Funeral services for Henry Joe “Dipper” Relford, 62, of Sulphur Springs, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with Rev. Barry Stribling, Sr. officiating. Interment will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery with LaMarcus Kendricks, Tyrone Clayton, W.C. Pryor, Daryl Martin, Gary Martin, and William Satterwhite serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the Deacons of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. There will be no formal visitation.
Mr. Relford passed away on January 7, 2015 at ETMC in Tyler. He was born on February 2, 1952 in Darby Springs, TX, to Joe Vearl Relford and Doris Ruth Easter Relford. He married Janie May Johnson in 1982, she survives. Mr. Relford was a Deacon at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs. He was of the Commerce Class of 1970. He attended East Texas State University before being drafted in the U.S. Army. He was a truck driver for Grocery Supply for many years. In 1991 he received an award for dedicated service to the Accident Review Board and Driver of the Year in 1995.
In addition to his wife, other survivors include, brothers, Bobby Relford, Billy Relford (Erica), Benny Relford, Anthony Relford, Richard Relford, and big brother, Richard Frank of Commerce, sister, Delois Williams (Maurice) of Commerce, children, TaNasha Relford and Tiwana Sweet of Gainesville, Heath T. Johnson (Deb) of Houston, Jimmy T. Johnson of Sulphur Springs, Teresa M. Johnson of Missouri City, TX, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Jeffery Relford and Billy Ray Barber. Arrangements are under the direction of West Oaks Funeral Home. www.westoaksfuneralhome.com
