Alma Ruth Short
Alma Ruth Short, age 78, of West Helena, died Monday, Aug. 7, 2000.
She was a retired co-owner of Short's National Fabric center, a member of the Phillips County Chamber of Commerce Welcoming Committee and a member of the West Helena Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband, Ralph Short, of West Helena; a son, Roy Short, of Olympia, Wash.; a daughter, Sandy Merrell, of St. Louis, Mo.; two brothers, Glenn Merrell, of Forrest City, Curtis Merrell, of Monticello; a sister, Betty Jo Griffith, of Forrest City and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2000, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe. Funeral services will be Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2000, at Westbrook Chapel. Burial will be in Sylvania Cemetery under the direction of Westbrook Funeral Home.
Robert "Bob" Johnston
Mr. Robert Johnston, age 66, of Columbus, Miss., died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2000, in Columbus, Miss.
Mr. Johnston, formerly of Forrest City, was a former employee of Eaton, Yale & Towne.
He is survived by his wife, Trudy Johnston, of Columbus; five sons, Bobby Johnston, Chris Johnston, Danny Johnston, Michael Johnston, Dr. Pat Johnston and two daughters, Hazel Woods and Kathy Wells.
Funeral services for Mr. Johnston were held Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2000, in Columbus, Miss.
Levester Willis
Mr. Levester Willis, age 40, of Aubrey, died Monday, Dec. 11, 2000, at Helena Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Willis was a correctional officer.
He is survived by his wife, Delois Willis, of Aubrey; his mother, Earlene Willis, of Aubrey; two daughters, Scisha Willis, Lineshon Willis, both of Aubrey; a son, Levester Willis Jr., of Aubrey; two sisters, Mary Willis, of Marianna, Cheryl Willis, of Little Rock; four brothers, Ronald Willis, of Zion, Edgar Willis, of Marianna, Shannon Willis, of Houston, Texas, and Leroy Willis, of Memphis.
Visitation for Mr. Willis will be Friday, Dec. 15, 2000, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Kennedy Funeral Home in Marianna. Funeral services will be Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, at 1 p.m., at Antioch M.B. Church, with the Rev. W. I. Steven officiating. Kennedy Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
George Walter Gunter III
Mr. George Walter Gunter III, age 76, of West Memphis, died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2000, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis.
Mr. Gunter was a retired graphic arts teacher in the Memphis City School District. He was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Knights of Columbus. He was a veteran of the Navy.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Gunter, of West Memphis; three daughters, Elizabeth Ann Razer, of Cabot, Sister Teresa, O. S. B., of Ferdinard, Ind., Margaret Henson, of Memphis; five sons, George Gunter IV, Robert Gunter, both of West Memphis, Richard Gunter, of Memphis, Paul Gunter, of Jonesboro, Bro. Jesse (Lee) O.S.B. of St. Meinrad, Ind.; a sister, Joan Murphy, of Forrest City; his step-mother, Grace Robertson, of Forrest City; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation for Mr. Gunter will be Friday, Dec. 15, 2000, from 6 to 9 p.m. with Rosary at 7 p.m. Funeral services for Mr. Gunter will be Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, at 10 a.m. at St. Michael's Catholic Church in West Memphis. Burial will follow at Crittenden Memorial Park in Marion under the direction of Roller-Citizens Funeral Home in West Memphis.
The family requests that all memorial contributions be made to the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception in Ferdinard, Ind., the St. Meinrad Monastery in St. Meinrad, Ind. or St. Michael's Catholic School in West Memphis.
Ben Hollowell
Mr. Ben Hollowell, age 69, of Forrest City, died Thursday, Dec.14, 2000, in his home.
Mr. Hollowell, born Nov. 18, 1931, in Colt, was the son of Auvergne Hollowell and Ethel Odell Winters Hollowell. He lived in St. Francis County all of his life. He was retired from East Arkansas Community College and was the owner of Ben's Auto Sales. He was a veteran of the Korean War and served in the Arkansas National Guard. He was also a member of the American Legion and was a fundraiser for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He was a member of the Colt Baptist Church.
