Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Inez Parsons Smith
Mrs. Inez Parsons Smith, age 103, a resident of Umpire, Arkansas, died Tuesday, September 26, 2017 in Dierks Health and Rehab.
She was born on December 3, 1913, to Samuel W. and Nettie L. Gordon Parsons. She was a farmer and homemaker, and a member of the Midway Church of Christ. She loved quilting and gardening and loved all children.
Mrs. Parsons was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin Smith; an infant daughter; son Ralph Smith; grandson, Todd Smith; parents, Samuel and Nettie Parsons; four sisters, Ethel Stacy, Anna McGee, Hazel Ward and Florene Thompson; and two brothers, Cecil Parsons and Jada Parsons.
She is survived by one son, Mack and wife Janet Smith of Umpire, Arkansas; one daughter, Mary Lou and husband Royce Golden of Murfreesboro, Arkansas; daughter-in-law, Verna Smith of Umpire; 3 brothers and a sister, Seldon Parsons of Umpire, Maye Davis of Kingston, Oklahoma, Gerald Parsons of Fort Smith, Arkansas and J.O. and wife Joyce of Texarkana, Texas; seven grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, 2 ˝ great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Smith will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 30, 2017, in the Midway Church of Christ with Danny White officiating. Burial will follow in the Saline Cemetery, under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home in Dierks.
The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Friday, September 29th at the funeral home in Dierks.
LaJuana Jean Gilliam Wildey
Mrs. LaJuana Jean Gilliam Wildey, age 70, a resident of De Queen, Arkansas, died Thursday, September 21, 2017 in the Christus St. Michael Hospital, Texarkana, Texas. She was born to Carroll Edward and Oleta Hood Gilliam in Mena, Arkansas, on April 29, 1947. She was a member of the Williamson Community Church in Horatio, as well as a homemaker. She enjoyed spending time and taking care of her family, especially her grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, David Gilliam, a brother-in-law, Noel Bartlett, and her husband, Donald Wildey.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, James and Carolyn Davis of Hatfield, Arkansas, and Michael and Jackie Talent of De Queen, nine grandchildren, Crystal and her husband, Bill Romine of Hatfield, James E Davis of De Queen, Brionna Crane of Hatfield, Shawn and his wife, Amairami Holder of Little Rock, Arkansas, Travis and his wife, April Bond of Moss Point, Miss., Shennel and her husband, Brandon Deer of Dierks, Daniel and his wife, Kay Lindsey of De Queen, Trista and her husband, Jody Bailey of Lockesburg, and Hunter Funck of De Queen, fifteen great-grandchildren, Logan, Carolina, Dakota, Colten, Amanda, Aiden, Carli, Sidney, Tye, Kaylee, Jason, Madyson, Jaxon, Ashlynn, and Jaydon. She is also survived by three brothers and two sister-in-law, Jackie and June Gilliam of Queen City, Texas, John Gilliam of Carson City, Nevada, and Harold and Helen Gilliam of Elko, Nevada, one sister, Katrina Bartlett of Spring Creek, Nevada, a sister-in-law, Hilda Jean Gilliam of Bartsdale, Louisiana, and a number of nieces, nephews, other family members and a host of friends.
Graveside funeral services for Mrs. Jean Wildey will be held at 10:00 A.M., Monday, September 25, 2017, in the Chapel Hill Cemetery with Bro. Jimmy Roden officiating, under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home of De Queen. Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 24th from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. at Chandler Funeral Home, De Queen.
W. J. (Billy) Branson
William Jasper Branson was born September 11, 1920, to Ben and Nancy Branson of Gillham, Arkansas and died September 23, 2017.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three siblings, Alma (Brany) Branson, Iva Branson and Carl Branson. Billy was also preceded in death by his wife, Estalee Bard Branson; one son, William Benjamin Branson; two daughters, Marilyn Branson Ferguson and Mona Branson Shelton; two sons-in-law, Eugene Shelton and Kenny Ward, and one daughter-in-law, Bonnie Branson.
