Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Dorsey Lee “Doc” Hensley
Mr. Dorsey Lee “Doc” Hensley, age 77, of Ardmore, Oklahoma died Thursday, July 26, 2018, in Ardmore.
He was born April 18, 1941, in Alleene, Arkansas. He was a retired business owner and enjoyed playing his harmonica and guitar.
Mr. Hensley was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Edith Mae Hensley; his grandparents, Doc and Lizzie Hensley; and three brothers, Billy D. Tallant, Ronald W. Tallant, and Lee Ervin Tallant, Jr.
He is survived by one son, Jack Hensley and one daughter, Sherry Hensley of Oklahoma; two granddaughters, Jessica and Kala; two great granddaughters, Josie and Violet; one great grandson, Thomas; one brother, Gary Tallant; one sister, Judy Williams, and a number of nieces and nephews.
Graveside funeral services for Mr. Hensley will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2018, at Campground Cemetery in Winthrop with Phill McLarty officiating under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Mrs. Laura Mae Scott
Mrs. Laura Mae Scott, age 72, a resident of De Queen, died Thursday, July 26, 2018, in the Bear Creek Healthcare, De Queen.
She was born on July 2, 1946, to Dexter Monroe and Mary Ellen McClung, in Mena, Arkansas. She married the love of her life, Bobby James Scott, in 1967. She was an EMT and was an active member of a Central Alaska Volunteer Fire Department. She was a homemaker and she enjoyed the time spent with her children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.
She is survived by one son, Lynwood Scott of De Queen; two daughters, Mary Denise Thompson and her husband Paul of Kaliformsky, Alaska, and Bobbie Joe Rotter of Eastern, Washington; one brother, Dexter Monroe Ferry, II, of De Queen; one sister, Henrietta Provoost of Maine; eight grandchildren, Lynwood Michael Scott, Weston Blake Scott, Delta Rotter, William Rotter, Tiffany Rotter, Cristo Meladona and Christopher Thompson; as well as, other relatives and a host of friends
There are no services scheduled at this time. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home, De Queen.
Loyd Earl Montgomery
Loyd Earl Montgomery, age 87, of Lockesburg passed peacefully on July 27, 2018.
He was born May 3, 1931, at home on Martin Hill near Provo, Arkansas and was a member of Lockesburg First United Methodist Church and a past Master of the Lodge Mason at Belleville Masonic Lodge #35.
Loyd was proceeded in death by his parents, Furman and Ottie Montgomery, one sister Norma Dell Montgomery Pell, one brother Thurman Edgar Montgomery, one son Roy Earl Montgomery, one nephew Rickey Pell and one great granddaughter, Sutton L. Alsbrook.
Loyd is survived by one daughter, Diane Montgomery Fisk and husband Stanley of Waxahachie, Texas, and two sons, Bill Montgomery and wife Larenda of Lockesburg Arkansas, Ben Montgomery and wife Leslie of Bryant, Arkansas. Loyd was Papa to five grandchildren Patrick Montgomery, Cassondra Liggin, Katie Tuckey, Eric Fisk, and Samantha Alsbrook. Great grandchildren include Laini Liggin, Bentlee Liggin, Lylah Alsbrook, Wesley Montgomery, Reid Montgomery, Georgia Tuckey and two additional great grandchildren on the way. Randy Pell and Joy Pell Cruse are surviving nephew and niece. Melvin and Haidee Chandler also became part of the family when they became Loyd’s caregivers earlier in the year.
Loyd was a 1950 graduate of Lockesburg High School. After graduation, Loyd joined the Navy and served in the Korean Conflict until his honorable discharge in 1954. After his discharge he entered LeTourneau Technical College in Longview, Texas. It was in Longview that he met his future wife, Helen Louise Ray and married on 11/25/54, after a courtship of only 2 months and 10 days. Loyd and Helen celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary shortly before Helen’s death in November of 2013. After graduation from LeTourneau in 1960, Loyd was employed as plant engineer by Dierks Forest Plant in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. Throughout the years he worked at Welch Grape Juice in Springdale,
Arkansas, Humco Chemicals in Memphis, Tennessee, Georgia Pacific in Crossett, Valentine Pulp and Paper in Lockport, Louisiana. Loyd and Helen and their four children eventually returned home to Lockesburg in 1972 settling in the former Frank Gillian home. He was employed by Weyerhaeuser until retirement and also raised cattle.
Loyd’s favorite pastimes included writing songs and playing the guitar. He performed at many local events. Loyd was somewhat of a historian as he always had a story about where something happened or was located. He documented a lot of information about his life and the way things were done in his early life. Loyd gardened, always sharing his vegetable with family and friends. He loved taking the family for rides in the “chariot” to see the cows. A caregiver to many including his father, sister, mother-in-law and wife, he never complained. He was greatly loved and (you bet) will be missed by many.
Graveside funeral services for Mr. Montgomery will be held at 12:00 noon, Monday, July 30, 2018, at Oddfellows Cemetery in Lockesburg with Terry Chapman officiating under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Sunday the 29th at the funeral home.
