Phillip Ray Fenton
February 23, 1945 ~ April 11, 2020
Phillip Ray Fenton, age 75, of Palestine, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on April 11, 2020. He was born on the 23rd day of February 1945, in Gladewater, Texas, to parents Ebbie Fenton and Martha Fleet Fenton.
Phillip retired from T.D.C.J. and spent much of his time volunteering. He was a Master Mason and enjoyed playing golf when he was younger.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Louise Gallant; and brothers, Claude Fenton, Lonnie Fenton, Russell Fenton, Leamon Fenton and Jerry Fenton.
Phillip is survived by his wife of 43 years, Melva Fenton; in-laws, Denham and Melva Hurlston of Grand Cayman; daughters, Honey Fenton and husband Jason Boyd of Tomball and Happy Fenton of Palestine; sisters-in-law, Martha Fenton, Betty Fenton, Heather Norman and Ken, Judy Hurlston; brothers-in-law, Denham Hurlston and Natalia, Hank Hurlston and Irma; grandchildren, Bailey Gochnour and Kaitlyn Gochnour; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A private graveside service will be conducted at one o'clock in the afternoon, on Thursday, the 16th day of April 2020 at East Mountain Cemetery in Gladewater, Texas with Ben Rhone officiating. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, services will be private and attendance limited.
A memorial service celebrating Mr. Fenton's life will be scheduled after the current COVID-19 virus emergency abates.
Those honored to serve as honorary pallbearers are Brad Fenton, Bob Tilton, John Berryman, Jason Boyd, Danny Gochnour and Bailey Gochnour.
Family and friends are welcome to leave condolences and/or share a memory of Mr. Fenton on the Tribute Wall.
In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in Mr. Fenton's memory can be directed towards Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701.
(A memorial video of Mr. Fenton's graveside will be posted here on a later date.)
Graveside services for Phillip Ray Fenton are in care of Rhone Funeral Home, 3900 S. State Highway 19, Palestine, Texas.
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Phil my brother in law we loved like a brother , there was no difference in the feelings for him . I always enjoyed his visits to Grand Cayman, I liked his sense of humor and no matter how you were feeling he always made you laugh and feel better! He was one of the kindest persons I have ever known he would give the shirt off his back if you needed it.
My sister was lucky to have him for a husband and their children to have him for a dad, not to mention his grandchildren who loved him more like a father and grandfather combined into one!
You will missed my brother and I speak for all of your Cayman family you will never be forgotten and when we think of you a smile will cross our faces and remember the good times we share . RIP and one day we’ll all meet again in the wild blue yonder! Our sincere and deepest condolences to our sister, children and grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.
Hank, Irma , Hank jr and Daniel and all rest of the family.
My sweet Daddy,
Though the chasm of heaven separates us now, one day it will unite us forever. How sweet and fitting for a man of your faith to join Jesus Easter Sunday… a calm assurance, a gentle reminder… that Jesus fulfills his promises to take us unto himself. The minute you closed your eyes and drew your last breath here was the minute you were greeted in Heaven by our savior and all of our loved ones who have gone before– not a lonely road as we may suspect– but an actualization that you have finished your race well and faithfully.
No words can capture the love or the grief I feel, for some occasions there exist none. You were truly the kindest, dearest man I have ever known; My sister and I were truly blessed to call you Daddy as you taught us that there was a Heavenly Father who had chosen to connect all of us together on this earthly journey. I am looking forward to our reunion in Heaven one day, but for now Mama, Honey,I, Kaitlyn, Bailey,and all your other loved ones must too run our race. We will see you on the “far side banks of Jordan,” ; never will you be forgotten. We will take a part of you with us; for everything we gain on this journey through both pain and joy,there is a part of us we leave behind. Like dewdrops that touch the roses, we will shall Spring with hope eternal. I’m so glad this is not the end, my dear daddy. Sending you kisses and hugs tonight… save us a place; we’ll be there soon… in the blink of an eye really…
In eternal love,
 Your daughter,Happy
Phil was our dear friend, for over 40 years. We loved it when he and Melva and the girls would come to Houston and stay with us. Phil and I would always say “think of the money we were saving by not having to pay long distance phone charges, when our wives would be talking in the next room of the house and not on the phone!†We always did enjoy sitting around the kitchen table sharing jokes and good food, while their girls and our daughter would be playing.
Phil was a great provider for his family. We remember visiting them once in the Freeport Texas area. Phil also took a job in New Mexico, we did not go there to visit. What we are saying is Phil would go where he needed to go to provide for his family. To Phil, family came first! We knew Phil to be patient, kind, loyal and trustworthy.
Phil was a Mason, and that meant he loved to help others. I remember Phil telling stories about BBQ’s he and his fellow Masons and friends would prepare for people in need. Phil loved to BBQ, and was a great “Pitmaster†too!
Here is a poem, I remember call “Tribute to a Friendâ€
Do not stand at my grave and weep…my friend calls.
I am not there, I did not die…
I am not there, I do not sleep
For God saw me getting weak
A brought me Home to rest.
RIP our dear friend.
