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Ronald Gage
Ronald (Ron) Dale Gage, 54, of Fort Smith died Friday, March 24, 2000 in his home. He was a physical therapist at Sparks Regional Medical Center and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Ozark.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Ozark First United Methodist Church with burial at Highland cemetery in Ozark under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home of Ozark.
He is survived by two sisters, Lynda McLaughlin of Ozark and Deborah Thomas of Starksville, Miss.; one aunt, Marye Jayne Pendleton of Fort Smith; and three uncles, Harold Jones and Travis gage Sr. of Ozark and Ray Pee Wee Jones of Ozark.
Pallbearers will be Steve Gage, Rick gage, Travis gage, Charles Ray White, Bobby Sells and Lonnie Mac Tolbert.
Lowell Higgs
CLARKSVILLE—Lowell Askins “Bobo” Higgs, 91, of Clarksville died Friday, March 24, 2000 in Van Buren. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Clarksville where she worked in the nursery for 20 years and the widow of Howe A. Higgs.
Graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Oakland cemetery in Clarksville under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home of Clarksville.
She is survived by one daughter, Randa H. Hawkins of Fort Smith; one son, Kenneth G. Chambers of Van Buren; one brother, Joe A. Askins of La Habra, Calif.; two grandchildren, Kelley McFerren of Fort Smith and Shelley Webb of St. Louis, Mo.; three step-grandchildren, Mike Higgs of Arkadelphia, Diane Higgs of Long Beach, Calif. and Bill T. Higgs of Pine Bluff; four great-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; and four step-great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lone Pine cemetery Association, c/o Bea Clark, 306 Thompson St., Clarksville, AR 72830 or First United Methodist Church, P.O Box 535, Clarksville, AR 72830.
Charles Johnson
Charles J. Johnson, 61, of Fort Smith died Friday, March 24, 2000 in Fort Smith. He was a member of Grace Temple Baptist Church, a former employee of Fort Smith Furniture and Table and an employee of OK Foods.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel with burial at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Fort Smith under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith.
He is survived by his wife Patricia; five daughters, Barbara Wieser and Regenia Spangle both of Fort Smith, Lorretta Fry of Monett, Shirley Fry of Lake City and Kathy Lane of Poplar Bluff; two sons, Charles Johnson of Hartford and Jack Johnson of Fort Smith; his mother, Virginia Johnson of Corning; six sisters, Gloria Doty of Corning, Edna Fay Powell of Skieston, Mo., Sara King of Cape Girardeau, Mo., Peggy West of Malden, Mo., Becky Cameron of Arnold, Mo. and Patsy Puckett of Jonesboro; five brothers, Jerry Johnson of Alton, Ill., Richard Johnson of Noble, Buddy Johnson of Fredricktown, Mo., Henry Johnson of Alton, Ill. and Wendell Johnson of Arnold, Mo.; 23 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Marvin “Bub”, Jesse and Daniel Fry, Charlie Johnson, Billy Moore, Timmy Johnson, Tony Henry and Joey Henry.
The family will visit with friends today from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Edwards Funeral Home.
Jerry Lewis
MENA — Jerry Jack Lewis, 85, of Mena died Wednesday, March 22, 2000, in Mena. He was a logger and a member of the Brushy Creek Baptist Church.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. today at the Beasley-Wood Funeral Home Chapel of Mena with burial at the Pinecrest Memorial Park.
He is survived by his wife, Geraldine Lewis of Mena; two sons, Joseph of Benton and Elzie of Mena; two sisters, Leanna Craig of Topock, Ariz., and Flora Lawrence of Hot Springs; four grandchildren, Carl Watts, Brandi, Jennifer and Adam Lewis; and two great-grandchildren, Kayla Parker and Samantha Watts.
Pallbearers will be J.D. Maddox, Frank, Adam and Billy D. Lewis, Ray Lawrence and Preston Watts.
