Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Maryel Neal
Maryel Neal, 76, died Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
She was a native of Royal Oak, Mich., former resident of Morehouse, Mo., before moving to Clarksville. She was an LPN, and member of First Baptist Church of Morehouse, Mo. and Rebecca Lodge of Sikeston, Mo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Neal; parents, Forrest Willard and Elsie Hileman Sherrard; and sister, Dortha Lee Sherrard.
Survivors include two daughters, Paula K. Johnson of Clarksville and Myrtle Lee Neal-Hendrix of West Memphis; one son, O. A. "Buddy" Smith of Covington, Tenn.; nine grandchildren, Henry Johnson of Fort Smith, Karen Jeanne Fyr, Rachel Green and Matthew Johnson, all of Clarksville, Andrea Rafferty of Oberlin, Ohio, Michelle Johnson of Little Rock, Brian Johnson of Dyer, and Lisa Stewart and Jonathan Hendrix of West Memphis; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Funeral was held Sunday, Feb. 4, at Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Morehouse, Mo. Graveside services were at the Garden of Memories cemetery in Sikeston, Mo., with Kevin Hendrix officiating.
Memorials may be made to Wings Cancer Foundation, 100 N. Humphreys Blvd., Memphis, TN 38120.
Rosa M. Galentine
Rosa Mae Galentine, 83, of Lamar died Monday, Feb. 12, 2007, at her home.
She was a member of the Strawberry Assembly of God Church and daughter of the late Charlie and Ellen Doak Dodge.
Survivors include her husband, Willis Galentine; two sons, Earl Galentine and wife, Donna, of Lavaca and Kenneth Galentine of Lamar; one brother, Eyns Dodge of Lamar; three sisters, Jewel Henderson of Dardanelle, Nora Boehmem of Clarksville and Polly Holben of Lamar; three grandchildren, Cathy Rushing and husband, Michael, and Lori Lacy and husband, Logan, all of Lamar, and Samantha Galentine of Lavaca; and four great-grandchildren, Cassie Rushing, Summer Lacy, Caitlin Rushing and Samuel Lacy, all of Lamar.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. and Mrs. Leon Ketcherside officiating. Burial will be in Minnow Creek cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Larry Holben, Mike Morgan, Charles Dodge, Michael Dodge, John Hull and Gary Crotts.
Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Vestal Sears
Vestal Naomi Sears, 94, of Clarksville died Friday, Feb. 9, 2007, at Clarksville Convalescent Home.
She was a daughter of the late Ed Morgan and Pearl Martin Morgan, former school cafeteria manager, member of East Mt. Zion Baptist Church and was preceded in death by her husband, M. L. Sears.
Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Claudia and Roy Wagner of Clarksville; two sons and daughters-in-law, Wendell and Shirlene Sears and Nelson and Mary Sears, all of Clarksville; two sisters, Vida King and Ruby Childers both of Clarksville; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at the East Mt. Zion Baptist Church with Rev. Robbie Jackson officiating. Burial was in East Mt. Zion cemetery under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Steve Sears, Stanley Sears, John Sears, Lee Wagner, Charles Wagner, and Kerry Sears. Honorary pallbearers were deacons of East Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
Ruby N. Wirth
Ruby N. Wirth, 90, of Fulton, Ill., died Monday, Feb. 5, 2007, at Harbor Crest Nursing Home in Fulton, Ill.
A native of Amber, Iowa, she was a daughter of the late Johann and Gesine Tutken Neumann, graduate of Lyons High School in Clinton, Iowa, and along with her late husband, Fred J. Wirth, farmed in rural Camanche, Iowa. She was preceded in death by one sister and five brothers.
She is survived by three nieces and spouses, Metta and Rick Holman of Clarksville, Eileen and Roger Frazier of Fulton, Ill., and Arlene Schwartz of Bettendorf, Iowa; two nephews, Jon Newton and wife, Jerry, of Clarksville and Don Bean of Lamar; and one sister-in-law, Mary Newton of Clarksville.
Funeral was at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9, at Pape Funeral Home in Clinton, Iowa, with Rev. Wendell Davelaar of First Christian Reformed Church in Fulton, Ill., officiating. Burial was in Clinton Lawn cemetery.
Pallbearers were nephews, Roger, Brent, Ronnie, Mark, Randy and Orlin Mitchell.
