Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Opal Mary Bell
Mrs. Opal Mary Shaw Bell, age 74, a resident of De Queen, died Saturday, May 27, 2006 in Texarkana, Texas.
She was born May 21, 1932 in the Sardis Community to Williams and Ethel O. Masterson Shaw, was a homemaker and a Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Christopher Bell on Oct. 5, 1981; one son, John Christopher Bell; two brothers, Gilbert and Doyle Shaw and two grandsons, Dayne Bell and Michael Vertiz.
She is survived by four sons, Bobby Bell of De Queen, Billy Bell of Horatio, Roger Bell of De Queen, and David Bell of San Diego, Calif.; four daughters, Christine Vertiz of Horatio, Linda Bowden of De Queen, Barbara Gaylord of Horatio, and Jennifer Saldivar of De Queen; two sisters, Hazel Miller of Mena, and Oma Lee Gibbons of Houston, Texas; 20 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 30 in the Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. J.L. Walker officiating. Burial followed in the Old Piney cemetery under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, May 29, at the funeral home.
Birdie Birmingham
Birdie "Billy" Birmingham, Age 83 passed away on May 31, 2006 in Round Rock, Texas, with her family at her side.
Billy was born in Fredericksburg, Texas on December 20, 1922. She grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas; later married
Jack Birmingham who was killed in an oil rig accident, and then moved to De Queen, Arkansas. Billy had a strong faith and love for God and her family. The highlights of her week were the phone calls from her son-in-law, Ed, and the time spent with her sister, Lillie White. She had a very special bonding with all animals. Any memorials may be given in Billy's honor to any animal charity.
Billy leaves a son-in-law: Edward Hager of Florida; two granddaughters: Ruth Molenaar and Rachel Castro; five great-grandchildren; a sister: Lillie White; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; and special family members, Sheila and Roy Smith, and Shawna and Krista Lindley.
Graveside services were held on Saturday, June 3, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. at Memory Gardens cemetery in Corpus Christi, Texas conducted by Austin-Peel and Son Funeral Home, 607 East Anderson, Lane Austin, Texas 78752 - 512-419-7224.
Paul Smith
Paul K. Smith, age 80, a resident of Cove, died Thursday, June 1, 2006.
He was born June 18, 1925 in Octavia, Okla. to Herbert and Buelah Smith, was a veteran of World War II and a member of Octavia Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Raymond Herbert “Doc” Smith, and an infant daughter, Melody Joan Smith.
He is survived by his wife, Vernie Jean “Jill” Piearcy Smith; four children, Cindy Gramer of Aledo, Texas, Greg Smith of Cove, Lisa Rogers of Shreveport, La., and Peggy Ward of Cove; five sisters, Ferne Shriver of Oakland, Calif., Wilma Fay Kieslich, Peggy Dupont, Ruth Brown and Gayle Risden, all of Octavia, Okla.; three brothers, William J. Smith of Octavia, Bruce Smith of Bartlesville, Okla., and Larry Smith of Cement, Okla.; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 4 in the Octavia Baptist Church with Bro. Ed Rogers and Bro. Mike Wilson officiating. Burial followed in Octavia cemetery under the direction of Beasley-Wood Funeral Home of Mena.
Richard VanVoast
Richard Evert VanVoast, age 71, a resident of De Queen, died Tuesday, June 6, 2006 at his home.
He was born Oct. 22, 1934 in Mena to Evert Gay and Yula Longstreet VanVoast, was a retired truck driver and a member of Lone Oak Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife of over 53 years, Shirley Williamson VanVoast of De Queen; one son, James VanVoast of De Queen; three daughters, Rhonda Beck, Sandra Nunn, and Janice VanVoast, all of De Queen; one brother, Phillip VanVoast of De Queen; three sisters, Viola Jones of Madill, Okla., Freda Pedron of De Queen and Margaret Gonzales of Dallas, Texas; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Thursday, June 8 in the Chandler Funeral Home Chapel. Burial followed in the Mt. Ida cemetery.
The family received friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, June 7.
Chloee D. Garrison
Chloee Dawn Garrison, infant daughter of Jerry Don and Christina Hancock Garrison, died Wednesday, June 7, 2006 in the Medical Park Hospital in Hope.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Willard and Cloteel Garrison.
She is survived by her parents; three brothers, Jacob, Jordan and Jauger Spray; grandparents, Floyd and Marlene Hancock and Mike and Wilma Stotts, all of Trumman, and her great-grandmother, Mildred Hancock of Jonesboro.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Sunday, June 11 in the Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel in Dierks. Burial followed in the Athens cemetery.
The family received friends from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Sunday, June 11, at the Wilkerson Funeral Home in Dierks.
Kenneth Joseph Sojak
Kenneth Joseph Sojak, age 59, resident of Ashdown, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 1995 in Texarkana, Tex.
He was born Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1945 in Chicago, Ill., to August and Anne Marchok Sojak; was an alter boy until the age of 21 in Chicago; and was a member of the Catholic Church.
He is survived by his wife, Aundrea Keener Sojak of Ashdown; one son, Joe Ball of Ashdown; three daughters, Courtney Ball and Monica Davis, both of Texarkana, and Gennifer Dundee of Ashdown; one brother, Thomas Sojak of Chicago, Ill.; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one niece and one nephew.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
Shirley Garland
Mrs. Shirley Geiger Garland, age 67, a resident of Tulsa, Okla. died Thursday, Oct. 5, 2006 in a Tulsa hospital.
She was born June 1, 1939 in Lockesburg to Shirley and Mary Greenlee Geiger, graduated in 1957 from Lockesburg High School, was a homemaker, and was a member of the Fellowship Holiness Church in Tulsa, Okla.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Herbert Gieger, Henry Gieger and Cecil Gieger; two sisters, Lorene Scroggins and Dorothy White; a daughter, Twyiana Garland in 1991; and her husband, Otis Curtis Garland Sr.
She is survived by three sons, Otis Curtis Garland Jr. and Charles Edward Garland, both of Tulsa, Okla., and Eric Garland of Texarkana; four daughters, Sandra Garland, Teresa Garland, Audrey N. Garland, and Shirley Garland, all of Tulsa, Okla.; two brothers, Clenon Gieger of Lockesburg and Jake Gieger of Little Rock; 14 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 14 in the Oak Grove Baptist Church with Bishop John Vincent officiating. Burial followed in the Oak Grove cemetery, under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home.
Linda Green
Mrs. Linda Baker Green, age 60, a resident of Houston, Texas, died Friday, Oct. 13, 2006 in a Houston hospital.
She was born March 9, 1946 in Wickes to Quincey E. and Callie Marie Young Baker, was a homemaker and a Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Willard Baker.
She is survived by her husband of over 41 years, Danny "Benny" Green of Houston, Texas; a daughter, Theresa Mercon of New Caney, Texas; one brother, Vernon Baker of Conroe, Texas; two sisters, Nila Fay Cook of Cleveland, Texas and Juanita Carter of Shepherd, Texas; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Graveside funeral services were held Thursday, Oct. 19 in the Baker cemetery at Wickes under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home.