Velta Bailey
MULBERRY — Velta “Tuby” Bailey, 69, of Mulberry died Thursday, March 23, 2000, in a local hospital. She was a member of the Vine Prairie Baptist Church in Mulberry and the former owner and operator of The Thrift Store in Mulberry.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Vine Prairie Baptist Church of Mulberry with burial at New cemetery in Mulberry under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
She is survived by her husband, Rheual “Rick” Bailey; one daughter, Ollivette Bailey of Mulberry; two sons, Douglas of Ozark and Jack of Mulberry; her mother, Emma Blasingame of Mulberry; one brother, Troy Blasingame of California; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Dale Morse, Bob and Bud Braselton, Wayne Rankin, Andy Johnson, Doug Clardy and Randy Chastain.
Warren Cupp
POTEAU — Warren F. Cupp, 67, of Poteau died Friday, March 24, 2000, in Fort Smith. He was a lifelong minister and retired as a teacher of English and creative writing after 26 years. He was the executive secretary of Student Councils for the state of New Mexico. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Las Cruces, N.M., and the Lions Club.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Monday in Evans and Miller Funeral Home Chapel of Memories of Poteau with burial at Oakland cemetery in Poteau.
He is survived by his wife, Bettye; one daughter, Cassandra J. Gonzales of Dallas; one son, Dewayne K. Cupp of Alvardo, Texas; two sisters, Doris McFarland of Poteau and Billye Morris of Tulsa; one brother, Arthur Byrd of Kerrville, Texas; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, (800) 232-3472.
Irene Embry
MENA — Irene K. Embry, 78, of Mena died Sunday, March 19, 2000, in Mena. She was a member of the Concord Baptist Church in Ink and the widow of George R. Embry.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. today in the Concord Baptist Church in Ink with burial at Concord cemetery under the direction of the Beasley-Wood Funeral Home.
She is survived by two daughters, Norma Hooper of Brandon, Miss., and Judy Embry of Austin, Texas; two grandchildren, Jason Hooper of Brandon and Kara Nininger of Austin; and several nieces and nephews.
Doug Stites, nursing home owner-operator, dies
SALLISAW -- Doug Stites, 55, the co-owner and operator of Central Arkansas Nursing Center, died Thursday, April 16, 1998, in a car accident near Sallisaw.
Stites, who grew up in Sallisaw, had co-owned and operated 26 nursing homes and two residential care facilities in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri since 1976, his partner and friend Michael Morton said. Stites bought his first nursing home in 1972 in Tahlequah.
"In 1976, we bought our first nursing home together in Booneville, Arkansas," Morton said. "He was a very personable, very charming person who was always able to negotiate good business deals and had a knack for hiring excellent personnel."
The two also were partial owners of a pharmacy in Fort Smith and another in Little Rock, Morton said. Stites also was in the motel and cattle business and owned a small lending company in Sequoyah County, Morton said.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Sallisaw with burial at Sallisaw City cemetery under the direction of Agent Funeral Home of Sallisaw.
Stites also owned and operated the Fig Tree Restaurant in Sallisaw for almost 30 years.
"The restaurant was also a truck stop," his brother, Edmund Stites, said. "He managed the restaurant while I ran the service station side." Doug Stites sold his portion of the truck stop about a year ago to devote more time to his nursing home business, Stites said.
"He wanted the patients at his nursing home to get the best care possible," Stites said. "He was a good businessman -- fair to his patients, fair to his employees and fair to his partners."
Stites was the former husband of Beverly Rickman Stites, a federal magistrate in Fort Smith.
Stites, the son of John Thomas and Lessie Irene Curl Stites, was a 1961 graduate of Sallisaw High School and Northeastern State University at Tahlequah, where he received a bachelor's degree in business. He was a Baptist and also served in the Air National Guard.
Other survivors include four sons, Scott Stites of Woodland Hills, Calif., Shane Stites of Fort Smith, and Chad Stites and Brad Stites, both of Sallisaw; three sisters, Imogene Copeland of Vian, Verna Lindsey of Lawson, Mo., and Margaret Davidson of Selma, Calif.; two brothers, J.T. Stites and Don Stites, both of Sallisaw.
