Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Frank Thomas McGehee
Frank Thomas McGehee, 78, died Wednesday, May 25, 2005 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Frank, the son of the late Marshall Hunter and Emma Monk McGehee, was born June 25, 1926, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
He graduated from Culver Summer Naval School in 1942 and Pine Bluff High School in 1944. He then served two years in the U.S. Navy. After graduating with honors from the University of Arkansas, where he was president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the Business Students Association, and Blue Key, he was recalled into service, having received his second lieutenant's commission in the U.S. Army at the University of Arkansas.
In 1950, he marriage Julia Ann May of Pine Bluff. They were marriage 29 years.
Frank worked at McGehee Realty and Lumber Co. and as a homebuilder in Pine Bluff, until 1962. The family moved to Little Rock, where he was a broker and mortgage banker. He was especially proud of the new Worthen Bank Building for which he was coordinating bank officer. He retired as a communication officer for the Arkansas State Police after 10 years service.
Frank was an active member, deacon, and Sunday School superintendent at First Presbyterian Church, Pine Bluff, and Westover Hills Presbyterian Church, Little Rock. He was a member of the Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church for the past 25 years and a Stephen Minister there.
Frank was preceded in death by his wife of 23 years, Patricia Hayes Brown, two sons, Walter Gregory and Peter Gregory McGehee, his parents, and siblings Hunter McGehee, Jr. and Jamie M. Roberts.
He is survived by his daughter, Julie McGehee Honeycutt and her husband Mike their children, Alexandra Ann and Christina Lee Honeycutt; his son, Frank T. McGehee, Jr., M.D., and his wife Pam, of Fort Worth, Texas, his children William Mitchell McGehee, San Francisco, California, Jillian Jean McGehee, Bryant, Carlyn Francis McGehee, Flower Mound, Texas, and Elizabeth Brinton McGehee, Fort Worth, Texas; a niece and nephew, Katherine Roberts, Little Rock and the Rev. Charles Roberts, Atlanta, Ga.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2005 at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. Burial of ashes will follow at 3:00 PM in Bellwood Cemetery, Pine Bluff. Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, 4823 Woodlawn Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72205, Arkansas Hospice Foundation, Inc., 5600 W. 12th St., Little Rock, AR 72204 or the charity of one's choice.
Dr. Agnes Carpenter Kolb
Dr. Agnes Carpenter Kolb, age 89, of Little Rock, died Friday, May 27, 2005 at Parkway Health Center. She was born in Lonsdale, Arkansas on September 6, 1915 to the late Rufus and Josephine West Carpenter. She was an anesthesiologist and a member of Immanuel Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband, Dr. B.T. Kolb. Survivors include a daughter, Kathryn Kolb of Little Rock; nephews, Ken Carpenter, Gilbert Carpenter, James Carpenter, John Carpenter, and Howard Mathis; great-nieces Erin Green and Paige Carpenter; and other relatives.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1, 2005 in the Chapel of Ruebel Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church of Little Rock.
Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home.
W. J. "Jay" Jernigan
W. J. (Jay) Jernigan, Jr., age 90, died Tuesday, May 17, 2005. He was a lifelong resident of Little Rock and son of the late William J. and Lucile Tucker Jernigan. He graduated from Little Rock Senior High School, where he was a Student Manager of Athletics and a member of the National Honor Society. After attending one year at Little Rock Junior College (now UALR), he transferred to George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where he continued his pre?law studies and worked in the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, one of F.D.R.'s New Deal agencies. He returned to Arkansas to complete his education at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he graduated with a Batchelor of Arts degree and later earned his juris doctorate. While a student at the University, Jay was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. In 1949 he marriage Jean Mitchell of Morrilton. They were marriage over 50 years.
In the early years as an attorney Mr. Jernigan engaged in a private practice with his brother John. He served for a time as Assistant?City Attorney for the City of Little Rock and taught in the night division of Little Rock Junior College. He was active in the affairs of the Pulaski, Arkansas and American Bar Associations, serving a term as Chairman of the Junior Bar Conference of the American Bar.
