Sharon Faye French

Services for Sharon French, 80 of Kilgore will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 4, 2023 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Kilgore with Rev. Shawn Heatherly officiating. Burial will follow at Danville Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday evening at Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore. Mrs. French passed away on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 in Kilgore.

Born in Jacksonville, Texas to Leona and Boyd Davis on Sept. 12, 1942, Mrs. French was the oldest of five children and attended school in New Summerfield. She was an excellent cook, starting from the age of nine. A lifetime of caring for others, Mrs. French held a deep love for her family and had a passion for helping children. She went on to substitute teach in elementary and special education classes and volunteered at St. Luke’s Wednesday afternoon programs and enjoyed working Mother’s Day Outs regularly. For a number of years, she was active in the Evergreen Garden Club and Club Au Courant. Throughout her life, she loved children and children loved her. She was also active in the Kilgore school PTA’s. She enjoyed caring for plants and flowers, her nurturing touch creating a lovely garden outside her home. She and her husband attended Cross Roads Methodist Church in Kilgore.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Dianne Murphy, and her brother-in-law, Jerry Murphy.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Carol French, of Kilgore; her daughter Debbie Raissi, of Tyler; her son, Michael French, of Kilgore; and her son-in-law, Mo Raissi, of Tyler. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Sarah Raissi Belyeu, of Tyler; and Sharon Raissi, of Tyler; and her grandson-in-law, Blake Belyeu, of Tyler. She is also survived by great grandchildren Lyla and Jonah Belyeu, of Tyler; and her sister, Lynn Tennison of Mission; her brother in law, Wayne Tennison, of Mission; her brother Johnny Davis of New Summerfield; her sister-in-law, Paula Davis of New Summerfield; her brother Jimmy Davis, of New Summerfield and her sister-in-law Sherri Davis, of New Summerfield.

Pallbearers will be Tony Witt, Danny Harrison, Gary Dunaway, Blake Belyeu, Kord Laird, and Kent Jackson. Members of Kilgore Lions Club will be honorary pallbearers.

Memorials can be made to Cross Roads Methodist Church, Pirtle Methodist Church, St. Luke’s Methodist Church, or your charity of choice.