Obituaries

Pulaski County

Obituaries

Bahn, Charles Mrs, 47 years old, died of a heart attack unexpectedly Wednesday forenoon (26 Nov 1975) at her home, 2418 Brookwood, will be held at 1:30 Friday afternoon at First Christian Church. The Rev. Max Jenkins, pastor, will conduct the service. Burial will be in Memorial Park. The body is at Ford and Sons Funeral Home, where friends may call after 4 this afternoon. Pallbearers will be Dr. E. L. Bahn Jr., Taylor Bahn, William Bahn, David Bahn, Gene Martin and Robert O. Hirsch. Mrs. Bahn, the former Miss Betty Bowen Morrow, was born on Nov. 25, 1927, in Little Rock, AR. She and Dr. Bahn were married on Dec. 27, 1949 in Newport, AR, where her parents lived. They moved to Cape Girardeau from New Orleans, LA in 1957, when Dr. Bahn opened his medical practice. Mrs. Bahn attended grade school in Newport, was in high school at Norfolk, VA, then came to Cape Girardeau when her father was a consulting engineer at Harris Field, now Municipal Airport. She was graduated from Central High School. Following graduation there she attended SEMO State University and in 1949 was graduated with honors in English from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. A member of First Christian Church, she was active in the Faith Circle, and was a past deaconess. She belonged to the Christian Women's Fellowship, Church Women United and was a member of Chapter BI, P.E.O. Mrs. Bahn was also a member of the Cape County Medical Auxiliary and the Southeast Missouri Hospital Auxiliary. Surviving are her husband; sons, Charles F. Jr., Christopher, Stuart and Stephen Bahn, all at home; daughter, Miss Martel Bahn, at home; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Morrow, Newport; and an uncle, Martel Bowen, Dallas, TX.

Collier, George Wesley, 86, of North Little Rock died Feb. 21, 2009. He was the owner of Pike Auto Parts, a member of the Masons and of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Fred, Payton, Dewey, John and Clarence; and four sisters, Allie, Betty Jean, Lillie and Peggy. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Faye Collier of North Little Rock; two sons, Gary Collier of Maumelle and Larry Collier of North Little Rock; two grandchildren, Daniel and Whitney Collier; and many nieces, and nephews. A graveside service was held Feb. 27 at Butlerville Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be made to the American Cancer Society or to a favorite charity. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews

Davis, Oscar, one of the well known and well liked adopted citizens of Tucson, died Saturday evening at 6:30 o'clock. he was cashier of the largest banking house in Little Rock, Ark., and had made his home in Tucson for the last five
years, owning a house at 225 East Fourth Street. His age was 63 years. Mr. Davis is a large property holder, and , leaves a considerable estate, he is survived by a son, Oscar Davis Jr. and two daughters, Mrs. Ralph Riggs, and Miss Mary Davis all of whom were present at the time of their father's death. A brother from Cincinnati, Ohio, visited him a short while ago. Services were held at his late residence, Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock being conducted by Rev. W.J. Dixon. The remains were sent to Little Rock for burial on Wednesday. They were accompanied by his son. Mr. Davis was a man well loved by those acquainted with him. Date: 1914-10-19; Paper: Tucson Daily Citizen ®

Gammel,Calvin, 71, of North Little Rock died Feb. 25, 2009. He was a member of the Shriner's organization and a 32nd-degree Mason. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Terri Freeman. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Gammel of North Little Rock; two sons, James Gammel of North Little Rock and Ricky Gammel and wife Kathy of Ward; a grandson, Bryan Freeman of Cabot; a brother, Garland Gammel of Seaton; and two sisters, Martha Cole of Furlow and Dorothy Gammel of Cabot. A graveside service was held Feb. 28 at Mulberry Cemetery. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews

