Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
John Edwards Reed
John Edwards Reed, 87, died May 2, 2009, in a Hot Springs hospital. A native of Springdale, Arkansas, he was the son of the late Lula Caldwell and Fred E. Reed. He is preceded in death by his brothers, Neill Reed and Robert Reed and his sisters, Iris Reed and Freda Reed.
He is survived by his wife of sixty years Elizabeth Strauss Reed; a son and two daughters and their husbands, Peggy and Tom Tucker of Little Rock, John Reed, Jr. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cathy and Don Slaton of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Grandchildren are Justin Tucker of Little Rock, Katherine Tucker Colgan of Maumelle, Peter Tucker of Little Rock, Meagan Reed Pittman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Candice Reed Wutzke of Washington, D.C, Chris Slaton, Ray Slaton and Art Slaton all of Hot Springs and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by siblings, Rachel Reed Hepler of Barling, Arkansas, Jack Reed of Virginia, Raymond Reed of Grady, Arkansas, James Reed of Greenbrier, Arkansas and Fred Reed of Ohio.
John Reed graduated high school from State Vocational School in Huntsville, Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He earned three post-graduate degrees: Master of Divinity from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Masters of Personnel Administration from George Washington University, and a PhD in Philosophy of Education from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas.
Reed served eighteen years in the regular United States Army as an enlisted medic, infantry officer and chaplain, with ten years outside the contiguous U.S., including the campaign across Northern Africa, Corsica and Italy. He served in WWII, traveling westward around the world, in Korea and at Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska. He retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1968. He was a Professor Emeritus at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas, having taught Sociology for 17 years.
He was a member of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, Philosophy of Education Society, Arkansas Sociological Association charter member, Phi Alpha Theta, Board of Directors of the Arkansas Gerontological Society, and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason for 55 years.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, May 6, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church with Reverend Vic Nixon officiating. The family will greet guests in the parlor following the service. Burial will be Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Mena, Arkansas. Memorials may be made to Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church TV Ministry, 4823 Woodlawn Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205 or the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.
Benjamin F. Overbey
Benjamin Franklin Overbey, 85, of Morrilton died Sunday, May 17, 2009, at Washington Regional Medical Center.
A native of Lamar, he was a son of the late Benjamin Franklin and Etta Dodson Overbey, and served in World War II in Italy as a crew chief on B-29s. He continued in the Air Force for 17 years until 1961 when he and two other persons purchased a two-way radio shop in Little Rock. He owned and managed Central Arkansas Communications with his business partner until his retirement in 1986. He was preceded in death by four sisters, Imogene Ellison, Opal Jones, Genevieve Hudson and Kathleen Talkington.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Geraldine Ruffiner Overbey; one son, Thomas L. Overbey and wife, Sallie, of Fayetteville; one brother, James L. Overbey of Lamar; one sister, Mary Helen Monroe of Fort Smith; and two grandchildren, Simon J. Overbey of Seattle and Audrey B. Overbey of New York City.
A funeral mass will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton with Rev. Charles Thessing officiating. Burial will be in Sacred Heart cemetery.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral mass on Wednesday, May 20, at Sacred Heart Church.
Billy Wayne Smith
Billy Wayne Smith, 51, of Lamar died Thursday, May 7, 2009, at Countryside Manor Nursing Home.
He was a custodian for the Ozark Guidance Center, member of the Church of Christ, son of the late Floyd C. and Edith R. McCormack Smith, and a native of Fayetteville.
He is survived by five sisters, Carol Stovall of Paris, Vera Wood of Hot Springs, Betty Shick of Virginia Beach, Va., Peggy Karr of Cocoa Beach, Fla., and Karen Reid of Fayetteville.
The body was cremated under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home of Paris.
A private family memorial service will be held Thursday, May 21, at Pinnacle Mountain near Elkins.
Carl Wayne Fitts
Carl Wayne Fitts, 66, of Springdale, whose son and daughter-in-law, Johnny and Marlena Fitts, reside in Clarksville, died Monday, May 11, 2009, at the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock.
