Sisily Preston
Sisily Hope Kelly Preston, 11 months, of Mountainburg died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at a Little Rock hospital.
She is survived by mother, Amber Kelly, and her father, Jacob Preston of Mountainburg; maternal grandparents, Shelia and Robert Kelly of Mountainburg; paternal grandparents, Melinda Preston of Van Buren and Frank Preston of Alma; maternal great-grandparents, Vernon and Virginia Kelly of Van Buren and Phyllis and Glen Cluck of Oklahoma; and paternal great-grandparents, Joyce and Gary Linder of Oklahoma City, Dick and Sue Murphy of Amarillo, Texas, and Melba Preston of Van Buren.
Funeral service was held March 8 at Concord Baptist Church with burial at Gracelawn Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
Pallbearers were Michael Sevenstar, J.D. and Neal Preston, Shane Watkins and Royce Kelly.
Euing Wieburg
Euing Wieburg, 73, of Camdenton, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003. He was born Feb. 14, 1930, in Strickler. He graduated from Van Buren High School in 1948, attended Little Rock Junior College, was a Navy veteran serving during the Korean War, was employed by Sherwin-Williams Paint Company for over 30 years, founded and operated Weiburg Enterprises Inc. in Camdenton, Mo., was a member of Osage Hills Baptist Church in Osage Beach, Mo., the Gideons International and Promise Keepers.
Visitation and a military honors service were held March 7 at Osage Hills Baptist Church in Osage Beach, Mo. A celebration of life reception in the Fellowship Hall followed. Private burial service will be Saturday at Wieburg Family Cemetery in Camdenton, Mo.
He is survived by his wife, Evangeline; a daughter, Susan Hudgens of Little Rock; a son, David Wieburg of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; a sister, Juanita Rowe of Van Buren; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Gideons International.
William Patterson
William Wesley Odell Patterson, 75, of Mulberry died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003, at his home. He was born June 6, 1927, in Mulberry, was a self-employed mechanic and the widower of Ruby Patterson.
He is survived by six daughters, Shirley Moez of Mesa, Ariz., Faye Pate of Coppell, Texas, Patricia McCarver and Elaine Baty, both of Van Buren, Diane Sheridan of Fort Smith and Bonnie House of Alma; four sons, Wesley Patterson and Verlon, both of Fort Smith, Charles of Ozark and Terry Patterson of Mountainburg; 27 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held March 5 at Oak Bower Church with burial at Oak Bower Cemetery north of Mulberry under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home of Mulberry.
Pallbearers were grandsons, Randall and Chalin Jordan, Billy and James McChristian and Wayne, Michael, Cody, Junior and Allen Patterson, and great-grandsons, Jeffery Patterson and David Karr.
Howard Taff
Howard Taff, 90, of Mulberry died Monday, March 3, 2003, at a local hospital. He was a retired service station operator and a Navy veteran of World War II. He was the widower of Vera Taff.
He is survived by a daughter, Cheryl Howerton of Searcy; two sons, Don Taff of Alma and Mike Taff of Ozark; eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held March 7 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel in Van Buren with burial at New Cemetery in Mulberry.
Pallbearers were his grandsons.
Virginia Mahan
Virginia “Blossom” Mahan, 86, of Alma died Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at a local nursing home. She was born Jan. 8, 1917, in Spadra. She was a 1935 graduate of Coal Hill High School, a member of Church of Christ, a Sunday school teacher and a volunteer at Sparks Regional Medical Center for several years.
Funeral service was held March 6 at Alma Church of Christ with burial at Hess Cemetery in Coal Hill under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home of Clarksville.
She is survived by her husband, Johnny; a daughter, Layne Downs of Fort Smith; two sons, Buddy Mahan of Muskogee and Butch Mahan of Alma; seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Paul Puckett
Paul W. Puckett, 72, of Bixby, Okla., formerly of Rudy died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, in Tulsa. He retired from the Army after 20 years, having received the National Defense Service Medal, five Good Conduct medals, Vietnam Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, two overseas bars, two Air Medals, Combat Infrantryman’s Badge, Amy Commendation Medal, Bronze Star and Vietnam Campaign Medal. He was a member of the Columbia, Ga., Masonic Blue Lodge No. 344 and a Shriner. He moved to Rudy in 1981 and served the 88 Community as president and secretary of its volunteer fire department and served on the election board.
Survivors include three daughters, Carolyn Larkin, Polly Caughron and Kathy Babbitt; two sons, Robert Puckett and David Morrison; two sisters, Jeannette and Patys; one brother, Jerry Puckett; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Graveside service with military honors was held march 8 at McCurry Cemetery near Ruby under the direction of Bixby Funeral Home.
