Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Gary Dean Bell
Gary Dean Bell, 67, passed from this life on May 16, 2021, after a long illness. He was born in De Queen, AR, on November 6, 1953, to Melvin Dean Bell and Gladys Flora Edna Fears Bell. He graduated from De Queen High in 1972 and attended the University of Arkansas, graduating in 1976 with a BSE in zoology. Gary was hired by State Farm Insurance in January, 1977, becoming the youngest agent ever hired by the company. He started a scratch agency in Ashdown, AR, and transferred to his father’s agency in De Queen when ill health forced his dad to retire. Gary retired from State Farm in January of 2015 after 39 years of service.
Gary loved to hunt and fish, travel, spend time at the LRCC rock bar, visit with family and friends, and spend as much time as possible with his grandchildren. He was an active member of the community, having served on the board of directors of First State Bank, and he was an active member of the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce. Gary was very involved in De Queen Leopards sports. He headed many athletic fundraisers, donated time and money selflessly, raffled off stadium blankets at all home football games, served on the chain crew, and presented the state finals trophies sponsored by State Farm Insurance for AAA sports in Arkansas.
Gary is preceded in death by his parents; one son, Anthony Scott Bell; and infant daughter, Victoria Renee Bell; and one niece, Cindy Lynne Williamson. He is survived by his wife, Paddy Dickinson Bell; one son, Richard Dean Bell and wife Brittney; a daughter, Valerie Bell Graham and husband Shane; five grandchildren; Lauren Jayne Graham, Samuel Anthony Graham, Maxon Clark Graham, Brody Dean Bell, and Breley Danielle Bell; two sisters and their spouses, Dianna and Kevin Williamson, and Sharon and Jimmy Cooper; and four nephews, Ronnie and Tiffany Williamson, of De Queen, and Teddy, Jack and Barry Klug, of Memphis, Tennessee.
Services for Mr. Bell will be held in Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 19, with graveside services to follow at Redmen Cemetery. Bro. Josh Herweck will officiate.
The family will receive visitors at the Bell home following the service.
Tammie Lee Turner Ward
Tammie Lee Turner Ward, age 59, a resident of Lockesburg, Arkansas, left this world on May 15th, 2021. She was born February 25th, 1962 and graduated from Dierks High School in 1981. Her hobbies included; spending time with her family, listening to gospel music, playing card games, listening to her granddaughters sing, and her grandsons talk about cars. She was a member of The First Baptist Church of Dierks, AR. She held the Lord to the highest power and she loved her family very much.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Coy Lee Turner and Mattie Lee Martin Turner Bradley and two brothers, Larry and Glenn Turner and her adopted son, Russell Hughes.
Tammie Lee Turner Ward is survived by her brother and sister in law Richard and Starr Turner of Rogers, AR; sister Becky Ward of Dierks, AR; sister, Joy Smith of Hot Springs, AR and best friend Wendell Ward of Dierks, AR. She has four children, Sylvia Ward, Jonathan Ward, Jacob and wife Crystal Ward of Lockesburg; Santana and husband Josh Klein of Dierks; nine grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Graveside services for Mrs. Ward will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 20, 2021 at the Fellowship Cemetery with Brad Sullivan officiating, under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home in Dierks.
Family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel in Dierks.
Mack Orlian Cooley
Mack Orlian Cooley, age 91, a resident of De Queen, Arkansas died Sunday, May 16, 2021 in Ashdown, Arkansas.
He was born November 4, 1929 in Roy, Arkansas. He was a parts and sales manager for Crow Burlingame, a U.S. Army veteran, and a member of Memorial Missionary Baptist Church.
Mr. Cooley was preceded in death by his parents, Andy and Bura Beatrice Stephens Cooley; and a brother, Matha Cooley.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Cherry Cooley; one son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Robin Cooley of De Queen; one daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Tim Anderson of Walkertown, North Carolina; two grandsons, Josh and Annie Cooley of De Queen and Jared and Alicia Cooley of Hot Springs; five great grandchildren, Reagan, Olivia, Evan, Katey and Luke; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Mr. Cooley will be held at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 18, 2021 in the Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jason Carlton officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Ida Cemetery.
General viewing will be from 1-8 p.m. Monday, May 17, 2021 at the funeral home.
Lucy Cooper
Mrs. Lucy Logan Duncan Cooper, age 79, of De Queen, Arkansas, passed from this life on Friday, May 14, 2021 in De Queen.
She was born the oldest of two children to Walter Scott and Margaret Logan Howard Duncan on August 25, 1941 in Lexington, Kentucky. She was a 1959 graduate of Bryan Station High School, Lexington, Kentucky, and went on to obtain Food Tech Certificates, as well as completed several USDA studies courses. Lucy married the love of her life, Robert Mann Cooper, on July 23, 1959 in Lexington, and to this union, two sons and two daughters were born. She worked in different capacities over the years, some including Bookkeeping, Telephone Operations, and Tax Preparation. Lucy and Bob worked as USDA Food Inspectors. Lucy retired on November 28, 1998, after 20 years of service. She was a member of the Gillham United Methodist Church, Daughters of the American Revolution, and National Active and Retired Federal Employees where she served as past Secretary and President. She enjoyed music, dancing, sewing, office work, preparing income taxes, working in the woods around their home, genealogy, and bowling. Lucy was most proud of the tree house she built over the Kentucky River in Whitesburg, Kentucky.
