Esther Bernice Kennedy Dyess Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Funeral services for Esther Bernice Kennedy Dyess, age 71, of Rusk are scheduled for 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 3, 2014 in Eastside Baptist Church in Rusk with Michael Gott, Byron Jones and Harold Dement officiating. Interment will be in Shady Grove Cemetery under the direction of Wallace-Thompson Funeral Home in Rusk. Esther passed away May 31, 2014 in a Tyler hospital. She was born March 29, 1943 in Rusk to the late Roy Cobble and Catherine Eloise Parsons Kennedy. Esther was a lifelong resident of Rusk and a homemaker. She attended Rusk High School and was a member of Oakland Missionary Baptist Church. Esther was a Sunday school teacher for many years and very active in her churches. She was a great wife, mother and Granny to all her family. She was preceded in death by a grandson, Bryan Michael Dyess and brother, Roy Kennedy Jr. Survivors include her husband of 55 years, R.S. Dyess of Rusk, son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Susan Dyess of Rusk, four daughters and sons-in-law, Debbie and Mark Welch of Rusk, Lesa and Terry Jones of Rusk, Janae and Stacy Halbert of Rusk, Theresa and Ronny Gates of Rusk, son and daughter-in-law, Steven and D’Ann Dyess of Rusk, fifteen grandchildren and spouses, Angela and Eric Dowling of Rusk, Kyle and Lauren Dyess of Rusk, Stacy and Greg McCown of Bullard, Brad and Brittany Welch of Rusk, Kimberly and Paul Meredith of Katy, TX, Brent Jones and fiancé Alison Bowling of Rusk, Crystal and Ramiro DeLaCruz of Rusk, Trent Halbert, Austin Gates, Andrew Gates, Landon Gates, Lillian Gates, Shelby Hassell, Hagen Hassell and Aubrey Hassell all of Rusk, thirteen great grandchildren, sister and brother-in-law, Reta and Forrest Dyess of Jacksonville, numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Pallbearers will include grandsons Brad Welch, Kyle Dyess, Brent Jones, Trent Halbert, Austin Gates, Andrew Gates, Landon Gates, Hagen Hassell, Greg McCown, Eric Dowling, Paul Meredith and Ramiro DeLaCruz. Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday, June 2, 2014 at the funeral home. If desired, memorials may be made to the State of Texas Kidney Foundation at txkidney.org.

Esther Bernice Kennedy Dyess

March 29, 1943 - May 31, 2014