OBITUARIES

Craighead County, Arkansas Genealogy Trails

RALPH KENYON BAKER

GLENDA STEELE DAVIDSON

LUCILLE J. HICKS

WILBURN LOUIS KIRKSEY

PHILIP DAVID THOMPSON

ERNEST WILLIAMS


RALPH K. BAKER

Delta, MO--Ralph Kenyon Baker, 83, of Delta died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008 at Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau, MO.  He was born in Lake City, AR, April 3, 1924, to the late Grover and Edith Speer Baker.  
He served in the U. S. Navy during World War II as a radioman.  Baker was an inspector for General Motors in St. Louis 27 years.  On Nov. 26, 1946 he married Frankie Jo Vaughn.  She preceded him in death May 17, 1987.  He married Glenda Burnett Sept. 15, 1990.
Ralph was a member of Randles Baptist Church, Whitewater Masonic Lodge 417 and Christian Motorcycle Association in Cape Girardeau.  He was a member of several gospel groups, starting when he was a boy singing in church.  He was a member of United Auto Workers in Poplar Bluff.  He was a former member of Collinsville Masonic Lodge 712.
Survivors include his wife, Glenda Burnett of Delta; two sons, Robert (Eva) Baker of Troy, Ill., Joe (Tina) Baker of Fairview Heights, Ill.; two daughters, Janet (Thomas) Smith of Edwardsville, Ill., Paula Rhodes and fiance Brian Brocker of Gillette, WY; five stepsons, Jerry (Dixie) Burnett of Oak Ridge, IL, Bob (Rosalie) Burnett of Jackson, MO, Alan (Janet) Burnett of Benton, MO, Tom (Shelly) Burnett of Chaffee, MO, Kenny (Sandy) Burnett of Delta; a step-daughter, Paulette Burnett of El Reno, OK; a brother, Vester Baker of Spring Valley, CA; three sisters, Violet Hollis of West Memphis, AR, Vivian Baker of Paragould, AR, Virginia Loewen of Mobile, AL; 20 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by a stepson, Randy Burnett; two brothers and two sisters.
Friends may call after 4 p.m. today at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Chaffee.  The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday (Feb. 28, 2008) at the chapel with the Rev. Charles Kohbaker officiating and Rick Cobb assisting.  Burial will be in Forest Hills Memorial Gardens near Morley, MO, with full military honors.


GLENDA STEELE DAVIDSON

Jonesboro, AR.--Glenda Davidson, 72, died Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007 in Jonesboro. She was born Dec. 27, 1935 at Clover Bend, AR to Sid and Christina Golden Steele. She was united in marriage to Jim Davidson Dec. 3, 1983. Glenda was traffic manager where she supervised shipping, receiving, warehousing and inventory at Frolic Footwear in Jonesboro for 28 years, retiring nine years ago. Survivors include her husband, Jim Davidson; two daughters, Wendy Chambers and husband, Jimmy of Jonesboro, Melinda Dodd and husband, John of Scott City, MO; three sons, Byron Blanchard of Walnut Ridge, AR, Jamie Davidson and wife, Penny and Greg Davidson and wife, Becky of Scott City, MO; grandchildren, J. R., Jake and Julie Chambers of Jonesboro, Mica Blanchard of Conway, AR, and 10 other grandchildren; a great-grandchild; three sisters, Freda Phillips of Marion, IL, Carol Gray of Houston, TX, Peggy McMillon of Portia, AR; a brother, Darrel Steele of Clover Bend; and many relatives and friends. Glenda was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Mary Louetta Phillips. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. today (Feb. 22, 2007) at Strangers Home Cemetery near Alicia, AR, with the Rev. Bob McMillon officiating. Gregg Funeral Home in Jonesboro is in charge of arrangements.


LUCILLE J. HICKS

Waukegan, IL-- LUCILLE J. HICKS, 61, of Watkins, Colorado, died October 8, 1997 in Watkins. She was born October 5, 1935 in Lake City AR, was raised and educated in Dell, Arkansas, and moved to Colorado in March, 1986. She was a homemaker. She was a member of the Church of Christ, Aurora, CO.
Surviving are her husband, Hurshel R. Hicks of Watkins; 1 daughter, Charlotte Jean Roth of Englewood, CO; sons Coy Hurshel Hicks of Winthrop Harbor, IL and Thomas Elbert Hicks of Aurora, CO; 7 grandchildren; sisters Kathryn Pike of Tyler, Tex., and Alta Mae Armstrong of Russelville, AR; 1 brother, Curtis Lewis Sutton of Paris, Tex.
Services to be held at the Antioch Church of Christ, Independence County, AR. Burial at Young Cemetery, AR.  
--News Sun, The (Waukegan, IL) - October 10, 1997


