James M. Furgurson

Graveside services for James M. Furgurson, 66, of Diboll, will be held Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. in the Ryan Chapel Cemetery with Brother Elzine Strong and Pastor Becky Love officiating.
Mr. Furgurson was born October 29, 1946 in Lufkin, Texas to the Late Mary Elizabeth (Keels) and Ennis Marion Furgurson. He died Saturday, November 3, 2012 at his residence.
James Furgurson was an ordinary yet extraordinary man. He was born and raised and spent his life in a town he loved, Diboll, Texas. He worked for Temple, the company he loved, for 38 years. He was married to Bessie, the woman he dearly loved, for 43 years. For 34 of those years, they lived in the home he built with his Daddy and friends for his wife, his Granny Bee, and his two treasured daughters, Angela and Karen. James was a Godly man who married Bessie in, attended and worshipped his Savior at, the First United Methodist Church of Diboll. He didn't travel the world or earn a fortune in business; he simply worked hard, raised a family, enjoyed building things and spending time in the pineywoods of the Tower Club, preparing for hunting season?enjoying the preparation and comradery it brought more so than the hunting itself!
James Furgurson's ""extraordinary"" was his character, his devotion, his integrity, his strength and his capacity to love with a heart like no other. He did nothing halfway, most especially loving his family and his many faithful friends. He had the extraordinary ability to make everyone and anyone feel important and special. Anyone who knew him, could attest to the fact that James was strong, determined and fiercely protective of his loved ones, yet equally tenderhearted, selfless and kind. He was extraordinarily funny and sweet, a combination that drew people to him throughout his very happy and completely contented life.
Although he loved to jokingly refer to himself as ""poor ol' James Furgurson,"" his greatest and most beloved name was ""Pop."" Poor ol' James became Pop in 1996 when his first grandson, Gunner, was born. From the age of 4, Gunner had his Pop by his side, sometimes very literally, on the baseball field. He was honored to spend the next 13 years at baseball practices, tournaments and championship games. Throughout the years, James became ""Pop"" for so many of Gunner's teammates, boys who admire and love him very much. Four more grandchildren were privileged to call, shout, giggle, cry and whisper the name Pop, too: Kamryn, Hudson, Madison and Presley. Oh, how the magnificent features of this man really received the spotlight when these children came along. James had always been a faithful, devoted husband and a gentle, supportive father ? but he took his true and greatest form as Pop? a one-of-a-kind, extraordinary man who will be forever missed and loved.
James is survived by his wife of 43 years, Bessie (Beatrice Elizabeth) Furgurson; daughters and sons-in-law, Angela and James Yakovsky, Karen and Joey Case; grandchildren, Gunner Horton, Madison Horton, Presley Yakovsky, Kamryn Case, and Hudson Case; and sister, Barbara Morgan.
He was preceded in death by his Granny Bee Burkhalter; his mother and daddy, Slim and Elizabeth Furgurson; sister, Margaret Furgurson; and niece, Mary Joyce Pigg.
Pallbearers will be Gunner Horton, Speedy Palacio, Parker Ford, Brax Turner, Dwayne Turner, Bubba Nevills, Tyler Bell, Greg Bell, Chace Langford, Shayne Morgan, Haegan Spring and Rich Spring.
Honorary pallbearers will be Gary Jones, Mario Castro, Alfred Louis Hambrick, Ottis Posey, Todd Horton, Jimmy Ford, Bill Stroud, James Ledford, Wayne Barlow, Jim McCall, Roy McCall, Wayne Chance, Jody Cook, Gary Mike Smith and Jack Sweeny.
Memorial contributions may be made to Diboll's First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 412, Diboll, Texas 75941; to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210-4486; or to the Bee Burkhalter Scholarship in care of the Diboll Alumni Association, 1000 Lumberjack Street, Diboll, Texas 75941.
The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home in Lufkin.
Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.
Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors