Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Russell Clyma
Russell Clyma, 83, of Van Buren, died Monday, March 17, 2003, at a local nursing home. He was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church and a retired machinist at Dixie Cup after 28 years. He loved gardening, hunting and fishing and taught all his children to water ski. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Janie Clyma; sisters, Hazel Stosburg and Helen Nelson; two brothers, Grady and Ray Clyma and a granddaughter, Krystie Smith. Russell and his wife, Doris would have been marriage 59 years on June 18, 2003.
He is survived by his wife, Doris Clyma of the home; five daughters, Sharon Borengasser of Fort Smith, Janet Laster and Nancy Smith, both of Van Buren, Terry Allen of Muldrow and Sandy Irvin of Uniontown; two sons, John Clyma of Fort Smith and James Clyma of Van Buren; 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; several cousins and friends.
Funeral service was held March 19 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Gracelawn Cemetery in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were grandsons, Kevin Allen, Kirby Smith, Janson Testerman, Sam and Blayne Irvin, Shane Medford and Brian Borengasser.
Honorary pallbearers were Bill Bateman, Glenn Nelson, Carl Bowen, Ralph McClure, Laban Dyer, Virgil Russell, Aaron Loyd, Dr. Larry Grace, Bill Farrar, Henry Williams, Harold Oliver and Ovner Estes.
Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Western Arkansas Chapter, 320 N. Greenwood Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72901.
William Sims
William L. Sims, 77, of Van Buren, died Thursday, March 7, 2002, at a local hospital. He was a member of the Concord Baptist Church in Van Buren and a retired cement truck driver. He was formerly of Salinas, Calif., and Duncanville, Texas.
Survivors include his wife, Euline; two daughters, Pam Sims of Salinas, Calif., and Genie Thompson of New York; one son, Jerry Lee Sims of Wills Point, Texas; three sisters, Lena Mae Foster of Hot Springs, Joanna of Salinas and Murline Atherton of Oregon; one brother, Ray Sims of Rudy; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held March 9 at Concord Baptist Church. Burial was at Gracelawn Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were members of Gene Loyd’s Sunday School class at Concord Baptist Church.
Merle Brandenburg
Merle Brandenburg, 86, of Van Buren, died Wednesday, March 6, 2002. at a local hospital. He was a security guard for St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, worked for Conoco Oil Company in Davis, Okla., and attended the Turner Gospel Rescue Mission Church.
Survivors include his wife, Wanda; two daughters, Marlene Blagg of Krugerville, Texas, and Nancy Coulson of Roff, Okla.; three sons, Raymond Brandenburg and Steven Brandenburg, both of Van Buren, and Glenn Brandenburg of Mulberry; four sisters, Pearlie Brawner of Guthrie, Okla., Dorothy Wright of Cushing, Okla., Martha Johnson of Edmond, Okla., and Mary Jo Ramsey of Tacoma, Wash., ; 15 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held March 8 at Edwards Van-Alma Chapel. Burial was at Pope Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were his grandsons.
Delores Camyn
Delores Helen Camyn, 68, of Van Buren, died Friday, Feb. 22, 2002, at a local nursing home. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include two daughters, Naomi Camyn of Fort Smith and Lori Hurst of Orlando, Fla.; four sons, Mark Camyn of Orlando, Fla., John Camyn of Virginia, Brian Camyn and Kevin Camyn.
The body was cremated under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Charles Nolan
Charles V. Nolan, 31, of Van Buren, died Sunday, March 10, 2002. He was a Red Cross volunteer and spent 11 weeks at the World Trade Center Ground Zero after Sept. 11. He taught English to the Spanish at Lau Beuch Literacy Action Service and was a computer installation technician for Nolan Computer Service.
Survivors include his mother, Barbara Moore of Van Buren, his father, Stan Nolan of Oklahoma City; a sister, Sherry Smith of Van Buren; a brother, William Moore of Fort Smith; and his grandparents, Thurman and Louise Gilbreth of Alma.
The body will be cremated. Burial of remains will be held at Pilot Grove Cemetery south of Ozark under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Roger Curry
Roger Keith Curry, 14, of Van Buren, died Feb. 7, 2002, in Van Buren. Roger was a student at Coleman Junior High in Van Buren where he loved to act, often joining the School’s Drama Club and performing skits at church. Basketball was one of his many loves, and Michael Jordan was his favorite player. Roger also won a three-point shooting contest at his school. He had a passion for writing and wrote numerous short stories and poems, and often edited the school papers. At age 12, Young Americans, published one of his works in the 2000 edition of the “Anthology of Poetry.”
Roger resided with and is survived by his aunt and uncle, Jay and Tammy Douglas of Van Buren. He also is survived by his mother, Cheryl L. Curry of Fayetteville; three sisters, Brittany Curry, Nicole Curry and Karyssa Curry, all of Fayetteville, his cousins, David Douglas, Michael Douglas, Nicolas Douglas and Tiffany Douglas, all of Van Buren; his maternal grandparents, Nancy and Gerald Lewis of Fort Smith; paternal grandparents, David and Ollie Birkett of Mukilteo, Wash., and Joe McVey of Fort Smith; uncles, Bobby Ackermaan of San Diego, Calif., Dewayne Ackerman of Van Buren, Jim Curry of Arlington, Wash., and Dave Curry of Glendora, Calif. He was preceded in death by his father, Roger Keith Curry Sr., and his aunt, Summer McVey.
Memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. The body will be cremated under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith.
Merle Decker
Merle Wayne Decker, 69, of Mountainburg, died March 7, 2002. He was a self-employed welder, auto mechanic and Navy veteran.
Survivors include two daughters, Terri Morgan of Mountainburg, Sheri Lynn Davidson of Fayetteville; one sister, Marlene Waterson of Fayetteville; one brother, Jimmy Decker of Tulsa; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Graveside service was held March 6 at Freedom Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Shay Palmer, Jackie Moore II, Matt Byron and Leonard Seratt.
