Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1972
Gene Evans
Gene Evans, age 59, of Bentonville, died June 8, 2005 at his home. He was born July 10, 1945, in Carnegie, Oklahoma, to Howard Evans and Mildred Evans.
He marriage Bonnie Bradley on September 15, 1968. He served in the United States Air Force stationed in the Panama Canal Zone from 1965 to 1969. They moved to Bentonville in 1976. He was employed at the Arvest Bank Group. He enjoyed camping, hunting, gardening and most of all his grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Bradley Evans; a son and daughter-in-law, Chad and Jana Evans of Greenwood, Arkansas; a daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Tom Halbmaier of Bentonville; three grandchildren, Noah Evans, Claire and Sawyer Halbmaier; his mother, Mildred Evans; a brother, Thurman Evans; two sisters, Joyce Mabry and Linda Mandrell; and his mother-in-law, Onedos Bradley Massey.
He was preceded in death by his father, Howard Evans, and a grandson, Jacob Matthew Evans.
Visitation will be Friday, June 10, at Backstrom-Pyeatte Chapel, Bentonville, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with the family receiving family and friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Funeral services will be Saturday, June 11, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church Chapel, Bentonville, with Rev. Tony Preston officiating. Burial will be in the Bentonville City Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home, Bentonville, Arkansas.
Marvin "Gene" Overholser
Marvin "Gene" Overholser, 82, of Bentonville, Ark., died Tuesday, June 21, 2005, at Bentonville Manor. Arrangements are pending with Callison-Lough Funeral Service of Bentonville.
William "Bill" Hugh O’Donnell
William "Bill" Hugh O’Donnell Jr., 64, of Centerton, Ark., died Thursday, June 23, 2005, at his home. He was born Sept. 27, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pa., to William Hugh O’Donnell and Elynor Rebecca Thackhra O’Donnell.
He had lived in northwest Arkansas for one year, moving from Rosamond, Calif. He attended Antelope Valley College in California for two years. He marriage Ruthann Elaine Fry on Dec. 1, 1971, in Long Beach, Calif. He was an electrician. He served in the U.S. Navy for 11 years during the Vietnam War. He was a member of the Elks Lodge in Lancaster, Calif. He enjoyed woodworking, billiards and fishing.
He was preceded in death by a son, Joseph O’Donnell; and his father, William O’Donnell.
Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Ruthann Elaine Fry O’Donnell; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Donna Muholland and Joseph Muholland, and Patricia O’Donnell, all of Philadelphia, Pa., and Lisa Marie Tucker and Ron Tucker of Highfill, Ark.; his mother, Elynor O’Donnell of North Carolina; a brother, Joseph O’Donnell of Mojave, Calif.; a sister, Anne Woods of North Carolina; five grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. No services are planned at this time. Cremation arrangements are by Stockdale Funeral Services of Rogers, Ark.
Richard "Dick" Dryden
Richard "Dick" Dryden, 79, of Lowell, Ark., died Tuesday, June 21, 2005. He was born March 11, 1926, in Peoria Ill., to Walter Dryden and Virginia Hammitt Dryden.
He marriage Mary Gasparac on Sept. 17, 1949. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the U.S. Air Force. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; the University of South Sewanee in Tennessee; and Bradley University in Peoria, Ill.
He retired from the Caterpillar Management Engine Division in 1984. He moved to Eureka Springs, Ark., where he owned and operated a gift shop. He served as the Carroll County (Ark.) Republican Party chairman. He moved to Lowell in 1991, where he served on the Lowell Planning Board and worked on election services.
He was a longtime member of the Presbyterian Church, serving four terms as an elder and in other areas. He was a member of the American Legion and the Amvets Drum and Bugle Corps. He enjoyed genealogy.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Dryden; a son and daughter-in-law, Richard Dryden Jr. and Susan Dryden of Stillwater, Minn.; three daughters and sons-in-law, Sherrill Griffith and Dennis Griffith of Arlington, Wash., Susan Babcock and Tom Babcock of Worthington, Ohio, and Shelley McCann and Matt McCann of Lewisville, Texas; a brother and sister-in-law, Robert Dryden and Judi Dryden of Sawyer, Mich.; seven grandchildren, Jacob Dryden, Matthew Dryden, Laura Baird, Susan Griffith, Evan Babcock, Courtney Anderson and Taylor McCann; a niece; and four nephews.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 24, at the Callison-Lough Chapel in Rogers, Ark.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at the First Presbyterian Church in Rogers with Dr. Jerry Rice.
