A funeral service for Calvin Barnette Cordray, 92, of Texarkana, Texas will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 25, 2024, in the Chapel of Downs Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Youngblood Cemetery in Beckville, Texas. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, March 24, 2024, at the funeral home.

Barnette was born on April 20, 1931, in Panola County, Texas to Calvin Yancy Cordray and Ava Brightwell Cordray and passed away in Tyler on March 23, 2024.

He attended Beckville Schools and graduated from Stephen F. Austin University with a Bachelor of Science Degree. Barnette married Dorothy Brevard Cordray on June 28, 1956, and they were together for 49 years until her passing in 2005. He is the father of Glenna Anne Cordray of Austin and Calvin Greg Cordray of Marshall. Barnette was a veteran of the U. S. Army serving in the Korean Conflict from 1954 to 1956. He retired from The Federal Land Bank after 26 years of service.

He was preceded in death by his sisters Margie Cordray LaGrone of Deadwood and Joyce Cordray Suggs of Texarkana.

In addition to his two children, he is survived by his daughter-in-law, Kelly Hall Cordray; he is lovingly referred to as Pop Pop by his five grandchildren, Colby Cordray Pair and husband, Brad of Bullard, Keaton Cordray Windham and husband, Taylor of Texarkana, Calvin Cason Cordray of Farmington, Arkansas, Collier Greg Cordray of Frisco and Kenley Grace Cordray of Marshall and four great grandchildren, Hamill Windham, Adalyn Pair, Audrey Pair, and Ainsley Pair along with numerous other family and friends.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in his honor to Autism Speaks.