Irene Staton Southern

Funeral services for Irene Staton Southern, 66, of Lufkin will be held Friday, April 1, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Cindy Doran and Reverend Paul Woodworth officiating. Interment will follow in the Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Mrs. Southern was born July 29, 1949 in Lufkin, Texas to the late Milton and Loretta (McCarty) Staton and died Tuesday, March 29, 2016 in a local hospital.

Mrs. Southern was a lifelong resident of Lufkin. She retired 16 years ago from Beaver Chevrolet where she was the manager in shipping and receiving. She enjoyed traveling in her R.V. and volunteering in the State and National parks all over the country. She loved the outdoors and spent her free time camping, fishing, and hunting. Her grandchildren were very important to her and they loved putting puzzles together. Mrs. Southern was of the Baptist faith.

Survivors include her husband, Jimmy Southern of Lufkin; son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Missie Barbe of Lufkin; grandson and fiancée, Matt Barbe and Callie Pate; granddaughter, Megan Barbe of Lufkin; sisters and brothers-in-law, Sue and John Pounds of Lufkin, Sarah and Abel Zavala of Lufkin, Ann and Joe Thigpen of Burke; sister, Dale Bollier of Princeton; sister-in-law, Jan Staton of Burke; loving pet, Molly; number of nieces, nephews, and other family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Charles “Chuck” Staton; brother-in-law, Kenneth Bollier.

Pallbearers will be Shane Thigpen, Robert Thigpen, Carl Harris, Lynn Renfro, Steve Bollier, Raymond Glover, Ken Bollier, and Clayton Thigpen.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Family Crisis Center of East Texas, P.O. Box 510, Lufkin, Texas 75902 or the American Diabetes Association, 7670 Woodway Dr., Suite 230, Houston, Texas 77063.

The family would like to extend special thanks to the staff of Larkspur.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.
Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.