A second visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at Wilton Mortuary of Peoria, Ill.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, June 27, in Peoria.
Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 1901 S. 26 th St., Rogers, AR 72756; to Washington Regional Friends of Hospice, P. O. Box 356, Fayetteville, AR, 72702; to the American Cancer Society, 1305 W. Pine St., Rogers, AR, 72758; or to the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Benton County Inc., 3311 S. W. I St., Suite 9, Bentonville, AR 72712. Arrangements are by Callison-Lough Funeral Service of Rogers, Ark.
Martha Mary Bolen
Martha Mary Bolen, 86, of Rogers, Ark., died Wednesday, June 22, 2005, at her home. She was born March 8, 1919, in Chicago, Ill., to John Dedina and Martha Mary Dedina.
She marriage Joseph Rae Bolen on Aug. 3, 1953. She enjoyed gardening and collecting antiques and bottles.
Survivors include her husband, Joseph Rae Bolen; two sons and a daughter-in-law, William Willis and D’Evelyn Willis of Eureka Springs, Ark., and Ronald Rea "Skip" Bolen of Hollywood, Calif.; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are by Rollins Funeral Home of Rogers.
Mildred "Mitzi" Will
Mildred "Mitzi" Will, 91, of Rogers, Ark., died Monday, June 20, 2005. She was born June 27, 1913, in Ida Grove, Iowa, to Julius Rohwer and Emma Rohwer.
In her youth, she was an award-winning violinist, a swimmer and a member of the State Champion basketball team. She marriage Vick Will in 1947. In Rogers, she worked as an executive secretary for Daisy Manufacturing Co. and later as a secretary at Rogers High School and the junior high school. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Rogers. She was active in church activities, Cub Scouts and volunteer work.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Vick Will; a son, Danner Will; four brothers; and four sisters.
Survivors include a son, Strad Will; a grandson, Danner J. Will; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at noon Friday, June 24, at Callison-Lough Funeral Service of Rogers with the Rev. Davis Thompson.
Burial will be at the Rogers Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 307 W. Elm St., Rogers, AR 72756.
Ronnie Fjelsted
Ronnie Fjelsted, 20, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Wednesday, June 1, 2005, in Bella Vista. He was born Dec. 4, 1984, in Rogers, Ark., to Robert Lyle Fjelsted and Danna Kaye Wardlaw Fjelsted.
He lived in the area all his life and graduated from Bentonville (Ark.) High School.
He worked with the technical theater in high school. He was a scuba diver. He enjoyed playing soccer, playing the drums, paintballing, fishing and hunting.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Danna Kaye Fjelsted, in 2004; and his paternal grandfather, Orlen S. Fjelsted.
Survivors include his father, Robert Fjelsted of Bella Vista; a sister and brother-in-law, Lisa Ponthieux and Daniel Ponthieux of Bella Vista; and his paternal grandmother, Virginia Fjelsted of St. Paul, Minn., and his maternal grandparents, Ron Wardlaw and Twyla Wardlaw of Jane, Mo.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 10, at Sisco Funeral Home of Pea Ridge, Ark.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at the Sisco Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain Jim Parsons.
Burial will be at the Wardlaw Cemetery in the Brightwater community, Ark.
Allen Leroy Vessell
Allen Leroy Vessell, 72, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Tuesday, June 7, 2005, at his home. He was born Feb. 9, 1922, in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., to Alfred Vessell and Ada Vessell.
He marriage Gwen Smith on Jan. 26, 1952. He retired from Marblehead Lime Co. as superintendent of maintenance over all of the company’s production facilities in the region. He moved to Bella Vista in 1989. He was an avid golfer.
