Josie Marie Casey
(October 6, 1922 - June 26, 2012)
Josie Marie Wright Casey age 89 of Big Spring, TX formerly of Arkadelphia passed from this life on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at Scenic Mountain Medical Center in Big Spring, TX. She was born October 6, 1922 in Riesel, TX the daughter of the late Fred and Agnes Milliman Brueggeman. Jo was a retired insurance secretary with Goodloe Insurance Company and a member of Second Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Kenneth Wright and Elmer Casey, one grandson John Andrew Schottel.
Jo is survived by one daughter Vickie Jo (Larry) Schottel of Wagoner, OK, one son Richard Charles (Pam) Creek of Stanton, TX, four grandchildren, Carie Fugett, Marion Salley, Dusty Schottel and Amy Creek, and seven great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, June 29, 2012 at Second Baptist Church with Rev. Stan Parris officiating.
Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Thursday at Welch Funeral Home.
Interment will be in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to Second Baptist Church 815 S. 12th Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923.
Services entrusted to The Welch Funeral Home of Arkadelphia.
Elinor Ruth Diggs
(February 12, 1925 - June 6, 2012)
Our beloved Elinor Ruth Fulmer Diggs journeyed home to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on June 6, 2012. She was delivered into this world on February 12, 1925, in Stamps, AR to Roland R. and Dameris Maxine Fulmer. She is preceded in death by her husband Edgar Charles Diggs, a daughter, Sandra Gayle Fields, two brothers, Ray Fulmer and Dale Fulmer, and one sister, Carolyn Purcell.
She is survived by her daughter Cathy Calhoun and her husband Buddy of Calhoun, LA; three grandchildren: Eddie Fields and wife Claudia of Sherwood, AR; Brad Calhoun and wife Kari of Hot Springs; and Jenni White and her husband Joe of Calhoun, LA; six great-grandchildren: Abby Calhoun, Grayson Fields, Kaley White, Carter Calhoun, Peyton White, and Bryce White, one brother, Edward Fulmer of Las Vegas, NV and one sister, Barbara Eakin. Visitation will be at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home in Arkadelphia on Friday June 8 from 6-8 pm. Graveside service will be at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Arkadelphia on June 9 at 10:30 am.
Ethel Connell
(January 6, 1916 - June 24, 2012)
Ethel Pierce Lecourias Connell departed this life on June 24, 2012 in the Hospice Unit of Town Creek Nursing Home in Huntsville, Texas. She was born in Clark County on Jan. 6th, 1916, the daughter of the late James C. and Ruth L Pierce. Ethel was of Baptist faith and a member of the Second Baptist Church in Arkadelphia. She was a life long resident of Arkadelphia, a great business woman, owned and operated a restaurant for many years there. One of her very favorite things was to talk about her trip to Israel to the Holy Land.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Pete Lecourias Sr., Ralph Holt and Boyd Connell, four sisters, Bessie Smothers, Georgia Glover, Eula Delong, and Lucy Pierce, and one brother, Olen Pierce.
Ethel is survived by her son Pete Lecourias, Jr., brother, Townsend Pierce, granddaughter Pat Wheat (Buck) grandsons Mike Lecourias, Gary Lecourias, Greg Lecourias (Tammy) Nick Lecourias and numerous great grandchildren, nephews, Charles Smothers (Alyce), Bobby Joe Smothers (Linda) and two nieces, Trudy Consell (John) and Sandy Neil (Lynn) and numerous great nephews and nieces.
Funeral services will be held at 4:00 PM Saturday, June 30, 2012 at Welch Funeral Home.
Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Friday at the funeral home.
Roxye Denise Tate
(June 13, 1955 - November 17, 2012)
Roxye Denise Tate age 57 of Arkadelphia died Saturday, November 17, 2012. She was born in Clark County June 13, 1955 the daughter of Arthur Tate Jr. and Alma Aliene Penny Tate. She was Deputy Clerk of Clark County and a member of Mt. Bethel Baptist Church.
She is survived by one son Jonathan Tate and his wife Twyla of Bryant and several cousins.
Graveside funeral services will be 10 AM Tuesday, November 20th in the Delamar cemetery near Manning with Chad Cox officiating. Visitation will be 6-8 PM Monday at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home in Arkadelphia.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718. The family would like to offer special thank you to the staff at Arkansas Hospice Mercy Health Center.
Rosamond Hewitt Hubbard
(August 10, 1925 - November 27, 2012)
Rosamond Hewitt Hubbard age 87 of Arkadelphia died Tuesday, November 27th. She was born in Arkadelphia August 10, 1925 the daughter of John Jewell and Eunice Burrows Hewitt. She was a retired Customer Service Officer for Superior Federal Savings and Loan, formerly Arkadelphia Federal Savings and Loan, and a member of First Baptist Church of Arkadelphia. She was the widow of Horace Hubbard.
