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Alma Inez Leeper
Alma Inez Leeper, 83, of Fort Smith died Sunday, Sept. 5, 2004, in Fort Smith. She was a retired employee of St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and was a volunteer for the medical center for 20 years after retirement. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Fort Smith.
She is survived by three daughters, Barbara Turner of Havana, Alice Hand of Booneville and Ruth Stone of Fort Smith. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Grady Leeper.
Graveside service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the U.S. National cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be her grandsons Tommy Hearron, Paul Gilmore, Grady and Allen Turner, Matthew Johnson and Jimmy Green.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 1274, Fort Smith, AR 72902.
Jonie Rainwater Arnold
In loving memory of our beloved Jonie. Jonie Rainwater Arnold was 41 and died at home Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004. She was a licensed practical nurse for New Haven Nursing Home and attended the House of Prayer Church in Fort Smith.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren.
She was preceded in death by her father, Frank Joe McGrew. She will be laid to rest beside her father at Gracelawn cemetery in Van Buren.
She is survived by two daughters, Meredith Rainwater of Charleston and Andrea Rainwater of Greenwood; her loving companion, David Arnold of Kibler; her mother, Sue McGrew of Van Buren; one sister, LaDonna Bennett of Alma; one brother, Joe McGrew of Fort Smith; and one grandmother, Vivian McGrew of Houston. She had three nieces, Brandy Brown, Christine Bennett and Shyla Bennett; one great niece, Kimberly Martley; three nephews, Billy Joe Noel, Joshua Noel and Ian Lemley; one goddaughter, Brittany Hughes; one great-goddaughter, Talyn Hughes; and many friends.
Pallbearers will be Billy Joe Noel, Joshua Noel, John David Robison, Jimmy Martley, Jimmy “Bubs” Braswell, Raymond “Buba” Huff.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Arnold Reed
Arnold R. Reed, 80, of Fort Smith died Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004, in Fort Smith. He was born Oct. 3, 1923, in Fort Smith. He was a retired carpenter for Edwards Construction for 45 years and a member of Cavanaugh Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Velma; a son, Larry Reed of Fort Smith; a brother, Gary Reed of Fort Smith; two grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Woodlawn Memorial Park Chapel with burial at Woodlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith.
Pallbearers will be Robert Reed, Gary Don Reed Jr., Ryan Lynch, Rick Patton, Cliff Boyd and Patrick Cross.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Alzheimer’s Association, 322 N. Greenwood Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72901; or Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 S. M St., Fort Smith, AR 72903.
Loeda Clopton
WALDRON — Loeda Clopton, 62, of Waldron died Sunday, Sept. 5, 2004, in an area hospital. She was a homemaker and a Baptist.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Duncan cemetery in Waldron under the direction of Martin Funeral Home of Waldron.
She is survived by three sons, Randy Atnip of Marlow, Okla., Gene Atnip of Seymour, Texas, and Danny Atnip of Wichita Falls, Texas; three sisters, Mary Music of Owensboro, Ky., Bonnie Burton of Jonesboro and Junita Robinson of Bono; five brothers, Junior James of Michigan, Ronald James of California, Donald James of Romance, Leon James of Smyrna, Tenn., and Kenny James of Jonesboro; 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Argle Ritchie
RUSSELLVILLE — Argle James Ritchie, 70, of Russellville died Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, in a local hospital. He was a retired farmer.
Graveside service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Peters cemetery near Mountainburg under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
He is survived by a daughter, Glenda Flanagan of Brownsvalley, Calif.; three sons, Tony Ritchie of Kibler, James Ritchie of the Catcher community and Tommy Willhite of Melbourne; three sisters, Velma Wells of Yuba City, Calif., Dorothy Buster of Live Oak, Calif., and Joyce Cheppell of Brownsvalley; 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be his sons and grandsons.
Jean West
BARLING — Jean M. West, 82, of Barling died Friday, Sept. 3, 2004, in Barling. She was a retired clerk for Wilkes Grocery, a homemaker, a Catholic and the widow of Lee West.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the U.S. National cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith.
