Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Vada Mae Groff VanZandt
Vada Mae Groff VanZandt, age 86, resident of Foreman, died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2005 in Wadley Regional Medical Center at Texarkana.
She was born May 25, 1919 in Crum Creek, Okla., to Emmitt and Willie Lockwood Groff; was a homemaker; and a member of First Baptist Church of Fountain, Colo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Martin VanZandt; one son, Jimmy Edward VanZandt; a sister, Norvella; and a brother, Dan.
She is survived by a number of cousins.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 in Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Homer Frachiseur officiating. Burial followed in Gillham cemetery.
The family receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 at the funeral home.
Gene Edwin Dean
Gene Edwin Dean, age 57, resident of Vandervoort, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005 in Texarkana, Tex.
He was born Aug. 6, 1948 in Vandervoort to Vernon Eugene and Alice Pauline Barrett Dean; was a warehouse worker for Poulan Weedeaters; and a member of Vandervoort First Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his father; a brother, Delvin Dean, a sister, Ollie Faye Keeney; and one son, Brian Edwin Dean.
He is survived by two sons, Bradley Eugene Dean of Tucson, Ariz., and Jonathon Wayne Dean of De Queen; three daughters, Alice Dunn Rogers of Vandervoort, Shanna Faye Higgins of Phoenix, Ariz., and Billy Gene Dean of Nashville; her mother, Alice Pauline Dean of Vandervoort; four brothers, Roy Dean of Vandervoort, Franklin Dean of Cove, John Dean of Redwood Valley, Calif., and Keith Dean of Waldron; three sisters, Margaret Jones of Cove, Mabel Pennington of Langley and Mildred Sherrouse of Hatton; and seven grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23 in Vandervoort First Baptist Church with Bro. Roy Brooks officiating. Interment will follow in Witherspoon cemetery under the direction of Beasley-Wood Funeral Home of Mena.
George Henry Carroll Lee Jr.
George Henry Carroll Lee Jr. passed away November 27, 2005 at Muskogee Regional Medical Center after a brief illness.
George Henry Carroll Lee Jr. was born in Ft. Worth, Texas on May 16, 1951 to George Henry Carroll Lee Sr. and Mary Kathryn Watkins Lee. He was raised in Arkansas mostly around Gillham and De Queen area. George was disabled in 1974 and then spent his adult life in Checotah and Muskogee area in Oklahoma.
George met and married
Kaye Lee in 1976. This union produced two wonderful children, Michelle Dawn Lee and George Aaron "Sonny" Lee Sr.
George was preceded in death by his parents, George Henry Carroll Lee Sr. and Mary Kathryn Watkins Lee Reynolds; step-father, Joseph "Jodie" Cecil Reynolds Sr.; daughter, Stephanie Kaye Lee; one brother, Calvin Lloyd Lee; a sister; his material and paternal grandparents; his nephew, Diamond Heath Lee; and a niece, Nikki Russell.
Those left to morn George include, his daughter, Michelle Dawn Lee; his grandchildren, Aaliyah and JaCoby Dailey of Warner, Oklahoma; his son, George Aaron "Sonny" Lee Sr. and wife, Angela Lee; his grandsons, George Aaron Lee Jr., and Jacine and Caleb Crosby of Muskogee, Oklahoma; his son, Chris Huffines of Muskogee, Oklahoma; his brothers, Raymond Lloyd Lee and wife, Linda, of Riley, North Carolina; Robert Van Lee and wife, Christine, of Mena, Arkansas, Joseph and Penny Reynolds Jr. of De Queen, Arkansas; and Curtis and Kathy Reynolds of Horatio, Arkansas; his sisters, Lillie Turner of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Lee Ann Pellegrino of Mena, Arkansas, Shirley Bob and Cotton Morris of Derek, Arkansas, Mary and David Russell of Benton, Arkansas and Ruby Marie Kelly of Valiant, Oklahoma; one sister-in-law, and most recently his caregiver, Jackie Stone of Checotah, Oklahoma; his step-father, Vernon Leslie Reynolds; a step-brother, Billy Charles Reynolds of Horatio, Arkansas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2005 at Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel in De Queen, Arkansas with Paul Wayne Cary with Community of Christ Church in Grannis, Arkansas officiating.
Family received friends Friday, December 2 from 6 - 8 p.m. at the funeral home. The family met prior to the services at the Family Center behind the Funeral Home.
James Thomas (Tom) Jones
James Thomas (Tom) Jones, 78 of Madill, Oklahoma died Wednesday, November 30, 2005 at his residence in Madill.
