Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Leon S. Reed
Leon S. Reed, 87, of Little Rock, died Saturday, December 17, 2005. He was born in Ft. Wayne, IN, to Luke and Alma App Reed. He attended Purdue University and retired from the Arkansas Gazette in 1983 as senior vice-president.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years Virginia Garman Reed, his children: Lynne Foster and her husband Dr. Alan Foster of Syracuse, NY; Stephen Reed and his wife, Alana of Little Rock and Julie Kuehn, Jerry Kuehn of Sarasota, FL. He is also survived by a sister, Ruth Gutman of Ft. Wayne, IN and a brother, Roger Reed of Maineville, OH, grandchildren, Jeffery Foster and his wife Kate, Diana Porter and her husband Bill, Shannon Shenker and her husband Dr. David Shenker, Ryan Reed, Devon Kuehn and great-grandsons, Gus and Mack Shenker.
A rosary will be held at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Christ the King Catholic Church followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Church by Monsignor Francis Malone. Burial will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Ray Jouett, Harry Hastings, James Ray, Jim Patterson, Sam Winstead and James Williams. Honorary pallbearer will be Hugh B. Patterson.
Memorials may be made to the Carmalite Sisters, 7201 W. 32nd, Little Rock, AR 72204
Gertrud Posner
Gertrud Posner, of Little Rock, born April 2, 1919 in Cologne, Germany, died December 27, 2005. A loving mother and wife, she was a survivor of a Nazi Labor Camp, a contributor to Voice of America, a tireless advocate for the integration of Little Rock public schools and advocate for children with learning disabilities. She taught her children to stand up for those who suffer injustices at the hands of power. She also taught them to follow their dreams.
She is survived by her son, David Lee Posner of Little Rock, and daughter, Mary Louise Cooper of Chapel Hill, NC. She was preceded in death by her husband Henry Posner.
In lieu of flowers please make memorials to Hospice Home Care of Little Rock, 1501 North University Avenue Suite 500, Little Rock, AR 72205.
Cremation arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home.
David Alonzo Perry
David Alonzo Perry, of Little Rock, passed away Tuesday, December 27, 2005.
Born November 28, 1954, St. Louis, MO, his family moved to Union City, TN for thirteen years then a year in Bartlett, TN and on to London, KY, finally arriving in Islamorada, FLA half way to Key West, where he owned his catamaran and snorkeled the coral reefs as a High School Junior.
Moving to Little Rock, he graduated from Hall High School in 1972, later receiving two degrees from UALR, first as a psychology major and a second in Computer Engineering. He worked as a Counselor with Youth Home, Inc before working with the City of Little Rock in the computer section. He later joined Systematics, Alltell, Fidelity Information Systems where for fifteen years he worked as a World Wide Help Desk Senior Applications Manager.
His many interests included exploring the caves of Arkansas, canoe trips down the white river, his three motorcycles, traveling the United States as well as England, Mexico’s Copper Canyon, Aztec Ruins and Columbia, S.A., and more.
A child of God, he fought a good and long battle against colon cancer, never complaining and always a good friend to those who knew him as a true and faithful son, caring for his father Loyd during his final illness.
Predeceased by his grandparents, Alonzo H. and Grace Williamson Perry, Dorothy Wolf Eaton Towery and Tom L. Eaton and his father Loyd S. Perry, he leaves to mourn his passing his sister, Holly Perry Gray, his mother, Nancy Eaton Martin, his stepfather, Charles Martin, his faithful golden retriever, Buddy and many cousins.
He chose to have his body cremated. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 31 at the Ruebel Funeral Home Chapel. His ashes will be interred in the family plot at Mt. Holly Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Baptist Health Hospice.
Dr. Fred A. Morrow
Dr. Fred A. Morrow, age 75, of Little Rock, founding dean of the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, died after a long struggle with cancer on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005.