Survivors include three daughters, Sandra and Sally Hubbard both of Little Rock and Cynthia Hubbard of Mountainburg, AR; one sister, Patricia Willoughby and husband, Joe of Alma, Arkansas.
Funeral services will be 2 PM Thursday, November 29th at First Baptist Church of Arkadelphia with Dr. Lee McGlone officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 PM Wednesday at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Arkadelphia, 623 Pine St., Arkadelphia, AR 71923.
Roy Lee Robertson
(January 9, 1930 - December 5, 2012)
U.S. Veteran
Roy Lee Robertson age 82 of Arkadelphia died Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at his home. He was born January 9, 1930 in Waco, Texas the son of the late Alfred and Lillian Marie Cox Robertson. He was a joint controller for the Houston Belt & Terminal Railway and the Port Terminal Railroad Association. He was a member of the Post Master International Association and was Post Master of the Year in 1967. He was a veteran of the U. S. Marines.
Survivors are his wife, Martha Ann Robertson, three sons, Rex Alan Robertson of Humble, TX, Roy Mark Robertson of Arkadelphia, Stewart Blake Robertson of Houston, one daughter, Cheryl Ann Carhart of Arkadelphia, three grandchildren and two step grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services will be 1 PM Friday, December 7 at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens with Rev. Stan Parris officiating. There will be no formal visitation.
Sara Ann McChesney
(December 14, 1940 - June 16, 2012)
Sara Ann Hammond Ferrer McChesney, age 71 of Hot Springs, passed from this life on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at Arkansas Hospice in Hot Springs. She was born December 14, 1940 in Jackson, MS, the daughter of the late Selmer and Eula Vaughan Hammond.
Sara is survived by her husband Carl McChesney, two daughters, Ivette Ferrer (Bill)Kautsky of Poughquag, NY, and Elizabeth Joan (David) Livingston of McGregor, TX, three sons, Mitchel (Melissa) Ferrer of Schertz, TX, John (Melody) McChesney of Elk City, OK, and James McChesney of McGregor, TX, one sister, Nedra Landfair of Pearl, MS, one brother, Jerome (Judy) Hammond of Crystal Springs, MS, nine grandchildren, William Kautsky III, Ashley Kautsky, Abigail Ferrer, Isaiah Ferrer, Isaac Ferrer, Kathryn McChesney, Melanie McChesney, Brandi McChesney and Sierra Thompson.
Sara and Carl were married
in 1993 in Thorn Crown Chapel in Eureka Springs, designed by her favorite architect E. Faye Jones, who won the AIA Gold Medal, the highest honor awarded by the American Institute of Architects.
Sara was a Master Gardener and a charter member of Garvan Woodland Gardens. Sara held a master's degree in Interior Design from the University of Southwestern Louisiana at Lafayette LA. She lived in Venezuela for 18 years where her two children were born. She worked several years an interior designer in Jackson MS. After moving to Texas she was accepted into the American Institute of Building Design. In 1991 Sara won First Place Custom Luxury Home category by the AIBD in Snowmass CO. She also won third place for recreational home design at the AIBD Convention in Ashville NC 1998.
Sara designed their dream home and supervised its construction on Lake Hamilton. She also designed and planted multiple gardens on hillside lot. Beside being and avid gardener, Sara was an artist in watercolor, oil, and sculptor. She did excellent upholstery. Sara was a gourmet cook and loved giving dinner parties. She enjoyed fishing, camping, hiking mountains, bird watching and bicycling. She and Carl enjoyed traveling. Sara especially enjoyed her grandchildren and doing things with them.
A memorial service will be held at the First Church of Nazarene, 3804 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 3:00 PM with Rev. Ken Carney officiating.
The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the church fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Sara's memory to 'Our Promise Cancer Resources, 133 Harmony Park Circle, Hot Springs, AR 71913.'
Cremation arrangements entrusted to The Welch Funeral Home of Arkadelphia.
Inurnment will be in the Arkansas State Veteran's cemetery in North Little Rock at a future date.
Joan Petray Ballard
(April 28, 1929 - February 26, 2015)
Joan Petray Ballard age 85 of Arkadelphia died Thursday, February 26, 2015. She was born April 28, 1929 in Hot Spring County the daughter of Joseph and Annie Hines Petray. She was retired from Arkansas State Park at Degray Lake and a member of the Eastern Star. She had a passion for crocheting afghans that have been given as gifts all across the country. She was preceded in death by her husband Jesse Ballard Sr. and one son, William Neal Ballard, 4 brothers and three sisters.