She is survived by two daughters, Sheila Holmes of Barling and Sharon Wooten of Pocola; 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Camry Knuckles
GREENWOOD — Camry Paige Knuckles, infant daughter of Jennifer Knuckles of Greenwood and Chaz Williams of Fort Smith, died Friday, Sept. 3, 2004, in Fort Smith.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Hartford Memorial Park in Hartford under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by her maternal grandparents, Rebecca Shook of Greenwood and Kevin and Shellie Knuckles of Hillsboro, Ky.; paternal grandparents, Barbara and Pete Williams of Fort Smith; maternal great-grandparents, Robert and Norma Shook of Greenwood, Earl Knuckles of Pineville, Ky., and Geraldean and Chester Harris of Lakeland, Fla.; and paternal great-grandmother, Dottie Williams of Fort Smith.
The family will visit with friends from 1 to 5 p.m. today at their residence, 1100 Brentwood Drive in Greenwood.
Hollis Steward
LITTLE ROCK — Hollis Steward, 99, of Little Rock died Thursday, Sept. 2, 2004, in a Little Rock nursing home. She was born Aug. 20, 1905, in Wolf Bayou. She was a retired schoolteacher, having taught in Independence, Lee and Arkansas counties, and was a member of the Concord Missionary Baptist Church in Little Rock. She was the widow of A.C. Steward.
Graveside service was Sunday at Alderbrook cemetery in Desha under the direction of Qualls Batesville Funeral Service of Batesville.
She is survived by two daughters, Martha Springer of Mablevale and Mary Pledger of Harrison; a son, Maurice Steward of Greenwood; four grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Arkansas Hospice or Concord Missionary Baptist Church in Little Rock.
William Ray Dollard
William Ray Dollard, 85, of Milford, Conn., formerly of Van Buren, died Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004, in Milford. He was a retired auto mechanic, a veteran of World War II, and he was a Methodist.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004 at Doyle Funeral Home in Milford, Conn., he was cremated. He was preceded in death by his wife, Daphne; six brothers and two sisters. He is survived by three sons, Terry of Fort Smith, Paul of Westhampton, N.J., and Stephen of Woodbridge, N.J.; two daughters, Susan Locasto of MIlford, Conn., and Debra Milosky of Key Point, N.J.; one brother, Jess of Fort Smith; two sisters, Estel Lyons of Mountainburg and Flora Smith of Artiesia, N.M.; 16 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
A service for the burial of ashes will be held at Conley cemetery in Mountainburg at a later date.
Phala Davis Flanders
Phala Davis Flanders passed away at 12:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 6, 2004, in Fort Smith. She was born July 30, 1926, in Sulphur Springs, Texas, to Jessie Kennedy and Landon Vardo Davis. She was the granddaughter of congressman Cyclone Davis of Texas. She graduated from Hamlin High School in 1943 and was an honor graduate of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. Phala was an active member of First United Methodist Church as a Sunday school teacher, was a member of the Builders Sunday School Class, was past president of United Methodist Women and was a member of the PEO Chapter AS and Wednesday Club. She was a sustaining member of the Junior League of Fort Smith.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Don Flanders Sr. She and Don were married
Dec. 15, 1946.
She is a loving mother of three children, Don Flanders Jr. and wife Valerie, Dudley Flanders Sr. and wife Charlotte and Kathy Cotten and husband Larry; five grandchildren, Gretchen McGinnis, Bridget and Jessie Flanders, Dudley Flanders Jr. and Shelby Varner; and one great-grandchild, Madison Flanders.
Memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004, at First United Methodist Church under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. A private family committal will be in the U.S. National cemetery.
Honorary pallbearers will be the Builders Sunday School Class.
The family will receive friends in the parlor of First United Methodist Church following the memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, 200 N. 15th St., Fort Smith, AR 72901; Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 S. M St., Fort Smith, AR 72903; or University of Arkansas Fort Smith Foundation, 5210 Grand Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72913.
Lecil Richard “Tom” Sawyer
Lecil Richard “Tom” Sawyer, age 97, passed away Sunday, Sept. 5, 2004, in Waldron. He was born on Sept. 30, 1906, in Brinkley, Monroe County, to the late Rev. Stephen Decatur and Henrietta Jolly Sawyer.
He graduated from Brinkley High School in 1926. He then attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway, where he graduated in 1932 and served as president of his graduating class. He played tackle on the football team at State Teachers, where he was named to the All Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference team and was one of those picked by State Teachers coach Dan Estes for his 11 all-time best players. He received his master’s degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1947.