In 1943 he became law clerk to United States Circuit Judge Walter G. Riddick of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, a post he held for ten years. After Judge Riddick's death, he returned to private practice and later was appointed Chairman of the State Board of Review, a quasi-judicial appellate tribunal for unemployment cases. Although highly regarded and rewarding, the position was short?lived as he was offered and accepted a position as Trust Officer of a local bank. Thus began a twenty-five year career with Union National Bank, from which he retired as Vice President in 1980 and began an entirely new career on a volunteer basis. In this Jay was probably best known for his work in the Shepherd's Center movement. At a conference on aging at the Presbyterian conference center at Montreat, North Carolina, he first learned about the Shepherd's Center concept. He became immediately enthusiastic with its possibilities and came home, enlisted the necessary interest and support, and founded the Shepherd's Center of Little Rock. It was an instant success and soon became a model for other Shepherd's Centers across the country. Jay was also the prime mover in establishing ten other Shepherd's Centers throughout the South - in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia.
Jay was widely known throughout the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. for his work in the field of aging. For more than 20 years he was involved in this work at all levels of the church structure. He was a featured speaker and served as director of older adult conferences at the church's conference centers in Montreat, N.C., at Mo?Ranch in Hunt, Texas and in places elsewhere in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma.
Throughout his career Jay was active in civic and community affairs and endeavors. He was chairman of St. Vincent Infirmary and Health Center Advisory Board for Older Adult Services; a longtime member of the Board of Arkansas Gerontological Society; President and Board member of Presbyterian Village; Advisory Board member for Active Years; member of Board, Ferncliff Conference Center; and member of the Board of Trustees of Shepherd's Centers of America, the parent organization of a national network of 100 Shepherd's Centers all across America. Additionally, he had a 48?year membership in the Little Rock Civilian Club and was a Fellow of the Civitan International Research Center, Birmingham, Alabama.
Over the years Jay received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his leadership skills. He was named "Man of the Year" by the Arkansas Democrat in 1985; received the Southwestern Bell's Sister Pierre Vorster Outstanding Volunteer Award in 1996, and was appointed a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1995. Central Area Agency on Aging (now Care?Links) twice recognized him with Volunteer of the Year Awards, as did Little Rock Civitan Club with its Community Service Award. But he seemed most pleased to have been selected the first recipient of the Samuel C. Reaves Award given by Shepherd's Centers of America for his leadership in the Shepherd's Center movement. He was likewise appreciative to have been awarded the Civitan International Honor Key for his longtime services.
Jay had been a part of Second Presbyterian Church for more than 80 years, dating from his enrollment in the Cradle Roll in the original church at Fourth and State Streets during the pastorate of Dr. Hay Watson Smith. As a youth he became active in Young Adult work and started going to Montreat Conferences at Montreat, N. C. Coming full circle, forty years later, before retirement, he became involved in and directed older adult conferences there. Jay was a deacon and elder and worked with adult education and officer training in the church. He served two terms as Superintendent of the Sunday School. His last assignment was to serve as chair of the Heritage Committee, which was authorized to establish a church archives and set up a "Heritage Room" as a repository for the safekeeping and preservation of church history, official records, memorabilia and artifacts.
For more than twenty years Jay designed and decorated the Christmas trees at Presbyterian village. Every year he would go on a buying trip to the Original Christmas Tree Store in Dallas in search of new ideas and ornaments. The trees soon became a tradition at the Village. Residents and friends of the Village would eagerly look forward to the trees from year to year. Jay regarded this as one of the most worthwhile and enjoyable times of his career.
Jay is survived by his wife, Jean Mitchell Jernigan; two daughters, Dr. Jean McGehee of Little Rock, and Lue Taff and husband Harold of Irving, Texas; two grandchildren, William Mitchell McGehee of San Francisco, California, and Jillian McGehee of Bryant.
Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 20, 2005 at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Dr., officiated by Reverend Steve Hancock and Rev. Dr. Karen Akin. The family will receive friends in the Fellowship Hall of the church following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shepherd's Center/LifeQuest of Little Rock, 600 Pleasant Valley Dr., 72227; to Second Presbyterian Church, or to a charity of choice.
Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home.