The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Oddfellows Cemetery, 108 Provo Road, Lockesburg, AR 71846.
Betty Ann White Griffin
Mrs. Betty Ann White Griffin, age 73, a resident of Rockwall, Texas died Friday, July 27, 2018, in Rockwall after a brief illness.
She was born January 25, 1945, in Borger, Texas to Victor Dean White and Vernice Ann Cates White. The family moved to Arkansas and Betty spent her childhood years there, attending Dierks High School. She moved to Rockwall where she worked as a contract administrator for the U.S. Department of Defense. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Amberton University in Dallas, Texas. Betty enjoyed sewing, crocheting, reading, and following the horse races in her free time.
Mrs. Griffin was preceded in death by her parents, Victor and Vernice White; older brother, Billy Dean White; and nephew, Russell Cox.
Betty is survived by one son James “Chip” Griffin, Jr. of Texarkana, Texas; a grandson, Patrick Martin Griffin of Texarkana, Arkansas; two brothers, Victor David White of Dierks, Arkansas and Mark White of Texarkana, Arkansas; three sisters, Verna White Jones of Murfreesboro, Arkansas, Donna White Strasner of Umpire, Arkansas, and Vicki White Graves of Texarkana, Arkansas; along with numerous nieces and nephews. Betty was privileged to spend her last 27 years with the love of her life, Frank Vecellio of Rockwall.
Memorial services for Mrs. Griffin will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 4, 2018, at Wilkerson Funeral Home in Dierks, Arkansas.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Bissell Chapel Memorial Garden Fund in c/o Belinda McQuary.
Bobby R. Bush
Mr. Bobby R. Bush, age 86, a resident of Hot Springs, Arkansas, died Friday, July 27, 2018, in Hot Springs.
He was born June 14,1932, in Winthrop, Arkansas. He was a Will Sheeter operator at Nekoosa Papers in Ashdown, Arkansas.
Mr. Bush was preceded in death by his parents, David and Hattie Bartley Bush; one daughter, Devida Chandler; one sister, Ellanee Parker; and one brother, Mickey Bush.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Lamb Bush; one son and daughter-in-law, Clifton David and Connie Bush of Naples, Florida; one granddaughter, Heather Pilgreen and husband Jackie of Little Rock, Arkansas; two sisters, Nona Ryals of Lockesburg, Arkansas and Betty Sumner of Ashdown; one brother Rex Bush of Memphis, Tennessee; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Family will receive friends from 2:00-8:00 p.m., on Monday, July 30, 2018, at the funeral home in De Queen. Cremation arrangements by Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Margaret Kate Purtell Pell
Mrs. Margaret Kate Purtell Pell, age 86, a resident of Lockesburg, Arkansas, died Thursday, July 26, 2018, in Texarkana, Texas.
She was born October 3, 1931, in Lockesburg, Arkansas. Mrs. Pell was a homemaker and was the owner and manager of Pell RV Park. She was a member of the Rock Hill Baptist Church.
Mrs. Pell was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Jewell and Bessie Estella Keith Purtell; her husband, Johnnie Claude “J.C.” Pell; and one daughter, Kathy Estell Pell Mohr.
She is survived by two grandsons, Kristofer and his wife Amanda Mohr of Ft. Worth, Texas and Gregory Mohr of Raleigh, North Carolina; three nephews, Wayne Smith of De Queen, Arkansas, Randy Pell of Hope, Arkansas, and Johnny Pell of Ashdown, Arkansas; three nieces, Joy Cruz of Louisiana, Claudine Tompkins of Lockesburg, and Barbara Martin of Little Rock, Arkansas; one sister-in-law, Anna Smith of Lockesburg; one son-in-law, Don and wife Donna Mohr of Coppell, Texas; and a number of great nieces and nephews.
Graveside funeral services for Mrs. Pell will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 30, 2018, in Oddfellows Cemetery in Lockesburg with Dewayne Mack and John Lindsey officiating under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Family will receive friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Sunday, July 29th at the funeral home.
Earl Manning Litchford
Mr. Earl Manning Litchford, age 80, a resident of Horatio, Arkansas, died Friday, July 27, 2018, in De Queen, Arkansas.
He was born March 28, 1938, in Horatio. He was a retired truck driver for Millwood Trucking in Nashville, Arkansas and served in the Army National Guard.
Mr. Litchford was preceded in death by his parents, Joel R. and Ethel Loretta Land Litchford; his wife, Shirley Howard Litchford; and four brothers, James, Franklin Del, Chester, and Joel Litchford.
He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, David and Beverly Litchford and Paul and Regina Litchford all of Horatio; four daughters and three sons-in law, Michele and Ray Candelaria of Texarkana, Texas, Joy Litchford of Berryville, Arkansas, Sherri and Phillip Rogers of Texarkana, Texas, and Christie and Heath Murry of De Queen; one brother, Wesley Litchford of De Queen; nine grandchildren; one great grandchild; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Mr. Litchford will be at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, July 29, 2018, at the Old Center Church with Sam Hendricks officiating. Burial will follow in Old Center Cemetery under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Family will receive friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Saturday, July 28th at the funeral home.