WILBURN LOUIS KIRKSEY

Jonesboro,AR-- Retired Sgt. Maj. Wilburn Louis Kirksey, 89, died Tuesday, Jan 8, 2008, at St. Bernard's Medical Center.
  He served in the U.S. Army for 24 years. During World War II he served 44 months overseas with the 25th infantry Division, taking part in  campaigns in the Solomon Islands and Philippine Islands. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star for Valor in combat, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Army Commendation Medal for Military Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster and numerous certificaes of achievements. 
  During his Army career he was assigned duty in Korea, Hawaii and various stateside posts to include post information non-commissioned officer at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and post information non-commissioned offficer at Fort Sill Okla.
 After Retirement from the Army in August 1967, at Fort Sill, he was employed by the Fort Sill Federal Credit Union for 14 years as a loan officer, while living in Lawton, Okla., with his family.  Sgt. Kirksey was a Baptist and a member of the American Leigon.
  In 1982 he was preceded in death by his wife, Cleida Belle Hill Kirksey. Sgt. Maj. Kirksey was also preceded in death  by his parents, Bert and Alice Kirksey; a sister, Dayle Looper; and a brother Jim Kirksey.
  He later married Ara Lamberson Neely of Jonesboro. They moved from Lawton back to Jonesboro 1989.
  Survivors included his wife, Ara Kirksey, of the home, three daughters, Janet Witte and husband, Charles, and Nina Hunt and husband, Melvin, all of Lawton, and Lynn Kirksey Miner of Eureka Springs; a son and his wife, Joe and Ursula Kirksey; a sister, Carmelita Roper of Imboden; three stepdaughters and their husbands, Noma and Larry Merrell, Dana and Gary Watkins, all of Jonesboro and Brenda and Charles Lynn of Haines City, Fla.; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
  Visitation will be this evening from 5-7 at Gregg Funeral Home in Jonesboro.
  A graveside service will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Lawton with full military honors.
--Jonesboro Sun, Wed., Jan 9, 2008, contributed by Naomi Spence.

PHILIP DAVID THOMPSON

Philip David Thompson, 51, of Jonesboro, passed away Saturday, November 13, 2006 at St. Bernard Hospital in Jonesboro. He was born Sept. 5, 1955 in Quantico Vir. to David R. and Phyllis Stroup Thompson. He and Vicki Charles were married June 24, 1978 in Austin, TX.
Thompson was a 1973 graduate of Jackson, MO High School and attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. He enlisted in the U. S. Air Force in 1975. During his 24-year career, he served both stateside and overseas. His deployments included Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and Provide Comfort in the Persian Gulf.
Among his many achievements, honors and commendations, most notably he was the recipient of the 1991 U. S. Air Force NCO Meteorologist of the Year. He also served with Special Forces when stationed at RAF Bentwaters, England and received the Joint Meritorious Unit Award. He retired in November, 1999 as a Master Sergeant.
Loving survivors include his wife of Jonesboro; parents of Jackson, MO; two daughters, Staci (Brian) Beussink and their children, Brett, Anna, Sydney, and Jayden of Jackson, Valeri (Chad) Hudson and their daughter, Riley, of Beebe, AR; a son, Philip (April) Thompson and their daughter, Taylor, of Beebe, AR; and a brother, John N. (Marcia) Thompson of Jackson.
Also surviving is his mother-in-law, Maria Charles of Austin, TX; sister-in-law, Lupe (Mark) Jennings of Brownsville, TX; and three brothers-in-law, Julian Alcoser of Hutto, TX, Johnny Charles of Round Rock, TX, Sal Charles of Austin; and many nieces and nephews.
McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson, MO in charge. Funeral service will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. The Rev. Carter Frey will officiate with burial to follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson with gravesite military honors.


ERNEST WILLIAMS

Ernest Williams, 64, of Anna, Illinois died Friday, Nov. 17, 2006 at City Care Center in Anna. He was born Oct. 19, 1942 in Jonesboro, Ark., to James Thomas and Eunice Ernestine Floyd Williams. He was a member of Makanda Baptist Church.
Survivors include a brother, Bob Williams of Metropolis, IL; and a sister, Hazel Parker of Palestine, Ark. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Jim.
Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Anna. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Cliff Waller officiating. Interment will be in Anna Cemetery.


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