Avalon resident H. L. “Sonny” Southard, 89, went to be with his Lord and Savior and his loving wife, Joy on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 surrounded by his loving family in Avalon. He was born to Emmett and Lola Dixon Southard on May 14, 1927 in Avalon.

Sonny was raised in Avalon and lived there most all of his life. The only time he moved away was to serve our Nation in the United States Army. Sonny was a farmer and rancher. His passion was raising, breeding and racing Thoroughbred horses. One of his proudest moments was winning the 2002 Texas Championship with Thoroughbred Coastalota.

Along with farming and ranching, he also worked in the Oilfield business and founded the CSC Land field in Avalon. Sonny’s father, Emmett, passed down to him the Avalon Store, which Sonny owned and operated for over 40 years. He was a permanent fixture at the Italy Feed Store, spending a lot of time there and owned the Italy Grainery. Anyone from Avalon would confirm that Sonny was the unofficial Mayor of Avalon. He obtained this title because no one knew as much about the Avalon community more than Sonny. He served on the Avalon Water Board and School Board and enjoyed drinking coffee and visiting with his close friends at the Avalon Gin, the First State Bank of Italy or wherever the coffee was hot in Avalon and Italy. Sonny was known and loved by so many. His ways of doing things and saying things will always be remembered. The one thing he was proudest of and he considered his finest accomplishment was his family. Sonny was the finest family man and loved his time with all of his family. He will be greatly missed by so many who respected him and loved him.

He is survived by his daughters, Lisa Macalik and her husband, Ed, of Avalon; Brenda Sills and her husband, Ron, of Avalon; his sister, Imogene Honza, of Ennis; his grandchildren, Ryan Anderson and his fiancé, Chelsea Norton, of Waxahachie, Britney Beck and Joey Aparicio, of Avalon, Stephen Isbell and wife, Tracy, of Avalon, Josh Wilson and wife, Alyshia, of Frisco, Paul Macalik and wife, Heather, of Austin, and Kim Carr and husband, Tim, of Grapevine; his great-grandchildren, Conner and Kaylee, Micah, Hannah and Kody; Sonny is also survived by very special friends, James and Joyce Hobbs of Italy; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Lola and Emmett Southard; his two infant sons; and by seven sisters and five brothers.

Service to celebrate his life are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 11, 2016 in the Pat Boze Memorial Chapel of Wayne Boze Funeral Home with Bro. Grady Cashion and Bro. Cleve Clark officiating. Interment will follow at the Hughes Cemetery in Avalon.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 10, 2016 at Wayne Boze Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Family First Hospice of Ennis.