Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Mary D. Stricklin
Mary Dorene Hawkins Stricklin, 75, of Clarksville died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011, at North Logan Mercy Hospital in Paris.
She was a native of Omaha (Boone County), daughter of the late Garland Cecil Hawkins and Velva Estell Thomas Hawkins Futral, and widow of Billie Joe Stricklin.
Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Tony Stephens of O’Fallon, Mo.; one son, Donald Stricklin of Mahomet, Ill.; three grandsons, Aaron Stricklin of White Heath, Ill., Jeremy Schmidt of Wisconsin and Jeffrey Schmidt of Georgia; two great-grandchildren; one brother and sister-in-law, Gary and Bonnie Hawkins of Clarksville; two nephews of Arkansas; and one niece of Tennessee.
Graveside services and burial will be Friday, Feb. 4, at New Hope cemetery in Middleton, Tenn., under the direction of Shackleford Funeral Home.
Richard Capshew
Richard Capshew, 80, of Clarksville, died January 27, 2011, in his home.
He was a native of Cement, Okla., and long-time resident of Clarksville. He served in the Army and was stationed in Japan near the beginning of the Korean War. He loved his family. He enjoyed being a cattle farmer, riding horses, baling hay, and was an awesome gardener. His tomatoes were the best! He was a good conversationalist and had a great laugh. He fished with his grandkids and let them ride on the truck tailgate around the farm. He lived a good life. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Minnie Capshew; brothers, John, Frank and Arthur; and sisters, Catherine and Fanny, all of Oklahoma.
He is survived by one sister, Bess Bratzla of Oklahoma; his twin daughters, Pat Capshew Edmunds of Coal Hill, Arkansas, and Peggy Capshew Breeding of McKinney, Texas; and their mother, Emogene Capshew of Clarksville; children, Willa Jean Frenchman of Oklahoma; Cyndi Montenegro of Texas; Joan Brooke of Arlington, Texas; Ken Waterson of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Bev Gibson of Alma, Arkansas; and many loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers include Ken Waterson, Eddie Brooke, Charlie Brooke, Richard Wright, Brian Syfert, Mike Young and Jerry Baughman.
Graveside service was at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 29, 2011, at Oakland cemetery in Clarksville. Reverend Marci Ward of the First Presbyterian Church Officiating.
Arrangements by Hardwicke Funeral Home.
Vickie Denise Standridge
Vickie Denise Christian Standridge, 49, of Clarksville died Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011, at her home.
She was a native of Oakland, Calif., daughter of the late Leonard Dale Christian, employed by Arkansas Nuclear One and security at Baldor, and of the Assembly of God faith.
Survivors include her husband, Franklin Standridge; two sons, Leonard Jason Osterdock and wife, Valery, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Wesley Todd Osterdock of Clarksville; two stepsons, Tyler Blaine Standridge of California and Christopher Standridge of Russellville; mother, Faye Fikes Christian of Knoxville; two sisters, Tammy Hembree and husband, Billy, of Texas and Kathy Davis and husband, Jeff, of Knoxville; two brothers, Michael Christian and wife, Cathy, of Sherwood and Bradley Christian of Clarksville; and two grandchildren, Shawn Michael Ramey II and Emmett Osterdock.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Amos Pledger and Jay Winters officiating. Graveside services and burial followed at 1 p.m. at Phoenix cemetery on Buck Mountain at Moreland.
Pallbearers were David Collins, Kenny Kinder, Kevin Wills, Jeff Davis, Steve Standridge, Danny Huffman, and Fred Standridge.
Billy Gene Freeman
Billy Gene Freeman, 79, of Clarksville, Arkansas died Sunday, December 5, 2010, at the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas following illness. Bill was born October 18, 1931, in Spadra, Arkansas to parents Frank A. and Essie Gifford Freeman. He married
his childhood sweetheart (Ruby Bean) on September 2, 1950. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he retired in January 1997 as city manager of Clayton, New Mexico. Bill was a member of the Clarksville Church of Christ.
Surviving Bill are: a loving wife, Ruby; three sons, Steve and his wife, Sherry (Clarksville, AR), Mark (Clarksville, AR), and Glenn and his wife, Laura (Beaumont, CA); five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two brothers, Carl and his wife, Phyllis, and Jim and his wife, Alex; nieces; nephews; and cousins.
Bill loved God, his family, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends. He loved to have a good time, to entertain, and to see people smiling and laughing.
Bill Freeman was a uniquely talented man who brought joy to the lives of his spouse, family, friends and acquaintances.
