Cherokee County, Texas

ENGAGEMENT & MARRIAGE ANNOUNCEMENTS

August 6, 2008

  Rhodes-Smith

Lucile and Bill Rhodes of Rusk announce the engagement of their daughter, Sarah Jessica, to Jacob Bloxom Smith, son of Ann Bloxom Smith and Paul Wroten Smith of Monroe, la. Miss Rhodes is the granddaughter of Sarah and Comer Born of Lancaster. Both are graduates of Northwestern State University with Bachelor of Science degrees in theatre. They are employed in the entertainment field in Las Vegas, Nev. He is a sound designer and she is an actress, singer and dancer. She also teaches dancing. A fall wedding is planned

  McFarland-Halbert vows said

Taylor Brooke Halbert and Andrew Justin McFarland, both Duke University graduates, were married Saturday June 7 at the Duke University Chapel in Durham, N.C. The Rev. Michael Dowd of Wytheville, Va., brother-inlaw of the groom, officiated. Music for the ceremony was provided by Dr. David A. Arcus on the chapel pipe organ.

Readings were read from Ephesians 3: 14-19 and an excerpt from Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller.

The bride is the daughter of Gary and LuAnne Halbert of Springfield, Va. and the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.P. Halbert of Rusk, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Allison of Huntington, and the late John Bill Slover. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Randy McFarland of Woodstock, Va.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a strapless silkA-line gown featuring beading and embroidery along the bodice and the chapel length train. The bridal attendants wore tea lenght matching gowns in deep blue.

MatronofHonorwasStefanie Dowd of Wytheville, Va., sister of the groom. Bridesmaids were Emily Slover of Rusk, cousin of the bride and Mary Cunningham of Fairfax, Va., childhood friend of the bride.

Fellow Duke graduates also serving as bridesmaids were Chrissy Devore of Fayetteville, N.C., Laura Anzaldi of Butler, Pa., Teresa Rice of Weston, Fla. and Annie Fleishman of Fayetteville, N.C. Flower girls were Sadie and Mia Dowd of Wytheville, Va., nieces of the groom.

Bestmen were Ryan McFarland, brother of the groom, from Woodstock, Va. and Travis Halbert, brother of the bride and fellow Duke student, from Springfield, Va.

Duke graduates serving as groomsmen were Jamison Minkoff of Dallas, Matt Varca of New York and Marcus Reeslund of Edina, Minn. Groomsmen also served as ushers.

Mr. and Mrs. McFarland were treated with a red carpet ride from the chapel to the Duke Gardens for pictures in a 1958 Bentley before joining their guests for the social hour including hors d'oeuvres and entertainment by a violin trio. A dinner was held in the Callerden Ballroom at the Millennium Hotel in Durham, N.C.

Dinner guests were entertained by Kaye Slover, aunt of the bride, Natalie Slover Daniel, and Emily Slover, cousins of the bride. They sang acappella "Going to the Chapel" and "Mr. Sandman," two family favorites.

Texas relatives of the bride in attendance were Mrs. Michele HalbertSlaton of Jacksonville, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Slover and Emily Slover of Rusk, Natalie Slover Daniel of Clifton, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Slover of Henderson, Pamela Slover Percival and her daughter Alexis of Abilene.

The couple honeymooned in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic before making their home in Chapel Hill, N.C.while the bride attends dental school and the groom attends medical school at the University of North Carolina.

August 27, 2008

Kerri Stover Hamilton and Nathaniel Shawn Taylor announce their engagement and approaching marriage. They will be married Sept. 20 at The Woods in Jacksonville.

Couple announces engagement

The engagement and approaching marriage of Ashley Nicole Thompson and Clinton Harding Norwood, both of Rusk has been announced.

The couple will be married Sept. 5 at Castle on the Lake in Jacksonville.

Miss Thompson is the daughter of Sue Ann and David Joseph of Jacksonville and Duane Thompson of Rusk. She is the granddaughter of Ann Spurgeon of Rusk and the late Paul Spurgeon; Opal and Bud Cariker and Marshall and Kathy Thompson, all of Rusk. She is a student at Tarrant County College.

Mr. Norwood is the son of Jack and Anita Woody of Rusk and Mark and Joanie Norwood of McKinney.

He is the grandson of Lewis and Betty McCrary of Rusk and Pat Hillman of Rusk and Jack Woody Sr. of Palestine.

He is employed with Helmerich and Payne Drilling.

Corley-Brown vows planned
Gary and Tracy Corley of Rusk announce the upcoming wedding of their daughter, Tiffany Corley, to Steven Brown, son of Tracy and Dona Mosby of Reklaw and Terry Brown of Nacogdoches. The wedding will be at 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Rusk First Baptist Church. Friends and relatives are invited. pel in Jacksonville.