W.A. Dempsey Jr.

Funeral services for W.A. Dempsey, Jr., 75, of Lufkin will be held Friday, December 15, 2017 at 1 p.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Charles M. Roberts officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park. Mr. Dempsey was born July 1, 1942 in Orange, Texas to the late Dale (Allen) and Willard Aaron Dempsey, Sr., and died Tuesday, December 12, 2017 in a local hospital. Mr. Dempsey was a lifetime resident of Lufkin. He was a licensed funeral director and embalmer, and received his 50 year recognition pin from the Texas Funeral Directors Association in June 2014. Mr. Dempsey was employed with Gipson Funeral Home for 45 years, and had currently worked for Carroway Funeral Home for eight years. Mr. Dempsey was a past president of the Lufkin Youth Baseball Association and coached youth baseball for over 50 years. He was a member of the Lufkin Sideliners Club and a devoted Panther fan. He was also a past president of the Angelina Roadrunners Club. Mr. Dempsey attended Denman Avenue Baptist Church. Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Dana Thompson and Sam Baker of Lufkin; sons and daughter-in-law, Lance Dempsey and Ron and Courtney Dempsey, all of Lufkin; grandchildren, Seth and Hannah Thompson, Zac Thompson, Bre and Tracy Dempsey, Drew and Libby Dempsey; great-grandsons, Stoke Thompson and Jax Dempsey; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Jany Dempsey of Lufkin and Charleene and Bill Ringler of Bossier City, Louisiana; and a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 48 years, Jan Dempsey; daughter, Jackie Dempsey; brother, Jack Dempsey; and sister, Linda Roach. Pallbearers will be Roy Carroway, Jr., Don McAdams, Ron Crocker, Todd Stracener, George Temple, and Doug Russell. Honorary pallbearers will be Bud Maddox, Cecil Roach, Randy Allee, John Slaughter, and Ardie Dixon. Memorial contributions may be made to Denman Avenue Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1351, Lufkin, Texas 75902. The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home. Memories and condolences may be added, and live webcasting of the services may be viewed at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com. Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.