Lucy was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband of almost 61 years, Bob Cooper; and her granddaughter, Davida Cooper.
She leaves to cherish her memory, four children, Robert Cooper, Jr. and wife Estella of De Queen, John Cooper and his wife Cheryll of Seneca, South Carolina, Alesa Luna and her fiancé Adam Pantoja of Amarillo, Texas and Julia Marfut and husband Mike of Bremerton, Washington; five grandchildren, Heather, Bobby, Bethany, Jenifer and Robert; eleven grandchildren, Savannah, Madison, Brielle, Norah, Hannah, Derek, Kira, Jordan, Nathan, Jeremy and Rachel; one great-great-grandson, Leander; one brother, Wayne Scott Duncan and his wife Jenifer of Lexington, Kentucky; as well as, other relatives and a host of friends.
Funeral Services for Mrs. Lucy Cooper will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, May 22, 2021 in the Chandler Funeral Home Chapel with Leah Arnold officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Ida Cemetery, under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home, De Queen. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., Friday, May 21st, at the funeral home.
Larry Duane Murray
From the Family:
Larry D. Murray
10/10/1954-5/11/2021
Larry always said “I’ll be dead in 2 years anyway” and he was finally right!
He was loved by many and cursed by a few.
He had a huge heart, a bigger personality and was a very generous person, who will be sorely missed!
He is survived by family that isn’t dead yet.
~Sunshine
Cremation Arrangements are under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home, De Queen.
Jim Worley
Mr. Jimmy Ray Worley, affectionately known as “Jim,” passed peacefully from this life on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 in Nashville, Arkansas, at the age of 72.
He was born one of nine children born to Robert Claburne and Opal Ruth Cushionberry Worley on March 17, 1949 in Nashville, Arkansas. He was a 1969 graduate of Nashville High School and went on to obtain technical certificates. Jim married the love of his life, Kathy Elizabeth Halter, on April 11, 1969, in De Queen, and to this union, four daughters were born. Jim was a Locomotive Mechanic, beginning his career with Weyerhaeuser Company and retiring from De Queen and Eastern/Texas Oklahoma and Eastern Railroad. Jim and Kathy are members of Kern Heights Baptist Church in De Queen, and Jim was a proud, 20 plus year member of the Worley-Self Hunting Club. He enjoyed hunting, running dogs, was an avid Razorbacks fan and he cherished his many years coaching girls’ softball. Jim was a storyteller, and whether it was true or not, he never failed to impress. More than anything, Jim cherished the time spent with Kathy, their children, and grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; one grandson, Anthony Lance McCleskey, Jr.; one brother, Don Worley; two sisters, Helen Laveley and Doris Schuyler; and two infant siblings, Eugene and Mary Worley.
Those left to cherish the many memories of Jim include his loving wife of over 52 years, Kathy Worley of De Queen; four daughters, Amy Everts and husband Tony of De Queen, Julie Strickland of De Queen, Mary Beth King and husband Slade of Nashville, and Leslie McCleskey and husband Anthony of De Queen; nine grandchildren, CJ (Jessica) Tugman, Katie Mullins, Haley Strickland, Jagger King, Jackson King, Cooper McCleskey, Kipton McCleskey, Rebecca (Jeremy) Brown, and Wendy Everts; ten great-grandchildren, Remington, Pasiley, Jadyn, Layla, Walker, Mason, Bentley, Gracelynn, Hailey, and Emery; two sisters, Sharon (Gary) Efird of Dierks, and Patricia Dyea of Albuquerque, New Mexico; one brother, Bobby (Mary) Worley of De Queen; as well as, a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and a host of friends.
Funeral Services for Mr. Jim Worley will be held at 2:00 P.M., Friday, May 14, 2021 in the Chandler Funeral Home Chapel with Bros. Bobby Fischer and Homer Frachiseur officiating. Burial will follow at Millwee Cemetery, under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home, De Queen. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., Thursday, at the funeral home.
Ernest David Dellinger
Mr. Ernest David Dellinger, age 71, a resident of Lockesburg, Arkansas, passed away on Monday, May 10, 2021 at Christus St. Michael Hospital.
He was born March 8, 1950 in Lockesburg, Arkansas. He retired from Domtar Papermill. Ernest enjoyed fishing, hunting, and he always looked forward to the family coming in to hunt. He was a member of Coon Creek Hunting Club. He loved to collect knives, mow his lawn, and loved his dogs.
Mr. Dellinger was preceded in death by his parents Orus and Alice M. Smith Dellinger; two brothers, Buck and Dean Dellinger and one sister, Cora Lee Hoover.
He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Suzanne Marie Treadaway Dellinger of Lockesburg; one daughter and son-in-law, Chasity Rose and Carl Wise of Shongaloo, Louisiana; one son, John Wesley of Lockesburg; grandchildren, Chip and wife BreAnna Bridges, Jonathan Dellinger, Michael Dellinger, Alexandra and husband Miguel Alvarez, McKenna Gryder, Audrey Wise; great grand-child, Faryn Grace Bridges; one brother and best friend, Will Ed Dellinger and wife Linda; one sister, Ruby Sue and husband Willie Booth and a host of nieces and nephews.
Cremation arrangements by Wilkerson Funeral home.