He was born in De Queen, Arkansas on August 23, 1927 to the late James Hiram Thomas Elijah and Irene Burton Jones. Tom was raised in De Queen where he graduated from De Queen High School in 1948 and later received his Bachelor's degree from Southeastern University. He served in the United States Navy and Marine Corps. On December 31, 1948 Tom married
Viola B. VanVoast in De Queen. He later worked for Channel 12 for ten years and for Uniroyal Tire Plant as an electrician for 23 years. Tom was a member of the Sweet Home #461 Masonic Lodge in De Queen, Arkansas, Kingston Masonic Lodge #287 and he served as Worshipful Master in the Creekmore Masonic Lodge #74 in Madill. He was also a member of the Oakview Baptist Church in Oakland. Tom enjoyed country music, playing his fiddle and being with his grandsons.
He is survived by his wife, Viola Jones, Madill, Oklahoma; a son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Angela Jones, Madill, Oklahoma; two grandsons, Stefan and Casey Jones, Madill, Oklahoma; a sister, Sylvia Key, De Queen, Arkansas; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Wilda Boyet.
Services were Friday, December 2, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. at the Oakview Baptist Church in Oakland, Oklahoma. Eric Dennis officiated the services. Music was arranged by Virgina Dugan. Interment was at Oakland cemetery, Madill, Oklahoma. Services were under the direction of Watts Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Madill, Oklahoma.
Casket bearers were Lonnie Graves, Ted Cox, Jim Fowler, Ronnie Bumpass, Dale Wren, and Dan Orr.
Lee Roy Whitaker
Lee Roy Whitaker, age 71, resident of Dierks, died Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2005 in Dierks Nursing Center.
He was born Sept. 16, 1934 in Stone County to H.K. and Mamie Mae Brewer Whitaker; was a retired truck driver; and a member of Dierks First Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Wallace Whitaker of Dierks; two sons, Mike Whitaker and Rickey Whitaker, both of Dierks; one daughter, Debbie Willis of Horatio; one brother, J.W. Whitaker of Dierks; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday. Dec. 22 in Dierks cemetery with Ellis Jones officiating, under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home in Dierks.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21 at the funeral home in Dierks.
Zachary Bowden
Zachary Bennett Bowden, infant son of Rodney and Kristin Bowden, residents of De Queen, died Friday, June 23, 2006 at Arkansas Children's Hospital.
He was born April 7, 2005 in Texarkana, Texas.
He was preceded death by his grandmothers, Carolynn Meyers in 1996; Lela D. Bowden in 1988; and a great-grandmother, Sophia Hinson Cameron.
He is survived by his parents; three brothers, Ryan Houston Bowden, Aaron Cameron Bowden and Joshua Garrett Bowden, all of De Queen; grandparents, Alton and Linda Bowden of De Queen, Jerry and Freddie Meyers of Hot Springs; and his great-grandmother Eunice Dozier Browder of Andalusia, Ala.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 29 in the Chandler Funeral Home Chapel and graveside burial followed at 3 p.m. in the Crestview Memorial Gardens at Hot Springs with Rev. J.L. Walker officiating.
The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Robert C. Ehren
Robert C. Ehren, 75, of Paris went to be with the Lord on Sunday, May 14, 2006. He was born December 7, 1930 in Houston, Texas, to Albert and Esther Basye Ehren. He graduated from Booneville High School, University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Arkansas. Starting in 1961, he served as Principal of Paris High School for seven years and retired as Superintendent of the Paris School District in 1989.
He served the Lord in many ways through the First Baptist Church of Paris, Gideons International, and the Paris chapter of Promise Keepers. He faithfully served the community in several roles throughout his 45 years of living in Paris.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Laura Sue Hill Ehren. They have three children, Janet and husband John Gathright of Conway, Grant Ehren and wife Paula of Russellville, and Kirk Ehren and wife Cinda of Conway. Seven grandchildren who loved their granddaddy are also survivors. They are John Paul and wife Rebekkah Gathright, Laura Gathright, Jordan, Jodi, Tyler, Logan, and Makenzie Ehren.
Mr. Ehren is also survived by three bothers and one sister. Fritz Ehren and wife Juanita of Clarksville, twin brother Ralph Ehren and wife Betty, Marie Ehren Peek and husband Herbert, Norman Ehren and wife Jayne. Mr. Ehren had nine nieces and nephews.
There are many wonderful things the family could share about Mr. Ehren and how he has touched uncountable numbers of lives in a positive way. One main thought is that we all testify that Robert Ehren lived his life privately just as he did publicly. He was a genuine trustworthy and honest man who set a worthy example. His life was surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ at an early age and he left a legacy of faithfulness to his family.
Funeral services were Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Paris with burial in the Oakwood cemetery-Paris, under the direction of Roller Funeral Home-Paris. Visitation was Tuesday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Pallbearers were Nick Jewell, Tom Friesen, Trixie Edwards, Rev. Clarence Mathis, Jim Cunningham, Jr. Nickerson, Tom Pohlmeier, Abbot Jerome Kodel. Honorary pallbearers were the Promise Keepers, Gideons, Sunday School Class.
Memorials may be made to Gideons International, First Baptist Church of Paris, 311 E. Main, Paris, AR 72855, and Conway Christian School, 701 Polk Street, Conway, AR 72032.
