Sanford Charles Gardner
Sanford Charles Gardner, 83, of Fort smith, Ark. died Monday, May 24, 2004, in Fort Smith. He was a church member of Howard Hill Assembly of God Church, a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, a member of American Legion and worked at Didier's Lumber Mill.
Graveside services were May 28, 2004, at Steephill cemetery under the direction of Fentress Mortuary of Fort Smith, Ark.
He is survived by many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by three sisters, Flora Shamblin, Pearl Wilkins and Elizabeth Gardner; also preceded in death by five brothers, Charlie Morris, Carl Dale and Robert Gardner.
Memorial contributions may be made to Howard Hill Assembly of God Church, 3515 Gate Nine Road, Greenwood, AR. 72936.
Harold Loyd Oliver
Harold Loyd Oliver, 79, of Greenwood, Ark. died Tuesday, July 13, 2004, in a Fort Smith hospital. He was retired from Rheem Air Conditioning Division and a Navy Veteran of World War II, a member of the First Baptist Church of Lavaca, a member and Chaplain of Harris-Hannah VFW Post #6527 in Greenwood, member and Chaplain of the Greenwood Lions Club, member and Chaplain of Greenwood Ministerial Alliance and a member of Project Compassion.
Funeral services were July 15, 2004, with burial at Liberty cemetery in Greenwood, Ark. under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood.
Survivors include four daughters, Tammy Whitworth of Greenwood, Tracy King of Lavaca, Ark., Sherry Jordon and Angie Cosby both of Slidell, La.; four sons, Rev. Terry Fox of Wichita, Kans., Bruce Oliver of Topeka, Kans., Tony and Johnny Oliver both of Slidell, La.; two sisters, Rosa Lee Ross and Hazel Woodard both of Bakersfield, Calif.; two brothers, Jay Oliver of Houston, Calif. and Robert Oliver of Heavener, Okla.; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were the members of the Greenwood Ministerial Alliance.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Harris-Hannah VFW Post #6527 and member of the Greenwood Lions Club.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Greenwood Ministerial Alliance, c/o Mark Burger, 680 Laurel Drive, Greenwood, AR. 72936.
Mary Ellen Holland
Mary Ellen Holland, 86, of Fort Smith, ark. died Wednesday, July 21, 2004, in a nursing home. She was a homemaker.
Graveside services were July 24, 2004, at Woodlawn Memorial Park cemetery in Fort Smith, Ark. under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood. she was preceded in death by her husband, Walter P. Holland.
Survivors include four sons, Tom Holland of Mililani, Hawaii, Jim Holland of Fort Smith, Ark., Lee Holland of Van Buren, Ark. and Brad Holland of New York City, New York; two brothers, Paul and Willis Fick both of Fremont, Ohio; 6 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Bonnie Beatrice Skinner
Bonnie Beatrice Skinner, 89, died Monday, July 19, 2004, in Miami. She was a former resident of Excelsior in Sebastian County and graduated from Greenwood High School.
She was predeceased by her husband of 61 years, James. T. "Dib" Skinner; her parents, Albert M. Crow and Ethel Gilliam Crow; and a brother, Lawrence M. Crow. She was also predeceased by her loving aunt and uncle, Lizzie and John Henry Griffin.
Survivors include her son, Truman A. Skinner and his wife, Connie; two granddaughters, Tracey Brown and her husband Victor and Carrie Henderson and her husband Bill; and six great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Harrison and June Brown and Taylor, Caroline and Leigh Ann Henderson, all of Miami. She is also survived by a brother, Carl A. Crow Sr. of Hot Springs.
Mrs. Skinner was a homemaker. She and her husband moved from Sebastian County to Chicago, and then to Miami in 1940, where they resided until his death in 1996. Mr. Skinner retired from Eastern Airlines after 38 years of employment. At her death, Mrs. Skinner was a resident of The Palace in Miami. She was a member of Miami Springs Baptist Church in Miami Springs, Fla.
She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt. Her memory will live in the hearts of her family and many friends.
Funeral services were July 27, 2004, at McConnell Funeral Home Chapel in Greenwood with internment at Evans cemetery in Excelsior.
Frederick Earl Rink
Frederick Earl Rink, 73, of Stuart, Fla., died Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2004, at Martin Nursing & Rehab in Stuart.
Born in Chicago, Ill. he was a resident of Stuart for 2 years, moving from Idaho. During the Korean Conflict, he served in the US Air Force. Prior to retirement, Mr. Rink owned and operated a construction Company. He was a member of New Hope Fellowship Church of the Nazarene in Palm City.
Mr. Rink was preceded in death by a daughter, Gloria Ellen Rink and grandson, Michael Rink.
Survivors include his wife, Pastor Sammye Rink of Stuart, Fla.; one son, D. Chris Rink of Mulberry, Ark. and a grandson, Christopher Rink of Hartman, Ark., a half-brother, David Kramer of Greenbay, Wis. and a half-sister, Marsha Monge of Chicago, Ill.