Pallbearers will be Greg, Bill, Dr. Kirk, Gary Don, Brett and Mike Stites, Murel Copeland and Tim Lindsey.
Viewing will be from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. today and Saturday at the funeral home.
HUGH HARDIN
P.H. “Hugh” Hardin, 74, of Fort Smith died Friday, Sept. 22, 2000, in a local hospital. He was a World War II Navy veteran, an attorney, a member of the State Board of Law Examiners, a special justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Oklahoma Regional Education and Promotion Association, an Emeritus Trustee of Westark College, a Mason and a member of First United Methodist Church of Fort Smith.
Committal service will be 12:30 p.m. today at the U.S. National cemetery in Fort Smith. Memorial service will be 1:30 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.
He is survived by his wife, Nadine; one son, David of Fort Smith; three daughters, Tara Black of Atlanta and Betsy Rayle, both of Atlanta, and Lori Hardin of Fort Smith; one brother, Fred of Vian; and five grandchildren, Jeremy Hardin Black of Dallas, Elizabeth Ashley Hardin and Michael David Hardin, both of Arlington, Texas, Elizabeth Hardin Rayle and Albert Amis Rayle IV, both of Atlanta.
Pallbearers will be Bradley Jesson, Robert Dawson, Rex Terry, Douglas Smith, Ken McCubbin, Myron Rappeport, Don Emerson and Hugh Jones.
Honorary pallbearers will be attorneys and staff of the Hardin Law Firm, the University of Arkansas School of Law graduating class of 1950 and members of the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Oklahoma Regional Education & Promotion Association.
Memorial contributions may be made in the name of P.H. “Hugh” Hardin to First United Methodist Church of Fort Smith; Arkansas Westark College Foundation of Fort Smith; University of Arkansas School of Law, 131 Leflar Law Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701; or a charity of the donor’s choice.
BURL BENHAM
Burl D. Benham, 92, of Van Buren died Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000, in a local hospital. He was retired from Ford Motor Co. in Kansas City, Mo. He was a World War II Navy veteran and a Protestant.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Ocker Funeral Home Chapel in Alma with burial at Pope cemetery near Mountainburg.
He is survived by his wife, Tommie; one sister, Callie Marie Agan of Mulberry; and one brother, A.G. of Mulberry.
Pallbearers will be Roger Benham, Joe Hoyle, Stacy Raines, Carl Canada, Charlie Hatfield and Gleason Johnson.
The family will visit with friends Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Western Arkansas Chapter, 322 N. Greenwood Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72901.
MARY HOSEMANN
Mary Betty Hosemann, 72, of Van Buren died Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000, in a local hospital. She was a member of the Eastern Star and a former member of the Arkadelphia Women’s Business Association. She was a retired co-owner and operator of the Frontier Belle river boat attraction. She and her husband brought the Belle to Van Buren in 1991.
Funeral will be 10 a.m. Tuesday in Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren. Graveside service will be 3 p.m. at Rosehill cemetery in Arkadelphia.
She is survived by her husband, Captain John Hosemann; one adopted daughter, Rachel Arrington of Bryant; four sons, Charles Lee Ager of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., John Hosemann of Santa Fe, N.M., and Mike and Pete Hosemann, both of Chattanooga, Tenn.; two brothers, Dick Batson of Arkadelphia and C.F. Batson of Hope; and six grandchildren, Amy and April Ager, both of Fort Smith, Brittany Hosemann of Chattanooga, John Hosemann of Bosnia, Theo Hosemann of London and Loren Hosemann of Phoenix, Ariz.
HELEN SHULTZ
NATURAL DAM — Helen M. Schultz, 93, of Natural Dam died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000, in a local nursing home. She was a homemaker and a member of the Lutheran church. She was the widow of Alfred Schultz. Funeral will be 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Liberty cemetery.