He coached and taught school at Plainview in Yell County from 1929 until 1931. Waldron Public Schools employed Sawyer to teach history and coach athletics in 1932, and he was promoted to the position of superintendent in 1934. He continued to teach and was coach for 13 years in addition to his duties as superintendent. In those 13 years his teams won the district title seven years, went undefeated four of those years and went to the state championship games in 1948 and 1949. In spite of his athletic accomplishments, when asked what he considered the high points of his years with the Waldron schools, he was particularly proud that Scott County became the first county in the state to consolidate into one central school district and of the district being accredited by the North Central Association of Schools during his tenure.
Upon his retirement as school superintendent, Sawyer was elected mayor of Waldron in November of 1974 and served until 1983.
He was the oldest member of the Waldron First Baptist Church, where he served on the Deacons and Advisory Council and taught a men’s Sunday school class until his health would no longer permit.
He was a member of the Waldron Chamber of Commerce, where he served two terms as president, and he served as chairman of the Scott County Red Cross Board. He was a member of the National School Administrators Association, the State Beta Club Board and the Clock Collectors Association and had lifetime memberships in the Arkansas Education Association, the National Education Association and the Retired Teachers Association. He was a member of Gideons International.
In addition to his parents, Sawyer was predeceased by his devoted wife of 61 years, Vera Mae Martin Sawyer, four brothers and eight sisters. Survivors are one daughter, Mary Anne Salmon and her husband, Don, of North Little Rock; one son, Thomas Franklin “Tom” Sawyer and his wife, Susan, of Houston; six granddaughters, Dona Boone, Karen Cline and Gretchen Nail, all of North Little Rock, and Jill Hatcher and Melissa and Megan Sawyer, all of Little Rock; 10 great-grandchildren; one brother, Ralph Sawyer and his wife, Katie, of Tulsa; a very special family friend, Hazel Frost of Waldron; and a host of friends.
Funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Waldron. Interment will be at Hawkins cemetery in the Parks community under the direction of Martin Funeral Home, (479) 637-2167. Memorial contributions may be made to the Waldron Chapter of the Gideons International, CARTI, or Arkansas Hospice.
Cambry Knuckles
GREENWOOD — Cambry Paige Knuckles, infant daughter of Jennifer Knuckles of Greenwood and Chaz Williams of Fort Smith, died Friday, Sept. 3, 2004, in Fort Smith.
Graveside service will be 10 a.m. today at Hartford Memorial Park in Hartford under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by her maternal grandparents, Rebecca Shook of Greenwood and Kevin and Shellie Knuckles of Hillsboro, Ky.; paternal grandparents, Barbara and Pete Williams of Fort Smith; maternal great-grandparents, Robert and Norma Shook of Greenwood, Earl Knuckles of Pineville, Ky., and Geraldeen and Chester Harris of Lakeland, Fla.; and paternal great-grandmother, Dottie Williams of Fort Smith.
Alma Leeper
Alma Inez Leeper, 83, of Fort Smith died Sunday, Sept. 5, 2004, in Fort Smith. She was a retired employee of St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and was a volunteer for the medical center for 20 years after retirement. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Fort Smith and the widow of Grady Leeper.
Graveside service will be 2 p.m. today at the U.S. National cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith.
She is survived by three daughters, Barbara Turner of Havana, Alice Hand of Booneville and Ruth Stone of Fort Smith; nine grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons Tommy Hearron, Paul Gilmore, Grady and Allen Turner, Matthew Johnson and Jimmy Green.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 1274, Fort Smith, AR 72902.
Lenora Ward
WALDRON — Lenora Shook Suits Ward, 81, of Waldron died Sunday, Sept. 5, 2004, in Waldron. She was a member of the United Pentecostal Church of God in Waldron.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Thursday at the United Pentecostal Church of God in Waldron with burial at Carolan cemetery near Booneville under the direction of Roberts Funeral Home of Booneville.
She is survived by her husband, Virgil; a daughter, Helen Hurley of Mena; and three grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Jim Shook, Jerry Green, Bob and Josh Pack, Jack Slims, Robert Van Horn, Mike Green and Matt Glover.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.