She is survived by her daughters, Frances Corn and her husband Mike of Arkadelphia, Charlotte Henry of Friendship, her son, Jesse (Jay) Ballard and wife Paula of Vancouver, Washington, and a daughter-in-law, Phyllis Ballard of Friendship. She is also survived by her 6 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren and sister-in-law Lorene Petray of Malvern.
Funeral services will be 2 PM Sunday, March 1st in the Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Chapel with Bro. Hollis McDermott officiating. Burial will be in the Gilchrist cemetery near Friendship. Visitation will be 6-8 PM Saturday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gilchrist cemetery Association, 1706 Dogwood Dr., Malvern, AR 72104.
Donald C . Shope
(Died March 9, 2012)
U.S. Veteran
Donald C. Shope age 81, of Arkadelphia, passed away Friday, March 9, 2012 in Arkadelphia. He was born June 10, 1930 in Okolona, Arkansas the son of the late Jeames and Agnes Lowe Shope. Donald served his country with pride and was retired from the United States Air Force after twenty-two years of service. He was a Senior Master Sergeant serving in Korea and Vietnam. After retiring from the service, he worked for Gulf States Toyota in Austin, Texas. In 1984, he and his wife, Asalene made their home in Arkadelphia. He was a member of the Pine Street Church of Christ on Arkadelphia. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Bobbie Pennington and two brothers, Roy Neil Shope and Claude Arnold Shope.
Survivors include his loving wife of sixty-one years, Asalene Gilleylen Shope; one son, David Shope and wife, Lynn of West Point, Mississippi; two grandsons, Travis and Tyler Shope of West Point, Mississippi; one sister, Peggy Loomis of Murfreesboro, Arkansas; a sister-in-law, Jo Ann Shope of Arkadelphia; and a host of special relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM Monday, March 12th at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home with Jim Buie officiating. Burial with military honors will be in Delight cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 PM Sunday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Royce Loomis, Jim Black, Gordon Hale, Jimmy Denton, Kent Thomas and Willis Coker. Honorary pallbearer will be T. O. Shepherd.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association, 10411 West Markham, Suite 130, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205.
Mildred Thiesfeld
(January 28, 1918 - February 16, 2012)
Mildred Francile Callaway Phillips Thiesfeld, 94, went to sing in God’s Heavenly Choir on the Thursday, February 16, 2012 surrounded by loving family and her Pastor. Mildred was born on January 28, 1918 in Hollywood, Arkansas to parents, William A. Callaway and Ada Francis Callaway. At the age of five her mother died and two years later her father married
, Ethel Collins Sparks when Mildred was seven years old. She grew up in a family of nine children in a loving Christian home. Early on she realized that she was blessed with a wonderful gift from God and that was a beautiful clear soprano voice. She sang hymns and gospel songs all of her life in church choirs and most notably in the Phillips Cash Gospel Quartet which sang all over the country and had a weekly radio program for many years. They were in great demand to sing for funeral as well. Mildred was an avid golfer and played into her eighties. She had a hole in one to her credit. She was a very competitive person and loved to play Amtrak and other domino games. She was very active in the Eastern Star and she eventually served as the Grand Worthy Matron for the state of Arkansas. Mildred married
Murphy H. Phillips in 1935. That marriage lasted until his death in 1990. In 1991 she married
Harry W. Thiesfeld and that marriage ended with his death in 2004. Mildred was a wonderful homemaker and loved to garden, sew and was a great cook. She never met a stranger and during her marriage to Harry she traveled to a great many places in the world such as China, Russia and much of Europe, Australia, Figi, Tahiti and Alaska. She leaved behind to cherish her wonderful memory two daughters, Ada Short (Bob) of Bourne, TX and Gloria Coats (David) of Cherryvale, KS; four stepsons, Lee Thiesfeld (Estelle) of Australia, Lloyd Thiesfeld (Barbara) of Southfork, CO, Charles Thiesfeld (Jody) of Minnesota, Roger Thiesfeld (Robin) of Stafford, VA; 15 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; one brother, Bill Callaway of Arkadelphia, AR; one sister, Betty Callaway Regner of Harlingen, TX, and by numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held 2:00 PM Wednesday, February 22, 2012, at the Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Chapel, with Dr. Leland Callaway officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00 PM until service time. Burial will be in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens. The family wishes to thank Dr. Luis Reynoso who took such good care of her for many years an the nurses and staff at Retama Manor Nursing home in Harlingen, who have taken care of her for the last four years. You are all angels in disguise
