James Forrest Laws
Mr. James Forrest Laws, age 78, of Forrest City, died Monday, Dec. 25, 2000, at his home.
Mr. Laws was born on Feb. 15, 1922, in St. Francis County, and was the son of James Mote Laws and Minnie Leslie Laws. He lived in St. Francis County most of his life and served in Europe in World War II. He was also retired from Arkansas Power and Light after 33 years, and was a life-long member of Wesley Chapel Church.
In 1943 Mr. Laws married Violet Lincoln, and she survives him, along with four sons, James Laws Jr., of Clarksdale, Miss., Darryl Laws, of Little Rock, Leonard Laws, John Laws, both of Forrest City; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Visitation for Mr. Laws will be Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at noon in the Chapel of Stevens Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Hughes Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
The family requests that memorials be made to Wesley Chapel Church.
Johnny Ray Shepherd
Mr. Johnny Ray Shepherd, age 39, of Forrest City, died Saturday, Dec. 23, 2000.
Mr. Shepherd was a 1979 graduate of Forrest City High School and was a security guard and maintenance worker for Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City.
Mr. Shepherd is survived by his mother, Nettie Shepherd Bateman; a son, Kyle Shepherd; a daughter, Shaina Shepherd; two sisters, Mary Helen Lamb, Doris Anderson; and two brothers, James Shepherd and Glenn Shepherd.
Visitation services for Mr. Shepherd will be Tuesday evening Dec. 26, 2000, at Stevens Funeral Home. A memorial services for Mr. Shepherd will be Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at 2 p.m. in the Chapel of Stevens Funeral Home. Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Cathryn Deloris Presley
Mrs. Cathryn Deloris Presley, age 70, of West Memphis, died Friday, Dec. 22, 2000, at Health Care and Rehab Center of West Memphis.
Mrs. Presley was affiliated with the Church of God of Prophecy of West Memphis.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Vernon Presley Sr.
Mrs. Presley is survived by two daughters, Barbara Gordon, Susan Presley, both of West Memphis; two sons, Vernon Presley, of Bakersfield, Calif., Randy Presley, of Brandon, Fla.; a step-son, Lauren Presley, of Bakersfield, Calif.; three sisters, Reba Davis, Evelyn Harlow, both of West Memphis, Billie Stallings, of Alamo, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Presley will be held Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at 11 a.m. at the Church of God of Prophecy. Burial will follow in Marked Tree Cemetery. Roller-Citizens Funeral Home in West Memphis is in charge of the arrangements.
Frank Murray Barrett
Mr. Frank Murray Barrett, age 86, of Forrest City, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, at his home.
Mr. Barrett was born on May 13, 1914, in Selma. He was the son of Rev. Willis Barrett and Ola Emery Barrett. Mr. Barrett made his home in Forrest City for the past 50 years. He was a retired employee of Arkansas Power and Light, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a member of Second Baptist Church.
Mr. Barrett was married to Nelie Jean Gibson in 1945, and she survives him along with a sister, Ovida Comatti, of Taylorville, Ill.
Funeral services for Mr. Barrett will be held on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000, at 10 a.m., in the Chapel of Stevens Funeral Home, with the Rev. Bill Thomason officiating. There will be a graveside service held at 2 p.m., in the Mount Tabor Cemetery in Monticello. Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
The family request that memorials be sent to the Second Baptist Church in Forrest City.
Katrina Boyd
Miss Katrina Boyd, age 26, of Forrest City, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis.
Miss Boyd was an employee of Wal-Mart.
She is survived by her mother, Queen Boyd, of Forrest City; her father, Roman Nesbitt, of Dallas, Texas; a grandmother, Geneva Boyd, of Forrest City; a sister, Ashley Boyd, of Forrest City; four brothers, Climmie Boyd, of Fayeteville, Clifton Boyd, Billy Boyd, and Michal Boyd, all of Forrest City.
Visitation for Miss Boyd will be held Friday, Dec. 29, 2000, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Kennedy Chapel Funeral Home. A wake will follow from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., the same evening. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000, at 2:30 p.m., at New Light M.B. Church, with the Rev. Jessie McClure officiating. Burial to follow at Forrest City Cemetery. Kennedy Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Booker Hansberry
Mr. Booker Hansberry, age 86, of Little Rock, formerly of Forrest City, died Saturday, Dec. 23, 2000, in Little Rock.