He is survived by one brother, B.F. Branson; one sister-in-law, Nea Branson; one son, Jim Branson (Amy); two daughters, Beth Ward and Jeanette Lemke (Todd); nine grandchildren, Marla Walter (Michael), LeAnn Thrasher (Galin), Stacie Evans (Ryan), Kristy Rhode (Mike), Tessa White (Casey), Christopher Shelton, Cameron Shelton, Ben Lemke, and Hannah Lemke; eight great-grandchildren, Owen Walters, Kaylin Walkins, Bailey Walkins, Ryder Evans, Shane Blankenship, Garrett Dixon, Savanna White, and Nathan White.
Billy Branson was a mountain man; an avid hunter and fisherman. He graduated from Gillham High School, excelling in basketball and baseball. He served as Sergeant in World War II, in such duties as Combat Engineer and Military Policeman. While refereeing basketball; he took a liking to an ornery red-head always in foul trouble, Estalee (Toad) Bard. They were married seventy-one years. A hard worker all his life, he spent his early years in logging woods between Arkansas and Colorado. He was a Mason, served as Mayor of Gillham, instrumental in the start up of the Gillham Volunteer Fire Department, Water Department and Gillham Park. He was a member of "The Greatest Generation" rightfully coined because men of that era were a different breed. He will be missed.
Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. with visitation starting at 10:00 am, Thursday, September 28, 2017, at the Wilkerson Funeral Home Chapel in De Queen, Arkansas. Burial will follow in the Cossatot Cemetery with Bobby Tatum officiating under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home.
Family will gather Wednesday evening at the home of B.F. Branson.
Donations can be made to the United Methodist Church in Gillham or the Talihina Veterans Center, Benefit Patients Fund, 10014 SE 1138th, Talihina, Oklahoma 74571.
John Bradley "Brad" Davis
Mr. John Bradley “Brad” Davis, age 47, a resident of Dierks, Arkansas, died Tuesday, September 19, 2017 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
He was born to Johnny W. Davis and Linda Ann Jackson Davis in Ft. Mammoth, New Jersey on June 11, 1970. Brad enjoyed hunting, fishing, wood working and spending time with his family.
Brad was preceded in death by his mother, Linda in May of 1987 and his father, Johnny in April of 2016; his paternal grandparents, John L. and Doris Marie Davis and maternal grandparents, Dick Jackson and Helen Lambert.
He is survived by one son, Jonathan Blake Davis; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Teresa and Jimmy Davis and Carli Michelle Davis, all of Dierks; three brothers and a sister-in-law, Chris Davis of Dierks, Kyle and Kourtney Davis of De Queen and Coby Lewis Davis of Dierks; his step-mother, Cynthia Davis of Dierks; a special niece, Lindsey Ann Dorsey of Dierks and a number of nieces and nephews.
Graveside funeral services for John Bradley Davis will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, September 25, 2017, in the Dierks Cemetery with Bro. Scott Kitchens officiating, under the direction of Wilkerson Funeral Home in Dierks.
The family will receive friends from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Sunday, September 24th at the funeral home in Dierks.
Mae Velma Smith Turner
Mrs. Mae Velma Smith Turner, age 88, a resident of De Queen, Arkansas, died Thursday, September 21, 2017, in the Mena Regional Center, Mena, Arkansas.
She was born to Perry Lee and Eva Belle Reynolds Smith in De Queen, Arkansas, on March 17, 1929. She loved her Lord, and was a member of the Memorial Missionary Baptist Church, as well as a homemaker. She enjoyed canning, cooking, flowers, crocheting, sewing, and cherished the time she spent with family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Harold Turner, two sons, Norman Cecil Turner, and Harold Lee Turner, Jr., and a daughter, Mary Belle Elliott, one brother, Lloyd Smith, two sisters, Elsie Stout, and Martha Wade.
