A celebration of life for Mrs. Miriam Elizabeth Lacy "Mel" Punessen, age 93 of Carthage, Texas, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church in Carthage with Rev. Leah Hanks, Molly Frye Wilmington, and Rev. Paul Thomasson officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Oddfellows Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home. Mrs. Punessen passed away on Easter Sunday morning, April 12, 2009 in Carthage.

Miriam Elizabeth Lacy "Mel" Punessen was born on January 13, 1916 in Elysian Fields, Harrison County, Texas to Foster Mitchell Lacy and Miriam Crews Lacy. She grew up in Carthage, graduating from Carthage High School with the class of 1932. After high school, she attended Stephen F. Austin State University. She married William August "Bill" Punessen on June 9, 1939 in Carthage. After the war, Mel and Bill lived first in Kilgore for eleven years and then moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi for twenty-two years. They returned to Carthage in 1979, after Mel retired from W.R. Fairchild Construction Company, where she worked as a bookkeeper. Mel was a member of the Carthage Book Club, where she held various offices. She was a member of two bridge clubs and was an avid reader. Mel was a faithful and devoted member of the First United Methodist Church of Carthage where she was also a member of the Upper Room Sunday School Class, the Carter Circle, and the Keenagers. She was preceded in death by her husband on January 11, 1994 and her son-in-law, Major John Mason Frye, Sr. on January 8, 1978.

Mrs. Punessen is survived by two daughters, Kitty Frye of Spring and Peggy Preston and husband David of Plano; one sister, Sybil Lacy Duran of Carthage; six grandchildren, John Frye of Tomball, Steve Frye and wife Lori of Spring, Eric Frye and wife Staci of Lake Conroe, Molly Frye Wilmington and husband David of Waco, Katrina Preston of Dallas, and Chris Preston of Plano; fourteen great-grandchildren; two nephews, Don Duran and wife Mary Leah of Lufkin and Ross Duran and wife Nancy of Portland, Oregon; and one niece, Molly Punessen Nall of Pensacola, Florida. Numerous cousins and many friends also survive Mrs. Punessen.

Serving as pallbearers are David Preston, John Frye, Steve Frye, Eric Frye, Chris Preston, David Wilmington, Don Duran, and Ross Duran. Serving as honorary pallbearers are Kevin Preston and Bill Nida.

If desired, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 201 S. Shelby, Carthage, TX 75633.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.