He was born in Fayetteville, the son of John Earl and Ruby Gladys Fern Tackett Fitts, truck driver for the city of Fayetteville, Baptist, and veteran of the U. S. Air Force.
Survivors include his wife, Linda F. Caudle Fitts; two other sons and daughters-in-law, Bobby and Stephanie Fitts of Highland Mills, N. Y., and Billy and Sheila Fitts of Farmington; one daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Randy Sloan of Springdale; two brothers, Johnny P. Fitts of Noel, Mo., and Roy Fitts of Farmington; eight grandchildren, Melissa Burton, Dustin Fitts, Melanie Fitts, John C. Fitts, Lance Fitts, Chris Sloan, Greyson Fitts and Ronan Fitts; one great-granddaughter, Ashtyn Burton; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services and burial were at 10 a.m. Friday, May 15, at the Union Star cemetery near West Fork with Larry Muille officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Brashears Funeral Home of Huntsville.
Active pallbearers were Dustin Fitts, John C. Fitts, Lance Fitts, Chris Sloan, Ben Burton, and Randy Sloan.
Honorary pallbearers were Greyson Fitts and Ronan Fitts.
Clifton Franklin Cash
Clifton Franklin Cash, 87, of Clarksville died Saturday, May 16, 2009, at Johnson Regional Medical Center.
He was a native of Buttlerville, son of the late William Marion and Mary Whorton Cash, retired employee of the Soil Conservation Service, member of the Clarksville First United Methodist Church, Lions Club where he received the Melvin Jones Fellow award, Masonic Lodge, American Legion, and DAV, and an Army veteran having served as a medic paratrooper.
Survivors include his wife, Pauline Bandy Cash; one daughter, Fonda Cash of Hot Springs; one son, Gary Cash of Clarksville; and three grandchildren, Jason Cash of Little Rock, Nathan Cash of Fayetteville, and Sean Lewis of Hot Springs.
Funeral was at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Robbie Jackson, Rev. Amos Pledger, and Rev. David Hanshaw officiating. Burial was in Oakland cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Ewing Cline, Philip Taylor, Sammy Wish, L. J. Simms, Don Dougan, Jack Phillips, and Ken Hester.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Clarksville Lions Club.
Herbert Eric Mednick
Herbert Eric Mednick, 80, of Scranton died Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at his home.
He was a native of Brooklyn, N. Y., son of the late Barney and Martha Abrahams Mednick, engineer, and preceded in death by his wife, Janet Crozier Mednick.
Survivors include one daughter, Joy Siemens of Scranton; four sons, Michael McCloud of Scranton, Terry Mednick of New Hampshire, Marty Mednick of California, and Randy Mednick of Bella Vista; one sister, Diane Kauffman of California; several grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
The body was cremated under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Jewel M. Best
Jewel M. Best, 93, of Ozone died Saturday, May 16, 2009, at her home.
A native of Johnson County, she was a daughter of the late George E. and Mary May Skidgel Walker, widow of Luther Best, retired nurses aide, 50-year member of the Belle Grove Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, and a member of Ozone Baptist Church.
She is survived by two daughters, Lois B. Yates of Ozone and Reba Patton of Fayetteville; two sisters, Jean Daniels of Fayetteville and Birdie Lee Forrest of Tahlequah, Okla.; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Sawyer and Rev. Donald Carey officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Airy cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be David A. Patton, Daniel Martin, Jason Daniels, Butch Daniels, and David Forrest.
Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Hopson, Ryan Hopson, Marvin Daniels, and Nick Daniels.
Memorials may be made to the Ozone Baptist Church or Johnson County Hospice.
Mary Ann Willis
Mary Ann Carter Willis died Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at Johnson Regional Medical Center.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George N. and Anna L. Davis Carter; and one brother, John Carter.
Survivors include her husband, Danny P. Willis of London; one brother, George E. Carter of Twin Falls, Idaho; six sisters-in-law; six brothers-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Society of Prevention of Animal Cruelty.