Born in 1930, one of 10 children, he was raised in the Batesville area and graduated from Arkansas Tech University. Following two years of military service in the Korean War, Morrow began his transition from warfare to welfare work. In 1954 he worked for the Shelby County, Tenn., Department of Public Welfare, and in 1957 he received his M.S. from Columbia University in New York. Returning to Memphis, Morrow met his life-long wife, Patricia.
In 1961, he was admitted to the first class of the Ph.D. program in the Graduate School of Social Work at Tulane University in New Orleans. In 1967, the University of Arkansas called Morrow inviting him to apply for the position of dean for the new UALR master’s program in Social Work. He wrote the accreditation documents for the new school, hired the faculty, and enrolled the first class in January 1969. He served as dean until 1981 and then taught classes in social welfare policy, social program management, and research until he retired in December 1992.
During retirement, Morrow served as a consultant in program evaluation, grant writing and training design with the Delta Service Corps, Community Health Centers of Arkansas and Creative Solutions for Arkansas. Also in retirement, Morrow and his wife were proud to have worked to help elect Gov. Bill Clinton to two presidential terms. As a member of FOB he campaigned in several states, attended the Democratic National Convention, both inaugurations and volunteered at the White House. Morrow was known as an innovator and loving husband and parent and will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia; daughters Teresa Morrow of Memphis, and Shari Cooper and husband Jordan Cooper of Livingston, New Jersey; two grandsons, Adam and Justin Cooper.
A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Dec. 19. at Ruebel Funeral Home, 6313 W. Markham, Little Rock. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Arkansas Cancer Research Center, 4301 West Markham #623, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205; or CARTI - UAMS, 4130 Sheffield Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205.
Cremation and service arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home.
Edward Rensch, Jr.
Edward Rensch, Jr. of Little Rock, died Thursday, September 1, 2005. A longtime Arkansas healthcare administrator Ed was born in East St. Louis, Illinois. He received his B.S. Degree from St. Louis University later obtaining his Masters Degree in Hospital Administration from Washington University, St. Louis, in 1957.
During World War II and the Korean Conflict he served in the U.S. Navy Hospital Corp. Following an administrative residency at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Houston, Ed served as administrator of hospitals in Nebraska, Indiana and Illinois before moving with his family to Little Rock in 1966 becoming an assistant administrator at St. Vincent Infirmary.
From 1967-70 he served as Director, Arkansas Comprehensive Health Planning under then Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. He also served as the associate coordinator of the Arkansas Regional Medical Program from 1970-73. In July of 1973 Ed began making a vision of healthcare leaders and physicians a reality for Arkansas’ cancer patients, becoming Executive Director from 1973-83, and President, C.E.O. from 1983-94, of Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute. His devotion to this dream would span over more than 21 years and thousands of oncology patients. The institute became a world class facility with campuses through out Arkansas.
In 2004 Ed was honored at the 28th Annual Festival of Trees with the CARTI Visionary Award, recognizing his commitment, dedication and efforts to make first class radiation therapy and support services available to Arkansas’ cancer patients. Ed served as President of the Association of Community Radiation Therapy Centers and was a Fellow in the American College of Hospital Administrators.
His community activities included the Board of Directors of Pulaski County United Way, Hospice of Arkansas Board President, West Little Rock Rotary and Governor’s Health Advisory Council.
Ed was a Catholic having membership at Cathedral of St. Andrew. He was a member of Serra Club, Pleasant Valley Country Club, and numerous Advisory Councils dealing with health care services. He also enjoyed chess, swimming, sailing and tennis.
Ed is survived by his wife of 49 years, Jill Rensch of Little Rock, one daughter Allison Staten and husband Craig of Little Rock, one son, Todd Rensch of Little Rock, three sisters, Kay Benson and husband David, Peggy Compton and husband Daryl all of Caseyville, Illinois, Anna Marie Johnson of Kansas City, Missouri, and 2 grandchildren, Parker Staten, and Michael Grimes.
