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William Fitzer
William Sam Fitzer, 47, of Van Buren died Sunday, July 7, 2002, in Fort Smith. He was a member of Zion Baptist Church of Van Buren.
Graveside service will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Lona Valley cemetery in Kinta under the direction of Mallory Funeral Home of Spiro.
He is survived by his wife, Linda; two daughters, Angela and Shawna, both of the home; his parents, William and Clarice Fitzer of Van Buren; a sister, Sonya Kay Goodwin of Van Buren; two brothers, Carl and Dale Fitzer, both of Van Buren.
Pallbearers will be Steve Greene, David Skaggs, Larry Wright, Larry Clinton Wright and Joe and James Fitzer.
The body may be viewed at the funeral home, where the family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today.
Chieko Plonski
MULBERRY — Chieko Plonski, 70, of Mulberry died Sunday, July 7, 2002, in her home. She was a homemaker and a member of Christ the King Catholic Church in Fort Smith. She was the widow of Anthony P. Plonksi.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at U.S. National cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
She is survived by two sons, Thomas and Michael Plonski, both of Mulberry; her mother, Toyo Maida of Tokyo, Japan; a sister, Shizue Matsuda of Tokyo, Japan; and a grandchild, Justin Plonski of Mulberry.
Lon Melton
MULBERRY — Lon F. Melton, 77, of Mulberry died Sunday, July 7, 2002, in a local hospital. He was a Navy veteran of World War II, a retired electrician, a member of First Free Will Baptist Church in Mulberry and the I.B.E.W. Union.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Ocker Funeral Home Chapel in Alma with burial at Rankin cemetery in Franklin County with military honors.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth; two daughters, Gail Turner of Mulberry and Gayla McKenzie of Claremore, Okla.; four sons, Dan Melton of Minnesota, David Melton of New York, Don Melton of Texas and David Smalley of Mulberry; his mother, Pauline Melton of Oklahoma; a sister, Marcia Jamison of Oklahoma; two brothers, James and William Melton both of Oklahoma; 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy McKenzie, Jim Melton, Allen and Jonathon Turner, David Smalley, Terry Shepard and Robert Mathews.
Opal Dustman
MAPLE COMMUNITY — Opal Jiles Dustman, 88, of Maple Community died Monday, July 8, 2002, in Muldrow. She was born Sept. 25, 1913, in Maple Community. She was a homemaker and attended Maple Free Will Baptist Church.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Agent Funeral Home Chapel in Muldrow with burial at Maple cemetery in Muldrow.
She is survived by three daughters, Sally Jeremiah of Maple, Pat Munger of McAlester, Okla., and June Adams of Haskell, Okla.; two sons, Junior and Donald Ray Dustman, both of Muldrow; eight grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Leslie and Eddie Dustman, Sam Peters, Jim Lawson, Jason McKinney and D.J. Jeremiah.
The body may be viewed 3 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home, where the family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m.
Janna Kirkpatrick
HULBERT, Okla. — Janna Marie Paul Kirkpatrick, 32, of Hulbert, Okla., formerly of McCurtain, died Sunday, July 7, 2002, in Tulsa. She was a school teacher.
Graveside service will be 2 p.m. Friday at Miners cemetery in McCurtain under the direction of Mallory Funeral Home of Stigler.
She is survived by her husband, William; two daughters, Lacey Lachelle Goins and Kari Dawn Kirkpatrick, both of the home; two sons, Trent Michael and Kyle Dean Kirkpatrick, both of the home; her parents, Richard and Judy Paul of Spiro; and a brother, Wesley Alan Paul of McCurtain.
Pallbearers will be James Carr, Johnny Bray, Mark Lemond, John Anderson, George and Martin Walls, Jeremy Hitchcock and LeRoy Glenn.
Marlene Chitwood
Marlene Chitwood, 64, of Palm Desert, Calif., died Wednesday, June 19, 2002, in Palm Desert. She was a native of Dyer, a 1955 graduate of Alma High School, a 1958 graduate of Ventura College in Ventura, Calif., held securities and real estate licenses in the state of California and had been both president and vice-president of the Coachella Valley Symphony League, which brings both music and instruments to underprivileged children. She aso had worked for the American Cancer Society. She was preceded in death by her father, D.C. Chitwood, and a daughter, Michelle Sibrian.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home in Van Buren with burial at Dyer cemetery.
She is survived by her mother, Hazel Chitwood of Kibler; a sister, Kay Chitwood of Alma; a brother, Scotty Chitwood of Ventura, Calif.; a niece, Becky Duarte, of Camarillo, Calif.; a great niece, Merilee Iverson of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; a granddaughter, Erica Shores of Alma; and a great-grandson, Phillip Shores of Alma.
Pallbearers will be Jim Preston, Jerry Hunter, Jimmy Carrol Harris, Billy Gale Morris, Keith Gregory and J.R. Joyce.
Honorary pallbearers will be Germerial Warrick, Joe Wayne Harris, Michael Gregory, Howard Kosier, Fines Batchelor and Mack Jenkins.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, 4100 Alma Highway, Van Buren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or Coachella Valley Symphony League.
Laveta Heard
Laveta Heard, 82, of Fort Smith, formerly of Benton, passed away Saturday, June 22, 2002. She was born to the late Samuel and Orpha Sanders in Poyen.
She is survived by her husband, J.W. “Buck” Heard of Fort Smith; two sons, Dr. W. Don Heard of Vian and Terry and Anita Heard of Fort Smith; a sister, Anita Jones of Benton; a grandson, Jason of Fort Smith; a great-grandson, Talton Jay of Fort Smith; four nieces, Margie Middleton of Benton, Emilia Jones Chastain of Austin, Joyce Warden of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Janet McGill of Akron, Ohio; and two nephews, Whit and Kurt Jones, both of Benton.
