Funeral service for Elvin Mervin Gary, 86, of Timpson, TX, will be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, August 12, 2013, at Timpson Missionary Baptist Church with Bro. Justin Coburn officiating. Interment will follow in Timpson Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Sunday, August 11, 2013, at Taylor Funeral Home, Timpson. Mr. Gary passed away Friday, August 9, 2013, in Nacogdoches, TX.

Born October 6, 1926, in Timpson, TX, Elvin Mervin Gary was the son of the late Ernest and Diamond Spradley Gary. He grew up in a large, loving family on the farm in the Corinth Community. He was a Timpson Bear, playing basketball and football. Mervin was drafted in May 1945, before his senior year at Timpson High School. He served in the Army Air Force in the Philippines during World War II and also served in the National Guard. On June 4, 1949, he and JoAnn Keating were married in Timpson.

Mervin attended Tyler Junior College and the University of Houston. He was an electrician at Continental Can Company in Houston for 31 years. Mervin was devoted to his family and while in Houston helped to coach Little League baseball. He and JoAnn moved back to Timpson in June 1984, and began to raise cattle, garden, and tend fruit trees. On June 4, 1999, Mervin and JoAnn Keating Gary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Mervin was a member of Timpson Missionary Baptist Church.

Survivors include the love of his life, wife JoAnn Keating Gary; sons: Richard Gary and wife Sherry and Mark Gary and wife Nancy; daughters: Barbara Crouch and husband Melvin and Nancy Kathryn (Kathy) Richard; grandchildren: Amanda George and husband Michael, Sean Crouch and wife Tiffany, Zachary Richard and wife Kimberle, Heather Bryan and husband Michael, Krystal Zwerneman and husband Curtis, Toni Gary, Katie Kelley and husband Brad, and Travis Gary; great grandchildren: Reagan Standley, Clayton, Colton, and Caitlyn Richard, Camryn and Carson Crouch, Jordan and Carsan Zwerneman, and Ashlyn Kelley; and sisters Helen Hudson, Melma Sparks, Winnie Molloy, and Vera Brooks.

In addition to his parents, Elvin Mervin Gary was preceded in death by brothers: Melvin, Elzin, Lovis, and Jimmy Gary; brothers-in law: Norris Sparks, and Ossie Hudson; sisters-in-law: Audrey, Oneita, and Mary Gary; and great nephew Patrick Powers.

Memorial donations may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, 919 North Michigan Ave., Ste. 1000, Chicago, IL 60611, or Kids for Christ, Timpson Missionary Baptist Church, P. O. Box 336, Timpson, TX 75975. To convey condolences on line, please visit www.taylorfh.net. Taylor Funeral Home, 511 Ross Graves Dr., Timpson, TX 75975, is in charge of arrangements.

Courtesty of Shelby CountyToday.Com