Funeral services for Flaudie V. Hon, 92, of Livingston, Texas, were held Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel in Livingston, Texas with Bro. Chuck McLaurin officiating. Interment followed in the Center Grove Cemetery. Visitation was held Friday, January 3, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. in the Cochran Funeral Home Chapel.
Flaudie V. Puckett Hon (affectionately called “Fluzzie”) was born on January 2, 1932, to Walter Newton Puckett and Ruth (Crawford) Puckett on the Puckett family property in Center Grove, Texas. Following the sudden death of her mother on January 13, 1932, Flaudie V. and her older sister, Ethelene, went to live with their grandmother, Sara Crawford, in Leggett, Texas for a brief period of time. Flaudie V. and her sister were truly blessed to be raised by a wonderful, caring stepmother, Naomi (Matthews) Puckett, for the remainder of their childhood.
Flaudie spent most of her young life on the Puckett family farm during the years of the Great Depression, learning how to grow vegetables in the garden and picking cotton with her siblings to help sustain the family. Her father once commented that Flaudie was one of the fastest cotton-pickers he had ever seen. Determined, hard work was a part of her daily life which extended into her adulthood.
Flaudie V. attended the Center Grove Church and School until the Leggett School was built. She completed her education at Leggett High School, graduating as valedictorian of the Class of 1949. She then moved to Houston, Texas where she lived at the YWCA and attended Massey Business College while working part time as a nanny for a family in the neighborhood. She later secured employment at the Sinclair Oil Refinery as an administrative assistant.
Flaudie V. met the love of her life, David Hon, when she was in second grade at Leggett School. They eventually graduated high school in the same class together and were married on May 26, 1955, while David was on leave from the U.S. Air Force. They bought their first home in Pasadena, Texas where David was employed by Shell Oil Company. To this marriage, two daughters were born, Cynthia Ruth and Karen Elaine.
David and Flaudie decided to return to their childhood home of Center Grove after enduring the wrath of Hurricane Carla in 1961. They had to wade through floodwaters with their daughters on their shoulders and vowed to build a home in Polk County, where they spent the remainder of their 64 years together.
Flaudie was president of the Leggett School PTA during her daughters’ school years and served as children’s choir director at Leggett Baptist Church. She was employed as Officer in Charge at the Leggett Post Office, transferring to the U.S. Post Office in Livingston, Texas, where she sorted mail and worked at the front counter of the post office for 24 years until she retired in 1992. Through her job, she met almost everyone in Polk County. She could even remember their addresses and phone numbers. Flaudie V. was also an active member of the Livingston and Corrigan Eastern Star Chapters where she held many offices and served as piano player for chapter functions. Even after her retirement, she served as secretary for the Center Grove Cemetery Association, the Polk County Forestry Landowners Association and the local chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Flaudie was also a member of Soda Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and sang in the church choir.
Those who knew Flaudie V. would usually find her out in her one-acre vegetable garden, picking beans, peas, corn, lettuce, broccoli, or anything she could grow. She truly had a green thumb and enjoyed sharing her vegetables with all of her neighbors. She loved baking homemade goodies, especially zucchini bread, biscuits, brownies, pies and cakes, and taking them to neighbors or friends in need. Anyone who came to visit her never left hungry and she would always send them on their way with a bag of canned goods or fresh vegetables. When Flaudie wasn’t in her garden, she was fishing in the stock pond behind her house, either alone or with close friends or relatives, often missing planned events if the fish were biting! Flaudie V. also loved to sew clothing for her children and later made doll clothes for her granddaughters and decorative shawls for her friends and neighbors.
Flaudie V. and David truly enjoyed traveling during their retirement years, visiting all 50 states and many European countries. They also enjoyed spoiling their three grandchildren and spending time with them on their farm.
After a hard-fought battle with Alzheimer’s disease, Flaudie V. passed peacefully from this earth on December 27, 2024. She was preceded in death by her husband, David C. Hon, her parents, her stepmother, Naomi Matthews Puckett; sister, Ethelene Parrish; brothers, Joel Newton Puckett and Nadge Ray Puckett. She is survived by daughters Cynthia Ruth McMahon of Center Grove, Texas, and Karen Elaine Mathews of Conroe, Texas; grandchildren, Amanda Naomi Clark and husband, Daniel, of Rathdrum, Idaho; Travis Glenn Brackin of Conroe, Texas and Shelley Renee Garland and husband, Chad, of Mont Belvieu, Texas; great grandchildren, Delayna Clark, Anthony Clark and Benjamin Clark of Rathdrum, Idaho; Jackson Garland and Charlotte Garland of Mont Belvieu, Texas; brother, Onnie Lee Puckett and wife, Betty, of Mebane, North Carolina; “adopted” family, Emery “Chubby” Johnson and wife, Tonya, and their children, Zack and Johanna of Leggett, Texas; David Woodrome of Woodville, Texas, and a host of beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pallbearers included Brian Hickman, Lee Hon, Emery “Chubby” Johnson, Zack Johnson, Gregory “Keg” Puckett and Kevin Puckett.
Honorary Pallbearers were Daniel Clark, Billy Dool, Chad Garland, Edgar Grace, Dean Flessas, Onnie Lee Puckett, Joe Stuckey and David Woodrome.
Visitation with the family was held at Cochran Funeral Home on January 3, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. Funeral services were held at the same location on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 10 a.m. with graveside services following at Center Grove Cemetery, Center Grove, Texas.
The family would like to thank Tall Pines Assisted Living, Pine Ridge Health Care and Gentiva Hospice for their excellent and loving care of our mother and MawMaw during her final years.
Cochran Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements. Please sign our online guestbook at www.cochranfh.com.
