James Baker
James "Gene" Baker, 75, of Rock Falls, Ill., died Aug. 6, 2002, at the Skilled Care Center in Morrison, Ill.
Born June 5, 1927, in Hoxie, he was the son of James W. and Martha L. Richey Baker. He served in the Navy during World War II and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Rock Falls.
He was employed by Northwestern Steel and Wire Co. in Sterling, Ill., for more than 50 years. He had served as recording secretary for Union Local 63 and chairman of the workers compensation committee. He was mayor of Rock Falls for six years and an alderman of that city for 20 years.
His parents preceded him in death.
Survivors include two daughters, Sheila Murphy, Cary, Ill., and Sharon Baker, Richmond, Texas; and a grandson, Sean Patric Murphy.
Funeral was Saturday morning at 10 at McDonald Funeral Home in Rock Falls, with Rev. Thomas Burr officiating. Graveside services were Sunday at 2 p.m. in Lawrence Memorial Park with Bro. Bob Smith officiating. Bryan Funeral Home of Hoxie had charge of arrangements.
Family and friends served as pallbearers.
Memorials may be made to the Displaced Workers Fund of the United Way.
Eugene W. Ball Sr.
Eugene W. Ball Sr., 82, of Walnut Ridge, died Aug. 9, 2002, at the Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, Ill.
Born Nov. 28, 1919, in Lawrence County, he was the son of Archie and Mary Manning Ball and stepson of Effie Ivins Ball. He retired in 1982 from Greenlee Brothers Manufacturing in Rockford, after 32 years of employment. He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy, a Mason and a member of the Oak Hill General Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, David Hanna.
Survivors include his wife, Voulean Deen Ball, whom he married on June 29, 1940; a son, Eugene W. Ball Jr., Rockford, Ill.; two daughters, Patricia Hanna, Davis Junction, Ill., and Betty Bates, Poplar Bluff, Mo.; a sister, Mildred Alphin, Jonesboro; eight grandchildren, Andrew Ball, Patricia Schooley, Richard Hanna, Robert Hanna, Heather Wallin, Russell Hanna, Kristy Rogers and Bradley Bates; and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral was Tuesday morning at 10 at the Oak Hill General Baptist Church with Revs. Marion Stringer and Dale Bates officiating. Burial was in Manning #2 Cemetery under the direction of Bryan Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Andy Ball, Richard Hanna, Russell Hanna, Brad Bates, Jerry Deen and Joey Doyle.
Thelma C. Blankenship
Thelma C. Blankenship, 86, of Black Rock, died Aug. 6, 2002, at St. Bernards in Jonesboro.
Born at Middlebrook, she was a teacher.
She was preceded in death by a son.
Survivors include her husband, John Blankenship; a sister, Wilma Baker, St. Louis; six grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Funeral was Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the chapel of McNabb Funeral Home of Pocahontas. Burial was in Nelson Cemetery in Reyno.
Mary Francis Cook
Mary Francis Cook, 86, of Alicia, died Aug. 8, 2002, at St. Bernards in Jonesboro.
Born in Arkansas, she lived in Alicia most of her life. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jake Cook; a daughter, a grandchild and a great-grandchild.
Survivors include five sons, Bobby Cook, Jonesboro, Jerry Cook and Robert Cook, both of Bono, Joe Cook, Myrtle, Mo., and Jimmy Cook, Egypt; two daughters, Naomi Renck, Jonesboro, and Gail Cook, of the home; 18 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren.
Funeral was Saturday at 2 p.m. at Oak Grove Church of Christ, near Egypt, with Andy Merrett and Butch Parks officiating. Burial was in Markham Cemetery at Egypt under the direction of Gregg Funeral Home of Jonesboro.
Pallbearers were Jeff Cook, Marvin Parks, Jimmy Bland Cook, Mike Cook, Scotty Cook and Gary Renck. Honorary pallbearers included Bill Parks, Paul Parks, Donnie Renck, Randy Cook and Jerry Cook.
