Joe Donald Alford

Notes:

Joe Alford, a small-town lawyer known for valuing people more than money, died May 26, 2016 at the age of 67.

His wife of 46 years, Charlotte, was with him at his death and as he went through months of cancer treatments.

In an age of lawyers advertising on billboards and television, Joe didn't even have a sign on his Orange office. People found him, often by referral. His law office for nearly 35 years was a small old building across the street from the Orange County Courthouse. In recent years he added a front porch with rocking chairs. Dozens of people tell stories of how he never sent them a bill for his work.

He considered working as legal counsel for public entities a donation to the community. At times he turned down offers of pay raises from the entities. He was the original attorney for the Orange County Appraisal District, dating back to 1979 and continued in the position until his death.

He was the City Attorney for the City of West Orange and previously was the Municipal Judge. In addition, he represented the Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD and the Mauriceville Municipal Utility District. He had once been counsel for the West Orange-Cove CISD and advised the Deweyville ISD for more than 20 years.

His legal work including representing criminals on trial for capital murder and elderly widows probating wills. He handled divorces, name changes and adoptions. Every client found a shoulder to cry on, sympathy and a lifelong friend.

Even though he represented the accused in the courtroom, law enforcement officers respected him because he showed them respect.

Joe was born in Port Arthur to J.D. and Joann Alford.

He grew up in West Orange and was a 1967 graduate of the old West Orange High School. He and Charlotte Duhon began dating when they were in high school and married in 1970.

He worked his way through Lamar University as an orderly at Orange Memorial Hospital in the days before hazmat medicine. If a patient came in bleeding, the orderlies went home with blood on their clothes. It didn't matter to him. Helping came first.

The experience made him want to go into hospital administration. But his grandfather in Hemphill, Judge Beauchamp, talked him into studying law. That influence affected generations of people in Orange County who turned to him for advice and help.

Joe is a graduate of the University of Houston's Bates School of Law. He and Charlotte worked to pay for his studies.

After graduating and passing the bar, he returned to Orange and became a prosecutor in the office of then-District Attorney Sharon Bearden. He later left for a private practice with Wayne Peveto, who at the time was also the state representative for the county. Joe later went into his own practice.

He loved books, music and baseball cards. State District Judge Dennis Powell said Joe always pursued knowledge and the meaning of life. Besides keeping up with the latest legal case law, Joe could polish off two or more books a week. He was always ahead of the musical trends and recommended artists before they became famous. His expertise on baseball cards, along with his collection, was legendary.

He also loved the game of baseball. He coached youth baseball for his son and in recent years coached his great-nephews and nieces in the sport. As a surprise to many, he even ventured into coaching youth soccer. One of his last joys in life was seeing his three-year-old grandson Ronan slug a baseball off a tee.

Joe and Charlotte followed the West Orange-Stark Mustangs and have been football season ticket-holders in the same seats for 40 years.

Funeral services will be at 1pm Monday, May 29, 2016 at First United Methodist Church, 502 North Sixth Street in downtown Orange.

A visitation will begin at 11am before the funeral.

Entombment will follow at Saint Mary's Cemetery on Meeks Drive.

Pallbearers will be Wade Smith, Ed Smith, Rex Peveto, Eric Peveto, Barry Jones and Brent Alford.

Honorary pallbearers are Sharon Bearden and retired State District Judge Pat Clark.

His survivors, besides his wife, are his mother, Joann Alford of West Orange, son Joseph of Los Angeles and daughter and son-in-law, Laura and Sam Watters of Orange, along with grandson Ronan Watters. Also surviving are sisters, Judy Sher of St. Louis and Kay Jones and husband Barry of Tyler, Texas, plus brother, Brent Alford and wife Michelle of Fort Worth. Also, sister-in-law Juanita Smith of Orange and numerous nieces and nephews, Jami Nemec, Kara and Scott James, Derek and Sarah Jones, Lindsey and Jonathan Bolton, Josh Alford, Holden Alford, Wade and Julie Smith and Ed and Kathy Smith.