Bill’s relationship with his children can be summarized in this: “When Dad came home from work, it was like Christmas time. As he opened the door you would always hear “Dad’s home!” –Steve, Mark and Glenn.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, at the Clarksville Church of Christ with Todd Rabalais and John Ballard officiating.
Burial was in Oakland cemetery under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.
James H. Gray
James H. Gray, 70, of Hartman died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at his home.
He was a native of Pope County, son of the late William and Anna Bell Harris Gray, farmer, and was preceded in death by one daughter, Jewell Gray; one great-granddaughter, Taylor Ewing; one brother, John Gray; and one sister, Virginia Linton.
Survivors include his wife, Beulah Gray; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Randy Thornhill of Jay, Okla., and Tonya and Larry Scarborough of Albany, Ky.; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three brothers, Thurman, Bob and Lloyd Gray; four sisters, Nellie Ruth, Juanita Dale, Patricia Campbell and Pearl Hurst; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, at Lemley Funeral Home Chapel in Atkins with Rev. Joe Day officiating. Burial was at Bells Chapel cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Donald Gray, Steve Gray, Ricky Gray, Timmie Gray, Robbie Gray and Dale Ray Moulder.
Honorary pallbearers were Michael Mullen and Alfred Mullen.
Jess W. Thompson, Jr.
Jess Ward Thompson, Jr. of Clarksville, Arkansas died at his home surrounded by family and friends November 30, 2010, in Clarksville. He was 83.
Thompson was a Navy veteran serving in World War II and the Korean conflict. He was an atomic veteran stationed on the USS Bayfield and present during atomic testing in the Bikini Atoll in 1946. Operation Crossroads was designed to determine the effects of nuclear testing on naval ships. The explosion sank five ships including the USS Arkansas. As quoted the Courier Democrat ,"We had no protection," Thompson said. "We didn't have goggles, didn't have anything. We were told to turn our heads. I saw the battleship Arkansas go down. It stood right up on its end."
He married
Nettie Tinsley in 1951, and established his longtime business, Thompson Automotive in 1953. H was a founder and member of the Cherry Street Baptist Church in Clarksville. He was a former Light and Water Commissioner in Clarksville as well as a member of the downtown renovation committee.
He was preceded in death by his parents Jess Thompson Sr. and Eleonora Thompson as well as a sister, Dorothy Edwards. He is survived by his wife, Nettie, and three daughters, Teri Thompson and husband, Jim Herre, of Weston, Connecticut, Nancy Thompson and husband, David Heim, of Newton, Kansas, and Cheryl Thompson and husband, Jeff Sears, of Weston, Connecticut, two grandchildren, Erin Heim and John Sears, three sisters, Mary Henderson of Rogers, Arkansas, Anna Brewer and husband, Robert, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Barbara Wilson and husband, Toby, of Clarksville, and one brother Raymond Thompson and wife, Jane,of Whispering Pines, North Carolina, several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held at Hardwicke Funeral Chapel in Clarksville from 6:00 to 8:00 pm December 2, 2010. A memorial celebration of life service was held at 11:00 am on Friday, December 3, 2010, at Cherry Street Baptist Church in Clarksville, Arkansas with the Reverend Billy Usery and Reverend Rusty Bushong officiating.
Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to Needy Paws P.O. Box 523 Clarksville, AR 72830, Arkansas Baptist Children's Home #10 Remington Drive Little Rock, AR 72204 or Arkansas Hospice 2405 East Parkway Suite 3 Russellville, Arkansas 72802.
Larry R. Ruffaner
Larry R. Ruffaner, 69, of Oark died Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, at Clarksville.
He was a native of Kittanning, Pa., son of the late Dale and Lucile Bowser Ruffaner, Tyson Foods truck driver, and member of Glory Land Church at Oark.
Survivors include his wife, Villia Skaggs Ruffaner; three daughters, Brenda Youngblood and husband, Lee, and Sherry Ruffaner, all of Clarksville, and Crissy Stepp and husband, Jason, of Oark; two sons, Dale Christy of Pittsburg, Pa., and Larry Don Ruffaner and wife, Theresa, of Clarksville; one sister, Darlaine Litteck of Ford City, Pa.; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Linda Tate officiating. Burial was in Patterson Springs cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Mitch Ruffaner, Larry Ruffaner, Eric Youngblood, Talon Christy, Shawn Christy, and Brandon Main.
Honorary pallbearers were John Hodge, Dave Frantz, Bobbie Ritchie, Dennis Stutzman, Mike Sukut, and Ronnie Sherrell.