She is survived by seven grandchildren, Tammie Renea and her husband, Mickey Willis of Kingsport, Tennessee, Daniel Shannon Elliott of Gate City, Virginia, Amy and her husband, Jeremy Lockeby of Little Rock, Arkansas, Renee and her husband, Kevin Olsen of De Queen, Arkansas, Michael Johnson, Joey Sparks, both of De Queen, Ark., and Danny Sparks of Kissimmee, Florida, two great-grandchildren, Devaughn Shelton and Braydon Shelton of Little Rock, Arkansas, a son-in-law, Dannie Elliott of Gate City, Virginia, one brother and sister-in-law, Floyd and Wanda Smith of Skiatook, Oklahoma, two sisters, Ruby Mitchell of Denham Springs, Louisiana, and Evelyn Smith of Jacksonville, Florida, and a nephew, Ronnie Turner of Lockesburg.
Graveside funeral services for Mrs. Mae Turner will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, September 23rd in the Valley Cemetery, Gillham with Bro. Jason Carlton officiating, under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home, De Queen. Visitation will be on Friday, September 22nd from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M.
Barbara Elizabeth Curtis
Mrs. Barbara Elizabeth Downs Curtis, age 81, a resident of De Queen, Arkansas, died Monday, September 18, 2017, in Dierks.
She was born June 23, 1936 in Pitcher, Oklahoma. She was a lab technician for the City of Broken Bow, was an auctioneer and was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Mrs. Curtis was preceded in death by her parents, Haskell and Nellie F. Swager Downs; her husband, Patrick Donald Curtis; one son, De Wayne Curtis and two brothers, Claude Ray “Sonny” Downs and Mike Whitney.
She is survived by three sons and a daughter-in-law, James Curtis, Donald and Dana Curtis and Mark Curtis, all of De Queen; one sister, Dollie Jarmillo of Grants, New Mexico; two brothers, Robert Whitney of Gillham, Arkansas and Russell Whitney of Texarkana; five grandchildren, Christopher, Tyler, Shandra, Austin and Steven Curtis and a number of nieces and nephews.
A memorial service for Mrs. Curtis will be held at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Beacon Hill Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Cremation arrangements by Wilkerson Funeral Home in De Queen.
Shirley B. Bell Clardy
Mrs. Shirley B. Bell Clardy, age 69, a resident of Lockesburg, died Wednesday, September 13, 2017, at the home of her daughter in Texarkana, Arkansas. She was born to Clementon Richardson and Fay Bell Mitchell in Lockesburg, on September 17, 1947. She was a 1965 graduate of North High School in Wichita, Kansas.
She was Medical Records Clerk for the De Queen Medical Center with over 40 years of service, as well as a homemaker. She was a member of the Macedonia United Methodist Church of Lockesburg. She enjoyed cooking, and cherished the time spent with family, especially her grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Troy Lee Bell, a sister, Culegar Fay Bell, and her grandmothers, Sedalia Richardson, and Murdell Richardson.
She is survived by her husband of over 48 years, Merrel Clardy of Lockesburg, three sons and
Daughters-in-law, Reginald and Trina Russell of Conway, Arkansas, Warren “Tony” and Joetta Davis of Puyallup, Washington, and Craig Clardy of Atlanta, Georgia, two daughters, Carla Woods and her finance, Anthony Williams of Atlanta Georgia, Tracy and Dolvin Moore, of Texarkana, Arkansas, three sisters and a son-in-law, Marvia Bell, Cynthia and Max Mullins, and Veronica Maples all of Wichita, Kansas. Fourteen grandchildren, Elizabeth Russell, Christina Davis, Matthew Davis, Gregory Davis, Gregory Billingsley, Candance Britt, Reginald “Reggie” Works, Michael Davis, Courtney Nuranie, Jada Clardy, C. J. Clardy, Christopher Moore, Brandon Moore, and Nicholas Moore, ten great-grandchildren, Kanen Billingsley, Cole Davis, Kylie Woods, Michael Hill, Messiah Nuranie, Kendrick Works, Marley Davis, Shawn Davis, Janie Moore, and Mayson Moore, as well as a number of nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.
Funeral Services for Mrs. Shirley Clardy will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 20, 2017 in the First Baptist Church of Lockesburg, with Rev. Reginald Russell officiating.
Burial will follow in the Holly Springs Cemetery, Lockesburg, under the direction of Chandler Funeral Home, De Queen. Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 19th from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., at Chandler Funeral Home.
