Obituaries

Funeral services for Prince Mart Rawls, 74 formerly of Sherman, Texas will be held Thursday, September 1, 2022, 11am at The First Baptist Church, Sherman, Texas. Dr. Mike Lawson will officiate, assisted by Rev. Steve Rice. The family will greet friends from 12pm until 1pm at the church. Burial arrangements are pending. Prince was born on September 6, 1947, in Houston, Texas to the late Patrick D Rawls and Elsie Brown Rawls; and he went to Heaven to meet Jesus on August 29, 2022.

Prince graduated from Marshall High School, Marshall, TX and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. He spent his first 2 years of college at Kilgore Junior College and that’s where he met his wife, Anita Burrows Rawls; and then transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington. After a year at UTA he married the love of his life on June 27, 1970.

September 1, 1970 was the infamous lottery drawing for the United States Military and Prince’s draft number was #6. Prince was able to proudly serve in the Naval Air Reserve program, a 6-year commitment, which was land-based. He was assigned to the US Naval Air Base on Whidbey Island, Washington. While In the Navy, their daughter Tammie was born. After completing Active duty, Prince then returned to UTA to finish his college degree.

June, 1976 Prince accepted an Electrical Engineering position at Texas Instruments where he worked for 15 years. Prince later worked as Quality Manager for Johnson & Johnson until they closed their doors in Sherman. Prince officially retired as Quality Manager from Eagle-Pitcher in Dallas in 2012.

Prince was an active member of First Baptist Church where he drove the bus for the Bus Ministry for about 9 years. When not driving the bus, Prince volunteered to paint Sunday School rooms with Steve Rice, Don Simpson or Dominic Lampe. For many years, Prince enjoyed being “Santa Claus” for our family at Christmas particularly when Dillon, Tammie’s son was young.

Prince was an avid snow skier, even taking a ski trip in March where he skied for 5 days. After Retirement, he volunteered for Meals On Wheels and delivered meals 3 times a week for 8 years. You would frequently find Prince loading his lawn mower & mowing the yard for some of his little ladies.

In 2017 Prince had his massive heart attack in Houston at Tammie’s House. After commuting for 18 months for doctor appointments, it was time to down-size and move close to Tammie & family along with being close to his doctors.

Prince is survived by his wife, Anita Burrows Rawls, and daughter, Tammie Rawls Wolff Powell & husband Jeff Powell, and 2 grandsons Dillon Wolff, all of Houston; Josh Powell, stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming in the USAF; and granddaughter, Heather Wolff Larsen and husband Ed; and great-grandson Austin Larsen, of Ft. Worth, brother-in-law Danny Burrows Lt. Col. USAF, RET., and wife Carletta. There are numerous nieces and nephews.

Prince is preceded in death by his parents Elsie and Patrick Rawls, sisters Patsy Rawls Hererra; Djalma Rawls Reinheimer, Lillie Nell Rawls Mayfield, and brothers Patrick Durwood Rawls and Danny Carol Rawls.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ministry of Encouragement-First Baptist Church, 400 S. Travis, Sherman, TX 75090 or Meals on Wheels, 4114 Airport Road, Denison, TX 75020.

You may sign the online guestbook at www.Dannelfuneralhome.com.