Gibson, Joseph Aulan, 72, of North Little Rock, died Feb. 24, 2009. He was a sales representative, retired from Clark Machinery. He also worked for Little Rock Road and Machinery and Rushing & Mason Equipment Company, was a member of the National Guard, a 32nd-degree Mason Scottish Rite, member of the Scimitar Shrine and Mount Sinai Masonic Lodge, and was of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Ruth Gibson; a grandson, Sean Michael Ketchum; a sister, Janice Juanita Phillips; two brothers, Julian Maynard Gibson and Victor Franklin Gibson; a niece, Tera Beth Haney and a nephew Ronnie Harvey. He is survived by his wife, Mary Hall Gibson of North Little Rock; three children Bobby Joe Gibson of Maumelle, Ray Bergan and wife Cathey of Malvern and Tanya Ketchum and husband Robert of Fort Belvoir, Va.; four grandchildren, Kyle Ketchum, Kaitlyn Ketchum, Colby Bergan and James Keisler; two sisters Mary Frances Merritt of North Little Rock and Jean Elizabeth Harvey of Beebe; his nieces and nephews, Ruth Clinton of North Little Rock, Carole Hoofman of North Little Rock, Annette Fitzgerald of Mabelvale, Ruth Ellen Haney of Beebe, Junior Phillips of North Little Rock, and Jimmy Phillips of North Little Rock. A funeral service was Feb. 28 at the Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home Chapel. Burial followed in Antioch Cemetery in Social Hill with Bro. Deane Grisby officiating. The family requests that memorials be made to the Antioch Cemetery Fund 343 Carter Sawmill Road Donaldson, AR 71941 or to the American Cancer Society. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews

Hanley, William “Charles” of Sherwood died Feb. 26, 2009. He was retired from the Kroger Company after driving a truck for nearly 40 years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Louise Hanley, and his parents, Newt and Esther Pendleton Hanley. He is survived by three sisters, Juanita Henson of Calif., Annie Ruth Boatman of Michigan and Mary Lou McDonald of Oklahoma; and one brother, Billy Hanley of California. A funeral service was held March 2 at McArthur Assembly Of God Church in Jacksonville, officiated by the Rev. Larry Burton. Burial followed in Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock. The family requests that memorials be made to McArthur Assembly Of God Church in Jacksonville or Arkansas in Little Rock. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews

Justin, Doyle Don, 74, of North Little Rock went home to be with the Lord Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. Mr. Justice was born in Cabot, Arkansas on Dec. 6, 1934 to the late Ernest Brooks and Nora Howard Justice. Mr. Justice was also preceded in death by one brother Clarence Arden Justice and two sisters Lexie Johnson and Natalie Bynum. Mr. Justice was married to his high school sweetheart, Margaret Ann Hughes for 54 wonderful years, he was a member of the Army National Guard, which in turn led his grandson Austin to join the army. He was also a retired salesman from Otasco. Mr. Justice loved fishing, hunting, favorite teams were the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Denver Broncos. His family was the most important part of his life; he loved his grandchildren and his one great-grandchild very much. He loved both his son-in-laws like they were his own sons and they loved him in return. It would be hard to find another daddy or grandpa as loving and as special as he. He never met a stranger, was kind to everyone and always had a good joke to share.. He was very much loved and will be greatly missed until we see him again. Mr. Justice was a member of Toltec Baptist Church. Mr. Justice is survived by his loving wife, Margaret Justice; two daughters Deborah Kay and husband (Dr. Mark) Dixon of El Dorado, Arkansas and Carrie Frances and husband (Doug) of Conway, Arkansas. Also surviving is one brother Ernest Justice (Icie) of Keo, Arkansas. Mr. Justice is also survived by six grandchildren, Kyle Hillis, Peyton Hillis, Hayley Margaret Hillis, Austin Justice Dixon, Katelyn Allison Dixon and Rachel Caroline Dixon and one great grandchild, Catalina Isbell Hillis. Mr. Justices’ funeral service was held Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 2 p.m. at the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel in England, Arkansas. Visitation was from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17. Pallbearers were Kyle Hillis, Peyton Hillis, Austin Justice Dixon, David Justice, Charles Childress and Jeff Harrison. Honorary Pallbearers were Katelyn Allison Dixon, Hayley Margaret Hillis and Rachel Caroline Dixon. Burial followed in Keo Cemetery at Keo, Arkansas. Wilson Funeral Home was in charge of the services. To view obituary online go to www.wilsonfhengland.info. In lieu of flowers Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association 212 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas 72209. Thursday, February 19, 2009 10:56am, pulaskinews

