Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Mrs. Dora Cooper
Mrs. Dora Cooper, age 93, a resident of Gillham, Ark. died Thursday, December 8, 2005 in the De Queen Medical Center.
She was born January 28, 1912 in Kentucky to George and Sarah Pruitt Brewer. She was a homemaker and a member of the Gillham First Baptist Church.
Mrs. Cooper was preceded in death by two grandsons, and one great-grandson.
She is survived by her husband of 75 years, Bon F. Cooper; two sons and daughters-in-law, Leslie and Ann Cooper of Ft. Smith, Ark. and Ray and Carolyn Cooper of Steens, Miss.; two daughters and one son-in-law, Inez and Hubert Stevenson of Dinuba, Calif. and Peggy Harris of Texarkana, Texas; seven grandchildren and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Cooper were held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 10, 2005 in the Gillham First Baptist Church with Rev. Bob McManus officiating. Burial followed in the Gillham cemetery, under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
The family received friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, December 9, at the funeral home.
Derrill C. “Doc” Bush
Derrill C. “Doc” Bush, age 80, resident of Winthrop, died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2006 in Ashdown.
He was born Feb. 27, 1925 in Winthrop to Bert Jackson and Gertrude Anderson Bush; opened and operated a sawmill; and was a pastor of the RLDS Church in Winthrop for 34 years.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joann Bemis Bush; a son, Carlton Bush of Winthrop; two daughters, Corlis Purtle of Atlanta, Tex., and Teresa Newton of Ashdown; one brother, Joe Edward Bush of Lockesburg; two sisters, Betty Rose Lisenby of Foreman and Jama Fern Cox of Bigelow; five grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8 in Winthrop Community of Christ Church with Terry Hess, Donnie DeLoney and Bobby Kesterson officiating. Burial followed in Campground cemetery under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the funeral home.
Kenneth Clyde Moore
Kenneth Clyde Moore, born June 2, 1940 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, passed away Tuesday, November 29, 2005.
He is survived by his sons Paul Moore of Rome, Italy and Warren Moore of De Queen; a stepdaughter Sidney Hawk of Athens, Texas; two brothers, Tommy Moore and Larry Vickers; a sister, Linda Gentry; and two grandchildren, Erica and Alessia Moore.
After graduating from De Queen High School he proceeded to a distinguished aviation career in the U.S. Navy traveling the world over and participating in numerous dangerous operations during Vietnam and the Cold War against the threat of Soviet nuclear submarines. He was awarded several decorations, earned two college degrees and eventually retired in 1978 as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. De Queen was always in his thoughts and upon retiring from the Navy he moved back to the Chapel Hill community and held positions as the comptroller of the De Queen General Hospital, Personnel Manager at Pilgrim's Pride Corp., and City Manager of De Queen. He opened and ran the Noah's Ark Day Care center and preschool until retirement. He had a real passion for flying which started in his Navy days and was a licensed private pilot. Kenneth Moore will be well remembered for his love of raising and training horses, as well as an active member of the Sevier County Trail Riders.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. at Wilkersons Funeral Home in De Queen. A funeral procession led by the Sevier County Trail Riders departed at approximately 11:45 from the Moore's Acre farm at 1160 Chapel Hill Road and proceeded to the Chapel Hill Baptist Church where services were held at 1:30 p.m. The graveside service with Military Honors and Color Guard was held at approximately 3:30 p.m. at the Chapel Hill cemetery.
Charles Dewey Ligon
Charles Dewey Ligon, age 77, resident of De Queen, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005 in De Queen Medical Center.
He was born June 21, 1928 in Lockesburg to Charlie Henderson and Della Wilson Ligon; was a re-saler; and a member of First Baptist Church of Lockesburg.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Jo Smith Ligon of De Queen; one son, Dewey L. Ligon of De Queen; one brother, Charles Junior Ligon of De Queen; and one sister, Bessie B. LaGrou of De Queen.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Arthur “Art” Melson Jr.
Arthur “Art” Melson Jr., age 79, resident of Siloam Springs, died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005 at Regency Hospital in Springdale.
He was born May 29, 1926 at Clarksville to Arthur and Carrie Wilhelm Melson Sr.; was an Army veteran of World War II; past president, CEO, and chairman of the board of First State Bank in De Queen; executive vice-president of First National Bank in Siloam Springs; and was a member of De Queen Rotary and of Siloam Springs Kiwanis Club for 33 years. He was preceded in death by a son, Larry Melson in 1991.
