Frank “Sonny” Wade III

Frank (Sonny) Wade III was called to his Heavenly Home on January 5, 2021. He was born December 1, 1954 in Longview, Texas and was the second of five children born to parents Frank Wade Jr. and Willie Murel Jones.

Sonny attended Longview public schools: East Ward and Foster Elementary, Foster Junior High School and Longview High School where he graduated in 1973. He was an excellent athlete beginning with organized Little League Baseball, Junior High Football, and especially his beloved basketball among other sports. He loved supporting, teaching and coaching his brother, nephews, nieces and young boys and girls in the community as they learned skills and techniques for basketball and other sports.  It was of great joy for him to watch them participate and succeed in various levels of basketball and sports.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, Annie Odessa Deadmon and Fred Jones, Sr.; Frank Wade, Sr. and Bessie Jones; and his sister Donnya Gisele Wade Muhammad. At an early age he joined and was baptized at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church and attended Jerusalem Baptist Church and New Jerusalem Baptist Church with his mother, sisters and brother.

Memories are cherished by his sisters, Diane Wade Murphy (Lonnie) and Wendy Wade Alvarez (Ramon); brother, Wray Miles Wade; nieces, Siiyah and Jamillah Muhammad, Amanda Alvarez and Jaida Wade; nephews, Hassan, Joshuwa, Rahman and Rassoull Muhammad; great nieces, India, Giselle, Jamorah and Sa’Mia; great nephews, Kareem, Khyree. and Karmello; aunt, Essie D. O’Quinn; uncles, Alvernon D. Jones, Sr.; Fred D. Jones, Jr.; and Willie Frank Wade; special friend, Pastor Danny E. Craig Sr.; and a host of cousins and friends.

He was a caring son, brother, uncle and friend. He loved encouraging children and helping his elders.  He would pick up discarded books and give them to children to encourage them to read.  He also did odd jobs for the elderly at no charge.  Sonny loved his family. He watched after his sisters and nieces and wanted to make sure they were happy. His greatest joy in life was his little brother Wray and his nephews. His family loved their brother and uncle and felt so blessed that he cared and watched over them.

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