Sammie Lavoyce Tinsley 09/23/1936 - 09/03/2022 & J. Duane Letson 06/19/1959 - 08/17/2022

Lavoyce was born September 23, 1936, in Grapeland, Texas to H.P. and Lois Oates. She helped her parents on the farm and graduated from high school at age 16. Lavoyce then moved to Houston with her older sister, Owena, where she went to work at an automobile dealership. The general manager there was Joe L. Letson, and not long after they met Joe began to ask Lavoyce to marry him. He asked her daily for months until she finally said yes. Lavoyce and Joe had four children and lived in Houston before moving to the country near Tomball, Texas. Joe died unexpectedly in 1974, and Lavoyce, who had not worked outside the home in 17 years, took a job as a teacher’s aide in the Klein ISD. Over the years she worked her way up to school secretary at Lakewood Elementary School. In 1978 Lavoyce married Lester M. Tinsley, and then also worked managing the Tinsley Grocery store in Tomball. Lester died in 2004 after a long illness. Lavoyce was devoted to her husbands, children, and grandchildren, and always put their welfare and interests above her own. Though she never got the chance to go to college, she made sure her children and grandchildren had that opportunity. She was a mom to many people, making us all believe we could accomplish anything, and she was our greatest encourager and defender.

Lavoyce was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Ozie Lea Schmid, Edna Horton and Owena Oates; her brother, Louis Henry Oates; her husbands, Joe L. Letson and Lester M. Tinsley; and her son, J Duane Letson. She is survived by her daughters, Sonya Letson and husband Tad Fowler, of Claude, Texas; Tammy Rebecek and husband David of Hutto, Texas; Teresa Schneider and husband Lundin of Houston, Texas; granddaughters, Leah Ullrich of Los Angeles, California; Hannah Ullrich of Austin, Texas; Jacqueline Schneider and Rachel Schneider of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law, Sue Oates of Dallas, Texas; and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.

Lavoyce’s family would like to give special thanks to her caregivers at Braeswood Estates Senior Living facility, for all the love and compassion they showed to mom while she lived there; and to the staff and doctors at Houston Methodist Hospital who cared for mom during her last illness.

IN MEMORIAM...

J Duane Letson, 63, of San Antonio, Texas, died Wednesday August 17, 2022.

Duane, who his friends knew as JD, was born June 19, 1959, in Fort Worth, Texas to Joe L. and Sammie Lavoyce Letson. Duane graduated from Klein High School near Houston. He worked as a Journeyman Electrician from 1979-1987 before attending Texas Tech University, where he graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1992. Between 1992 and 1997, Duane was the managing engineer for two electric cooperatives, first Rio Grande EC in Brackettville, Texas, and then Bluebonnet EC in Giddings, Texas. Duane was later employed by several architectural firms in San Antonio as an electrical engineer, and at the time of his death was employed by Alta Architects in San Antonio. Duane was proud to be a Master Electrician, a Licensed Professional Engineer and a LEED Accredited Professional. At one time he was a Licensed PE in four states and had traveled as far as Japan to work on projects for his clients. Duane loved music, traveling to any beach and working on projects around his home. He was brilliant -- he could fix or figure out anything mechanical or electrical.

Duane was preceded in death by his father, Joe L. Letson, and his stepfather, Lester M. Tinsley. Duane’s mother died eighteen days after his death. Duane is survived by his sisters, Sonya Letson and husband Tad Fowler, of Claude, Texas; Tammy Rebecek and husband David of Hutto, Texas; Teresa Schneider and husband Lundin of Houston, Texas; nieces, Leah Ullrich of Los Angeles, California; Hannah Ullrich of Austin, Texas; Jacqueline Schneider and Rachel Schneider of Houston, Texas; and a host of cousins, family and friends.

Duane’s family would like to give special thanks to Connie and Domingo Maldonado and Marcus Jones, for being such great neighbors to Duane and such a help to the family after his death; and to Chris Sanchez and all Duane’s coworkers at Alta Architects for being supportive, kind friends to our brother.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday September 17, 2022, at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home and Cemetery, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas, 77079. A private graveside service for family members will follow at noon at the cemetery. There will be a luncheon to follow after services at Teresa's residence.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.memorialoaksfunerals.com for the and Tinsley and Letson family.