in Guntersville, Alabama. He grew up in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1943, where he was valedictorian of his class. He was named to the Associated Press All American Football Team in 1943. Upon graduating from VMI he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in Field Artillery of the United States Army, serving in World War II in India and Japan. After the war he entered the University of Arkansas Law School and graduated in 1950. He opened a law office in Searcy and during his first year of practice he was called back into the military service in the Korean War. At the conclusion of the war in 1953 he joined the Little Rock law firm of Mehaffey, Smith and Williams, which evolved into Friday, Eldridge, and Clark. He started his practice as a defense trial lawyer representing numerous companies in Arkansas and around the country. He later specialized in labor law and established a national reputation as an expert in that field. He was a member of the Arkansas and American Bar associations. He played a major role in the development of the textbook Developing Labor Law, presently in its third edition and still considered an essential reference for labor laws today. In 1985 the University of Arkansas School of Law named him an "Outstanding Alumnus".
Active in numerous civic affairs, he was a past president of the Downtown Kiwanis Club and served on the Board of Directors of the State Chamber of Commerce. He was President of Pleasant Valley Country Club, member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity, served as Chairman of the Pathfinder Parent Advisory Board, and a member of the Foundation. He was also a Pillar of St. Paul United Methodist Church. He was named for an evangelist of the early 1900s who was famous for a thunderous delivery from the pulpit. Billy Sunday Clark was by contrast a more subtle speaker except when on stage, where he was "on". Known for his precise portrayal of Governor Orval E. Faubus in the Pulaski County Bar Association's Gridiron Show, he used the role to let loose his acting, singing and oratorical talent. It became his trademark role and even Faubus himself called Clark, "Governor". "He was a real ham. He could have been an actor, " Gridiron pianist Betty Fowler said. Another of Clark's passions was quail hunting with his best friend and partner, the late Hershel Friday. He was a devout reader of English poetry and a fan of the work of Rudyard Kipling. He was always ready with a joke or story.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Nita Williams Clark of Little Rock, one son Andrew Clark and wife Mindy of Little Rock, daughters, Pamela Banks of Fayetteville and Beth Bowie and husband Mike of Roland, one sister Kathleen Whiteman of Little Rock, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
There will be a visitation Friday from 5 to 7pm at the Ruebel Funeral Home. A private graveside ceremony will follow the next day officiated by Reverend John Fleming. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to St. Paul's United Methodist Church of Little Rock, The Hope Lodge of Little Rock, St. Jude's Children's Hospital of Memphis, Tennessee, or Arkansas Hospice.
John Douglas Christian, Sr.
John Douglas Christian, Sr., of Little Rock died 
Saturday, August 28, 2004, at St. Vincent Infirmary. He was born
on November 29, 1918, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina to Douglas Lee and Mary Ella Christian. He is preceded in death by his parents and an elder brother, Mansfield Lee.
He is survived by his wife of nearly sixty years, Virginia Rupprecht Christian, his children, John Douglas Christian, Jr. and Lee-Ann & Mitch Jansonius, all of Little Rock, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was a longtime member of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. He was a cum laude graduate of Wake Forest College Medical School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Temple University Medical School in Philadelphia. He served his internship at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem and his residencies in orthopedic surgery at Kennedy Veterans Administration Hospital in Memphis and Arkansas Children's Hospital.
Dr. Christian served in the armed forces for three years during World War II, and was discharged with the rank of major.
He was a diplomat of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery; fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons; past councilor for the Mid-Central States Orthopedic Society; past secretary-treasurer and president of the Arkansas Orthopedic Society; past chief of staff, vice chief of staff and chief of Orthopedics at St. Vincent Infirmary. He held memberships in the Southern Medical Association, American Medical Association, Arkansas State Medical Society and the Pulaski County Medical Society.
Dr. Christian was a founding partner in the TCS Orthopedic Clinic (now Ortho Arkansas). He was an assistant clinical professor at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine, and served as a consultant to the Arkansas Crippled Children's Service and the Easter Seal Rehabilitation Center.
He was an avid golfer and fisherman. He at one time played in as many as three standing foursomes a week at Pleasant Valley Country Club. He maintained a membership at Old River Fishing Club in Scott, Arkansas, where he caught enough crappie to provide fish fillets for his extended family and numerous friends and neighbors for many years. A raconteur of some note, he enjoyed a witty story and considered the pun the highest form of humor. In his later years he continued his interest in the outdoors and in nature conservation. At the time of his death he was involved in a project to reread his complete set of the writings of Mark Twain.
The family will receive friends at Ruebel Funeral Home from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Monday, August 30. A memorial service will be held at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church at 11 a.m., on Tuesday, August 31.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church or to the Nature Conservancy.
Florence Wullenjohn Chandler
Florence Wullenjohn Chandler, 83, of Little Rock, widow of Jesse Chandler died Wednesday.
She is survived by daughters, Barbara Spray, Amarillo, TX and Janice Jenkins, Little Rock, one brother, and three sisters.
Graveside funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at Roselawn Memorial Park. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home.
Ima Jeanne Casinger
Ima Jeanne Casinger, 86, of Little Rock, formerly of Clinton, passed away Sunday, November 14, 2004 at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock.
She was born
in Bee Branch on March 2, 1918 to the late Athel and Dezzie Rogers. She was a homemaker, a devoted wife and mother, and a caring friend to all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Linnual Doyce Casinger, a sister, Patsy Ruth Duran, a son, Richard Don, and daughter-in-law, Jean Casinger.