Kelley, Estelle, 89, of Delta died Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007 at Chaffee Nursing Center in Chaffee, MO. She was born June 6, 1917 in Little Rock, AR, daughter of George M. and Adaline Pattat Sanders. She and Carl Everett Kelley were married Dec. 23, 1950 in San Diego, CA. She was of the Baptist belief and was a member of National Association of Retired Federal Employees. She is survived by her husband; one grandson, William Buck of Memphis, TN; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, one son, two daughters, one brother and four sisters. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007 at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau, MO. Service will be at noon Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007 at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.

Lackey, Melvin Preston, 70 died at 1:20pm Aug. 31, 2001, at Missouri Delta Medical Center. Born Sept. 10, 1930, in Little Rock, Ark, son of the late Charles A. and Lela Johnson Lackey Sr., he was a farmer and member of the Blodgett Baptist Church, where he dha taught the adult men's Sunday school class. A corporal with the U.S. Army during Korean War, he was also leader of the bus ministry at Little Vine General Baptist Church for many years. His wife, Everstine Scheland lackey, survives of the home. Other survivors include: two sons, James Benson of Richardson, Texas, and Russell Benson of LaCenter, KY; two daughters, Francis Tadlock of St. Louis and Melvona Sexton of Sikeston; four brothers, Carl Lackey of Palatka, Fla., George Lackey of Sikeston, Charles Lackey Jr. of Murphysboro, Ill. and William "Bill" Lackey of Zanesville, Ohio; two sister, Elsie Lackey of Sikeston and Charlene "Carrie" Johnson of Benton; and 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. One brother and one sister oreceded him in death. Services are scheduled for 2pm today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Lee Fansler, pastor of the Blodgett Baptist Church and the Rev. Larry Davis, Pastoor of Trinity Gospel of Sikeston, will officiate. Burial will follow in the Dogwood Cemetery near East Prairie. Sikeston (MO) Standard Democrat, Monday, September 3, 2001; submitted by Anna Newell

Lenderman, Margie Watson, 81, of North Little Rock died Feb. 19, 2009. She was a member of First United Methodist Church of North Little Rock. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hugh Dalton and Ruby Gladys Bryant Watson. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Horace L. Lenderman; a daughter, Francella Merritt of Little Rock; a granddaughter, Lisa Kay Reed and husband Wallace of North Little Rock; a brother, Fred Watson and wife Becky of Bull Head City, Ariz.; three sisters-in-law, Marcia Watson of Benton, Lavene Rodgers and husband Vernon of North Little Rock, and Geneva Ables of Lewisville, Texas; and numerous nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. A funeral service was held Feb. 23 at the North Little Rock Funeral Home Chapel. Burial followed in Rest Hills Memorial Park. The family requests that memorials be made to Arkansas Services for the Blind in Little Rock. Friday, February 27, 2009 10:56am, pulaskinews

McBurnett, Mary Majinett “Majie”, 81, of North Little Rock died Feb. 14, 2009. She retired after 35 years from North Little Rock Memorial Hospital and was a member of First Pentecostal Church of North Little Rock. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Howard McBurnett. She is survived by three daughters, Cheryl Looper of North Little Rock, Jennifer Bridges of Cabot and Tonya Harris of Scott; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; her twin sister, Manzanita Hickman of Michigan; two brothers, Charles Smith of Idaho and Edward Smith of Michigan. A funeral service was held Feb. 18 at First Pentecostal Church of North Little Rock. Burial followed in Rest Hills Memorial Park. The family requests that memorials be made to First Pentecostal Church of North Little Rock. Friday, February 27, 2009 10:56am, pulaskinews

