Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Roger Carrol Venable
September 23, 1950 - April 18, 2015
Roger Carrol Venable, age 64 of Mena, died Saturday, April 18, 2015 at the Mena Regional Health System. He was born on Saturday, September 23, 1950 to J.C. and Norma Jean Knight Venable in Fort Worth, Texas.
Roger worked for over 35 years driving all over the lower 48 state for different freight companies over the years. He was an honest, hard working man who loved his wife and children very much. During his time off, Roger enjoyed going out in his shop and do woodworking and other projects. He built the family 2 new homes over the years. Roger was a member of the Salem Baptist Church in Nunley for many years. Roger was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his son, James Venable and one grandson, Dustin Blake; one brother, Greg Venable.
Roger is survived by his wife of 46 years, Dora Venable of Mena; two daughters, Janetta Blake of Hot Springs, and Dorothy Venable of Mena; two brothers, Allan Shearman of Texarkana, Texas and Chris Venable of Lone Star, Texas; two sisters, Norma Moore of Missouri and Clevie Hartis of Cleburne, Texas; his uncle, Loyd Knight of Cherry Hill; five grandchildren, Schuyler Kunju of Mena, Shelby Hoyle of Mena, Summer Venable of Mena, Destiny Kruger of Hot Springs and Daniel Venable of Mena; several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. at the Salem Baptist Church at Nunley with Brother Jack Scheoppey officiating. Cremation services are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena.
Otey Donald Meador
December 27, 1942 - April 20, 2015
Otey Donald Meador, age 72, of Mena, died Monday, April 20, 2015 at his home. He was born on Sunday, December 17, 1942 to William O.D. and Laura Odell Talley Meador in Clarendon, Texas.
Otey was a hard worker and always had a helping hand to anyone in need. He was a member of the Light of Glory Full Gospel Church where he served as a deacon for many years. God and family were the most important wants in his life; to strive to be a more Godly man and to be the best husband and father he could. Otey enjoyed the outdoors, playing billiards and watching his Dallas Cowboys. Otey worked on the Mena Police Force for some years and was a manager for TCA and Cox Communications for 20 years. He was very proud of his career. Otey was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
He is preceded in death by his parents; one son, Brannon Dale Meador; granddaughter, Courtney McCormack and sister in law, Soni Meador.
Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Patricia Meador of Mena; four sons and daughters in law, Owen and Lisa Meador of Keokuk, Iowa, Michael and Roxanne Aleshire of Mena, Gerald and Dion Aleshire of Mena, David and Tina Aleshire of Enid, Oklahoma; three daughters and son in law, Susie Sandifer of Amity, Arkansas, Edwina Noble of Hot Springs and Kim and Jeff McCormack of Mena; brothers, Billy and wife, Claudia Meador of Zavala, Texas, DeWayne Meador of Mena and Bobby and wife, Philomena Meador of McKenney, Texas; his sister, LaQuitta and husband, Hoot Lewis of Mena; his Aunt Edna Sloan of Mena; twenty four grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
Graveside services will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 3:00 P.M. at the Mama Dell’s Family Cemetery in Mena with Sister Rosa Allen officiating. Services are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena. Visitation will be general.
Pallbearers will be Greg Aleshire, William Scott, Dylan Morgan, Blade Aleshire, Gerald Alshire Jr. and Nathaniel Noble.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Chance Strothers, Treyvan Bayne and Dakota Strothers.
Lowell Boyd Thomas
September 25, 1942 - June 19, 2021
Lowell Boyd Thomas, age 78 of Mena, Arkansas, died Saturday, June 19, 2021, at CHI Saint Vincent Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was born on Friday, September 25, 1942 to Boyd Hilbern and Lela Mae McCracken Thomas in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Lowell was a man of great faith and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Mena. He was proprietor of Thomas Tax Services for 25 years. Lowell had many hobbies that included photography, traveling, and operating ham radios. He loved listening to blues music and enjoyed nature and lighthouses. He was a member of the Mena Art Gallery. Lowell was proud to have served as the President of AR Society of Enrolled Agents but if you asked Lowell, his greatest accomplishment wasn’t his photography or his career. It was being a father. Lowell was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle and friend and will be missed by all who knew him.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Larry Thomas.
Lowell is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Marilyn Jolean Thomas of Mena; two sons, Lowell Thomas Jr. of Garland, Texas, and Joel Thomas of Sulphur Springs, Texas; two step-daughters, Ralean Ijams of Kona, Hawaii, and Joelle Gatlin of Houston, Texas; one sister, Debbie Cockrell of Memphis, Tennessee; six grandchildren, Autumn Thomas of Garland, Texas, Joseph Ijams of San Diego, California, Jonathan Gatlin of Houston, Texas, Rebecca Gatlin of Houston, Texas, Amber Noble of Melissa, Texas, and Bryce Jenkins of Sulphur Springs, Texas; three great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, June 25, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bowser Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mena, Arkansas with Brother Floyd Folsom officiating. Interment will follow at the Cherry Hill Cemetery in Cherry Hill, Arkansas under the direction of Bowser Family Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Howard Barr, Jim Aleshire, Derick Maechler, Randall Whorton, Mark Frederick, Lary Lamia, Dale Embry, Keith Cockrell, and Jim Harakal.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Polk County Library at 410 8th Street, Mena, Arkansas 71953, or the Mena Art Gallery at 607 Mena Street, Mena, Arkansas 71953.