A memorial service was held Oct. 2 at United Methodist Church in Mansfield, Ark. Arrangements were under the direction of Aycock Funeral Home of Stuart.
Terrel Gordon
Terrel Glen Gordon, 84, of Farmington died Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004, at North Hills Life Care & Rehabilitation Center. He was born Feb. 26, 1920 in excelsior, Ark., one of eleven children of Robert Lee and Ida Beulah Plunkett Gordon. He attended Arkansas Tech and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Agriculture. He later attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
A World War II veteran, he served in the U S Army as a First Lieutenant at General Douglas MacArthur's headquarters in Manila, Philippine Islands. There he witnessed the Impressive ceremony of the Japanese generals coming to receive the surrender papers to sign.
Following the war he taught agriculture at Waldron, Ark. for a short time, then started the first Vocational Agriculture Department of the High School at Lincoln, Ark. and began a new Vo Ag Dept and taught at Buckner Baptist Orphans Home, Dallas, Texas. In 2004 he was awarded an Honorary degree from the Arkansas Future Farmers Association, the highest honor a non-member can receive from the state association.
After surrendering to the call to peach the Gospel in 1949, he pastored the First Baptist Churches of Lincoln, Ark. and Tom Bean, Texas, Tenison Park Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas and Immanuel Baptist Church in Fayetteville. He was Chaplain at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Fayetteville, until retirement In 1985; then pastored Black Oak Baptist Church, near Fayetteville, until failing health forced his final retirement in 2003. He was active in the Washington-Madison Baptist Association, believed strongly in and supported national and International missions, and had a part in establishing several 'mission' churches in the area. A long-time member of the Fayetteville Kiwanis, Terrel served as its president in 1991.
He especially enjoyed helping with the Apples That Talk charity fundraiser. He is survived by his wife, Lois June, Farmington; son, James Roy and wife Linda, Farmington; daughters, Betty Jo Webb and husband Jim, Ormond Beach, FL, Ruth Alice Halterman and husband Skip, Navajo Dam, NM; four grandchildren, Shelley Gordon Gentry, Shane Gordon, Marni Hall, Lyndsey Webb; three step-grandchildren, Bryan and Jeremy Halterman, Wendy Halterman Fletcher; two great-grandchildren, Terrel Graham and Bailey Gordon; eight step-great grandchildren; two sisters, Virgie Sparks, Fort Smith, Ark., Sue Shockley, St. Louis, Mo.; sister-in-law, Nancy Gordon, Mansfield, Ark.; brother-in-law, Jack Davis and wife Mavis, Catonsville, Md.; many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were Saturday, October 2, 2004 at Farmington First Baptist Church.
Officiating; Jamie Jones, Jere D. Mitchell
Private interment was held at National cemetery, Fayetteville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Gldeons International at P.O, Box 3022, Fayettevllle, Ark. 72701. or to the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Moore's Chapel of Fayetteville.
Frankie D. Cox
Frankie D. Cox, 91, of Greenwood, passed away September 30, 2004 in Greenwood. She was a member of Oakcliff Baptist Church and a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Everett Cox.
She is survived by her son, Jimmy Cox and his wife, Jeanette of Greenwood; two grandchildren, Michael Cox and wife, Peggy of Greenwood and Michelle Mann and husband, Dale of Van Buren; five great grandchildren, Jamie and Jennifer Mann of Van Buren and Walker, Ivy and Rebecca Cox of Greenwood.
Funeral services were Oct. 4, 2004, at Oakcliff Baptist Church nterment followed in the Spiro City cemetery under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Michael Cox, Dale Mann, Darrell Taylor, Gary Don Reed, Tom Sallis and Giles Helbing.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shine Fund at Oakcliff Baptist Church, 3701 Gary Street, Fort Smith, AR 72903
To sign the online guest book please visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com
Fauna Brasher, 70, of Hackett, Ark. died Saturday, October 2, 2004, in her home. She was a homemaker and a member of Pleasant Hill Free Will Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond and her granddaughter, Jessica Lind.
Funeral services were Oct. 5, 2004, at Pleasant Hill Free Will Baptist Church with burial at Pleasant Hill cemetery in Hackett, Ark. under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood.
She is survived by two daughters, Barbara Lind of Hackett, Ark., Patricia Hoopengarner of Hartford, Ark.; one son, Danny Brahser of Fort Smith; one sister, Genia August of Oak Harbor, Wash.; two brothers, Bob Totten of Sparta, Mo.; Gary Totten of Castle Rock, Wash. and three grandchildren.
Clarence Raymond "Buck" Buckner
Clarence Raymond "Buck" Buckner, 56, of Fort Smith, Ark. died Friday, October 1, 2004, in his home. He was a leak technician for Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Corporation, U.S. Marine Corps, Veteran of the Vietnam War, a member of Greenwood First Baptist Church, Eagles Lodge #4416, and VFW Post #6527 of Greenwood.
Graveside services were Oct. 5, 2004, at Cross cemetery in Greenwood, Ark. under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood.
