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Beverly Johnson
Beverly A. Johnson, 66, of Fort Smith died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2001, in Fort Smith. She was a Baptist and a member of the DAV Auxiliary, and a representative for Hallmark Cards.
Funeral will be 11 a.m. today in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at U.S. National cemetery in Fort Smith.
She is survived by her husband, Dennis; two sons, Gary D. Johnson of Little Rock, and Steven W. Johnson of Maumele; her mother, Agnes Huckaby of Paris; two sisters, Shelby Holzman of Ozark, and Pat Gleghorn of Mountain Home; two grandchildren, Rebekah Anne and Deborah Elizabeth Johnson, both of Little Rock.
Pallbearers will be James Gleghorn, Phil, Bill, Scott and Brian Holzman and Jacque Morris.
Hubert Bailey
OZARK — Hubert E. Bailey, 68, of Ozark died Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2001, in a Fort Smith hospital. He was a retired operator with the Arkansas Electric Generating Plant in Ozark, and a member of the First Baptist Church in Ozark, and was a 32nd degree Mason.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Friday in First Baptist Church in Ozark with burial at Highland cemetery in Ozark under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home of Ozark.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; two sons, Edward Bailey of Ozark, and John Bailey of Mulberry; his stepfather, James Lawrence of Mena; two grandchildren, Amber and Adam Bailey of Ozark.
Michael Bayles
MENA — Michael Craig Bayles, 4, of Mena died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2001, in Mena. He was born Nov. 17, 1996, in Denver. He was a member of the Board Camp Assembly of God.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday in the Board Camp Assembly of God with burial at Pleasant Grove cemetery in Big Fork under the direction of Beasley-Wood Funeral Home of Mena.
He is survived by his mother, Johnna Robertson of Mena; his father, Brett Bayles of Brady, Texas; two sisters, Sarah Robertson of Mena, and Sierra Bayles of Brady, Texas; his maternal grandparents, Craig and Pat Cohen of Mena; paternal grandparents, Platte and Marilyn Bayles of Hurricane, Utah; great-grandmother, Jessie Lasley of Lakewood, Colo.; several cousins, aunts and uncles.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Lela Manning
POTEAU — Lela Thelma Manning, 81, of Poteau died Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2001, in a Fort Smith hospital. She was born Aug. 7, 1920, in Pocola. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church of Poteau.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday in First Baptist Church in Poteau with burial at Oakland cemetery in Poteau under the direction of Evans & Miller Funeral Home of Poteau.
She is survived by her husband, Henry; two daughters, Sharron Whitlock of Poteau, and Danita Rizzo of Van Buren; a son, Henry Manning Jr. of Wister; three granddaughters, Lana Manning of Dallas, Carol Kannady of Poteau and Krissy Manning of Wister; and one great-granddaughter.
Billy Zellers
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. — Billy Gene Zellers, 56, of Fayetteville, Tenn., formerly of Fort Smith, died Sunday, July 29, 2001, in Fayetteville, Tenn. He was a graduate of Northside High School in Fort Smith, and was a forklift driver for Thomas Brothers Sod Company in Fayetteville, Tenn.
Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Thursday in Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Forest Park cemetery in Fort Smith.
He is survived by his parents, Irene and Robert Thorbjornson of Van Buren; a sister, Sandy Gregory of Van Buren; a brother, Dicky Zellers of Fort Smith; several nieces and nephews and great-nieces.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs, 4905 North O St., Fort Smith, AR 72904.
Mrs. Mamie Inez Smith
Mrs. Mamie Inez Smith, age 91, of Alma entered into rest Sunday, Aug. 5, 2001, in Fort Smith. She was born in Van Buren to Lynn and Molly Lovegrove on March 21, 1910. She was a lifetime resident of Crawford County and a member of Concord Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband and best friend of 65 years, Raymond Willie Smith, and two sons, Cleo and Eddie Smith. She is survived by six daughters, Elizabeth Arnold of Alma, Barbara Patton of Springdale, Wanda Meadors of Mulberry, Edith Harvey of Fayetteville, Brenda Reed of Alma and Shirlene Carter of Alma; three sons, Clyde, Jimmy and Dean Smith, all of Alma; a sister, Lucille Green of Alma; a sister-in-law, Trudy Smith of Van Buren; 26 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. today in Concord Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Alma cemetery in Alma under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Terry and Jamie Smith, Tim and Todd Patton, Michael and Chris Harvey, Ronald and Scott Reed, Randy Arnold and Shannon Meadors.
Honorary pallbearers will be the deacons at Concord Baptist Church.