Notes:

The Sabine County Reporter
March 1, 1995, Page 10

J. D. Alford

Jessie (sic) Donald "J.D." Alford, 66, of West Orange died Tuesday, Feb. 21, at a Beaumont hospital.

Alford was born Jan. 4, 1929, in Sabine County and had lived in Orange County since 1948, where he was retired from E. I. DuPont's Sabine River Works as a storekeeper, and was a member of the McDonald Memorial Baptist Church and Madison Masonic Lodge #126. Alford had formerly served as mayor and a city council member of West Orange.

Survivors: wife, Joanna Alford of West Orange; daughters, Judy Schahn of St. Louis, Missouri, and Kay Jones of Tyler; sons, Joe Alford of West Orange and Brent Alford of Denton; a sister, Gweneth Tinsley of Buna; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Funeral services were held Feb. 23 at Claybar Funeral Home's chapel, Orange, with Bro. Joe Orr officiating. Interment was at Forest Lawn Cemetery, West Orange.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, April 2009)

Jesse married Joann Hendrix about 1948. Joann was born on 10 Nov 1929 in Los Angeles County, California; died on 21 Nov 2021 in Tomball, Harris County, Texas; was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, West Orange, Orange County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Not able to locate her birth record, or on the 1930 or 1940 census. Last name Hendrix per the birth records of the four children born to her and husband J. D. Alford.

On Family search, Joann Hendrix (LK6Q-PQG) is linked to parents Glenn O Hendrik and Emma Gertrude Peddy.

Notes:

Barbara Yancey Dore shows his middle name as Bryant.

(Research):Census Listings:

1930 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 1
Enumerated April 23, 1930
ED 202-3 SD 19 Sheet 2A Stamped 24
17-18
Alford, Jesse B Hd M W 32 M@20 Tx Tx Tx Farmer General Farm
Alford, Verdie R Wf F W 31 M@19 Tx Tx La
Alford, Gweneth R Dtr F W 10 S Tx Tx Tx
Alford, Jesse D Son M W 1 3/12 S Tx Tx Tx

Jesse married Verda Ray Easley about 1918. Verda (daughter of Clementine Millington Easley and Theodocia Abia Montgomery) was born on 17 Jan 1899 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; died on 27 Aug 1986 in Jefferson County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Could he also have married Tabitha Eason? Kathy Casagranda shows that Tabitha EASON married a Jesse Powell ALFORD on 12 Mar 1891 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. However, based on his date of marriage to Emma Rice, and the subsequent children born to them, it appears unlikely.

His tombstone is inscribed "In Memory of-Only son of Rev. N. B. & Frances Alford-We have drained the bitter cup of grief and prayed to give thee up without one murmured word of pain. Father they will be done. Take back our darling one. We try to pray, in vain."

Jesse married Emma Elizabeth Rice on 18 Dec 1890 in Sabine County, Texas. Emma (daughter of Matthias J. Rice and Millbury Cook) was born on 9 Apr 1866 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 28 Oct 1907 in Texas; was buried in Hemphill City Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 1
Enumerated 27 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 68 Sheet 13A Stamped 134
206-210
Alford, Mrs. Emma Head W F Apr 1866 33 Wd 4/4 Tx Miss Tx Farmer
Alford, Alif Dtr W F Dec 1891 8 S Tx Tx Tx
Alford, Adron Son W M Jun 1892 7 Tx Tx Tx
Alford, Ara Dtr W F July 1894 5 S Tx Tx Tx
Alford, Jessie Son W M Dec 1899 2 S Tx Tx Tx

Notes:

He went by the nickname "Bud", and his family called him "Big Papa." His tombstone reads Clement M. Easley. At the time of the 1920 Federal census, twin sons Cyril and Cecil were still living at home, along with his 14 year old granddaughter, Mary G. Rains.

Clementine married Theodocia Abia Montgomery on 17 Oct 1877 in Nacogdoches County, Texas. Theodocia (daughter of Vincent Alpheus Montgomery and Mary Eliza Gandy) was born on 7 Mar 1857 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana; died on 16 Feb 1931 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of Vincent Montgomery and Elisia Gandy.

Notes:

Married:
Might instead have been married in San Augustine County, Texas.