Freestone County, Texas
Obituaries



Mattie B. Emmons

  Mattie B. Emmons, 96, of Fairfield, passed away Wednesday, March 19, 2014 in 
Tyler.  Funeral services were 4:00 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 2014 at Antioch 
Missionary Baptist Church with Dr. Joey White and Bro Robert Lee officiating.  
Interment followed at Antioch Cemetery.  
  Mrs. Emmons was born June 17, 1917 in Freestone County; to parents John Abram 
and Mary Margaret Moore DeFrance.  
  She married J. P. Emmons in 1943 and he preceded her in death on March 21, 1973.  
  Mrs. Emmons first worked as a telephone operator.  For 45 years she was 
employed as a waitress at Sam’s, Woody’s, Cousins and Awalt’s Restaurants.  
During this time she also was an Avon distributor and helped her husband with 
ranching and the cows and took care of her mother, sisters and husband.  
  She was a long time member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and served for 
a time on the Board of Directors of the Antioch Cemetery Association.  
  In addition to her husband and parents she was also preceded in death by two 
sisters, Doris DeFrance and Lillian Kirgan; three brothers, Roy, Johnnie (Buddy) 
and Frank DeFrance.  
  Pallbearers were Ralph Billings, Jeremy Shipley, Marvin Mullen, Billy DeFrance, 
George Powell and Tom Anderson.  Honorary pallbearers were Bradley Anderson, 
James Don Gunter, Buddy Mullen, Jim Anderson, Phillip Ivy, David Barnes, Gordon 
Small, Billy Hedrick, Curtis Red and Andy Emmons.  
  Left to cherish her memory are two children, Rosemary Phillips and husband 
Charles W. of Fairfield; Martha Thompson of Fairfield;  three grandchildren, 
Charles Phillips, Jr.; Lisa White; Mary Jane Phillips; eight great-grandchildren, 
Brittany Watson; Megan Bosley; Caden White; Carson White; Corban White; Lylah 
White; Christian Phillips; William David Phillips.