Emil Roy Dahm
Emil Roy Dahm, 66, of Pocahontas, brother of Edward Dahm of Hoxie, died Aug. 7, 2002, at St. Bernards in Jonesboro. Burial was in Chezk Cemetery in Hazen under the direction of McNabb Funeral Home of Pocahontas.
Boyce Tom Dobbs
Boyce Tom Dobbs, 82, of La Grange, Mo., died Aug. 8, 2002, at his home.
Born Sept. 24, 1919, in Alicia, he was the son of Thomas "Mont" and Sarah Elizabeth Stalnaker Dobbs. He married Carolyn L. Hastings on Nov. 8, 1974, in Quincy, Ill. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a retired machinist from Gardner-Denver, Inc. He also had been in the Civilian Conservation Corp in Oregon, had been a chef at the Lincoln Douglas Hotel and a chef and bartender at the Cuckoo Clock and the Plaza Restaurant in Quincy and had been engaged in farming for a number of years.
He was preceded in death by a son, Boyce Thomas Dobbs, and eight brothers and sisters.
Survivors include his wife Carolyn Dobbs; three sons, Tom Dobbs, Liberty, Mo., Ted Dobbs, Quincy, Mo., and Robert Dobbs, Chesterfield, Mo.; a daughter, Betsy L. Dobbs Smith, New Berlin, Ill.; and four grandchildren, Chad Dobbs, Kim Dobbs, Kyle Dobbs and Lauren Smith; and a great-grandchild.
Funeral was Sunday at 2 p.m. at Davis Funeral Home in La Grange with Rev. Kenneth Ballard officiating. Burial with military honors by Otto Bruner Post #170 of the American Legion was in Marks Cemetery in La Grange.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Patsy Sue Ellis
Patsy Sue Ellis, 84, of Little Rock, died Aug. 11, 2002, at St. Vincent Infirmary.
Born April 24, 1918, in Fordyce, she was the daughter of Lesley Wolbridge and Mattie Lee Ferres. She was chief receptionist and secretary for her brother-in-law, Murray, while he was attorney general. She was Governor Orval Faubus' chief aide during his 12-year tenure.
Survivors include her husband, Charles S. Ellis, Little Rock; sisters-in-law, Muriel Samuels, Fordyce, Janis Ellis, Walnut Ridge, and Mary Morton, Florida; three nieces; five nephews; and numerous great-nieces and nephews.
Funeral is this afternoon at 1 at The Ruebel Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Betsy Singleton officiating. Burial will be in Pinecrest Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church.
Bobby Dean Hilburn
Bobby Dean Hilburn, 69, of Murray, Ky., formerly of Lawrence County, died Aug. 10, 2002, at West View Nursing Home.
Born in Eaton, he was a retired Church of Christ minister and an insurance agent
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister.
Survivors include a son, Gary Hilburn, Mobile, Ala.; a daughter, Sherry Hager, Murray, Ky.; a brother, David Hilburn, Blytheville; a sister, Bernice Turner, Memphis; two half-sisters, Linda McBride, Arnold, Mo., and Opal Housh, Walnut Ridge; three grandchildren, Shelia Whaley, Jeffrey Hilburn and Jerry Hilburn; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral was Tuesday morning at 11 in Higginbotham Chapel with Gerald Fears officiating.
Burial was in Ward Cemetery, near Strawberry.
Omagene McDowell Hubbard
Omagene McDowell Hubbard, age 69, of McDougal, stepmother of Steven Hubbard of Strawberry, died Aug. 1, 2002, at the Family Medical Center at Corning. Burial was Saturday afternoon in Piggott Cemetery under the direction of Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home in Piggott.
Linda Langston
Linda Langston, 59, of Bono, died Aug. 7, 2002, at her home.
Born at Mt. Pleasant, she lived in Lawrence County for many years before moving to the Bono area. She was a day-care teacher and was a member of the Assemblies of God Church.
Survivors include a son, Chris Langston, Nairobi, Kenya; a brother, Jim Warnick, Bono; and two grandchildren, David Langston and Aimee Langston.
