Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Jerry Griffin
Jerry Dale Griffin, 56, of Alma, died Saturday, Dec. 7, 2002, at a local hospital. He was the press maintenance foreman for the Southwest Times Record newspaper for 38 years, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Alma and an avid fisherman and hunter. He also was the fire chief for the District 7 Rural Fire Department in Crawford County.
He is survived by his wife, Susan; four daughters, Christy Hurt of Oklahoma City, Patricia Silsby of Ralston, Okla., Twila Brown of Russellville and Rebecca Waid of Alma; two sons and daughters-in-law, Jimmy Griffin of Mountainburg and Troy Champion of San Diego, Calif.; his mother, Mary Nell Griffin of Alma; 17 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral were held Dec. 11 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Alma with burial at Evergreen Cemetery in Alma under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were John Griffin, Jason and Justin Brewer, John Wagner, Jimmy Wright, Steve Milam and John Furstenburg. Honorary pallbearers will be Ward Keith, Eddie Metz and Ray Herring.
Randy Brooks
Randy Brooks, 47, of Alma, died Friday, Dec. 6, 2002, at a local hospital. He was a retired technician for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., a member of Concord Baptist Church, a firefighter for the Volunteer Fire Department No. 7 and a volunteer for the Western Arkansas Red Cross.
He is survived by his wife, Donna; two daughters, Kerry Beyer of Fayetteville and Robin Mikles of Paris; his mother, Wanda Brooks of Van Buren; a brother, David Brooks of Alma; and two grandchildren, Zachary Beyer of Fayetteville and Mikenze Mikles of Paris.
Funeral service was held Dec. 10 at Concord Baptist Church with burial at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Ray Herring, Stanley Aldridge, Gary Ramsey, Joe Seal, Stan Trotter and Randy Kralicek.
Memorial contributions may be made to Western Arkansas Red Cross, 1709 S. Greenwood Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72901.
Allie Shellenberger
Allie Geraldine Shellenberger, 81, of Van Buren, died Friday, Dec. 6, 2002, at a local hospital. She was an employee of three area nursing homes and of the Baptist faith. She was the widow of her first husband, Archie Moore; and her second husband, Roy Shellenberger.
She is survived by a daughter, Karen Corley of Van Buren; five sons, James H. Moore, Paul, Larry and Dean Moore, all of Van Buren, and Joe Moore of Seminole, Okla.; 44 grandchildren, 77 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral service was held Dec. 10 at Ocker Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Doug Moore, Roy Lamproe and Chris, Steven, Roy and Scott Moore.
Geneva Hopkins
Geneva Mae Hopkins, 83, of Natural Dam, died Thursday, Jan. 9, 2003, at a local hospital. She was a native of Crawford County and a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, W. Ransford Hopkins; three daughters, Clara Hopkins and Shirley Smithson, both of Van Buren, and Mary Lois Carter of Natural Dam; two sons, Darall Hopkins of the home and Carrol Hopkins of Natural Dam; one sister, Dora Pruitt of Owasso, Okla.; one brother, Dee Brown of Perryville, Ark.; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral service was held Jan. 11 at Grandview Assembly of God Church. Burial was at Hall Cemetery near Natural Dam under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were T.J. Brown, Johnny Bond, Scott Knight, Carl Franklin, Noel Cook and Raymond Russell. Honorary pallbearers were Bud Pruitt, Jim Hopkins, Floyd Rogers, Johnny Conner, Vernon Russell and David Goss.
Thelma Jones
Thelma Jones, 69, of Van Buren, died Thursday, Dec. 5, 2002, at a local nursing home. She was a self-employed housekeeper, a member of Dora Pentecostal Church of God and the widow of Buford Leon Jones.
She is survived for three nephews.
Graveside service was held Dec. 9 at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Bobby Mason, Darrell Mattingly, August and Jacob Link and Danny Jones.
Gertie Gilpin
Gertie Gilpin, 97, of Van Buren, died Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2002, at a local hospital. She was a charter member of the Kibler Road Church of God, a homemaker and widow of Edgar Gilpin. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Eva Schulze; two sons, Vernon and Frankie Gilpin; and two grandsons, Michael Keeler and Steve Gilpin.
Survivors include four daughters, Alice Clayton of Lakeland, Fla., Dorothy Johnson of Van Buren, Bonnie Davis and her husband, Layton, of Van Buren, and Barbara Knapp of Plymouth, Minn.; two sons, Charles Gilpin of Aiea, Hawaii, and Glenn Gilpin and wife, Carolett, of Spring, Texas; one daughter-in-law, Sharon Gilpin of Van Buren; one sister, Frances Long of Missouri; one brother, Jim Robinett of Brumley, Mo.; 21 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Dec. 7 at Ocker Memorial Chapel in Van Buren. Burial was at Gracelawn Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Randy Davis, Layton Davis Jr., Stewart Sergeant, Michael Johnson, Clay Bennett and Matt Bennett. Honorary pallbearers were Wayne Pratt, Wylie Asher, Jim Morland, Lane Hurst and Gene Morse.
Vivian Stone
Vivian Stone, 72, of Van Buren, died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002, in Alma. She was a retired retail clerk for Safeway Stores Inc.
He is survived by her husband, Bobby; a sister, Carol McGuire of Branson, Mo.; a brother, Denton Ingram of Nixa, Mo.; two nieces, Melissa McGuire of Chicago and Debbie Singleton of Springfield, Mo.; and one nephew, Jeff McClure of Fort Wayne, Ind.
Funeral service was held Dec. 6 at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith.
Pallbearers were M.L. “Buck” Summers, Jess, Heath and Eric Spence, Edward Turner, Eugene Cantrel and Ben Lairamore.
Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 8006, Fort Smith, AR 72902 or the First Baptist Church in Van Buren Building Fund.
Charlotte Bollinger
Charlotte King Bollinger, 89, of Natural Dam, died Friday, June 21, 2002, at a local nursing home. She was a member of Wood Memorial Christian Church, a school teacher, retiring in 1978, began her teaching career in the Texas panhandle during the Depression and received her degree from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. She taught at Shady Grove School in Washington County, Rudy, Alma school system and ended her career at Cedarville School. She was preceded in death by her husband, Stan Bollinger.
Survivors include two daughters, Holly Bollinger of the home and Sally Lyons of Natural Dam; a son, Paul Bollinger of Natural Dam; two sisters, Ruth Mary Whitson of Dumas, Texas, and Jeanne Finlay of Houston; eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Graveside service was held June 24 at Hall Cemetery in Natural Dam under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were grandsons and great-grandsons.
