John Hale Lofton Sr.

John Hale Lofton Sr.
John H “Paw” Lofton Sr., 97, of Groves, passed away on December 17, 2022, in Beaumont, Texas.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00p.m., Thursday, December 22, 2022, at Levingston Funeral Home in Groves, Texas. Officiating will be Dr. Phil Sigman. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Groves, Texas.

Visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m. on., Thursday, December 22, 2022, at Levingston Funeral Home in Groves, Texas.

John was born in Alexandria, La, on May 4, 1925, he was the son of William Butler Lofton and Ollie Corley Lofton. Growing up in Pineville, Louisiana Johnnie was a proud Pineville Pine Knot and a very proud Bolton Bear where he attended Bolton High School. After High School he entered the United States Coast Guard during World War II. He proudly served his country and participated in the invasions of Normandy, Southern France, Iwo Jima and Okinawa on the USS Bayfield APA 33. He received awards for heroism humbly. When his service time ended, he returned home and enrolled into The Louisiana Business College. While attending college he met the love of his life, Mary Janice Lofton. Johnnie and Janice married on March 16, 1947, after a short courtship and remained happily married for the remainder of their lives. Shortly after they were married Johnnie and Janice moved to Texas where he began working at Gulf Oil Refinery. They lived and raised their children in Groves, Texas and after a wonderful career of 38 years Johnnie retired as a first-class welder. Johnnie and Janice would spend many of their afternoon hours bass fishing at The Neches River Sportsman Club or spending time gardening in their beautiful back yard. In their later years Johnnie and Janice enjoyed spending their time together taking care of one another for 75 years. Johnnie which we will refer to as Paw, was a gentle, kind, and humble man. He enjoyed each and every day of his life and lived it to the fullest. Early in his life he put his faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. He trusted the Lord to take care of all his needs. Paw faced life’s challenges without care or worries and the Lord Jesus was faithful to care for him until he was called home.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Janice Lofton, daughter, Dianna Lofton Buethe; son, John “Joey” Hale Jr.; granddaughter, Alecia Kyler; brothers, Hebert, W.B. Jr., Aaron, and Fred; sisters, Minnie, Hazel, Beatrice, Ruth, and Willa Vae.

He is survived by his daughter, Ellen Kyler of Nederland, TX; two grandchildren, Shane’ Denman and husband William, and Shane Dorsey and his wife Latonya; six great-grandchildren, Ashleigh Jones and her husband Seth, Micah Denman, Hannah Denman, Devryn Dorsey, Kaden Dorsey, and Brock Dorsey; six great-great-grandchildren, Haden Gilley, Laikynn Jones, Acelynn Jones, Landynn Jones, Britton Jones, and Ashton Jones; his caretakers, Linda Hulin, and Delvia Cornejo.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.