Leah Autumn Dunakey

           Funeral services for Leah Autumn Dunakey, 27, of Lufkin, will be held Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Highway Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington with Bro. Lamar Denby officiating. Interment will follow at Ivy Cemetery in Huntington.

            Leah Autumn was born April 26th, 1996, to Terry and LeAndria. She left this world to join her heavenly father on October 12th, 2023. Leah was a lifetime member of Highway Missionary Baptist Church in Huntington, Texas.  Although she had no biological siblings she was a sister to Shelby, Trace, Blake, Kaleb and Hanna. Leah was passionate about her faith, family and friends. She loved all cats and dogs no matter their breed. She loved to shop with her Nana at Junk In The Trunk. She loved getting her nails done and she had a shared passion of video games and WWE with her husband. She loved family time and dressing up for occasions such as the Renaissance Festival. She worked at Huntington ISD with her best friend, Allison, but kept in touch with former coworkers at  Walmart and Burlington. Leah's early life she spent time with cousins and friends, she was a very kind and compassionate child especially with children with special needs. Leah was dedicated to God at Highway MBC by Brother Lamar Denby when she was an infant, she grew up attending church at Clawson Baptist, Huntington Assembly of God, and Shawnee Prairie Baptist church, but ultimately kept her primary church home at Highway where she attended church camp at Pine Springs Baptist encampment where she accepted Christ as her savior. She was baptized June 22nd, 2014, at Highway by Bro Lamar Denby.  She is a graduate of the 2014 class from Huntington ISD where she played trumpet and baritone in the band and performed in the one act play. She studied drama and music in college and loved to sing, but Leah found the true passion of her life when she met her husband. The two had a virtual relationship for years before she finally convinced Justin to convert to being a Texan. The two married November 5th, 2021. Leah spent her last days spending as much time as she could with family especially Mila, Penelope and Emery who loved their Auntie Leah very much.                                                                                                                                                                                                  

        She is survived by her husband, Justin Dunakey; mother, LeAndria and James Starr; father, Terry and Nikki Brasher; grandparents, Kathie and Allen Forrest, Roy and Ellen Jordan; mother in law, Theresa and Mike Maus; father in law, Jason and Kelly Dunakey; sisters in law, Addison Maus, Alexandra Martz, Kiera Dunakey; brother in law, Austin Tull; stepsisters, Chloe and Hannah; stepbrothers, Johnathan and Gabe; and two fur babies, Munchkin and Punkin.                                                                                                                                                               

         Pallbearers will be Blake Hudgins, Trace Loya, Brandon Smith, Jadan Smith, Roy Jordan, Mitch Forrest, Greg Sepulvado, Dustin Humphris and Kaleb Hudgins.                                       

         Special memorials may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Susan G Komen breast cancer foundation and Winnie Berry Humane Society of Angelina County Pet adoption center.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

          Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at Shafer Funeral Home.

Shafer Funeral Home, Lufkin directors.

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