Evelyn Rice Waggoner

Mary Evelyn Rice Waggoner, 80, died Thursday, May 17, 2012, surrounded by family and friends. Raised in Rusk, Texas, the daughter of James and Eva Rice, she was a long-time resident of Grand Prairie.

Evelyn had many loves, including her husband John, her family, real estate, garage sales, and watermelon, just to name a few.

In her early years, Evelyn, the youngest of ten, used to join her siblings in her father’s garden where they would pick watermelons from the vine and eat them on the spot. Even at the age of six, Evelyn would enjoy every bit of her melon, juice dripping from her chin, elbows, and her blouse. She never did outgrow her taste for sweet watermelon.

Evelyn later married John Waggoner on October 2, 1948 in Rusk, Texas, and they shared 61 years of love and adventure. Holding his hand to the very end, she handed him unto the Lord on January 5, 2010.

Never one to sit still for long, Evelyn worked outside of the home most of her life. She spent fiteen years at the Sears mail order plant in Dallas. Her greatest passion came later in life, however, when she entered the real estate profession. During her real estate career in Grand Prairie, she worked with several firms and was twice named Century 21 Real Estate “Realtor of the Year.” She also held several leadership positions with the Grand Prairie Board of Realtors.

She was famous for involving the family in handing out real estate promotional materials door-to-door—including calendars, flags, and Dallas Cowboys game schedules. These family members, her children, nieces, nephews, and later grandchildren, will all tell you that Big Mama knew how to instill responsibility and a sense of importance in a person. (She also knew the value of a good bribe.)

In good times and in bad, Evelyn loved to host a good garage sale. Every branch of the family and all of her friends and their friends were invited to drop off their unwanted items. Ever the hard bargainer, she would stay tough until the end of the negotiation—even if the customer ended up just paying a nickel! That is, unless someone couldn’t afford something they wanted or needed. Then, she just gave it away.

Evelyn Waggoner had a giant heart. She repeatedly opened her home to those people who were troubled, lost, estranged, or just needed a place to hide out for a little while. She always issued open invitations to family get-togethers. And she volunteered at one time or another for every fundraiser imaginable.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her siblings Irene Elizabeth Rice Cline, Ila Mae Rice Money, Frankie Marie Rice Self, Katherine Joyce Rice, Lillie Kate Rice Self, Roy Elbert Rice, Juanita Delphine Rice Minchew, and her son-in-law Carl Tate.

Evelyn is survived by her daughter Vicki Tate of Terrell, son Rick Waggoner and wife Karen of Plano, daughter Alice Fredrick of Grand Prairie, daughter Sherry Crews and husband Charles of Grand Prairie, and son-in-law Ron Fredrick of Grand Prairie; grandchildren Jeanie and Robert Goodwin of Houston, Nathan and Alison Adame of Richardson, Natalie and Terry Saad of Dallas, Brandon Fredrick and Joy Nunez of Grand Prairie, Bradley Fredrick of Grand Prairie, Jason and Shannon Crews of Grand Prairie, Amy and Jackie Coonrod of Midlothian, and Krystal and Jeremy Burkett of Sulphur Bluff; great grandchildren Paloma Athens and Roman and Daniel Adame of Richardson, Adrian and Leia Saad of Dallas, Kaison Fredrick of Grand Prairie, Amirah Fredrick of Grand Prairie, Jayden Crews of Grand Prairie, Matthew and Madison Coonrod of Midlothian, and Tristan Burkett, Audrey and Lacey Wilemon, and Sarah Burkette of Sulphur Bluff; her siblings Margaret Augusta Rice Smith of Grand Prairie and Coy Delbert Rice of Athens; and nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and many, many friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, May 21st from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Bean Massey Funeral Home in Grand Prairie. The funeral service will take place at Bowles Memorial Baptist Church in Grand Prairie on Tuesday, May 22nd at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at the Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery. Pallbearers will be her grandsons Robert Goodwin, Nathan Adame, Terry Saad, Brandon Fredrick, Bradley Fredrick, Jason Crews, and Jackie Coonrod.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be forwarded to the American Cancer Society, (800) 227-2345, www.cancer.org.