Mozelle Duncan's Obituary
Our mother, Mozelle Duncan, passed away Tuesday, June 6, at the age of 87. The family will visit with friends and family at First Baptist Church Worship Center, Friday, June 9, at 9:00 am followed by the Celebration of Life at 10:00 am with Dr. David Higgs and Don Edmiston officiating. A burial will follow at Rusk County Memorial Gardens under the direction of Rader Funeral Home. We are fortunate to have had the best parents possible for these 60 something years. Although we are filled with sadness that Mom has left us, we are thankful that she is no longer in pain. Mozell Thornton was born in Grapeland, Tx. on September 9, 1929 to Ezell Thornton and Mattie Mae Chambers. Before beginning school, the family, which by then included an older sister, Rena Mae, and a new baby sister, Doris Ann, moved back to the Henderson area and lived in the Grandview community. Mozell and sister, Rena, were out of class and waiting in line for their school bus at New London school when it exploded in 1937.
Upon graduation from Henderson High School in 1947, Mozelle married our Dad, Curtis Duncan. The couple had a son, Debron Curtis, in 1948 and a daughter, Patricia Ann (Patsy), in 1950. All lived at 407 Slaydon in Henderson, which Mom still called home until her death. She was a longtime member of First Baptist Church. After Patsy started school, Mozelle worked at 3 Beall Brothers in Henderson then First National Bank across South Marshall. That began Mozelle’s 30+ years career in banking where she became a bookkeeper, motor bank teller, Assistant Head Cashier and finally a fixture in the lobby greeting everyone who came into the bank as Assistant Vice President before retiring in 1990. She was a lifetime member of the Order of Eastern Star #597, Rusk Co. Shriners, Tyler, Daughters of the Nile, Tyler and Beta Sigma Phi. After the death of her sister, Rena and her mother, Mozelle became the matriarch of the Thornton family, which by then had grown to include over a dozen nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. Mozelle was preceded in death by her mother and father, husband, Curtis, and siblings, Rena, Helen Whitehead, Brenda Taliaferro and only brother, Ronnie Thornton. She leaves behind a son, Debron Duncan, and a daughter, Patricia Ann (Patsy) Duncan Morrison and husband, Ronnie; four grandchildren, Charlie Duncan and wife, Lindsay Braun Duncan, of Austin; Abigail Duncan and fiancé, Clark Hodkins, of Driftwood, Amy Morrison Henson and husband, Todd, of Corinth, Adam Morrison and wife, Roxie, of Flower Mound. Six great grandchildren, Lindsay, Madison and Lucas Henson and Walker, Olivia and Brooks Morrison. A Sister and brother in law, Doris and Douglas Hayes of Bastrop.
Pallbearers will be Michael Taliaferro, Hagen Taliaferro, David Duncan, Aubrey Allred, John Freeman, Reggie Whitehead, Mark Gibson and Scott Gibson.
What’s your fondest memory of Mozelle?
What’s a lesson you learned from Mozelle?
Share a story where Mozelle's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Mozelle you’ll never forget.
How did Mozelle make you smile?
