C Y Justiss

A memorial service for C Y Justiss 97, of Daingerfield will be held at the Daingerfield Church of Christ on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016 at 4:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in CY’s memory to AGAPE Nashville, 4555 Trousdale Dr, Nashville, TN. 37204 or to Disabled American Veterans.

Born on the Justiss Ranch in Omaha, TX on Oct. 10, 1918, Commander CY Justiss, USN (Retired) was a graduate of Daingerfield High School and Pepperdine College, where he lettered in intercollegiate baseball. Upon completing college, he entered the Navy in 1941 as an aviation cadet. After earning his naval aviator wings and marrying his high school sweetheart Joeldeen Rivers in 1942, he went on to fly Anti-Submarine Warfare patrols out of the East Coast, The Caribbean, North Africa and Gibraltar, earning the Air Medal for flying over 60 combat missions. In addition, he earned the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the China Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Star, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was a specialist in Ground Control Approach radar, serving as an advisor in Shanghai, China and at the Pentagon.

After retiring in 1969, he returned to Daingerfield, where he was active in the Church of Christ, serving many years as an elder. He enjoyed repairing anything mechanical, water skiing, gardening, traveling with Joeldeen in their RV, and spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

CY passed from this life on Thursday, July 21 at Windsor Place in Daingerfield. He was preceded in death by parents Joe and Willie Justiss and wife Joeldeen Justiss; brothers Morris, Howard, Anglo, A. W., Onza, Leonard, Adron, and Lloyd Justiss; sisters Edna Kennedy and Nelda Teague, and granddaughter April Mosier.

He is survived by sister Bessie Cason, sisters-in-law Thelma Justiss and Melita Rivers and brother-in-law Jimmy Teague; children Anell Crews, Lieutenant Commander Ronnie Justiss, USN (Retired), Rhesa Gray and Joan Zaccone; grandchildren Emily Branam, John Crews, Lieutenant Mark Justiss, USN, Catherine Thomas, Matthew Justiss, Adam Gray, Jodi Beaver, and Paul Mosier, and great grandchildren Adley and Corbin Gray, Reagan and Brooklyn Beaver, and Anna and Samantha Justiss.