Fran Schoeppey
November 28, 1938 - November 16, 2020
Francis Mae Schoeppey, age 81, of Mena, Arkansas, died Monday, November 16, 2020 at Rich Mountain Nursing and Rehab. She was born on Monday, November 28, 1938 to Paul and Ruth Herre Tiley in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Frannie was very active in the church. She enjoyed singing in the choir and teaching the kindergarten children. She lived briefly in Kansas and Oklahoma, twenty-four years in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, and twenty-four years in Arkansas. Frannie was a homemaker for most of her life, raising four children and being the faithful wife to her minister husband. Frannie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend and will be missed by all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers, Paul Tiley and Steve Tiley.
Frannie is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Jack Schoeppey of Mena; four children and daughters in law, Christina Ruth and Judy Eyerly of Lawrence, Kansas, Bradley and Kris Schoeppey of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Bryan and Leticia Schoeppey of San Antonio, Texas, and Lance and Michelle Schoeppey of Fort Worth, Texas; twelve grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
No services are planned at this time. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena, Arkansas.
Lonnie Cole Brown
February 23, 1946 - November 11, 2020
Lonnie Cole Brown, age 74, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away on Veteran's Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2020, at his home. He was born on Saturday, February 23, 1946 to Ala Edwin and Ellamae Morrison Brown in Alder Springs, Arkansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Alfred Brown and James Wheat, and two sisters, Dorothy Davis and Ellamae Greene. Surviving with his wife Marilyn Brown of Mena are four sisters, Elizabeth Brewer of Mena, Sally (Marvin) Gentry of Mena, Connie (Johnnie) Johnson of Mena and Judy Stokes of Beach Island, South Carolina.
A graduate of Purdue University, Lonnie proudly served his country in the United States Navy for 14 years. After his service, he worked as an electrical engineer and computer programmer in California's Silicon Valley, returning to Arkansas in 1986. He loved his family, his books, and his dogs, and enjoyed winemaking. He fostered many puppies for the humane society and always ended up keeping at least one puppy of every litter.
Although he sometimes claimed to be a Sufi, he actually adhered to secular humanism, a philosophy rooted in science, nature, and humanist ethics. After serving as weapons officer on a destroyer off the coast of Vietnam, he returned home vowing to never again kill a single living thing.
A memorial service will be held at a later time. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mena, Arkansas. Memorial gifts may be made to the Humane Society of the Ouachitas, P.O. Box 845, Mena, Arkansas 71953.
Bonnie Francis Martin
November 24, 1949 - June 17, 2020
Bonnie Francis Martin, age 70, of Hatfield, Arkansas, died Wednesday, June 17, 2020 in Berryville, Arkansas surrounded by family. She was born on Thursday, November 24, 1950 to Samuel Jefferson and Juanita Francis Hightower Pearl in Pocahontas, Arkansas.
She and Charlie loved their time together and enjoyed spending time with their grandchildren. Bonnie loved raising dogs; she also had many different careers in her life and loved each one of them. Bonnie loved to read cookbooks and try different recipes. She also enjoyed crocheting, reading, watching Westerns and going to thrift stores. Bonnie was a loving mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend, and will be missed by all who knew her.
She is preceded in death by her parents and her loving companion, Charles Vaught.
Bonnie is survived by one stepson and daughter-in-law, Mitch and Bobbi Vaught of Berryville, Arkansas; one stepdaughter and son-in-law, Susie and Kevin Brown of Glen Allen, Virginia; her brothers, Frankie Pearl of Smithville, Oklahoma and Sam Pearl Watson, Oklahoma; sisters, Rebecca Dalton of Little Rock and Beverly Anderson of Watson, Oklahoma; five grandchildren: Shane Brown of Richmond, Virginia, Joshua Brown of Lowell, Arkansas, Daniel Brown of Richmond, Virginia, Chelsea Abendroth of Holiday Island, Arkansas, and Shelby Vaught of Kenilworth, Utah; four great grandchildren; her aunt, Ann Hightower of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas; her uncles, Bryon Morgan of Pocahontas, Arkansas and Brian Morgan of Tennessee; several nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.
A graveside service will be held Wednesday, June 24, 2020, at 11:00 A.M. at the Foote Cemetery in Cove, Arkansas. No visitation is planned. Arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mena.
Pallbearers will be Joshua Brown, Daniel Brown, Jason Duren, Sam Pearl, and Dalton Pearl.