McMath, Sid, former Arkansas Gov., who had become a powerful prosecutor and the state's leader by the age of 40, died at his home in Little Rock. He was 91. Mr. McMath had been examined by doctors last week for an irregular heartbeat. He died late Saturday, his son Phillip McMath said. After serving in the military during World War II, Mr. McMath began a career in public service, becoming a prosecutor in Hot Springs and winning election to his first of two terms as governor in 1948. The year Mr. McMath left office, however, a commission was investigating allegations of scandals in the state Highway Department during the McMath administration. Grand juries returned indictments against three members of Mr. McMath's administration. Juries acquitted two of them, and a judge threw out the charges against the third. Nothing ever directly linked Mr. McMath to any wrongdoing, but he spent more that 50 years living down the allegations. In his book, "Promises Kept," released in 2003, Mr. McMath chronicled a dozen years of public service that began with his service in the South Pacific and ended with his 1952 defeat for a third term as governor in the midst of the scandal. "The public remembers the charges, but the exonerations are forgotten," Mr. McMath said in an interview last year with The Associated Press. Mr. McMath formed a law practice in Little Rock after leaving office. In 1954, he made an unsuccessful attempt to oust Sen. John L. McClellan, a Democrat. Eight years later, he ran again for governor but lost to then-Gov. Orval E. Faubus. Mr. McMath is survived by his wife, Betty Dortch Russell McMath; sons Phillip, Sandy and Bruce; and daughters Patricia and Melissa. --Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) - October 7, 2003.

Rees, Coy Herman, 81, of Searcy, Ark., passed away, Sunday, March 1, 2009. He was born on May 30, 1927 in Austin, Ark., to the late O.A. and Mary Guess Rees. He was a retired superintendent for Cone Construction, an Army veteran and a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Jacksonville. He is preceded in death by his parents, one son, Coy Allen Rees; sisters, Marie Styers, Leva Mae Stocks and Laverne Alvis; brothers, Cecil, Sonny and Alfred Rees. Mr. Rees is survived by his wife Mary Garvin Rees; children, Mike Rees and his wife, Debbie of Batesville and Monica Ashenberger and her husband, Mark of Searcy; grandchildren, Jason and Ambur Rees, Mandy May, Richard and Blake Ashenberger; and four great-grandchildren; one sister, Nora Delene Molder of Austin; two brothers, Ruben Rees of Sherwood and Noble Rees of Austin. Funeral services were held March 3 at the Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home chapel with Bro. Keith Lunceford and Ricky Ezell officiating. Burial followed in Bayou Meto Cemetery in Jacksonville. Funeral arrangements by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home, (501) 982-2136. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:26am, pulaskinews

Simmons, Christine L., 76, of Cairo, Illinois, died Friday, Nov. 10, 2006 at Daystar Care Center in Cairo. She was born June 25, 1930 in Little Rock, AR., daughter of Robert and Edith Harris. She and Virgie B. Simmons were married Aug. 4, 1945 in Corinth, MS. He died July 27, 1978. Simmons was a member of the Mighty Rivers Regional Worship Center in Cairo. Survivors include three sons, Bobby and Anthony Simmons of Charleston, MO, Terry Simmons of Miller City, IL; a daughter, Karen King of Cairo; two brothers, Lonnie Harris of Lake Havasu City, AZ, Doug Harris of Tamms, IL; two sisters, Peggy Slayton and Patricia Irwin of Clarksville, TN; two half sisters, Connie Smith of Chaffee, MO, Jeanetta Wilson of Tamms, IL; a half-brother, Barry Harris; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers and two sisters. Friends may call from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. The Rev. Larry Frazer will officiate, with burial at Spencer Heights Cemetery in Mounds, IL.

Speer, Jimmy Dean of North Little Rock died Feb. 26, 2009. He worked for the U.S. Department of Labor where he was the district director for Wage and Hour between 1975 and 1990, at which time he was recruited by Washington to lead the Wage and Hour Divisions Office of Policy. During his tenure, he was instrumental in the writing of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. He retired in 1995 after 34 years of service and returned to his home in Arkansas. He enjoyed spending time with his family at their lake house on Greers Ferry Lake, puttering around in the yard and researching his Cherokee Indian heritage; becoming a card-carrying member of that tribe. He was a member of Park Hill Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, B.A. and Mary Speer, and a brother, Dale Speer. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Carolyn Speer; a daughter, Melissa Speer of Dallas, Texas; two sons, Phillip Speer of North Little Rock and Michael Speer of Dallas, Texas; a daughter-in-law Tanya Speer; and four grandchildren, Michael, Dalton, Parker and Hayden. A memorial service was held March 2 at North Little Rock Funeral Home Chapel. The family request that memorials be made to the American Heart Association. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews

