obits

OBITUARIES

Polk County Arkansas Genealogy Trails

ABSHIRE, Dovie Mae Bouchelle

COX, Eleanor Estella Littell

CRAWFORD, Audrey Rhodes

GONZALES, Junice M.

KENDRICK, Thala M.

LEE, Virgie

MORPHEW, Henry Ellis

WADE, Jean Davis

WILEY, Jay N.

DOVIE MAE ABSHIRE, 69, of Cape Girardeau, MO died Tuesday, January 21, 1992 at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, MO. She was born August 16, 1922 in Mena, AR, daughter of James and Nettie Bouchelle. She married James Carroll Abshire January 12, 1944. He died November 17, 1965. Abshire was a member of First Pentecostal Church. Survivors include a daughter, Carol Hankins of Cape Girardeau; a brother, John Bouchelle of Georgia; a sister, Opal Howard of Oklahoma; and two grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a brother. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City, MO. The Rev. John Gourley will officiate. Burial will be in the National Cemetery in Fort Smith, AR.

ANCHORAGE, AK--Retired special education teacher ELEANOR “ELLE” ESTELLA COX, 72, died Feb. 9 at Providence Hospital.
A memorial service was conducted Wednesday at Muldoon Community Assembly of God Church. The Rev. Kent Redfern and the Rev. Gary Don Cox officiated.
Mrs. Cox was born Sept. 4, 1919, in Polk County, Ark., the daughter of George and Gladys Littell. She was raised by her grandmother. She traveled from Texas to California and was married to Milburn Cox Sr. in Burlingame, Calif., July 4, 1937.
As the wife of a pastor, she was involved in pastoring, teaching and volunteering in many areas of California. She was involved in education for nearly 50 years. She moved to Bethel in 1971 and taught in many Bush communities in interior Alaska.
Mrs. Cox was employed as a special education teacher with the State Operated School System and Anchorage School District at Woodland Park Elementary School, Booth Memorial Home, Helen Whaley Center, Hope Cottage and Denali Elementary School before retirement.
Her family said: "Tirelessly and unselfishly she gave her time, her love, and her money to churches and charities both in Alaska and California."
In Anchorage, she worked and volunteered for the Salvation Army where she was fondly known as "Elle." She volunteered at Easter Seals, and as recently as last week, at Bean's Cafe. She also volunteered at the Anchorage Senior Center, Anchorage Pioneer Home and Muldoon Community Assembly.
In 1987, Mrs. Cox was recognized for her talent in restoration of Alaskan and Eskimo beadwork when her prayer necklace display took first place at the Alaska State Fair.
One of her lifelong desires was to locate and be reunited with her lost brother, Glenn, which she accomplished in 1990. They were reunited after 66 years.
Mrs. Cox is survived by her sons, Milburn Jr. of Newport News, Va., and Daniel of San Jose, Calif.; her daughters, Sharon Bate of Anchorage, Estella Cox of Redding, Calif., and Kovita Alcobandas of Fontana, Calif.; her brothers, George Littell of Grannis, Ark., and Glenn True of Ventura, Calif.; her sister, Maxine Knighten of Foreman, Ark.; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great- grandchildren.
Arrangements were by Witzleben Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, Bragaw Chapel.
--Anchorage Daily News (AK) - February 13, 1992

Vienna, MO--AUDREY CRAWFORD, 77, Vienna, died May 30, 1999, at Capital Region Medical Center, Jefferson City.
She was born Feb. 5, 1922, in Polk County, Ark., a daughter of Hubert and Molly Rhodes. She was married in 1944, in Arkansas, to Leroy Crawford, who died Feb. 19, 1974. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include: one son, Leroy Crawford Jr., Vienna; one brother, Odel Rhodes, Dublin, Va.; and two sisters, Estel Ashcraft and Helen Jewell, both of Arkansas.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, Vienna. The Rev. Don Kelly will officiate. Graveside services and burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Fair View Cemetery, Roanoke, Va. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. Thursday.
--Jefferson City News-Tribune (MO) - June 2, 1999