Mrs. Jennie Clair King
Mrs. Jennie Clair King, 67, of Mulberry died Monday, Aug. 6, 2001, in a Fort Smith hospital. She was born Jan. 1, 1934, to Tobe and Lillian Robertson in the Pleasant View Community. She was a homemaker, a member of the Vine Prairie Baptist Church, the Mulberry Extension Homemaker’s Club, the Crawford County Fair Board Association. She also served as general superintendent of the Home Economics Division of the Crawford County Fair since 1983. Her father, Tobe Robertson preceded her in death.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. today in Vine Prairie Baptist Church in Mulberry with burial at New cemetery in Mulberry under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
She is survived by her husband, Clyde “Bobby” King of the home; two daughters, Twila King of Van Buren, and daughter and son-in-law, Gina and Mark Briles of Derby, Kan.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Stevie and Katie King of Alma, and Kerry and Reba King of Mulberry; her mother, Lillian Robertson of Mulberry; a sister, Cleta Whitaker of Mulberry; eight grandchildren, Stephanie and Kimberly King, both of Alma, Andrea, Keri Jo, Zackery and Kayla King, all of Mulberry, Jake and Justin Briles, both of Derby, Kan.
Pallbearers will be Zack King, Harry Keifer, Junior and Randy Tapley, John Crupper, Donald Whitaker and Rickey House.
Honorary pallbearers will be Sam House, Chester Fisher, Dale Morse, Jack James, Norman Gregory, Jerry Dickerson, Roger Benham and the members of the Vine Prairie Baptist Church.
To submit an online memorial tribute go to: www.mem.com.
Pauline Merriman Schilling
Pauline Merriman Schilling, 96, of Fort Smith died Monday, Aug. 6, 2001, in Fort Smith. She was a bookkeeper at Simpson Insurance Agency and a member of the First United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Schilling.
Funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at Forest Park cemetery in Fort Smith.
She is survived by a son, Marv Schilling of Fort Smith; three grandchildren, Matthew Schilling of Richardson, Texas, Natalie Morris of Little Rock, and Mark McLain of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; and three great grandchildren, Taylor Mattox, Bren Schilling and Abby Morris.
Elizabeth “Lies” Young
Elizabeth “Lies” Young, 55, of Fort Smith died Monday, Aug. 6, 2001, in Fort Smith. She was a homemaker.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. today in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Smith.
She is survived by her husband, James Young; a daughter, Michelle Leary of Fort Smith; a son, Michael Young of Fort Smith; her mother, Reynie Ruyssenaars of the Netherlands; two brothers, Toni and Hans Ruyssenaars, both of the Netherlands; and a grandchild, Aubrey Leary.
Anita Jean Moore
Anita Jean Moore, 60, of Fort Smith died Monday, July 30, 2001, in her home. She was born March 5, 1941. She was a homemaker.
The body was cremated under the direction of Rowell-Parish Mortuary. Memorial service will be 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, in Short, Okla. For further information, call 806-7836.
She is survived by a son, Billy Kipp Moore of Fort Smith; a friend, Billy Slats Neal of Fort Smith.
John Ralph Marlowe Jr.
A reception and celebration of John Ralph Marlowe Jr.'s life will be held Friday, Aug. 10, at the Kingsbridge Condominiums Club House, south off Pleasant Valley Drive on Kingsbridge Way Valley Road. Valet parking will be available and all of John’s friends are encouraged to attend. For further information, call Ruebel Funeral Home, (501) 666-0123 or visit www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Pulaski County Humane Society, 14600 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock, AR 72210.
Kevin A. Ross
Kevin A. Ross, 43, of Spring Hill, Kan., died Sunday, Aug. 5, 2001, in a vehicle accident in South Dakota. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, in D.W. Newcomer’s Sons Johnson County Funeral Chapel, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park, Kan. Funeral services will be 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, in Southwoods Christian Church, at 161st & Metcalf. Burial will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11 at Prairie Grove cemetery in Prairie Grove.
Kevin was an air traffic controller for FAA in Olathe, Kan. He was an avid golfer and outdoorsman. He loved his motorcycle and was traveling with friends to Sturgis, S.D., for the yearly motorcycle rally at the time of his death.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Clyde Ross.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Terri Ross; his son, Jason Ross, two daughters, Laura Winters and her husband Doug, and Jennifer Metcalf and her husband Matt; his parents, Joe and Shirley Ross; two sisters, Cathey Shaffer and Karen Hicks; two grandchildren, Courtney Ross and Keely Winters; paternal grandmother, Melba Ross; maternal grandparents, Wesley and Lorraine Ramsey.
His family he loved first and foremost. “A Rebel at Heart.”
see Death Notices page 5a
Susie Hopper
Susie Hopper of Hackett, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter and sister went to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, Aug. 6, 2001.
Susie was born in Oklahoma City on March 26, 1954. She graduated from Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City and received a bachelors degree from Arkansas Tech University at Russellville. She has taught in the Hackett School System for 10 years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Hackett, serving as church organist, Sunday school teacher, G.A. and Acteen leader, and with her husband, was called by the Lord to serve as youth directors.