Survivors include two sons, Roger Casinger of Lawton, OK, and Jimmy Casinger and wife Margaret of St. Louis, MO; a daughter, Dona Martin and husband Scott of Little Rock; seven grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17, at Ruebel Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Thursday at Henderson United Methodist Church.
A second visitation will be from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, Clinton, with a graveside service to follow at 3:30 p.m. at Foster Cemetery
in Scotland.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Henderson United Methodist Church, or to the Foster Cemetery
Association.
Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home.
Matthew Knight Cashion
Matthew Knight Cashion, 78, of Little Rock died Saturday, November 20, 2004. He was born
January 3, 1926, in Memphis, Tennessee, to the late Benson Homer and Gladys Knight Cashion. He attended Eudora High School and the University of Arkansas, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business in 1949 and was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He served in the United States Army Air Corp from 1944 to 1946.
Knight began his career in insurance in 1949 joining Rebsamen & East in 1954, where he spent fourteen years serving as an agent and becoming a Senior Vice President. In February, 1968, Knight co-founded East, Cashion & East with his partners, the late Jack East, Sr. and late Jack East, Jr. In September, 1975, Knight founded The Cashion Company, Inc. with his son, Benson Cashion and long time business partner, Doris Nell Julian.
Cashion served in various capacities within the community and his industry. Serving as an officer when Riverdale Country Club relocated and became Pleasant Valley Country Club, Knight later served as President. He has served as an Elder at Second Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. He held various positions on committees and the Board of the Arkansas Chapter of Associated General Contractors, receiving their Distinguished Service Award November 4, 2004. Knight was instrumental in the formation of the Arkansas Asphalt Pavement Association of which he has served as Secretary since its inception. Cashion was also honored by the Construction Industry Council of Central Arkansas for contributing to Excellence in Arkansas' Construction Industry in 1993. Knight was active in the National Association of Surety Bond Producers for five decades and served as a Board Member of the Arkansas Good Roads & Transportation Council. Cashion's highest honor came in April, 2002 when he became the first insurance/surety professional ever inducted into the Arkansas Construction Industry Hall of Fame.
Knight was an avid Razorback fan and alumni, serving for many in years in the Little Rock Razorback Club as Vice-President and as President from 1961 to 1965.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jane Hurley Cashion of Little Rock, sons Benson Arthur Cashion and wife Susie, of Little Rock, Ted Hurley Cashion and wife Ann, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Matthew Knight Cashion, Jr. and wife Susan of Little Rock. Cashion is also survived by ten grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Ruebel Funeral Home with a visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. There will be a private family graveside service followed by a memorial service at 2:00 pm, Tuesday, November 23 at Second Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. Memorials can be made to the Cashion Family Endowment at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the Alzheimer's Association, or Second Presbyterian Church Building Fund.
Billie Gene Caruthers
Billie Gene Caruthers, 73, of Little Rock died Monday, April 5, 2004, after a lengthy illness. She was born
October 7, 1930, in El Dorado to the late Clifford and Dot Caruthers.
She is survived by one aunt, Frances Caruthers and cousin, William B. Caruthers, both of Little Rock.
Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, at DeAnn Cemetery
in Prescott, AR. Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home of Little Rock.
William Leo Burns
William Leo "Bill" Burns, 61, passed away in Little Rock, Arkansas on Monday, October 11, 2004 of pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed in March 2002. He was born
in El Dorado, Arkansas, on February 6, 1943. Bill graduated from El Dorado High School and attended the University of Arkansas for several years. He graduated with distinction from the University of New Mexico in 1972. The UNM School of Architecture honored him with its Distinguished Alumni award in 1994. Bill was a licensed architect in multiple states, served in the USAF, and is a Vietnam veteran.
In 1974, Bill was one of the founding partners of the Burns/Peters Group of Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1985 he formed BPLW Architects & Engineers, with offices in New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. He served as the President and CEO and later as chairman of the board until his recent retirement. His firm of more than 100 employees has practiced architecture throughout the country for nearly 40 years. He is the architect for many significant structures, including the Albuquerque International Airport and most recently two new federal courthouses to be built in El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Early in his career he received accolades from both Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona and Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico for his pioneering work in solar design.
He and his wife of 25 years, Carman Lavender, recently relocated to Little Rock. A true Arkansas native, his love for his home state transcended the miles. A Red Hog always on his desk and in his heart.
He was preceded in death by his father Leo Alfred Burns and brother James Winston Burns. He is survived by his wife, Carman Lavender, nee Carman Holder; daughters Whitney Leigh Burns of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Ann-Marie Burns of New York; son Marc Lavender and wife Minerva and their children, Jamie Marie Lavender and Jared Mitchell Lavender, of Mesa Arizona; mother Evalena Burns of Little Rock; sister Mary Kathryn Boyett and husband Bruce and their sons, Matthew and Christopher, of Little Rock; brother Thomas Eugene Burns and his wife Robin and their sons, Mark and Scott, of Longview, Texas; and brother Robert Earl Burns and his son Michael and daughter-in-law Blake of Little Rock. He will be missed by his wife and family and by hundreds of employees, clients, and friends to whom Bill gave so much.
Funeral services will be held Friday, October 15, 2004, at 2:00 p.m. at the Ruebel Funeral Home, 6313 W. Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205. Burial immediately following at Pinecrest Memorial Park - Alexander, Arkansas.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, October 18, 2004, at the Chelwood Christian Reformed Church at 2200 Chelwood Blvd. NE., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87112.
The Reverend Ronald Cok of Albuquerque, New Mexico, will lead both services.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in remembrance of Bill Burns to your local American Cancer Society.
