Veterans

PRIVATE ROYCE CLUSTER COLLUM
United States Army, World War II – Killed In Action
381 ST Infantry Regiment – 96th Infantry Division
©By Larry Hume, VFW Post 8904, Center, Texas
Royce Cluster Collum and twin sister Loyce were born in the Spring of 1920,
March 22 in the small far east Texas town of Shelbyville, Shelby County,
Texas. Their parents Catherine Lela Lowery and Carl Otto Collum were

Oswell Samford, 94, of Center, passed away Thursday, May 27, 2021, in Center.
The funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m., Sunday, May 30, 2021, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center with
visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Smith Cemetery in Shelby County.
Oswell was born on April 29, 1927, in Shelby County. He worked as a custom home builder and was of Church of
Christ faith.

Joseph Barnett Brannon was born in the East Texas town of Gary in Panola
County to Mae Alice Woodfin and John Alvin Brannon on January 16,
1919. Tragically his mother died two days after his birth leaving John to
raise Joseph and his six older siblings; John Emmett, Travis, twins Lloyd
and Lorene, Gertie Lee, and Clara Ophelia. They lived on a mortgage-free
farm on Gary and Tenaha Road in Panola County and no doubt each of the