Lucille Bennett
Lucille Bell Bennett of Fort Smithdied Saturday, March 8, 2003, at her home. She was the widow of Drew Bennett and was also preceded in death by her parents, John and Jane Bell; two brothers, Curtis and Charles Bell; and a grandson, William H. Wilson Jr. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Fort Smith.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Jimmie Drew Bennett and Nancy Bennet of Van Buren; a daughter and son-in-law, Ann Bennett Wilson and William H. Wilson of Fort Smith; a brother, John Bell of Van Buren; a brother and sister-in-law, Earl and Maxine Bell of Citrus Heights, Calif.; and sisters-in-law Ruth Bell Roos of Edison, N.J., Theresa Bennett Ainsworth of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Geneva Bell of Roseville, Calif. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Randy Bennett of Van Buren, Jeff and Kerri Bennett Taake and Greg Bennett Wilson, all of Fort Smith, and Bob and Patti Wilson Rhodes and Laura Ann Wilson, all of Little Rock. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, William H. Wilson III, Adrianne and Evan Wilson, Tyler, Emillie and Christopher Taake, Wesley Wilson Rhodes and Annalee Bennett Rhodes. A special friend, Richard Todd of Fort Smith, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends at Willowbrook Retirement Community also survive her.
Funeral service was held March 10 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Roselawn Cemetery in Fort Smith.
Pallbearers were Tyler and Jeff Taake, Greg Bennett Wilson, Randy Bennett, Bob Rhodes and Jimmy Johnson.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Edward Mercy Hospice, P.O. Box 17000, Fort Smith, AR 72917-7000.
Margaret Riordan
Margaret Ann Riordan, 61, passed away on the morning of March 9 after a courageous battle with cancer. Margaret, daughter of Robert Woodrow Amos and Hannah McCleary-Hutchison, was born March 6, 1942.
Margaret attended the Cambridge schools, graduating from high school in 1960. She graduated from the College of Wooster, Wootster, Ohio, in 1964 with a B.A. degree in English. She received a scholarship to Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, N.Y., and graduated with a master’s degree in religious education in 1966. Margaret was a religious education director in Rochester following her marriage Aug. 26, 1966. She later taught children with special needs in Atlanta and taught special education and first grade at Cedarville for a few years. The greater portion of her time was spent at home in Natural Dam taking care of her family.
She is survived by her parents; her husband, Michael E. Riordan; her children, Amos Riordan and wife Paula, John Michael Riordan and Hannah Margaret Riordan; and her granddaughter, Katherine Elizabeth Riordan. She also is survived by her sister, Sarah Elizabeth Amos Ball and husband, Steven; and her niece, Katherine Ann Ball of Columbus, Ohio.
A memorial serevice will be held at noon Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Cedarville with burial at HallCemetery under the drection of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren. A family memorial service will be held in Cambridge, Ohio, at a later date.
Pallbearers were Amos Riordan, John Riordan, David Roberts, Mike Spencer, Ruben Miller and Frank Workman. Honorary pallbearers were Leroy Hager and Grady Glass.
Delmar Kerby
Delmar Kerby, 81, of Van Buren died Monday, March 10, 2003, at a local nursing home. He was born in Saskatchewan Handley, Canada, and was a retired self-employed carpenter.
Survivors include two daughters, Jeanne Baldwin of Redford, Mich., and Judy Kerby of Flint, Mich.; two sons, Jerry Kerby of St. Augustine, Fla., and Jeff Kerby of Camarillo, Calif.; two sisters, Donna Bowman of Detroit, Mich., and Norma Holiday of Texas; one brother, Nathan Kerby of Van Buren; 12 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
The body was cremated under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Hazel McCollum
Hazel E. McCollum, 75, of Mulberry died Monday, March 10, 2003, in Mulberry. She was retired from Allen Canning Co.
Survivors include her husband, Henry; three daughters, Jeri Morse and Vickie Campbell, both of Alma, and Sue Foster of Mulberry; three sisters, Irene Campbell of Muskogee, Jeanie Coman of Washington and Wilma Henderson of Alma; three brothers, Odell Morse and J.W. Morse, both of Alma, and Ed Morse of Dyer; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Edwards Van-Alma Chapel. Burial will be at New Cemetery in Mulberry under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be David Goins, Roger Henderson, Trent Johnston, John L. Foster , Shannon Gregory, Robbie Woods and Aaron Bruce. Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Dewitt, Danny Robertson, Don Woods, Larry Beneux, Jimmy Don Flurry and Jackie Swaim.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home.
Betty Goins
Betty J. Goins, 72, of Fort Smithdied Monday, March 3, 2003, in Fort Smith. She was a homemaker, member of the Order of Eastern Star and a Baptist.
Survivors include her husband, Alvin; four daughters, Scottie Williams of Hackett, Raylene Hillhouse of Colorado Springs, Colo., Delores Shaw of Van Buren and Pat Carruth of Fort Smith; four sons, Dale R. Sines II of Killeen, Texas, Thomas Goins of Fort Smith and Larry Goins and Howard Sines, both of Alma; three sisters, Helen Stafford of Litle Rock, Doris Morgan of Jacksonville, Ark., and Roxie Boyette of Perryville, Ark.; 17 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held March 6 at Fentress Mortuary Chapel. Burial was at U.S. National Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Boyd Williams II, Dale Sines III, David Shaw, Lee Steele, David Goins, Randall Morgan, Jesse Morgan and Brian Morgan. Honorary pallbearers were Charles “Dennis” Dooly and John David Boyette.