JUNICE M. GONZALES
June 1, 1904 --Jan. 7, 1995

Keyes, CA--Junice M. Gonzales, 90, of Keyes died Saturday at Evergreen Convalescent Hospital, Modesto.
Mrs. Gonzales was a native of Polk County, Ark. She lived in Keyes one year and previously lived in Atwater 19 years. She was a member of Jehovah's Witnesses.
She is survived by one granddaughter and four great-grandchildren.
A service will be conducted at 10 a.m. today at Wilson Family Funeral Chapel, Atwater. Burial will follow at Chowchilla District Cemetery.
--Modesto Bee, The (CA) - January 11, 1995

MIDLOTHIAN, TX-- THALA M. KENDRICK, 82, a retired bookkeeper, died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1998, in Grand Prairie, TX.
Graveside service: 1 p.m. Friday in Moore Memorial Gardens.
Thala M. Kendrick was born June 25, 1915, in Polk County, Ark. She was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Kendrick, and son, James Curtis Kendrick.
Survivors: Sons, Charles and Larry Kendrick, both of Midlothian; daughter, Irma Alsup and Earlene Edwards, both of Midlothian, and Jane Britton of Lubbock, TX; brother, Charles Bowden of Wichita Falls, TX; sister, Ruth Oates of Waxahachie,TX; 14 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Moore Funeral Home 1219 N. Davis Drive
--Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - January 23, 1998.

BRECKENRIDGE, TX - VIRGIE LEE of Breckenridge, a retired waitress, died Saturday (Dec 14, 1991) at an Abilene hospital. She was 77.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at Melton Funeral Home in Breckenridge. Burial will be in Breckenridge Cemetery.
Mrs. Lee was born in Polk County, Ark., and had lived in Mena, Ark., before moving to Breckenridge in 1929. She was a Baptist.
Survivors: Daughter, Virgie Faye Wilson of Breckenridge; son, Leroy David Roberts of Breckenridge; mother, Ona Deramus of Breckenridge; five grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and four
great-great-grandchildren.
--Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - December 16, 1991.

COMANCHE, TX - HENRY ELLIS MORPHEW, retired owner and operator of Sunshine Rest Home, died Saturday at a Comanche hospital. He was 99.
Funeral was Monday in Comanche.
Burial was in Oakwood Cemetery.
Hall & Chaney Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Morphew was born in Polk County, Ark. He had lived in the Comanche area for 82 years after moving from Arkansas.
He had been manager of the Comanche Flour Milling Company. He was a member of Gartman View Free Will Baptist Church for 67 years.
Survivors: Wife, Era Louise Morphew of Comanche; two sons, Dalton Morphew of Monahans and J.C. Morphew of Monahans; daughter, Idell Coker of Comanche; two stepsons, Norman Mauldin of Blairstown, Mo., and Daniel Mauldin of Garnett, Kan.; eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
--Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - July 6, 1993

Sun City Center, FL--JEAN DAVIS WADE, 79, of Sun City Center died Tuesday (Jan 7, 1992) in Tampa. A native of Polk County, Ark., he had lived in the Tampa Bay area 12 years, coming from Evanston, Ill. He was a photographer, a retired cartographer and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of the Sun City Center Golf Association and the United Community Church of Sun City Center. He is survived by his wife, Georgia; two daughters, Georgia Jean Roth and Margery Wade Wightman; and four grandchildren. Zipperer's Agape Mortuary and Crematory, Ruskin. --Tampa Tribune, The (FL) - January 10, 1992

CRAFTON, TX - JAY N. WILEY, 81, a retired auto mechanic, died Tuesday at a Decatur hospital. Funeral: 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Crafton Baptist Church. Burial: Crafton Cemetery.
Jay N. Wiley was born Dec. 21, 1913, in Polk County, Ark.
Hawkins Funeral Home, Bridgeport, (817) 683-2211
--Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX) - December 21, 1995