There will be a memorial service Tuesday at 2pm at The Cathedral of St. Andrew officiated by Monsignor Scott Marczuk. Services are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home.
Memorials in lieu of flowers should be made to Arkansas Hospice, 5600 West 12th Street, Little Rock 72204, The Edward Rensch, Jr. Employee Enrichment Fund at CARTI, CARTI Foundation, P.O. Box 55011, Little Rock 72215-5011, or the Cathedral of St. Andrew Restoration Fund, 617 South Louisiana Street, Little Rock 72201.
Edna Ball Measel
Edna Ball Measel, age 97, of North Little Rock, passed away Saturday, September 3, 2005 at St. Vincent's Hospital-North. She was born on July 15, 1908 in Argenta, Arkansas to Benjamin Franklin Ball and Hattie Sheridan Ball of Saline County, Arkansas. She was residing in the Lakewood Plaza Retirement and Rehabilitation Center.
She was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-four years, Terry G. Measel of Little Rock; two sisters, Effie Morgan and Juliette Scott; two brothers, Benjamin H. Ball and his wife, Grace; Leo Raymond Ball and his wife, Marian, one nephew, William Frederick Ball.
She is survived by one nephew, Louis Coleman Morgan and his wife Sandy of Hot Springs, Arkansas; three nieces, Brenda Louise Madison and her husband J. Harley of Pampa, Texas; Delia “DeeDee” S. Lamb and her husband Bob of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Jenny Lee Shumate and her husband Bob of North Little Rock; Harriet Waddington and her husband Michael L. of North Little Rock; Kathy Ball, widow of nephew, William F. Ball of Beebe, Arkansas; eight great-nephews, Gordon Scott Madison, Harry Scott Dinwiddie, David Ross Dinwiddie, Barry Neal Morgan, James Hugh Kimbrough, Jr., Jerry Lee Kimbrough, John William Kimbrough, Andrew Frederick Ball; four great-nieces, Deirdra Lynn Madison Brothers, Beverly Dianne Madison; Christy Morgan Larsen, Andrea Ball Scott.
She was a homemaker and after living in Chicago for twenty years, she lived in the Governors' Mansion Historic District of Little Rock, Arkansas.
There will be a graveside service officiated by two grandnephews, Rev. Jim Kimbrough and Rev. Barry Neal Morgan at ll:00 AM on Saturday, September 10, 2005 at Pine Crest Cemetery Alexander, Arkansas.
Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home
Thomas L. Holmes
Thomas L. Holmes, 49, died Tuesday, April 26, 2005. Born in 1955 to Harlan T. and Mary E. Holmes, he grew up in Little Rock, and was a graduate of Hall High School, where he was selected as an exchange student to Germany through the AFS Intercultural Program. He then studied at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.; Columbia University in New York; the American University Center in Aix-en-Provence, France; and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He received his undergraduate degree from Arkansas' Hendrix College, and a Master's degree from Louisiana State University.
A published writer, accomplished businessman and entrepreneur, he worked in the Washington, D.C., offices of Senator J. William Fulbright and Senator John McClellan. He moved from the political world to the private sector where he worked in banking, energy, food service and other fields. In his last years, he owned his own business in the bed-and-breakfast hospitality industry in New Orleans, where he lived for more than 20 years. He was also a personal fitness trainer.
He enjoyed a number of hobbies and interests, especially traveling, including more than a dozen international tours and a 30-day trip around the world. He was a life-long Methodist, and the grandson of a United Methodist minister. He will always be remembered for his love of family, friendship, humor, caring and zest for life.
He is survived by his mother, Mary Elizabeth Holmes of Little Rock; a sister, Ann Holmes Razer of Springfield, Missouri; brother, David H. Holmes of Little Rock; and five nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father.
A memorial service will be held at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, 4823 Woodlawn Avenue in Little Rock, Friday, May 6, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, or the charity of the donor's choice.
