Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Joe W. Gordon Sr.
Joe W. Gordon Sr., 87, of Trumann died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004 at St. Bernard's Medical Center.
Born at Lepanto, he lived in Trumann for the last four years but spent most of his life in the Marked Tree area.
He was a veteran of World War II and served as an air traffic controller in the Air Force.
He owned Joe Gordon Boots and Shoes in Jonesboro for 30 years and was a member of Disabled American Veterans.
He was of the Baptist belief.
Survivors include his wife, Stael Wigginton Gordon of the home; a son, Joe W. Gordon Jr. of Jonesboro; a daughter, Glenda Kraft of Trumann; three grandchildren, Paul Gordon, Laura Beth Wade and Leanne Bass, all of Jonesboro; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Friday, February 27 at Roller-Farmers Union Funeral Home chapel, with Milton Wilson officiating.
Burial followed in Nettleton Cemetery.
Active pallbearers included Frank Kraft, Cory Wade, Lowry Astin, Paul Gordon, Brandon Bass and Jim Wilson.
Clarence Parker Jr
Clarence Parker Jr., 82, of Osceola died of heart failure March 20, 2004 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Osceola.
Born March 18, 1922 in Lula, Miss., Parker was a retired American Greetings worker and an Army veteran from World War II.
Parker was also a member of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Osceola.
Parker was survived by his wife, Margaret Parker of the home.
Other survivors include five daughters: Bobbie Virgies of Osceola, Gloria Clark of Osceola, Margaret Gaskin of St. Louis, Maxine Doolittle of Pine Bluff and Phyllis Long of Little Rock; one god-daughter: Lanata Long of Little Rock; one son: James Parker of Columbus, Ohio; seven sisters: Dorothy Dabney of Gilmore; Georgia Neal of Indianapolis, Ind., Bernice Neal of Osceola, Lucille Smith of Luxora, Louise Wicks of St. Louis, Erma Harris of Chicago and Eddie B. of Tucson, Ariz.; four brothers: Judge Parker of Blytheville, Odis Parker of Columbus, Ohio, Thad Parker of Chicago and Findley Parker; 22 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, March 26 at Wilson Funeral Home in Osceola.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 27 at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Osceola with Rev. Cleveland Cain officiating.
Burial followed in Whiteside.
Maggie Bell Hulett
Maggie Bell Hulett, 104, of Osceola died Friday, March 12, 2004 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Osceola.
Born in Kent, Miss., she was a member of St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Survivors include one brother: John Cargo of Washington, D.C.; two nieces: Mozetta Whitfield and Della Whitfield, both of Osceola; and three nephews: Luther Whitfield of Osceola, Frisco McDonald of Pine Bluff and Alonzo McDonald of St. Louis, Mo.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 19 at St. Mark AME Church in Osceola, with the Rev. Moses Green officiating.
Burial followed in Whiteside Cemetery at Osceola under the direction of Wilson Funeral Home in Osceola.
Whit Franklin Herndon
Whit Franklin Herndon Sr., 79, of Lepanto died Wednesday, March 3, 2004 at Regional Medical Center of NEA.
He was an implement dealer and owner of Pritchett Motor Co.
He was a past member of Lepanto School Board, Rotary Club and was a former sports announcer for Lepanto High School.
He was a 1964 Citizen of the Year of Lepanto and director for the Federal Land Bank.
He was also a World War II Army Air Corps veteran and member of the American Legion.
He was member of the Church of Christ of Lepanto and a Mason.
Survivors include his wife, Christine Herndon of Lepanto; one son, Whit Franklin Herndon Jr. of Lepanto; one daughter, Jereta DeClerk of Little Rock; two sisters, Freda Toy of Jonesboro and Vada Van Buren of Kansas City, Mo.; six grandchildren, Misty Mashburn, Whit Herndon III, Staci Brown, Lisa DeClerk, Ben DeClerk and Abby DeClerk; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Friday at Murphy Funeral Home in Lepanto, with Sylvester Brannon and Gary Masters officiating.
Burial followed in Potter Memorial Cemetery at Lepanto.
Active pallbearers were Fred Stuckey, Mark Neal, Mike Herndon, Kevin Jester, Jerry Bell and William Van Buren.
Honorary pallbearers included John Lewis Henderson, Jerry Nall, Mack Howington, John A. Jennings Sr., Bryan Bonds, H.C. Bradford, J.C. Lewis, Arthur Bonds, J.D. Boland, Mickey Boland, Jimmy Stacks and Bryan Holt.
Memorials may be made to Lepanto Church of Christ or Paragould Children's Home.
Willie Lee Watts
Willie Lee Watts, 63, of Harrisburg died Tuesday, May 25, 2004 at St. Bernard's Medical Center.
A retired truck driver, he was a member of Bono First United Pentecostal Church.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ellen Tucker Watts of Harrisburg; a son, Jimmy Watts of Fayette, Ala.; a daughter, Michelle Culbertson of Savannah, Ga.; a stepdaughter, Jennifer Davis of Harrisburg; a sister, Marie Kemp of Bono; three brothers, Junior Watts of Casa, Walter Watts of Russellville and J.C. Watts of Jonesboro; six grandchildren, Alicia Walker, Garrett Walker, Helen Marie Culbertson, Kevin Kuligowski, Blake Kuligowski and Natosha Armstrong; and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifton and Etta Watts, and one brother.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 28 in the chapel of Murphy Funeral Home of Marked Tree, with Danny Murphy officiating.
Burial followed in Marked Tree Cemetery.
Pallbearers included Clifton Watts, Tod Watts, Don Watts, Clifton Watts Jr., Lance Holman and John Holman.
Gerald Wayne Jennings
Caraway
Gerald Wayne Jennings, 62, of Caraway died Saturday, April 24, 2004, at his residence.
He was a lifetime resident of Caraway and a retired educator and member of the Community of Christ Church at Caraway.
He was a graduate of Arkansas State University, obtaining his bachelor's of science, master's of science and administration certification.
During his 40 years in the Caraway, Riverside, Lepanto and East Poinsett County public school systems, he served as math teacher, principal and superintendent.
For many years he served on the NEA basketball tournament committee and the Tri-County basketball tournament committee, which has been renamed in his honor.
He was a member of the Arkansas Education Association.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon Jennings, of the home; two sons, Christopher Jennings and Nicholas Jennings, both of Jonesboro; two daughters, Andrea Seeman of Jonesboro and Lindsey Jennings of the home; a sister, Vonda Roach of Tucson, Ariz.; a brother, Jerry Jennings of Napa, Calif.; and five grandchildren, Blade Blevins, Bryce Blevins, Laura Beth Jennings, Brooks Seeman and Baylee Seeman.
He was preceded in death by his father, Eugene Jennings, and his mother, Lillie Moss Sharp.
The funeral was held at 1 p.m. Monday at Gregg Funeral Home in Jonesboro with Wayne Heidelberg and Kenny Qualls officiating.
Burial was in Philadelphia Cemetery in Jonesboro.
Active pallbearers were Gale Yates, Mickey Pierce, Buster Campbell, Cotton Eason, Harold Tyler and Danny Dunigan.
Honorary pallbearers were Jim Parrish, Lynn Haag, Danny Finch, Bill Stone, Troy Case, Greg Rainwater, Gary Earnhart, Bill Hudgins, Martin Passmore, Mickey Seeman and Tommy Arant.
The family requests anyone wishing to leave a lasting memorial consider the Community of Christ Church of Caraway, the Kid's Bible Club in Jonesboro, St. Jude Children's Hospital or Camp Quality.
