MANSFIELD, Texas - Alton Junior Lord, 68, a longtime Garland resident and former employee of Texas Instruments, passed away Saturday, April 26, 2008, in Fort Worth, after a courageous fight against lung disease.

Mr. Lord was born April 24, 1940, the third of four children born to Alton and Barbara Lord in Tucumcari, N.M., and grew up in Corsicana. He enrolled in barber school and began working as a licensed barber as a teenager. He married Betty Sue Davis, the love of his life, in 1960 and they were blessed with two children, Karen Welborn and Bruce Lord.

He was hired to work in maintenance at Texas Instruments in Richardson, where he retired after more than 30 years of service. Junior lived in Garland until moving to Mansfield in 2007 to be closer to his family and to enjoy his grandchildren.

He will be remembered by his family for his love, support and compassion to help others, as demonstrated by his tissue donations at the time of his death. He is remembered as having a sharp wit and enjoyed reading, watching movies and working the New York Times crossword puzzle after eating breakfast with his friends each morning. He was a Mason and a member of the National Rifle Association.

His family is grateful to the many friends who offered their support, prayers and visits during his illness.

He was preceded in death by Sue, his high school sweetheart and wife of 32 years, and his parents and sister, Betty Goode.

He is survived by his daughter, Karen Welborn and her husband, Gary; son, Bruce Lord and his wife, Cyndy; grandchildren, Travis and Taylor Welborn; sisters, Nova Proch and her husband, Ken, and Martha Brock and her husband, Charles.

Funeral Services were held at noon Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Blessing Funeral Home in Mansfield, and burial was at 2:30 p.m. in Grove Hill Cemetery in Dallas. Visitation was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 29 at Blessing Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were Jerry Blackmon, Charles Brock, James McCown, John McCown, PeeWee Read, and Charles Wyatt, and Honorary pallbearers were Lake Austin, Donald Brown, Jim Smedley, Mike Wyatt and Paul Wyatt.

Memorials can be made to the American Lung Association.