Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Lucille Fitzgerald
Lucille V. “Granny” Fitzgerald, 77, of Mountainburg, died Saturday, March 29, 2003, at a local hospital. She was a homemaker, member of Pigeon Creek Freewill Baptist Church, lifelong resident of Crawford County and the widow of B.J. Fitzgerald.
She is survived by four daughters, Patty Cox of La Crescenta, Calif., Debbie Nauman of Van Buren, Beverly Adams of Winslow and Johnnie Elkins of Mountainburg; a son, Lee Roddy of Lake Elsinore, Calif.; a sister, Johnnie Bentley of Lawton, Okla.; a brother, Billy Crawford of Wichita, Kan.; eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held April 2 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith.
Pallbearers were Nelson and Andrew Adams, Jerry Davidson and B.J. Elkins.
William Claphan
William H. Claphan, 90, of Cedarville, died Saturday, March 30, 2002. He was retired from Riverside Furniture, a member of the First Baptist Church in Cedarville and veteran of World War II. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lena.
Survivors include one daughter, Laura Mae Deffenbaugh of Van Buren; one sister, Marie Webb of Figure Five; one brother, Melvin Claphan of Kansas; eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral service was held April 2 at Ocker Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Van Buren. Burial was at Dripping Springs Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were John Belcher Jr., Johnny Ray Barnes, Carl Webb, Jerry Webb, Jimmy Hightower and Melvin Williams.
James Cooper
James Lloyd “Baldy” Cooper, 68, of Mountainburg, died Thursday, March 28, 2002, at a local hospital. He was retired from the oil and gas industry where he worked in sales and service and was a member of Pleasant Valley Church of Christ in Van Buren.
Survivors include his wife, Judy; three daughters, Barbara Bolin of Keota, Okla., Cindy Moreland of Roland, Okla., and Caroline Woods of Greenwood; one son, James Richard Cooper of Sonora, Texas; four sisters, Celeste Barnes of Pearson, Okla., Modell Brock of Tecumseh, Okla., Donna Newell of Houston, Texas and Jenean Cooper of Orlando, Fla.; one brother, Tom Cooper of Tecumseh, Okla.; 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held April 1 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was at Gill Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were John Dunnenberg, Arnold Graham, David L. Almond, Mike Qualls, Russell Bolin and Danny Seamans.
Honorary pallbearers were his grandchildren.
Adrian Nelson
Adrian Nelson, 70, of Mulberry, died Friday, April 5, 2002, at a local hospital. He was retired sergeant first class of the Army, serving in the Korean and Vietnam wars, was post commander of Chapter No. 42 Alma DAV, member of VFW Post No. 6465 in Alma, American Ramey Lodge No. 487 in Mulberry, Eastern Star Ramey Lodge No. 260 in Mulberry, American Legion Post No. 0149 in Mulberry, historian for the State DAV, a board member of Pope Cemetery and worked for Fort Chaffee, Alma Canning Co. and the U.S. Forestry Service and was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include his wife, Emma; two daughters, Luann Wise of Mulberry and Misty Nelson of the home; five sons, Bill Nelson of Alma, Kenneth Nelson of Texas, Bruce Nelson of Mulberry, Chad Nelson of Van Buren and Rolland Nelson of Fort Smith; two sisters, Velta Edwards of Keota, Okla., and Ruby Chrisman of Paola, Kan.; two brothers, Hubert Nelson of Alma and Dolan Nelson of Mulberry; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held April 8 at Ocker Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was at Pope Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
Pallbearers were members of Alma D.A.V. Chapter No. 42.
Memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans Chapter No. 42 of Alma.
Virginia Larru
Virginia Wix Larru, 73, of West Virginia, died Sunday, March 31, 2002. She was formerly of Alma, a homemaker and of the Pentecostal faith. She was preceded in death by her first and second husbands, Arnold Tichnor and John Larru.
Survivors include four daughters, Sharon, Joyce, Cindy and Sandra; one son, Robert; three brothers, James Wix of Soak Creek, W.V.; Roscoe Wix of Akron, Ohio, and Dave Wix of Beckley, W.V.
Funeral service was held April 10 at U.S. National Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Robert Breeden
Robert “Bob” Breeden, 71, of Van Buren, died Monday, April 8, 2002, at a local hospital. He was a retired truck driver for Arkansas Motor Freight, an Army veteran of the Korean War serving with the 82nd AirBorne and 44th Tank Battalion and a member of Zion Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Ellen; one daughter, Sheila Self of Van Buren; two sons, Kenneth Breeden of Puyallup, Wash., and Rick Breeden of Hillsboro, Tenn., four grandchildren, Sean, Terry, Eric and Zachary; two great-grandchildren, Kalib and Alexia.
Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Ocker Memorial Chapel. Burial will be held at Macedonia Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers will be Jim Garrett, Jim Stevenson, Marvin Richesin, Hubert Mullican, Donnie Dodd, Jim Marshall, Brad Hall and John Hall.
Wanda Benham
Wanda Roberta Benham, 57, of Mulberry, died Tuesday, April 9, 2002. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Mulberry, former owner of Benham Hardware Store and former member of the Mulberry Library Board.
Survivors include her husband, Joe; one daughter, Kathy Fox of Fort Smith; one son, Joe Benham Jr. of Fort Smith; three sisters, Janie Mirus of Fort Smith, Dian Byrd of Keota, Okla., and Mae Cunningham of Mulberry; two brothers, Olen Brooks Jr. of Mulberry and Robert Ballard of Warsaw, Ill.; four grandchildren, Farrah Fox, Zachary Benham, David Harris and Sharon Harris.
Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Ocker Chapel of Alma. Burial will be at New Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
Pallbearers will be John Wilcox, Roger Benham, Bill Douglas, Dick Douglas, Odell Brooks and Jeff Marvin.
Honorary pallbearers will be the Mulberry Fire Department.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 2199, Alma AR 72921 or the Mulberry Library Building Fund, P.O. Box 584, Mulberry, AR 72947.
Ethel Reed
Ethel M. Reed, 76, of Van Buren, died Monday, April 8, 2002, at a local nursing home. She was a retired junior high math and science teacher teaching at Winslow, Cedarville, Van Buren and Darby Junior High Schools. She was a Methodist and formerly of Fort Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Roy Reed.
Survivors include two daughters, Nancy Hernandez of Fayetteville and Margaret Reed of Van Buren; two sons, Michael Snow of Van Buren and James Snow of Gentry; one brother, Guy Jones of El Paso, Texas; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held at noon Thursday at Ocker Memorial Chapel. Burial will be at Falling Spring Cemetery 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.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1500 N. Rodney Parham, Executive Building, Suite 19-20, Little Rock, AR 72212.