Mr. Hansberry is survived by six daughters, Odenia Coley, of Toledo, Ohio, Barbara Rucker, Deloris Smith, Theresa Kirkland, all of Little Rock, Debbie Brenda, of Chicago, Ill., Hazel Hansberry, of Spring, Texas; six sons, Booker Hansberry Jr., Milton Hansberry, Calvin Hansberry, Jenorice Hansberry, Larry Hansberry, all of Chicago, Ill., Alvin Hansberry, of Little Rock; a sister, Penscola Sain, of Forrest City; two brothers, R.D. Bradley, of Chicago, Ill., Q.B. Bradley, of New Jersey; and 27 grandchildren.
Visitation for Mr. Hansberry will be held Friday, Dec. 29, 2000, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Kennedy Chapel. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000, at 11 a.m., at Rising Sun M.B. Church, with the Rev. John Strong Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Paradise Gardens in Edmondson. Kennedy Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Betty Light
Mrs. Betty Light, age 86, of Forrest City, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, at her home.
Mrs. Light was born on Nov. 1, 1914, in Helena, and was the daughter of Paul Curtin Smith and Ethel Burke Smith. She made her home in Forrest City most of her life. She was retired from Arkansas Power and Light, and was a member of the First United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Light married Jason Lowell Light and he preceded her in death in 1973. She is survived by one daughter, Paula Jones, of Forrest City; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Graveside funeral services for Mrs. Light will be held Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000, at 11:30 a.m., in Forrest Park Cemetery. Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Jack Sorrells
Mr. Jack Sorrells, age 88, of Marianna, died Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000, at his home.
Mr. Sorrells was born in England, on July 29, 1912. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sorrells. He had lived in Marianna most of his life.
Mr. Sorrells was preceded in death by a wife, Vivian Sorrells, and a son, Lonnie Anderson. He is survived by a son, Jackie Sorrells, of Marianna; five daughters, Agnes McNair, of Minot, N.D., Pauline Ward, Juanita Martin, both of Forrest City, Winsel Harper, of Lexa, Peggy Casteel, of Marianna; a brother, Harold Sorrells, of Wynne; three sisters, Nettie Davis, Margie Fisher, both of Marianna, Goldie Shepherd, of Holly Grove; 21 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services were held today, Friday, Dec. 29, 2000, at LaGrange Cemetery, with Bro. Gary Malone officiating. Fowler Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
The family requests memorials to be made to the American Cancer Society.
James Ed "Jim" Clegg
Mr. James Ed Clegg, age 66, of Colt, died Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, in his home.
Mr. Clegg, born July 17, 1934, was the son of Ed Clegg and Alice Martin Clegg. He was a St. Francis County resident for most of his life. Mr. Clegg was a St. Francis County road supervisor and a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He was also a Constable for the Telico Township. He was a Baptist and a member of Harris Chapel Baptist Church.
Mr. Clegg is survived by his wife, Harriet, of the home; a daughter, Melissa Clegg, of Colt; two brothers Hubert Clegg, of Mississippi, Robert Clegg, of Colt; three sisters, Dorothy Grisham, of Mississippi; Dollie Boone, of Colt, Mary Owens, of Wynne; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son James Clegg Jr., in 1973, and a daughter, Crystal Clegg, in 1969.
Funeral services for Mr. Clegg were today, Monday, Dec. 4, 2000, at Morgan Chapel. Bro. Dan Minton officiated the service and was assisted by Bro. Calvin Starkey. Burial followed at Forrest Park Cemetery under the direction of Morgan Funeral Home.
Venici Mann
Mrs. Venici Mann, age 80, of Sanger, Texas, died Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, in Texas.
Mrs. Mann, born May 1, 1920, in Almyra, was the daughter of Austin Thomas Sr. and Lillian Goodale Thomas. Mrs. Mann was a retired bank teller with First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas.
She is survived by her daughter, Lana Newman, of Sanger, Texas and two sisters, Velmagene Gray, Ellen Halbert, both of Heber Springs.
A graveside service for Mrs. Mann is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000, at 10 a.m. at Forrest Park Cemetery under the direction of Coker Funeral Home of Sanger, Texas.
