Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1972
Raymond L. Peterson
Raymond L. Peterson, 80, of Forth Worth, Texas, died Dec. 23, 2004, in Fort Worth.
He was born June 29, 1924, to Henry Levy and Hessie Scott Peterson.
He spent most of his early life in Lamesa, Texas.
Peterson came to Kaufman County in 1952 with his wife Viola, daughter Linda and son Dwayne, where they settled on a dairy farm. Later he served as a deputy sheriff in Kaufman county from 1965-1986.
He retired after 21 years of service. He was active in the church and community. He and Viola moved to Bella Vista, and spent 15 years here. He moved to Fort Worth to be near his daughter for the last four years.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Massey of Fort Worth; a son, Dwayne Peterson of Pea Ridge, Ark.; two grandsons, Rudy Bowling of Fort Worth and Chris Bowling of Burleson, Texas; three great-grandchildren; a brother; and sisters.
Graveside services were held Dec. 28 at Laurel Land Memorial Park in Fort Worth.
Arrangements are by the Laural Land Funeral Home and Memorial Park of Fort Worth, Texas.
Kenneth 'Ken' L. Shaver
Kenneth "Ken" L. Shaver, 64, of Rogers, died Dec. 20, 2004, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rogers. He was born July 9, 1940, in Pineville, Mo., to George Shaver and Erma Lewis Shaver.
He had lived in the area since 1991, moving from Anderson, Mo. He was a self-employed truck driver. He enjoyed woodworking and restoring cars.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy Shaver; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Darren Shaver and Sam Shaver of Hiwasse, , and Bryan Shaver of Jane, Mo.; a stepson, Johnny Rush of Fayetteville; two daughters and sons-in-law, Renae Williams and Bryan Williams of Neosho, Mo., and DeAnn Fraiser and David Fraiser of Jane; a stepdaughter, Brenda DeShields and her husband Keith DeShields of Centerton; a sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis Colville and Jim Colville of Anderson, Mo.; and 11 grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Dec. 23 at the Rollins Funeral Chapel in Rogers with Charles Stults presiding.
Cremation arrangements are by Rollins Funeral Home.
Bernice Marie Bates
Bernice Marie Bates, 88, of Gravette, died Friday, Sept. 19, 2003, at Gravette Medical Center Hospital. She was born Oct. 16, 1914, in Fayetteville, to William Herman and Myrtle Pickney Pifer.
She graduated from Texarkana High School and received a teaching degree from Southwestern Junior College in Keene, Texas. She married Raymond Edgar Bates on May 17, 1940, on the Pickney Farm near Gentry.
She taught school for a number of years, worked at Barnette's Dairyette in Siloam Springs, and worked as a nurse's aid at Gravette Manor for several years. She was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Gentry.
Survivors include her husband, Raymond Bates; a daughter, Doris Edwards of Gravette; a son, David Bates of Mesquite, Texas; six brothers, George L. Pifer of Tulsa, Okla., Larence B. Pifer of Florence, Ore., J.C. Pifer of Carmichael, Calif., Kenneth C. Pifer of Tacoma, Wash., Henry A. Pifer of Texarkana and Farrell Loyd Thomas of Ashdown; a sister, Sylvia Ball of Farmington; two special friends, Anita Jacobs and Pat Mendham; seven grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation was from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs. Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Glenn Hill officiating. Burial was at Mount Pleasant Cemetery near Hiwasse.
Leona Marie Coursey
She had lived in Noel for 33 years. She had worked in the mailroom for the Bella Vista Property Owners Association for 18 years.
She was a member of the Church of the Ozarks in Noel.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Clifford Coursey, in April 2000; and a son, Jerry Dwayne Coursey, in May 1977.
Survivors include two sons, Steven Coursey of Gentry and Edward Coursey of Noel; four daughters, Joan Werth of Henderson, Colo., Diana Shields of Joplin, Mo., Toni Hill of Neosho, Mo., and Susan Coursey of Noel; a brother, George Hight of Lakewood, Colo.; a sister, Mabel Olson of Westminster, Colo.; 21 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation was from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at Ozark Funeral Home of Noel. Funeral services were at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at Ozark Funeral Home with the Rev. Charles Chrisman.
Cremation arrangements are by Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory.
Memorials may be made to St. John's Hospice, in care of Ozark Funeral Home.
Freida Jean Drake
Freida Jean Drake, 56, of Nacogdoches, Texas, a former Bella Vista area resident, died Sunday, Sept. 14, 2003, in Nacogdoches. She was born June 11, 1947, in Wichita, Kan., to Dr. Tom P. and Freida Marie Wilson Sergeant.
She was a librarian at Fredonia Elementary School in Nacogdoches. She was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Nacogdoches, the Nacogdoches Librarians Association, the Texas Association of School Librarians and the Texas Library Association.
Survivors include her father, Dr. Tom P. Sergeant of San Antonio, Texas; a stepson, John David Drake and his wife, Sheila, of Cleveland, Texas; two stepdaughters, Kathleen Goerner and her husband, Steven, of New Orleans, and Amy Lumpkin and her husband, Mark, of Livingston, Texas; four granddaughters, Stacey Chism and her husband, Jason, and Heather Harvey and her husband, Jacob, all of Cleveland, Texas, and Brittany Lumpkin and McKenzie Freehling, both of Livingston; a grandson, Michael Lumpkin of Livingston; two great-grandsons, Zachary Chism and Jake Harvey, both of Cleveland, Texas; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Joan and Terry Eccles of San Antonio, Pat and Bob Thames of Midland, Texas; an uncle, W.F. Gasner of Key Biscayne, Fla.; an aunt, Mrs. Frank Wilson of Wichita, Kan.; two cousins, John Sergeant and Lon Sergeant, both of Seattle, Wash.; numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at Christ Episcopal Church in Nacogdoches with the Rev. Gary Hill officiating. Graveside services were at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.
Arrangements were by Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors of Nacogdoches.
Pallbearers were Joe Thames, Ryan French, Don Wyatt, John Wyatt, John Cook and Tom Mills.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 570127, Houston, Texas (77251); to Christ Episcopal Church, 502 E. Starr, Nacogdoches, Texas (75961); or to the Nacogdoches Area Librarians' Fund, P.O. Box 631845, Nacogdoches, Texas (75963).
Wrenda "Marlen" Luper
Wrenda "Marlene" Luper, 62, of Colcord, Okla., died Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, at Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital in Siloam Springs. She was born June 22, 1941, in Pryor, Okla., to H.M. "Hutt" and Flossie Potter Woodruff.
She was a longtime resident of Colcord. She married John T. Luper in February 1962.
She was an art teacher and guidance counselor for Oklahoma public schools, taught in Oaks for 17 years, and in Ketchum and Colcord. She retired in 2002.
She was named Delaware County Teacher of the Year in 1981 by the Oklahoma Education Association. She was a member of the National Education Association and was affiliated with Colcord Church of Christ.
Survivors include her husband, John Luper; a son and daughter-in-law, Tracy and Ann Luper of Colcord; a daughter and son-in-law, Shari and Mike Modisett of Bella Vista; two brothers, Dennis Woodruff and Lenden Woodruff, both of Colcord; three grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Visitation was from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Wasson Funeral Home of Siloam Springs. Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, at Wasson Memorial Chapel with Larry Ellis officiating. Burial was at Bell Cemetery near Watts, Okla.
