Bryan E. Vail's Obituary
Vail, Bryan E. Bryan Vail was born November 30, 1979 and went home to the Lord on December 18, 2003 at the age of 24. Bryan?s life was one of devotion ? devotion to family, to friends, to honor, to integrity, and to service. Bryan?s life was an example for everyone in that he gave of himself without hesitation and without thought of reward. Those who knew him as a friend are better for having known him; those whom he loved knew that his love was absolute and unconditional and were honored to be its recipient.
A graduate of Hallsville High School, Bryan attended and played football at Southwest Texas State University. Bryan graduated from the East Texas Police Academy in July, 2001 and earned an Associate?s Degree from Kilgore College in 2002. Bryan was a patrol officer with the Henderson Police Department and had been employed there for almost two years. Prior to his tenure with HPD, Bryan was a deputy with the Rusk County Sheriff?s Office. Bryan was known by all as a man dedicated to professionalism, honor, and justice.
Bryan is survived by the light of his life and the center of his universe: his beautiful, 18-month old daughter Madalynn Nicole Vail. Bryan is also survived by his mother, Diane Vail, of Carthage; his father and step-mother, Sherman and Brenda Vail of Holiday Harbor; sister and brother-in law, Cristi and Michael Woodward, of Elderville as well as his nephew Koby and niece Amanda; by his aunts and uncles Steve and Sherri Murphy, and niece Lexie, of Longview; Ron and Pam Heard, of Hallsville; Blake and Suzanne Long of Longview; Preston and Patti Williams, of Shreveport; Steve and Cathy Crane, of Longview; by his uncles, Rex Boykin, Tommy Vail, George Baird, and David Vail; his aunt Cathy Williams, of Longview; and by his grandparents, James Boykin and Nora Helms, of Carthage and James and Juanita Berry, of Holiday Harbor; and by one great-grandmother, Cossette Cromwell, of Marshall. Bryan leaves behind a number of great aunts and uncles, Judy and the late E.J. Ogden, Clifford and Rosie Whaley, and Raymond and Virginia Whaley, as well as a host of cousins and special lifelong friends, Mike Ferguson and Kevin Cox..
A celebration of Bryan?s life will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, December 22 in the Chapel of Rader Funeral Home in Longview. The celebration will be led by Bro. Lynn Ogden. Internment will follow in the Liberty Chapel Baptist Church?s cemetery on Hwy. 79 in Carthage. The family will receive friends from 3 to 6 PM Sunday, December 21, 2003 in the funeral home chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Bryan Vail Memorial Scholarship fund, c/o First State Bank in Carthage or City National Bank in Kilgore, Longview, or Gladewater. This scholarship will be used to help students who attend the East Texas Police Academy.
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