White, Frank, former Gov., one of only two people to defeat Bill Clinton in an election, died Wednesday. He was 69.
Family members said White died at his home. No cause was released. White, a Republican, ousted Clinton from the governor's office in 1980, after Clinton had served one term as the state's chief executive. Clinton came back to defeat White in 1982. Clinton then served as Arkansas governor until he was elected president a decade later. As governor, White was known as the signer of a measure approved by the Legislature requiring Arkansas teachers to include "creation science" in the curriculum if the theory of evolution was also taught. The law was later struck down as unconstitutional by a federal judge after a trial that drew national attention. After leaving the governor's office in 1983, White went to work for the Little Rock investment banking firm of Stephens Inc. He later joined First Commercial Bank as a senior vice president, where he served until July 1998, when Gov. Mike Huckabee appointed him state banking commissioner. White was born Durward Frank Kyle in 1933. His mother remarried and his stepfather -- Frank White -- adopted him. As a youngster, White received an appointment to the Naval Academy. After graduation, he served five years in the Air Force. Surviving besides his wife are three children from a previous marriage. --Associated Press Archive - May 22, 2003.

Wilk, Martha C., 87, of North Little Rock died Feb. 26, 2009. She was a member of St. Anne’s Catholic Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Rosary Solidarity. She was preceded in death by her husband, V.J. Wilk; two sisters, Adelaide Gubanski and Frances Pasierb; and a brother, Gus Banaszak Sr. She is survived by two daughters, Dorothy Wilk and Sharon Ashley and husband Randy; two grandchildren, Nathan and Mary Ashley; six sisters, Elizabeth Pruss, Florence Szparaga, Veronica Kaplon, Angie Kaplon, Margaret Piechocki, all of North Little Rock and Carolyn Evans of Texas. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Feb. 28 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Burial followed in Immaculate Heart of Mary Cemetery. The family requests that memorials may be made to St. Anne's Catholic Church or Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews

Williams, Neoma Lyon, 88, of North Little Rock died Feb. 25, 2009. She was a graduate of the University of Arkansas and retired after 25 years of teaching the second grade at Lakewood Elementary and reading at Argenta Elementary. She was an active member of ADK and PEO, a longtime member of Lakewood Methodist Church and the Bob Millet Sunday School class, and was a volunteer tutor. She enjoyed sewing, cooking and entertaining guests. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Woodrow Woody O. Williams; her parents, Erwin Albert Lyon and Lucie Jane Dowdy Williams; three sisters, Elvona, Elomae and Dortha; and two brothers, Everett and Elroy. She is survived by her sister, Lila Fae Jackson; a daughter, Laura Burch and husband Burgess; a son, Oliver and wife Sharon; and seven grandchildren, David, Brian and Danielle Burch, Ethan, Sean, Rose of Sharon and Maya Williams; and many nieces and nephews. A funeral service was held Feb. 28 at Lakewood United Methodist Church. Burial followed in New Hope Cemetery in Perryville. The family requests that memorials be made to Alzheimer’s Arkansas in Little Rock. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews

Wise, Ham, Died at Little Rock, Ark., March 11, of consumption, L. Ham Wise, 31; general traveling freight agent Iron Mountain railroad for the state of Arkansas, and a popular officer. Interment at Wenona, Ill. Source: The Henry Republican, Henry, Ill., March 24, 1881; contributed by Nancy Piper.

Ventura, George, 90, of North Little Rock died Feb. 19, 2009. She was the former owner/operator of Linda's Caf/ in Dallas, Texas and was of the Pentecostal faith. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, George E. Ventura; several nieces, nephew and other family members. A funeral service was held Feb. 23 at First Assembly of God in North Little Rock. Burial was Feb. 25 in Calvary Hill Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. The family requests that memorials be made to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Thursday, March 5, 2009 10:31am, pulaskinews