Survivors include his wife, Gwendolyn Smith Vessell; four sons and daughters-in-law, Richard Vessell and Cathy Vessell of Streator, Ill., Ronnie Vessell and Kim Vessell, and Timothy Vessell and Sharon Vessell, all of Griffith, Ind., and Mark Vessell and Debbie Vessell of Ottawa, Ill.; two daughters and a son-in-law, Sheila Reed of La Grange, Ill., and Melinda McKown and Andrew McKown of Hobart, Ind.; two brothers, Nelson Vessell and Carl Vessell; three sisters, Darlene Hoog, Mary Ann Caudle and Tarey Kay Hoffman; eight grandsons, Jeffrey, Daniel, Timothy, Nicholas, Dennis, Jacob, Benjamin and Samuel; three granddaughters, Amanda, Molly and Stephanie; and a great-grandson, Gavin.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista with the Rev. Dr. James E. Still and the Rev. Tracy L. Evans.
Arrangements are by the Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory.
Memorials may be made to the ALS Foundation, 27001 Agoura Road, Suite 150, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301-5104; to Circle of Life Hospice, 610 E. Emma Ave., Springdale, AR 72764; or to the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, 1880 Forest Hills Blvd., Bella Vista, AR 72715.
Dawn Estelle ‘Garnette’ Wochomurka
Dawn Estelle "Garnette" Wochomurka, 61, of Sulphur Springs, Ark., died Tuesday, June 7, 2005, at Northwest Medical Center of Washington County in Springdale, Ark. She was born March 2, 1944, in Hartford, Conn., to Edward Wochomurka and Marion Williams Wochomurka.
She had lived in the Shiloh Community in Sulphur Springs since 1962. While there, she was a bookkeeper, a sound recorder and a kitchen supervisor. She enjoyed reading, playing solitaire and caring for her cat, Missy.
Survivors include two brothers, Ronald Wochomurka of Kiln, Miss., and Timothy Wochomurka of the Shiloh Community in Sulphur Springs; a sister, Sharon Sorrell of Tolland, Conn.; an aunt and uncle, Mary Clough and Warren Clough of Sulphur Springs; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, June 8, at the Shiloh Community in Sulphur Springs with the Rev. James Janisch and the Rev. Anna Lee Janisch.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shiloh Trust and Church, 309 Griffin Ave., Sulphur Springs, AR 72768.
Arrangements are by Callison-Lough Funeral Service of Gravette, Ark.
Michael Eric Rhodes
Michael Eric Rhodes, 67, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2005, at Northwest Medical Center of Benton County in Bentonville, Ark. He was born Nov. 4, 1937, in Wichita, Kan., to Andrew Rhodes and Margaret Higginson Rhodes. He was raised and educated in Kansas and Arkansas. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1956 until 1960 in California and Hawaii. He marriage Barbara Sue Akers on Nov. 2, 1956, in Oakland, Calif. He later graduated from Wichita State University. He was employed by Honeywell and retired as director of education, sales and services in 1992. The couple moved to Bella Vista in 1993. He was a driver of the Bella Vista Courtesy Van. He played golf, tennis and softball on the "Retreads" team, and enjoyed fishing.
He was preceded in death by his father, Andrew Rhodes.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Sue Rhodes; a son, Jeffery Rhodes of North Bend, Wash.; a daughter and son-in-law, Andrea Michelle Wrynn and Thomas Wrynn of Wrentham, Mass.; his mother, Margaret Rhodes of Wichita, Kan.; six brothers and four sisters-in-law, Norman Rhodes and Mary Rhodes of West Monroe, La., Paul Rhodes and Donna Rhodes of Indiana, David Rhodes and Virginia Rhodes of California, Dr. Timothy Rhodes of Georgia, Dr. Phillip Rhodes and Chris Rhodes of Jackson, Miss., and Dr. Martin Rhodes of Kansas City, Kan.; and three grandchildren, Clayton, Jonathan and Billy.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the Bella Vista Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Salvation Army, P. O. Box 969, Rogers, AR 72757.