Jettie P. Smith
Jettie Priscilla Smith, 89, of Lamar died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007, at Clarksville Convalescent Home.
She was a Baptist, daughter of the late Seth and Victoria Patterson Pearson, widow of Harold Smith, and was preceded in death by three brothers, Elmer, Paul and Sherman Pearson; and three sisters, Gustie, Nona and Josie.
She is survived by one son, Verlon W. Smith of Lamar; one brother, Ewell Pearson of St. Louis, Mo.; three grandchildren and spouses, Anna and Michael Havener, Alicia and Robbie Needham, and Cathy and Monte Glasscock; and three great-grandchildren, Duwane Ledbetter III, Jonathan Havener, and Dustin Needham.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Amos Pledger officiating. Burial was in Holman cemetery.
Pallbearers were Nelson Sparks, Kenneth Wilkins, Kenneth Reynolds, James Daniel, Alvie Joe Hollon, Terry Cromer, and Geary Roberts.
Harley Jo Costa
Harley Jo Costa, infant daughter of Joe and Johna Costa of Branson, Mo., died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, at Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville.
Other survivors include one sister, Payton James of Branson, Mo.; grandparents, John and Dianne Kimbrough of Lamar, Alice PaQuette of Cromwell, Okla., and Timothy and Kathy Costa of Corona, Calif.; great-grandparents, Don and Joyce Sims of Lamar, Lee and Coralee Kimbrough of Clarksville, Keith and Bertha Hays of Long Beach, Calif., and Betty and Elmer Sereba of San Manuel, Ariz.; great-great-grandmother, Dorothy Horan of Clarksville.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at Roller-Cox Funeral Chapel with Rev. Danny Knick officiating. Burial was in West Mt. Zion cemetery near Hartman.
Bernice May Evans
Bernice May Evans went to be with her precious Lord on Feb. 8, 2007.
Bernice was the first of three children born to Lindell and Ruby Sanders Graham, born on Oct. 6, 1928 in O'Brien, TX. After Ruby Graham died shortly after the birth of her third child, Bernice was prominent in helping raise her siblings.
Bernice was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Ruth May Evans, her father, mother and one brother, Lloyd Graham.
Bernice and Raymond Lee Evans lived next door to one another before his draft to WW II. After serving two years fighting in Germany, Raymond returned to marry Bernice on May 26, 1948 in Benton Harbor, MI.
Bernice wanted to be a nurse. Although circumstances didn't afford this possibility. Bernice and Raymond raised six children, which she felt was the greatest of all careers. She was a Sunday School teacher, led ladies Bible studies for many years, counseled numerous souls in the ways of the Lord and was a diligent prayer warrior. She never met a person she didn't think Jesus could help.
Raymond and Bernice built Evans Restaurant at Knoxville, AR in May 1961, which she managed until it's closing in 1967. The many who passed through their doors felt they were the "important person" of the hour. And to Bernice they were.
She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Raymond; two daughters and sons-in-law, Linda Pearl and Harry Tilley of Lamar, Brenda Sue and Joey Ashlock of Pottsville, AR; four sons and three daughters-in-law, Norman Lee and Kathy Evans of Bloomington, IN, Edward Allen and Bonnie Evans, David Paul and Tammy Evans and Stephan Ray Evans, all of Russellville, AR; nine grandchildren, Michael Tilley of Fort Smith, AR; Loretta Tilley Young and Michelle Rogers of Lamar, AR: ReSheena Higby and Candace Evans of Clarksville, AR; Tammy Rogers of Marion, NC; Niki Bradley of Russellville, Sarah Tu of Vancouver, WA and Tyler Ray Evans of Russellville; nine great-grandchildren; a sister; Tiger Gardner of St. Joseph, MI; a brother-in-law, Edward James Evans of Clarksville, AR; two uncles, Glen Sanders of Aubley, TX and Clyde Sanders of Sanger, TX.; an aunt, Kathleen Grahm of Merced, Calif.
Funeral was at 2 PM Tuesday, February 12, 2007 at the Roller-Cox Funeral Chapel with Reverend Ronnie Birge officiating with burial following in the Knoxville cemetery. Visitation was from 6-8 PM Monday, February 11, 2007 at Roller-Cox.
Pallbearers were Joey Ashlock, Tyler Evans, Jimmy Higby, Brian Little, Shawn Little, and Brett Young. Honorary pallbearers were Arvetta Turner and Wilma Elam Taylor.
