned to Wichita two years later where she taught at Curtis Junior High School for three years, played in the Wichita Symphony and completed her Master’s Degree in Music Education.

It was at Curtis that she met and fell in love with Arzell Ball, a fellow teacher and administrator who she married in 1954. During the summers for the next two years plus a year of residency which followed, the couple traveled to Nashville, Tennessee where Arzell completed his doctorate at The George Peabody College of Education of Vanderbilt University and she worked in the Library and played in the University Symphony there.

The couple with their two children, David and Barbara, moved to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1963 where Arzell held the position of Assistant Superintendent of Schools. Three years later, the family moved to Leawood, Kansas when Arzell accepted the position of Superintendent of the Shawnee Mission School District. Thelma played in the Kansas City Civic Symphony and worked in her children’s schools as a volunteer in the Great Books program and the “Picture Lady” program sponsored by the Art Museum of Kansas City. The family remained in the Kansas City area for fifteen years.

In 1982, they moved to Richardson, Texas when Arzell accepted the position of Superintendent of the Richardson School District. Thelma worked in the regional offices of Becton Dickinson Vacutainer and Microbiology Systems for the next ten years. Thelma was active in the community, particularly on the Board of the Richardson Symphony where she served three terms as President and Chairman of the Board . In addition, she was Chair of the Lennox Young Artist Competition for many years. Thelma also volunteered with the Richardson Adult Literacy program and was a member of the Richardson Women’s Club and Mortar Board Alumni. She was a member of EZ Chapter of P.E.O. and Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church where she served as Deacon and Elder.

Thelma’s three sisters, Elaine Fisher, Vivian Simpson and Alice Decker preceded her in death, tragically at very young ages. She is survived by her husband of 68 years and her children and their families: David Ball, his wife, Libby Lassiter and granddaughter Alexandra of Birmingham, Alabama; and daughter, Barbara Love, her husband Richard and grandchildren, Amy, Tanner and Mallory Love of Shady Shores, TX, as well as a great granddaughter Phoebe Faye Piras. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews and their families, who were very dear to her: Dana Knorr of Lawrence, KS, Deborah Gans of Green Mountain Falls, CO, Curtis Fisher of Wichita, KS, Glen Fisher of Rodgers, AR, and Carol Lawrence, of Salina, OK.

A memorial service will be held at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church in Richardson on January 12, 2023 at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the church, 3901 North Star Road, Richardson, TX 75082 for benefit of the Music Department or the Richardson Symphony Orchestra 2100 N. Collins Blvd,, Ste 310, Richardson, TX 75080.