Graveside service will be noon Tuesday at New Rosemont cemetery under the direction of Ashby Funeral Home of Benton.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Albert Drake
SPIRO — Albert M. Drake, 74, of Spiro died Saturday, June 22, 2002, in Fort Smith.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at New Hope cemetery in Spiro under the direction of Mallory Funeral Home of Spiro.
He is survived by his wife, Jennie; two daughters, Gail Richardson and Barbara Harvell, both of Spiro; two grandchildren, Mike Harvell of Sallisaw and David Harvell of Spiro; and four great-grandchildren.
The body may be viewed at the funeral home.
The family will visit with friends from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Oscar Hurst
HEAVENER — Oscar “Joe” Hurst, 80, of Heavener died Saturday, June 22, 2002, in Heavener. He was a resident of Heavener since 1993, of the Baptist faith and a veteran of World War II. He is the widower of Ora Alice Hurst.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Dowden Funeral Home Chapel in Heavener with burial at Memorial Park in Heavener.
He is survived by his son, Calvin of Heavener.
Steven Huntington
Steven Lee Huntington, 18, of Van Buren died Saturday, June 22, 2002, in a local hospital. He was born Feb. 14, 1984, in Bartlesville, Okla. He was a graduate of Cedarville High School, employed by Accurate Machine & Service Co. and a student at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. He was a member of VICA at UAFS and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Funeral will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Lewis Funeral Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at Honey Hill cemetery in Stillwell.
He is survived by his fiancee, Elisha Hickey of Van Buren; his parents, Steven and Susan Huntington of Van Buren; his mother, Charlotte Lindsey of Altus, Okla.; maternal grandmother, Peggy Sue Frost of Fort Smith; paternal grandmother, Kathryn Juanita Mayer of Muskogee; two sisters, Tonya Huntington of Van Buren and Crystal Ward of Muskogee; two brothers, Michael Mayer of Muskogee and Richard Dempsey Osburn of Sallisaw; and a stepbrother, Stephen Cooper of Van Buren.
Pallbearers will be Joseph Drewey, Dustin Lamproe, Ronnie Harris, Thomas Terry, Darrell Hickey and Steve Shepard.
Sophia Benham
LOVELAND, Colo. — Sophia Mae “Jean” Benham, 88, of Loveland, formerly of Spiro, died Friday, June 21, 2002, in Loveland. She previously lived in Fort Smith and Florida before moving to Loveland. She was the widow of C.B. Autry.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Spiro City cemetery under the direction of Mallory Funeral Home of Spiro.
She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Annie Saul and Don of Loveland; a sister, Ruth Smith of Fort Smith; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
The body may be viewed at the funeral home.
The family will visit with friends from 5 to 8 p.m. today.
Johnny Bunten
WALDRON — Johnny Lee Bunten, 57, of Waldron died Saturday, June 22, 2002, in a Waldron hospital. He was a logger and a member of Hon Baptist Church.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Monday at Martin Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron with burial at Kirk cemetery in Cauthron.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia; two daughters, Sherry L. Garrett and Linda J. Belanger, both of Huntington; a son, Randall L. Bunten of Waldron; his mother, Opal Bunten of Waldron; three sisters, Ruby Chacon of Maricopa, Calif., Ola Mae Kemp of Pencil Bluff and Edith Slater of Waldron; and four grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be J.C. and Jake Helms, Gary Carter, David Cabe, Josh Coughran and Chris Slate.
George Veit
George Theodore Veit, 71, of St. Louis, Mo. died June 20, 2002, in his Fort Smith home. He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Fleet and was a defensive lineman for the “Subpac Red Raiders” of the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet. He was a 1955 graduate of North Texas State University in Denton, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts and business. He was a former industrial arts instructor and football line coach for the Arkansas Tech Wonderboys. His major career for 35 years was in trucking management with ABF and Highway Express. He retired in 1990. He was a former member of the Chamber of Commerce in Russellville, school board member in Indianapolis, former member of the Arkansas, Missouri and Indiana Trucking associations, the National Association of Trucking and the VFW in High Ridge, Mo. He was a member of Holy Innocence Catholic Church, most recently attending St. Louis Basillica, both in St. Louis.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at U.S. National cemetery in Fort Smith.
He is survived by his wife, Bettye Sue DuVall Veit of St. Louis; two sons, Keith Douglas Veit of Fort Smith and Robert DuVall Veit of Zionsville, Ind.; a sister, Madeline Rusche of St. Louis; and four grandsons, Ryan DuVall Veit, Conner Douglas Veit, Kyle Christian Veit and William George Veit.
Pallbearers will be Keith and Robert Veit, Michael and Nigel Bibler, Tony Vinson and Ramiro Campins.
The body may be viewed from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 2605, Fort Smith, AR 72902.
Edith Gant
Edith M. Gant, 86, of Fort Smith died Friday, June 21, 2002, in a local nursing home. She was a homemaker, a Methodist and the widow of Forrest Gant.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. today at Woodlawn Mausoleum Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Fort Smith under the direction of Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith.
She is survived by two daughters, Judy Holland and Linda Roberson, both of Fort Smith; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Helen Gant of Fort Smith; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
William Bridges
CLARKSVILLE — William Lewis Bridges, 65, of Clarksville died Wednesday, March 6, 2002, in Clarksville. He was a retired from Tyson Foods and the widower of Patricia M. Pope Bridges.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. today at Lamar cemetery in Lamar under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home of Clarksville.
He is survived by two sons, Allen and Roger Bridges, both of Clarksville; a sister, Sheila Brothers, of Selbyville, Tenn.; a brother, Charles Samuel Bridges of Largo, Fla.; and six grandchildren.