Memorial contribitons may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 8006, Fort Smith, AR 72901.
Dr. James Shaver
Dr. James H. Shaver, 61, of Joplin, Mo., died Friday, March 7, at a Joplin, hospital. He was born July 2, 1941, in Edinburg, Texas. He was raised in Van Buren and graduated from Van Buren High School in 1959 before attending the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he graduated with a bachelor’s in accounting in 1974. He then attended Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, graduating with a master’s of business administration and in 1985 with a doctor of business administration degree.
As a certified public accountant, he taught at Missouri Southern State College, Joplin; Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield; Northeast Louisiana State University, Monroe; Baylor University, Waco, Texas; and Southern Arkansas Usniversity, Magnolia. He wrote a number of articles published in academic journals and presented at conferences and received the outstanding teacher award in 1993 while on the faculty at Missouri Southern State College. He received the govenor’s award for excellence in teaching in Missouri in 1992.
He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accoutants, the Institute of Management Accountants, the American Accounting Association, the Missouri Society of CPAs, Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, Omicron Delta Epislon and Golden Key National Honor Society. He served in the Air Force from 1961 to 1964.
Survivors include one son, Paul Nicholas Shaver of Searcy; one daughter, Ashley Diane Davis of Conway; two brothers, William N. Shaver III of Fort Smith and Perry T. Shaver of Clinton, Ark.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial service was held March 10 at Matthews Hall at Missouri Southern State College.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. James Shaver Memorial Fellowship Fund in care of the Missouri Southern State College Foundation.
Mike Scott
Philip Michael “Mike” Scott, 49, of McAlester, Okla., formerly of Van Buren, died Sunday, Feb. 9, 2003, in McAlester. He was a former salesman for Southern Cigar and Candy Co. in Fort Smith.
Survivors include his wife, Candy Constantine of Okmulgee, Okla.; two sons, Matthew Scott of Norman, Okla., and Lucas Scott of Okmulgee; one sister, Sue Stahlheber of McAlester; and one brother, Jon Scott of Van Buren.
A memorial service was held March 12 at Edwards Van-Alma Chapel in Van Buren.
Paul Summerhill
Paul Fenley Summerhill, 92, of Van Buren died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003, at a local hospital. He was born Nov. 7, 1910, in Texarkana, Texas. He was Air Force veteran of World War II where he spent most of his five-year tour on the South Pacific island of New Calcdonia. He retired from Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, after 30 years as an air craft inspector. He was a member of Van Buren First Assembly of God Church and Alma Senior Inn.
Survivors include his wife, Margorie; one daughter, Paula Thompson of Broken Arrow, Okla.; one son, David George Summerhill of Pettaluma, Calif.; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel with burial at Gracelawn Cemetery in Van Buren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alma Senior Inn.
Rufus Holt
Rufus A. Holt, 86 of Mulberry died Friday, Feb. 7, 2003, at a local hospital. He was born Sept. 4, 1916, in Alma. He was a farmer and of the Baptist faith. He was a committee member of the ASCS of Crawford County for more than 20 years. He was a longtime resident of the Turner community and active in the community where he served as a board member for several years. He also was a Pope Cemetery board member.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel; three daughters, Willie Jones of Mulberry, Wilma McDaniel of Owasso, Okla., and Marilyn Marshall of Dyer; two sons, Jesse Holt of Ringold, Ga., and the Rev. David Holt of Ozark; a sister, Josie Lea Brown of Clarksville; 18 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren.
Funeral servide was held Feb. 10 at Ocker Chapel of Alma with burial at Pope Cemetery in Crawford County under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were his grandsons.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Rufus A. Holt Memorial Scholarship Fund at Mountainburg High School.
Bill Biggerstaff
Bill Biggerstaff, 86, of Barling died Sunday, Feb. 9, 2003, at a local hospital. He was a retired truck driver for Dyke Brothers Lumber Co. and an Army veteran of World War II. He was the widower of Nettie Biggerstaff.
He is survived by three daughters, Charlotte Hodges of Van Buren, Nelda Wilkerson of Rudy and Patricia of California; three sons, Robert Biggerstaff of Lavaca, Jimmy Biggerstaff of Virginia and James McCutcheon of Rudy; 24 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Feb. 11 at Ocker Memorial Chapel in Van Buren. Burial with military honors was at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Christopher Biggerstaff, Jeffery, Eddie and Jimmy McCutcheon, Daniel and Robert Wilkerson and Doug and Billy Mills.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Barling and Lavaca Senior Citizens groups.
Jack Brown
Jack H. Brown, 85, of Alma died Saturday, Feb. 8, 2003, at his home. He was a member of Bible Mission Church in Alma, was retired from Allen Canning Co. in Alma and was a Navy veteran of World War II.
Funeral service was held Feb. 11 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Alma Cemetery in Alma.
He is survived by his wife, Mattie; three daughters, Patsy Hatley of Fort Smith, Jackie Harris of Alma and Linda Gabbard of Mountainburg; a sister, Ruth Brown of Alma; nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
