Ronald Royce Dempsey, age 83, of Cleveland, Texas passed away Saturday, March 16, 2019. He was born August 22, 1935 in Urania, Louisiana to parents Dewitt DeVoe Dempsey and Florie Franklin Dempsey. Mr. Dempsey resided in Beaumont, Texas for 52 years and then lived in Cleveland, Texas since 2008. Ronald attended CTC-Church That Cares of Tarkington Prairie since 2011. He married Dorothy Lee Smith Dempsey on June 7, 1956 in DeQuincy, Louisiana. He was retired from Dupont Refinery.
He is preceded in death by his father, Dewitt DeVoe Dempsey; mother, Florie Franklin Dempsey; son, Rev. Danny Lee Dempsey; great-grandson, Gregory Brock Collins; brothers-in-law, Duchene Courtney, Robert Holliman, and Doye Smith; and sister-in-law, Jean Dempsey.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Lee Smith Dempsey; children, David Lynn Dempsey and wife Janice Dempsey, Linda Payton Dempsey Parmer and husband Skip Parmer, Dale Royce Dempsey and wife Delia Dempsey, Frances Darlene Dempsey, Sharon Diane Dempsey Crandall and husband Chad Crandall, Darla Lenell Dempsey McAdams, and Darell Ray Dempsey; grandchildren, Joni Dempsey, Amanda Dempsey and fiancé Troy Abate, Ruth Thompson and husband Matt Thompson, Naomi Nelson and husband Justin Nelson, Jelina Gray and husband Michael Gray, Justin Dempsey, Nathan Payton, Holly Payton, Chasse’ Crandall, Emily Crandall, Avery Crandall, and Caleb Dempsey; great-grandchildren, Gennifer Brooke Malin, Samantha Lynn Collins, Melyna Stinson, Matt Stinson, Cody Stinson, Jesse Stinson, Amy Nelson, Riley Nelson, Kevin Nelson, Layla Nelson, Aiyana Nelson, and Cameron Gray; great-great-grandchildren, Isaiah Collins, Abel Malin, and Naomi Malin; brother, Rev. Chelsey Dale Dempsey and wife Gerrie Dempsey; nieces and nephews, Glenna Frasier and husband Richard Frasier, Brenda Huse and husband Rev. Scott Huse, Kevin Dempsey and wife Mary Jo Dempsey, Kelly Dempsey and wife Leslie Butzer Dempsey, Charlotte Holliman, Fara Rollins, Robert Courtney and wife Melissa Courtney, Joseph Courtney, Carl Smith, John Smith, and Gilbert Smith; sisters-in-law, Donna Holliman, Dollie Courtney, and Eva Smith; host of great-nieces and great-nephews, cousins, friends, and church family.
Visitation will be 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Thursday, March 21, 2019 at CTC: Church That Cares, Cleveland, Texas. Services, 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 22, 2019 at CTC: Church That Cares, Cleveland, Texas. Interment will be at 3:00 p.m., Friday, March 22, 2019 at Bivens Cemetery, Bivens, Louisiana (next to Boxwood Church of Christ, 123, Boxwood Church Rd, Merryville, LA 70653)