He is survived by his wife Faye Danielle Melson of Siloam Springs; two sons, Eddie Melson of Siloam Springs and Keith Melson of Batesville; two sisters, Mabel Wann of Springdale and Elsie Mahan of Ashdown; seven grandchildren; one step-grandson; seven great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 in Wasson Memorial Chapel, Siloam Springs, with Dr. Steve Abbott officiating. Burial followed at Oak Hill cemetery.
Visitation was from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 at Wasson Funeral Home, Siloam Springs.
Dewey Ray Powell
Dewey Ray Powell, age 56, resident of Texarkana, died Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005 in a Texarkana hospital.
He was born Sept. 19, 1949 in De Queen; was a member of Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum; and a retired U.S. Army veteran of the Gulf War. He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Hankins; and one brother, Dean Bain.
He is survived by his wife, Frances Kuykendall Powell of Texarkana; one son, Daniel Powell of Texarkana; two daughters, Brianna Powell and Larissa Powell, both of Texarkana; one stepdaughter, Tina McCoy of Dallas, Tex.; one brother, Ivan Powell of Haslett, Tex.; three sisters, Nora Logan of Texarkana, Darlene Morrow of Berryville, and Susan Ennis of Texarkana; one granddaughter; two nieces and one nephew.
Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Duckett cemetery at Wickes, under the direction of East Funeral Home Downtown of Texarkana.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the funeral home.
Thelma Bland Maynard Cokeley
Thelma Bland Maynard Cokeley, age 86, of Idabel, Okla., died Saturday, December 10, 2005 in New Boston, Tex.
She was born October 4, 1919 in The Dalles, Ore. to James W. and Margaret Leemay Maynard. She was a homemaker and a Baptist.
Mrs. Cokeley was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil E. Cokeley, Sr.
She is survived by two daughters, Mary Parr of New Boston, Tex. and Melissa Tucker of Pineville, Mo.; two sons, Cecil “Shorty” Cokeley of Idabel, Okla. and Larry Cokeley of New Boston, Tex.; sixteen grandchildren, twenty-five great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews and many friends.
Graveside Services for Mrs. Thelma Cokeley were held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 13, 2005 in the Clear Creek cemetery with Bro. J.L. Walker officiating under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Sophia Ellen Hinson Cameron
Sophia Ellen Hinson Cameron, age 90, went home to be with the Lord, Tuesday, November 29, 2005. She was born in Union County on September 28, 1915, to James T. and Lillie Combs Hinson. Her family settled in the Parkers Chapel community in the late 1800's and homesteaded land on what is now Hinson Road. She graduated from Parkers Chapel High School in 1934 and from El Dorado Junior College in 1936. She taught school in Pleasant Grove for several years. She was a lifelong member of Parkers Chapel United Methodist Church. She was also a charter member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in El Dorado. She lived in El Dorado until recent years, residing in Maumelle.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, James Bennett Cameron; her daughter, Carolynn Cameron Meyers; her brother, Goyne T. Hinson; two sisters, Vera Hinson and Beatrice Cammack.
She is survived by her daughter, Bennie Sue Payne and her husband, Dr. Louis Payne of Maumelle; two granddaughters, Kristin Meyers Bowden and her husband Rodney Bowden of De Queen and Hannah Elizabeth Payne of Maumelle; four great grandsons, Ryan, Aaron, Joshua, and Zachary Bowden of De Queen; son-in-law, Jerry Meyers of Hot Springs; two nephews, James Cammack of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Raymond Cammack of Magnolia; three nieces, Peggy Wagner of Phoenix, Arizona, Martha Connelly of Van Horn, Texas and Mary Jo Ward of Longview, Texas.
A celebration of her life was scheduled for Saturday morning at 11:00 in El Dorado at Parkers Chapel United Methodist Church with nephews, Reverend Raymond Cammack and Reverend Shon Wagner, officiating. Burial followed in Arlington cemetery under the direction of Roller-Chenal Funeral Home (501-224-8300).
The family requests memorials be sent to Parkers Chapel United Methodist Church, 3134 Haynesville Highway, El Dorado, Arkansas 71730.