In 1957 he married Patricia Ann Whitted and she survives him along with four sons, Don Hollowell, of Germany, Bennie Hollowell, of Caldwell, Fred Hollowell, of Marion, Patrick Hollowell, of Forrest City; a daughter, Jackie Smith, of Colt; two brothers, Jerry Hollowell, Don Hollowell, of Louisiana; five sisters, Louise Oliver, Doris Bowling, Sue Rock, Darlene Tharpe, Bonnie Aston, all of Louisiana and 11 grandchildren.
Visitation services for Mr. Hollowell will be Friday, Dec. 15, 2000, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Chapel of Stevens Funeral Home. Services for Mr. Hollowell will be Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, at 2 p.m. in the Chapel of Stevens Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Mt. Vernon Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
The family requests that memorials be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
John W. Maddox
Mr. John W. Maddox, age 44, died Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000, in Kansas City, Kan.
Mr. Maddox was born Dec. 29, 1955, in Monrovia, Calif., to O. E. and Ova Ballard Maddox, of Lake Village. They survive him along with his wife, Helen Maddox, of Kansas City, Kan.; three sons, Jay Maddox, of Dumas, Michael Dumas, of New York, Steven Dumas, of Forrest City; a sister, Betty Burton, of Lake Village; a brother, Ronnie Maddox, of Anchorage, Alaska and one grandson.
Funeral services will be Monday, Dec. 18, 2000, at Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville.
James Coan Plunkett
Mr. James Coan Plunkett, age 83, of Widener, died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2000, at Baptist Hospital East in Memphis.
Mr. Plunkett, a retired farmer, was a member of Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church. He was also a captain in the Air Force and a World War II veteran where he received the Bronze Star.
He is survived by his wife, Frances Phipps Plunkett, of Widener; three sons, James Plunkett, of Dallas, Texas, Frank Plunkett, of Richmond, Vir., Scott Plunkett, of Memphis; and six grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mr. Plunkett will be Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, at Memorial Park Chapel in Memphis. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Memorial Park Funeral Home.
George James Vanhandingham
Mr. George Vanhandingham, age 85, of Forrest City, died, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000, at Crestpark.
Mr. Vanhandingham was born on Sept. 17, 1915, to his father, James A. Vanhandingham and his mother, Ida Stone, in Water Valley, Miss. He was a veteran of World War II, a member of Oak Hurst Baptist Church and he was a retired carpenter.
He is survived by one sister, Mable Simpson, of Helen, Ga.
Visitation will be Friday, Dec. 15, 2000, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Stevens Funeral Home.
There will be a graveside service for Mr. Vanhandingham on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, at 11 a.m., at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Clarksdale, Miss., with the Rev. Rex Darling officiating. Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Eula Mae Bryant
Mrs. Eula Mae Bryant died Sunday, Dec. 17, 2000, at her daughter's home.
She was born in Pleasant Plains, and lived most of her life in Forrest City. She was owner of Arden Ann Motor Lodge and was a member of the Lindauer Road Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Frederick Eugene Whittedon and Morgan Young Bryant. She is survived by two daughters, Patricia Arden Holowell of Forrest City and Elizabeth Ann "Mitzi" Bryant of Lincoln; a sister, Otha Siler of Rondo; eight grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time. Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The family requests that memorials be made to the St. Francis County Humane Society or Lindauer Road Church of Christ.
Dorothy Mae Evans
Mrs. Dorothy Mae Evans, age 84, of Colt, died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, in her home.
Mrs. Evans was born Dec. 5, 1916, in Caldwell to Logan Lyons and Molly Merritt Lyons. She lived in St. Francis County most of her life and was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church of Caldwell.
In 1939, Mrs. Evans married Lawrence Evans and he survives her along with three sons; Jim Evans, of Sheridan, Bernar Evans, Gary Evans, both of Forrest City; two daughters, Molly Vondran, of Caldwell, Bettye Brawner, of Jonesboro; 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Walter Evans in 1959.
Funeral services for Mrs. Evans were held Monday, Dec. 18, 2000, in the Chapel of Stevens Funeral Home. Burial followed in Hughes Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