Survivors include his wife Lorie of the home; one daughter, Laura Buckner of Pocola, Okla.; three sons, Raymond "Matt" Buckner of Fort Smith, Wade Winfrey of U.S.M.C. in Iraq and Travis Winfrey of Greenwood, Ark.; his mother, Donna Elsie Buckner of Fort Smith; five sisters, Lois Bonat of Fort Smith, Betty Bonnett of South Pekin, Ill., Jean Routson of Arkoma, Okla., Doris Simpson of Sherman, Ill., Lorita Vail of Springfield, Ill.; one brother, John H. Buckner of Lake Fork, Ill.; two grandchildren.
Lula H. DeLeon
We will surely miss Lula H. DeLeon, beloved mother of Doreen, Nathalia and Orla. Departed from this life Nov. 22, 2004. Born in Kansas Nov. 18, 1921.
Our Mother was an accomplished lady whose list of accomplishments included; World War II Veteran. She was one of a few selected ladies who honorably served as a BAM-Beautiful American Marine, woman's division. Following this she married
Harold Craig and enlisted as a Red Cross volunteer and lived in Europe for several years.
Upon her return to Arkansas she opened and operated a coal mine fulfilling her father's dream. Several years later she remarried
and adopted three girls, where she strived to produce a nurturing and loving environment.
She was an accomplished artist which included drawings, painting, and stained glass. She also was an excellent seamstress, cake creator and story teller. An avid reader, she was knowable in many facets of life.
During her lifetime she was employed as an accountant, plant manager, night watchman and constable. Her greatest passions in life included raising her three girls, and her innate love of animals. During the latter part of her life, she became a rancher where she raised her beloved Brahams. A lifetime of dog and cat ownership produced wonderful stories about her relationship with animals. Mother, you live on in our hearts and minds. We love you
Memorial contributions should be made to the Kim Martin Cancer fund.
Funeral services were Nov. 24 at Mansfield First Baptist Church with interment at Beverly cemetery in Beverly, Kans. Local arrangements by Martin Funeral Home of Mansfield.
Billie Jo Carter
Billie Jo Carter, 75, of Mansfield, Ark. passed away Thursday, November 24, 2004 in a Fort Smith hospital. she was born June 30, 1929 at Tuttle, Okla. She was a wife and mother, retired farmer, member of Mansfield First Baptist Church, a founding member of Belle Pointe Quilters Guild, and a U.S. Navy Wife for 24 years. Mrs. Carter is survived by her husband, Earl, three sons, Jerry and his wife Laura of Mansfield, Gary and his wife Julie of Alexandria, Va. and Burt of Virginia Beach, Va. Other survivors include, four grandsons, Michael and his wife Angie of Cameron, Okla., Bryan of Mansfield Jason and Christopher both of Alexandria. Also surviving are three great-grandchildren, Zachary, Ryan and Lexi all of Cameron, Okla.
Funeral services were Nov. 29, 2004 at the Mansfield First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dan Ingram officiating. Burial was at Coop Prairie cemetery in Mansfield under the direction of Martin Funeral Home of Mansfield.
Serving as pallbearers were Gary Musgrove, Bobby Musgrove, Bruce Pyles, Brooks Godwin, Ken Boyd and Marion Mathis.
Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Mansfield First Baptist Church Senior Mens Sunday School Class, Robert Armstrong, T. H. Musgrove, Robert Joyce, Eddie Joe Wooten, Raymond Brown, Sam Godwin, Autry Basham, Fred Maass and Arnold Henson.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Billie Carter Cancer Memorial Fund c/o Allied Bank of Mansfield, Acct.# 401 208 910.
Raymond Lee "PaPa" Beecham
Raymond Lee "PaPa" Beecham, 85, of Greenwood died Friday, November 26, 2004, in a local hospital. He was born March 23, 1919 in Lexington, Tenn. He was an Air Force veteran of World War II, and a retired machinist, a member of the First Baptist Church in Greenwood. preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Miranda Beecham; one brother George, four sisters; Beulah Pendergraft, Eula Martin, Marie Gilliam, Alta Wagner.
Funeral services were Nov. 29, 2004, at the McConnell Funeral Chapel in Greenwood with burial at the Dawson cemetery in Milltown under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home.
He is survived by his wife, Derema Beecham of the home; two daughters, Darlene and husband Carl Grandstaff, Jeannie Walker of Greenwood, a brother Ed Beecham of Eurich, Mo.; four grandchildren, Richy and T. Ray Grandstaff, Scott Walker, Karen Aspinwall, seven great-grandchildren, Kristin and Will Grandstaff, Tanner, Molly, Maggy, and Landry Grandstaff, and Cody Smith. PaPa loved to walk, garden and took care of all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Richy and Will Grandstaff, T. Ray Grandstaff, Scott Walker, Chris Aspinwall, Gary Gilliam, and Paul Goldsmith.
Memorials may be made to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 11400 Maple Park Dr., Fort Smith, AR. 72916.