Larry and Madeline Clark
My Sweet Daddy,
They say in our lifetime our hero’s change depending on where we are at in our journey. I can honestly say you have always been my hero. I was so blessed to have you for my Daddy, I was always safe and knew you would protect and shield me from all the cruelties of the world. Just as you protected me, when you became sick I tried to protect you. I prayed that you would be healed and be the man you always were, yet life slowly began to fade from you and I begin to fight harder to do for you as you had always done for me. Those who knew you can attest to the kind of man that were, humble and unassuming, a quiet peacemaker, a friend to all, and a testament to how our Lord and Savior wants his children to live. You helped so many, quietly; never asking for recognition. You taught me how to love by the way you loved Mama and us. You also taught me that this home we have on Earth is just temporary and we will have eternity together at the feet of Jesus. Mostly I will miss our talks, the ones in the still of the night when everyone was asleep but us, thoughts that you and I would share and then never mention again. I had great comfort in those moments, then “life†began to take those quiet moments from us and I would rub your head and tell you how much I loved you and when that’s all you could still say, I would get, “ I love you, I love you, I love you.†I would give anything to hear your precious voice tell me that again. Today you are in glory and you can walk again, and talk again, all your pain is gone and you are with your family. Some of those late night talks entailed missives it how much you missed your mama and daddy and all of your siblings. How happy you must be today to once again all be together in glory. Daddy, I got to be with you when you took your last earthly breath, and me and Mama and Happy know you went to glory. Mama said she saw you see Jesus and I’m so glad you did. Prepare a place for Mama, and your girls (as you called us), and someday soon we will all be together again. Faster than you know… I love you more than anything in this world and I will miss you until I’m in your arms again…
Phil, My Darling Husband:
I loved you and the girls more than life. You were my husband, my best friend, the father of my children, and grandfather to our grandchildren.
You were beautiful inside and out, and so very kind. I’ll always remember your gentle way and the good care you took of us. All day on Saturday April 11th, I was with you much of the day, and as I held your hand and I prayed for God to take you out of your suffering; it was my than I could bare to see you struggle for every breath you took. At 10:13 p.m. on Saturday night you opened your eyes one last time and what an amazing look filled those beautiful blue eyes, which you quickly shut, and I know that you gazed upon Jesus. My prayer had been answered, but to answer my prayer Jesus had to break my heart.
What a wonderful worthwhile life you lived, and I’m forever thankful that I got to share it with you. Rest in peace, my Darling, and in the meantime, I’ll take comfort in God’s promise someday that we’ll meet again, where sickness, death, or nothing else will ever part us then.
I love and miss you.
Your loving wife,
Melva (Mama)
Melva: So sorry for your loss of Phillip. He is with Jeaus now and one day you will join him. My sincere sympathy, Lenora Luce.
There are no words to express our deep sadness at the passing of our beloved, Phil. Since joining our family circle over 43 years ago, you have truly been our Son and Brother.
We will always remember our happy and loving family times during your many visits to Cayman with Mikie and the girls. It’s mutually agreed that our favorite family times, were what we called our food sessions! Oh how Phil enjoyed our Caymanian specialty dishes and him urging Mikie to make the sinful Banana Pudding dessert of which he had to have the largest helping.
Thank you Phil for keeping your promise to always protect and cherish our daughter and sister. She is truly blessed to have found such a remarkable and honorable husband and father to your children. A good and decent person, a wise man who knew that true happiness and worth are found in loving, caring, and giving. We will forever love you and cherish our wonderful times. It’s been an honor!
Mikie, Happy, Honey, Bailey, and Kaitlyn you know how much we love you all and are praying for God’s love, comfort, and peace to help you through this difficult time.
Phil our son and brother- may your beautiful soul find the peace it deserves and rest in God’s eternal love.
Love you always!
Your parents-in-law:
Melva & Dennie Hurlston
Sisters-in-law:
Heather Norman & Ken
Judy Hurlston
Brothers-In-Law:
Hinzie Hurlson & Natalia
Hank Hurlson & Irma
and all your niece & nephews
Phillip Ray Fenton was not only a great man to many loved ones He was a great man of God. He loved Jesus first like he was supposed to. He loved his family just as much. He was Papa to my children Jacob,Bailey, Kaitlyn and Dani. Every time he would see me he’d say ” Hey Bud ” which told me not only was he a great mentor and role model he was my friend as well. Everyone he met was his friend. He inspired me and many others. He will be missed and Not forgotten. Love you My Friend.Â
To The Fenton Family,
My friends today I have so much to say about my friend who God carried to Heaven on Saturday, April 11, 2020. Phil Fenton……
Melva and Phil, and I met at church and were always thought of as one, you never thought of one without the other because there was never any other…………
Phil was a worker and could do anything: he cooked, he mowed, worked on the plumbing. He would sing as Wanda played some of the most beautiful songs you ever heard, and he believed every word.
We are sad as we think of these things, but think of the joy that is Heaven today as he sees the ones who have gone on before; they were waiting on Heaven’s shore.
One thing I will never forget the day at church when the crowd was small and I said “Where is everyone?” Phil said, “They are hiding in a big church.” From that line, I wrote the song that has been sung by me in many places and often requested. He touched my life in so many ways but the one thing that stands out is the day of February 14, 2003.
I was at Palestine Hospital at 5:15 p.m. They had just pronounced my Charlie dead. I stumbled out in the hall, and looked up and saw Phil Fenton walking toward me. I don’t remember what he said, but he knew God, I think he prayed; no one forgets friends like Melva and Phil.
Love,
“Crickett”
04-14-20