FOUNTAIN HILL, ARK--MR. ROBERT R. "RAY" PHILLIPS, 99, of Fountain Hill died Friday, January 7, 2000, at the Beverly Health Care Center in Crossett. He was a native and life-long resident of Fountain Hill until the last seven years when he lived in Crossett, a member of the Fountain Hill First Baptist Church, and was co-owner of the Phillips Brothers General Merchandise store in Fountain Hill for 50 years and also the Phillips Brothers Gin. He was preceded in death by his parents, Avery Lee and Mary Lucie Downey Phillips; two sisters, Ethel Lee Phillips Pierce and Mary Margaret Phillips Knight; and a brother, Lucian M. Phillips.
He is survived by his wife of 75 years, Ora Hester Phillips of Fountain Hill; three sons, James Avery Phillips and wife Maxine of Houston, TX, William R. "Bill" Phillips and wife JoAnn and Millard E. Phillips and wife Edith of Crossett; two daughters, Elsa Raye Cason and husband V. W. of Fountain Hill and Gladys Hester Sanders and husband Robert of Lubbock, TX; seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, ten step-great-grandchildren, a niece Virginia Pierce Gatewood of Warren; a sister-in-law, Margaret Chenault Phillips of Fountain Hill; and many cousins.
Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 8, in the Fountain Hill First Baptist Church with Revs. Bill Elton and Gene Gregory officiating. Pallbearers were Terry, Neal and Stuart Phillips, Tim Vaden, Bill and Dale Hester, and Tim Krisell. Honorary pallbearers were Robert A. and Edward Phillips, Frank E. Denson, Bobby Graham, Sterling and Omar White. Burial followed services at the Flat Creek Cemetery, directed by Jones Funeral Home of Hamburg.  ----Ashley County Ledger, Hamburg, AR, contributed by Kim Torp.


CROSSETT, ARK--FAMOUS "PORKCHOP" PICKINS, 70, of Crossett died Saturday, February 12, 2000, at the Leisure Lodge. He was born March 29, 1929, in Homer, LA, and was a retired cook.
Survivors are a daughter, Kathy Lewis of Las Vegas, NV; a stepdaughter, Cynthia Childs of Crossett; three brothers, Willie D. and Edgar Battle of Las Vegas and Willie Battle of Houston, TX; a sister, Pearl Battle of Los Angeles, CA; and three grandchildren. Grave-side services were at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 19, at the Forrest Grove Cemetery in Homer, LA, directed by Jones Funeral Home of Crossett.  --Ashley County Ledger, Hamburg, AR, contributed by Kim Torp.


CROSSETT, ARK--BEN FRANKLIN PICKLE, 54, of Crossett died Monday, January 31, 2000, at his home. A life-long resident of Crossett, he was a house mover, an U. S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam era, and a member of Jarvis Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Lula Harold Pickle and a brother, Harvey Pickle.
Survivors are a stepson, Shannon and wife Janice Martin of Searcy; two daughters, Tabitha Jeffrey and Michelle and husband Bruce White of Camden; two brothers, James Pickle of Carmichael, CA, and Jimmy and wife Marty Pickle of Crossett; two sisters, Minnie Atkins and Nancy and husband Doyle Gray of Crossett; a granddaughter and three step-granddaughters.
Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Wednesday, February 2, in the Cromwell Funeral Home chapel with Revs. Don Ward and Ralph Gray officiating. Pallbearers were Carl Gray, Kirk Gray, Bobby "Bo" Powell, Keith Forrest, Woody Forrest and Robert Ferguson. Honorary pallbearers were S. C. Ferrell, Ed Edmonson and members of VFW Post 9360. Burial followed services at the Carlock Cemetery.  --Ashley County Ledger, Hamburg, AR, contributed by Kim Torp.


PORTLAND--MR. CREDELL POLITE, 94, of Portland died Friday, February 25, 2000, at the Beverly Healthcare of Hamburg. Mr. Polite was a lifelong resident of Portland, a retired farmer and a member of the Portland #2 Baptist Church. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Willie and Hedia Polite, three brothers and eight sisters.
He is survived by his wife, Hattie Mae Polite of Hamburg; and a nephew, Junior Simpson of Crossett.
Funeral services will Thursday, March 2, at 2 p.m. in the Portland #2 Baptist Church with the Rev. Albert Fenceroy officiating. Interment was in the Portland #2 Cemetery, directed by Cromwell Funeral Home of Hamburg.  --Ashley County Ledger, Hamburg, AR, contributed by Kim Torp.


CROSSETT, ARK--RHONDA ANNETTE POWELL, 54, of Crossett died Monday, January 24, 2000, at the Crossett Leisure Lodge. A life-long resident of Ashley County, she was a retired secretary for the Crossett Public Schools and a member of the Rolfe Chapel Freewill Baptist Church. She was the church treasurer for 22 years and the pianist for the past 30 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Douglas and Kana Melverta Holland Blake; and a sister, Elizabeth Meredith.
Survivors include her husband, Bobby Ray Powell; two sons, Bobby S. "Bo" Powell and wife Sandra and Brandon Keith Powell and wife Brandy; a brother, Douglas Blake, Jr., all of Crossett; two sisters, Oma Lee Head of Victoria, TX, and Jean White of Bastrop, LA; and a granddaughter, Brittany Nicole Powell.
Funeral services were planned for 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 26, in the Rolfe Chapel Freewill Baptist Church with Revs. Carlton White and Kenneth Watt officiating. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. Tuesday until 10 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Pallbearers were to be Wayne Herron, Keith Forrest, W. D. Herron, Mike White, Wilburn Seamons and Phillip Lum. Honorary pallbearers were to be Frankie White, Jimmy Kelley, Ronald Ricks and LaDon Martin. Burial will follow services at the Antioch Cemetery, directed by Cromwell Funeral Home of Hamburg.   --Ashley County Ledger, Hamburg, AR, contributed by Kim Torp.


Shreveport, LA--BEVERLY ANN POSS PRICE, 66, of Shreveport, LA, died Monday, February 21, 2000. She was born September 14, 1933, in Oklahoma City, OK, and lived in Warren and Hamburg until moving to Monroe, LA, in 1992. She relocated to Shreveport last spring to live near her youngest son and his family. She was the oldest child of a Methodist minister, born to the late Thomas Gaston and Hazel Meek Poss. She married the late Gordon Stephens Price of Cornersville in 1953. She was active in her church and community through the years.
Survivors are two sons, Stephen Price of Hattiesburg and Keith Price of Shreveport; five grandchildren, William and Thomas Price of Hattiesburg, Brittany Rae Price of Greenwood, IN, and Emily Marien and Ryan Price of Shreveport; two brothers, Richard Poss of Monroe and John Poss of Little Rock; three nieces and three nephews and many other relatives and friends.
Visitation was planned for 5:30-8:30 Tuesday, February 22, in the Frazier Funeral Home in Warren. Funeral services were planned for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 23, in the First United Methodist Church in Warren with burial following at the Prosperity Methodist Church in Pansy.   --Ashley County Ledger, Hamburg, AR, contributed by Kim Torp.