Rayford Howard Brister, age 67, of Lometa, died Saturday, May 31, 2008 at Rollins Brook Community Hospital in Lampasas. Mr. Brister was born December 25, 1940 in Lometa, the son of George Tom Brister and Velma Johnson Brister. He lived all of his life in Lometa, and he graduated from Lometa High School in 1959.

As a young man, Rayford worked for Potts Wool and Mohair. He also worked for the Santa Fe Railroad for a short time. Trucking was the love of his life, and he drove for many years for Charlie Boyd of Lometa, Stewardson Brothers of San Saba, and Capital Cattle of Austin. Rayford left trucking and worked in telephone construction for Wilco, Inc. of Killeen. His last job was an equipment operator for Lampasas County Precinct 2.

Funeral services were conducted on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 at Sneed Funeral Chapel. Burial followed at Senterfitt Cemetery, near Lometa.

Survivors include: a daughter, Traci Leann Rhodes and husband, Jeff, of Benson, Arizona; a son, Sammy Brister of Lometa; three grandchildren: Tori, Ashley and Blake Rhodes of Benson, Arizona; his mother, Velma Brister of Lometa; four sisters: Patricia Dorsey and husband, Tommy, of Pasadena; Judy McDonald of Fort Worth; Janice Brister of Houston; and Tico Hicks of Lometa; and four nieces and four nephews.

Rayford was preceded in death by a brother, Sammy Lawrence Brister in 1973; his father, George Tom Brister in 2004; a sister, Nelda Kammlah in 2005; and a brother-in-law, Tommy Hicks, in 2007.

Family requests that memorials be made to Senterfitt Cemetery Association, American Cancer Society, or American Lung Association.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Sneed Funeral Chapel in Lampasas, Texas.