Susie is survived by her husband of 26 years, Frankie; two daughters, Lndsay Elizabeth and Lacy Jean of the home; a son and daughter-in-law, B.J. and Cherise of Houston; one granddaughter, Alyssa Grace of Houston; her parents, Billie Lee White of Hackett and Billie Joe White of Oklahoma City; her grandmother, Ida Mae Long of Mansfield; one brother and sister-in-law, Bryan and Bea White of Greenwood; one aunt and uncle, Dee and Parviz Mehdizadeh of Scottsdale, Ariz., two uncles, Claude White of Tulsa, and Doil White of Gainesville, Fla.; several nieces, nephews and cousins. She will be missed by her family and her many, many friends.
The family will meet with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday in the Hackett High School Gymnasium under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood.
A Susie Hopper Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established at Farmer’s Bank.
Bette Mae Aston Provin
Bette Mae Aston Provin, 83, was reared in Fort Smith being a charter member of Southside Baptist Church. She worked for Kresge Company where she met her predeceased husband Bill. Bette had a strong work ethic and after rearing her two children worked at the Fort Smith Freight Bureau and eventually retired from the Employment Security Division of the State of Arkansas in Fort Smith. She died Monday, Aug. 6, 2001, in Hot Springs where she lived with her son.
Funeral will be 11 a.m. Friday in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at Roselawn cemetery in Fort Smith.
She is survived by two sons, Bill E. Provin II of Hot Springs, and Dallas and wife, Pat Provin of Conway; three great-grandchildren, Michelle and husband Tommy Crumpton of Little Rock, and Greg Provin of Plano, Texas, and Melissa and husband, Jeff West of Conway; two twin great-grandchildren, Ryan and Tanner Crumpton who were the special love of her life. At age 79, she suffered blackouts only to discover she had partially blocked arteries. The doctor told her she might have to have surgery but she told them she did not want anything to endanger her life since she was expecting twin great-grandsons. They gave her baby aspirin, which cured the problem. The boys were born on Jan. 15, 1997. She bragged to everyone about those great-grandsons and they were the highlight of her last years. Betty loved cooking and good tasting food and would always describe any favorite item by saying, “that’s the best I ever had”. She lived her life for her family and was always there in time of need. She will be missed by her family and close companion and protector, Lizzy.
Memorial contributions may be made to any local Humane Society.
Dr. Harold E. “Jim” Griffin
Dr. Harold E. “Jim” Griffin, 66, of Conway died Monday, Aug. 6, 2001. Born July 29, 1935, he was the son of Harold W. Griffin and the late Jewel Griffin. He is survived by his wife, Pegge Griffin; three sons, Hal Griffin, Kirk Griffin and his wife, Dana, and Doug Davis and his wife, Tami; one daughter, Denece Ferebee and her husband, Charles; seven grandchildren, Sammi, Breezy, Tony, Michael, Juli, Jami and Sara, and was preceded in death by grandchildren, Jake and Molly. He is also survived by his father, Harold W. Griffin, and three brothers, Bill, Ray and Ron Griffin, and one sister, LaVerne Griffin.
He attended Arkansas Tech in 1958, received his master’s degree in education from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1959, and a doctoral degree from the University of Missouri in 1972. Jim taught at Southeast Missouri, and recently retired from the University of Central Arkansas after 12 years. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Conway, a veteran of the Army, a 32nd degree Mason, and member of the Masonic Lodge in Newburg, Mo.
Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday in McConnell Funeral Home Chapel in Greenwood with burial at Mount Zion cemetery in Hackett.
Viewing will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home, where the family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund, Conway, Ark.
Mary Lee Burton Wakefield
It is with great sadness that we announce that Mary Lee Burton Wakefield passed away in North Little Rock on Aug. 5, 2001. She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam E. Wakefield, her brothers, Albert and Eugene Burton of Fayetteville, and Dr. Frank Burton of Hot Springs, her parents, Fitzhugh Burton and Selma Belding Burton whose families were founding pioneers of Hot Springs.
She is survived by her three children, Mary Virginia Bray of Salem, Ore., Selma Moody of Roanoke, Va., and Sam Burton Wakefield of Sherwood; seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
He education included Cutter School in Hot Springs, Henderson Brown University in Arkadelphia, and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education. Mary taught in Fort Smith public schools for 18 years, and was a member of Fort Smith Retired Teacher’s Association and Kappa Kapp Iota. She was a member of First United Methodist Church where she was active in United Methodist Women, Methodist Nursing Home Auxiliary, Pacesetters, Senior Singles, and Uplifters Sunday school class. Growing up in simpler times, Mary loved the best parts of life, her creator, her family, the beauty and wonder of nature, and the beauty of music, art, poetry, and literature. She demonstrated, by her life, respect, humility, honesty, generosity, and service to her God and those in need.
Family visitation will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the funeral home. Funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday in Roebuck Chapel of First United Methodist Church with burial at Lowe’s Creek cemetery near Charleston under the direction of Fentress Mortuary of Fort Smith.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to First United Methodist Church for Pacesetters or the Building Fund.