Samuel N. Horn
Samuel N. Horn, age 54, of Little Rock, died Tuesday, May 10th, 2005. He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to the late Raymond Richard Horn who died in 1991, and his mother Kathleen Roth Horn of Little Rock. Sam was a graduate of Little Rock Central High School before graduating from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a B.A. Degree in Art. After school he built houses and pursued his love of art, becoming an accomplished wood furniture maker. He was also a teacher of art at the Arkansas Arts Center Museum School. Sam was a wood-turner, creating artistic pieces with the help of a lathe. He loved building cabinets, furniture, playing golf and creating unusual pieces with exotic woods.
He is survived by his mother as mentioned above, his brother John Horn and his wife Robyn of Little Rock and a nephew David Horn and his wife Christina of Vilonia, Arkansas.
There will be a graveside funeral service Friday at 11am at Pinecrest Cemetery officiated by Reverend David Aurd. Services are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home.
Memorials, in lieu of flowers, should be made to the Arkansas Arts Center or The Nature Conservancy, 600 North University Avenue, Little Rock 72205.
Ruby Lee Ford
Ruby Lee Ford, 97, of Little Rock, passed away Monday, May 2, 2005, at Parkway Village. She was born January 15, 1908, in Greenbrier, Arkansas, the daughter of the late Ermon Kirkpatrick Watson and Sam W. Watson. She was the widow of Arch W. Ford, former director of the Department of Education for the State of Arkansas. Her husband, Arch W. Ford, and two sons, Justin Turner Ford and Harold Watson Ford, four brothers and four sisters preceded Mrs. Ford in death. She is survived by a son, Joe T. Ford, and his wife, Jo Ellen of Little Rock, a sister Jimmie Lee Gean of Conway, grandchildren Alison Crawford and her husband Brad, of Plano, Texas, and Scott T. Ford and his wife Dede, of Little Rock, and six great-grandsons, Jonathan, Alan and Drew Crawford of Plano, Texas, and Sam, Joe and Will Ford of Little Rock.
Ruby was an extraordinary woman whose major interest in life was her large family. An excellent gardener and cook, everyone enjoyed her table and her hospitality. She and Arch lived in Conway for many years and moved to Greenbrier in 1967.
Funeral services will be held 2pm, Wednesday, May 4, 2005, at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 506 Highway 225 West, Greenbrier, Arkansas, with The Reverend Freddie Mark Wilcox officiating. Burial will follow services at the Bethlehem Cemetery, Greenbrier.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home,
Memorials may be made to Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, or Parkway Village, 14300 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211.
Marjorie Julia Davison
Marjorie Julia Davison, age 79, of Little Rock died May 14, 2005. She was born in New Orleans, LA on November 18, 1925 to the late George W. Davison III and Margaret McIlwayne Davison. She was a member of the Pulaski Heights Baptist Church. Mrs. Davison was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale W. Davison Sr.. Mrs. Davison is survived by her three children, Brenda Jessel and her husband David of Newnan, GA, Debbie Davison of Little Rock, and Dale Davison Jr. and his wife Cynthia of Little Rock; five grandchildren, Heather Cotton, Jay Harriott III, Justin Jessel, George W. Davison III, and Burke T. Davison, and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday in the Chapel of Ruebel Funeral Home with burial following in the Little Rock National Cemetery with Dr. Randy Hyde officiating. Visitation will be held today between 1:00 and 3:00 pm at Ruebel Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to The Outlook Group, 2 St. Vincent's Circle, Little Rock, AR 72205.
Susan Hearne Wood
Susan Hearne Wood, 99, of Little Rock, died Wednesday, May 4, 2005. She was born in Alton, Illinois on September 19, 1905 to the late Frank and Elizabeth Hill Hearne. She was a graduate of Westlake School for Girls in Los Angeles, California and the Chevy Chase Junior College in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She was a member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and was active in many of its programs.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harrison W. Wood, III; two sons, James S. Wood and Harrison W. Wood, IV; and two brothers, William Hearne and James Hearne. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Wood Moss and husband Jeff of Little Rock; four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Inurnment will take place in the Columbarium of St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Cremation arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Mark's Episcopal Church.