Funeral was Saturday at 10 a.m. in the House-Gregg Chapel with Revs. Mike Glover and Betty Williams officiating. Burial was in Reeves Cemetery, near Guion, under the direction of House-Gregg Funeral Home of Walnut Ridge.
Pallbearers were Charles Brooks, Terry Langston, Rev. J. Randal Hackworth, Billy Brooks, Delmas Johnson and Rev. Bobby Spencer.
Memorials may be made to the First Assembly of God Church, 1404 Stone St., Jonesboro, AR 72401.
Kenneth Ray "Kenny" Owens Sr
Kenneth Ray "Kenny" Owens Sr., 66, of Smyrna, Tenn., died Aug. 1, 2002.
Born and raised in Sedgwick, he had lived in Wayne, Mich., and Jonesboro and moved to the Smyrna/Nashville area about 30 years ago. He was a retired general contractor and was a music entertainer when he lived in the Jonesboro area. He was a member of the Antioch First Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie B. and Mary Lena Owens, and a sister, Imogene Irwin.
Survivors include his wife, Frances Owens; a daughter, Carol Shalaine, St. Johns, USVI; a son, Kenneth Ray Owens Jr., Murfreesboro, Tenn.; four sisters, Dolly Farmer and Eudora Morris, both of Wayne, Mich., Virginia Shelley, St. Louis, and Mary Moskop, Sedgwick; two brothers, Richard Owens, Sedgwick, and Louie Owens, Del Rio, Texas; three grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Funeral was Sunday, Aug. 4, in the House-Gregg Chapel with Thomy Green officiating. Burial was in Old Military Cemetery, near Sedgwick, under the direction of House-Gregg Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Frank Owens, Louie Owens Jr., Jeff Moskop, Herbert Moore, Gary Roberts, Gene Barnett, Steve Morris and Charles Morris.
Irma Pierce
Irma Pierce, 91, of Corning, half-sister of Harvey Montgomery of Egypt, died Aug. 9, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Burial was Monday in Corning Cemetery under the direction of Ermert Funeral Home.
William Poe Spotts
William Poe "Bill" Spotts, 90, of Little Rock, died Aug. 6, 2002, at his home.
A native of Lauratown, he was the son of William Henry and Molly Stinnett Spotts. He moved to Little Rock as a young man and graduated from Little Rock High School in 1933 and from Arkansas Law School in 1939. He was an abstractor and an expert in real estate law. Spotts was co-author of the book, "Evidencing Arkansas Land Titles." He was a member of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church and active in civic affairs.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, including Buster Spotts, who lived in Walnut Ridge, and by five sisters.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Annie Lee Siegler Spotts; two daughters, Billye Jean Jurkiewicz, Raliegh, N.C., and Mary Anne Burrough, Little Rock; two brothers, Bud Spotts, Little Rock, and Joe Spotts, California; a sister, Irma Losey, Tulsa, Okla.; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Funeral was Saturday morning at 10:30 at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church with Rev. Lynn Lindsey officiating. Burial was in Pinecrest Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202 or United Methodist Children's Home, 2002 S. Filmore Street, Little Rock, AR 72204.
Ora Bell Thigpun
Ora Bell Thigpun, 85, of Black Rock, died Aug. 12, 2002, at St. Bernards in Jonesboro.
Born March 25, 1917, in New Albany, Miss., she was the daughter of Memory Jennings Jarrett and Clarcie Jarrett.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Thigpun.
Survivors include a son, Charlie L. Moss, Bulverde, Texas; two daughters, Mary Maggard, Black Rock, and Carolyn Schmidt, Elgin, S.C.; 31 grandchildren; and 42 great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Higginbotham Funeral Service.
Virginia Vanhook
Virginia Vanhook, 80, of Newport, died Aug. 8, 2002, in Little Rock.
She was the widow of Earl Vanhook, who had an interest in the Van-Atkins department store in Walnut Ridge a few years ago.
Survivors include two daughters, two sons, a sister, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Monday in Newport.
Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, First United Methodist Church or the W.A. Billingsley Memorial Library in Newport.
