Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Ruth Loyd
Ruth Loyd, 96, of Van Buren, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2002, at a local nursing home. She was a member of Heritage United Methodist Church and a retired teacher for the Van Buren school district. She was preceded in death by her husband, Orville Loyd.
Survivors include, two nieces, Lynne Rotert of Van Buren and Pam Naaman of Houston; one nephew, Brad Blackwood of Corpus Christi, Texas; four great nephews, Brad Rotert of Van Buren, Scott Rotert of Fort Smith, Brian Blackwood of The Plains, Ohio, and Michael Naaman of Houston, Texas.
Graveside service was held Jan. 9 at Gracelawn Arbor under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heritage United Methodist Church, 1604 Pointer Trail, Van Buren, AR 72956 or to the Van Buren High School Library, 2221 Pointer Trail, Van Buren, AR 72956.
Tressie Marchbanks
Tressie Marie Marchbanks, 80, of Van Buren, died Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002, at a local hospital. She was a retired elementary school teacher, having taught at Rena, Trusty, Sutton and Wood Elementary schools. She taught for 46 and one half years. She received degrees from John Brown University, University of Central Arkansas and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She was a member of the Van Buren First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school for many years, the Massard Baptist Church, the National Education Association, the Arkansas Education Association, Classroom Teachers Association and won many local and national awards for teaching economics.
Survivors include her husband, Othel; one son, Ed J. Mullens of Van Buren; one stepson, Ricky Lee Marchbanks of Carthage, Mo.; one granddaughter, Shawn Cozzens of Jacksonville; two grandsons, Shane Mullens of Van Buren and Billy Mullens of Oregon; and one great-grandson, Ethan Cozzens of Jacksonville.
Funeral service was held Jan. 5 at Ocker Memorial Chapel. Burial was held at Sarah Grove Cemetery near Cedarville under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Seigal Rogers, Roy Mussett, John Hawkins, Bill Freeman, Jim Hale, Darrall Sparkman and Bob Harp.
Howard McCabe
Howard McCabe, 87, of Mountainburg, died Jan. 3, 2001. He was a member of the Mountainburg Presbyterian Church, a retired employee of Whirlpool Corporation, a member of Masonic Lodge No. 332, Amrita Grotto Scottish Rites and a 33rd degree mason.
Survivors include his wife, Beulah Rowena; one daughter, Sue Frey of Fort Smith; one son, Jim McCabe of Mountainburg; four grandchildren, Rick Frey, Alan Frey, Jimmy McCabe and Curtis McCabe; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Jan. 7 at Ocker Funeral Home Chapel. Burial with Masonic graveside service was at Pope Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
Pallbearers were Rick Frey, Alan Frey, Jim McCabe, Roy Adams, Bill Barker and Art Richmond.
Honorary pallbearers were members of Mountainburg Presbyterian Mens Breakfast group.
Jack Payton
Jack Payton, 78, of Mountainburg, died Dec. 27. He was a retired, self-employed furniture builder.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; two daughters, Brenda Hite of Farmington and Melba Payton of Fayetteville; one son, Larry Payton of Edwardsville, Ill.; two sisters, Imogene Barker of Rogers and Juanita Payton of Grove, Okla.; three brothers, Joe Payton of Pryor, Okla., Dean Payton of Baldwin and Frank Payton of Mountainburg; four grandsons, five granddaughters and ten great-grandchildren.
The body was cremated under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Billy Joe Crabtree
Billy Joe Crabtree, 68, of Mulberry, died Friday, Jan. 10, 2003, in Fort Smith.
He was a self-employed civil engineer.
Memorial service was held Jan. 14 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Chapel in Van Buren. The body was cremated.
He is survived by a son, Rayce Crabtree Sr. of Fort Smith; one grandson, Rayce Crabtree Jr. of Springdale; and a number of cousins.
Franklin Allen
Franklin Delano Allen, 61, of Mulberry, died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003, in Mulberry. A retired ironworker, he served 25 years with the 148th Evac Unit of the National Guard. While in the guards, he achieved the rank of staff sergeant, serving as a medic and a cook. Frank was a 32nd Degree Mason in Lodge No. 232 in Waldron and a member of First Baptist Church of Mulberry. He was an avid turkey hunter and outdoorsman.
He is survived by his wife, Greta Sherrill Allen; a daughter, Sherrilleta Foster of Fort Smith; a son, Sean Allen of Van Buren; two brothers, Dan Allen of Harvey and Kenneth Allen of Holebrooke, Okla.; and three grandchildren, Cole and Caly Allen and Sydney Foster.
Funeral service was held Jan. 14 at First Baptist Church of Mulberry under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home of Mulberry. Masonic graveside service was at Lamb Cemetery in Waldron.
Pallbearers were Fred Moon, Johnny Crocket, John Moody, Jeff and David Marvin and Ray Jackson. Honorary pallbearers were David Moody, Mark Newman, John Noggle, Jimmy Moore, Larry Goodnoh and William Toby.
Lisa Mathis
Lisa Lynn Mathis, 38, of Van Buren, died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003, at a local hospital. She attended New Heights Baptist Church in Alma, was a graduate of Harrison High School Class of 1982 and an employee of Federal Express.
She is survived by her parents, Morris and Juanita Mathis of Harrison; a brother and his wife, Jeff and Gay Mathis of Van Buren; one niece, Ashley Mathis of Van Buren; and one nephew, Kyle Mathis of Van Buren.
Funeral service was held Jan. 11 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Osborne Cemetery near St. Joe.
Pallbearers were Winford Navrath, Mark Shelton, Justin Schambron, Roy Hicks, Paul Shipman and John Williams.
Memorial contributions may be made to New Heights Baptist Church, P.O. Box 244, Rudy, AR 72952.
Arthur Hunter
Arthur “Brud” Hunter, 65, of Van Buren, died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003, at his home. He was a maintenance welder for the Fort Smith School District and a member of Jubilee Christian Center.
Funeral service was held Jan. 11 at Jubilee Christian Center with burial at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanette; a daughter, Myrna Nichols of Van Buren; three sons, David E. Hunter of Alma, Mike Hunter of Dyer and Monty Hunter of Mountainburg; two stepdaughters, Anita Dodson of Kibler and Susan Cooper of Springdale; four stepsons, Rex and Scott Cooper, both of Poway, Calif., Charles Cooper of Phoenix and Steve Cooper of Florida; three sisters, Betty Jo Alverson and Carol Jones, both of Van Buren, and Brenda Free of Kibler; a brother, Don Hunter of Alma; and several grandchildren.