She is survived by one daughter, Jean Kemnitz of Libertyville, Ill.; two sons, Melvin of Natural Dam and Ronald of Torrance, Calif.; one brother, Elmer Lies of Rockford, Ill., 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Danny Armstrong, Wendall Moore, Jim Ramey, Scott Kemnitz, Derek Schultz and Ried Schultz.
ANNA CHISUM
GORE— Anna Marie Chisum, 81, of Gore died Friday, Sept. 22, 2000, in Gore. She was a homemaker and a member of the Assembly of God. She was the widow of Herbert Garlin Chisum.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Tuesday in the First Assembly of God Church in Gore with burial at Plunkett-Smith cemetery, west of Gore, under the direction of Agent Funeral Home of Gore.
She is survived by three daughters, Annabelle Powers of Hydesville, Calif., Peggy Rock of Fortuna, Calif., and Freeda Skaggs of Vian; one son, Sherbert Ray Chisum of Fortuna; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Pallbearers will be Danny, Don and Dusty Walker, Scott Elbon, Ray Chisum and Howard Skaggs.
GEORGE NIMMO
SALLISAW — George F. Nimmo, 79, of Sallisaw died Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000, in Fort Smith. He was a World War II Army veteran, a former Pentagon employee, a farmer and rancher and a Protestant. He received the Bronze Star while serving in the Philippines. He was the widower of Oda Mae Peck Nimmo.
Funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Agent Funeral Home Chapel in Sallisaw with burial at the Sallisaw City cemetery.
He is survived by two sisters, Kay McDonald of Sallisaw and Ann Turner of California, and four brothers, Joe and Jack, both of Ponca City, Okla., Tom of Tulsa and Max of Sallisaw.
Pallbearers will be Max N., Wess, Barry, Todd and Danny Nimmo and Shawn, Mark and Greg McDonald.
RUBY HOLT
Ruby Holt, 89, of Fort Smith died Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000, in her home. She was retired from the Fort Smith school system, a past president of the local chapter of the Arkansas School Service Association and a member of First Baptist Church of Fort Smith, where she taught Sunday School for more than 50 years. She was the widow of Carl Holt.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with burial at Roselawn cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Lewis Funeral Chapel of Fort Smith.
She is survived by three daughters, Peggy McDaniel of Fort Smith, Ruth Cowart of Carmel, Ind., and Carolyn Gooch of Lavaca; one sister, Alva Miller of Dallas; eight grandchildren, Terry Bell, Mark McDaniel, David Gooch and Mike Cowart, all of Fort Smith, Michele Captain and Melinda Updike of Indiana, Morganne Vogel of Illinois and Lynette Kenyon of Plano, Texas; and 24 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Sherman Chastain, Hugh Shively, Arthur Lairamore, Eugene Cain, Gene Hendrix, Sonny Henson, Al White, Louis Bastin and Richard Putnam.
The family will visit with friends Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, 14th and Grand, Fort Smith, AR 72901.
LENA BARKLEY
McCURTAIN, Okla. — Lena Mae Barkley, 81, of McCurtain died Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000, in Stigler. She was a homemaker and a retired seamstress. She was a member of McCurtain Freewill Baptist Church, where she was a member of Women Active for Christ.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at McCurtain Freewill Baptist Church with burial at Miners cemetery in McCurtain under the direction of Grace Manor Funeral Home of Poteau.
She is survived by her husband, Harold Thomas Barkley; four daughters, Rita Jane Wilson of McCurtain, Vonetta Mae Pompeo of Los Alamos, N.M., Vonita Faye Blan of Crowder, Okla., and Vivian Davida Hawkes of Coweta, Okla.; eight grandchildren, Zachary and Ezekial Hawkes of Coweta, Pamela Robins and Mark Blan, both of Broken Arrow, Okla., Tammy Crockett of Oklahoma City, Dawnetta Pompeo of Los Alamos, Valeria Goad of New Braunsfels, Texas, and Dow Wilson of Poteau; and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Women Active for Christ in care of the church or funeral home.
