Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
LUCILLE BAKER
Lucille Verser Baker, 92, of Lonoke, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend passed away Wednesday, July 26, 2006.
She was born December 11, 1913, in Lonoke, to Earl and Maggie Verser.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 62 years, Robert H. Baker; one sister, Allene Rauch and two brothers, Earl, Jr. and Jerry Verser.
Survivors include one son, Philip Baker and wife Jenna, of Houston, Texas; one daughter, Patricia Barnett and husband Jim, of North Little Rock; grandchildren, Phillip Baker, II, and wife Wendy, of Tyler, Texas, Elizabeth Currey and husband Jeff, of Dallas, Maggie Dicus and husband Craig, of Montclair, Va., and David Barnett and wife Kim, of North Little Rock; great-grandchildren, who will miss their Oma and Nannie, are Julianne, Laura, Phillip III, Matthew and Joshua Baker, Joseph and Jackson Dicus and Austin Barnett.
Also surviving are four sisters, Josephine Bryant, Evelyn Hauk and Martha Chrietzberg of Lonoke and Carolyn Oudin and husband Marc of Little Rock.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today at Lonoke First United Methodist Church, followed by burial in Salem cemetery, nine miles north of Lonoke on Bethlehem Road.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, Pine at Center St, Lonoke Ark., 72086.
The family would like to thank the staff at Golden Years Manor, Lonoke and Dr. Diane Wilder and staff at Little Rock Hematology Oncology for their loving concern and attention.
MARY GRIFFIN
Mary Margaret Griffin, 79, of Austin died July 25, 2006.
She was a retired manufacturing worker and a member of Oak Ridge Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, David Griffin.
She is survived by one daughter, Vickie Joslin of Austin and one son, Ricky Griffin and wife Pam of Ward; one sister, Elaine Weatherly of Cabot; three grandchildren, Stacy Ostraski and husband Mike of Ward, Rocky Joslin of Austin, David Griffin and wife Sara of Beebe, and one great-grandchild; Mackenna Griffin (Little Mack).
Funeral services were held July 28 in the chapel of Cabot Funeral Home with the Rev. Otto Brown officiating.
Burial was in the 16th Section cemetery in Austin.
MELVA BECRAFT
Melva E. BeCraft, 58, passed away Wednesday, July 26, 2006.
She fought a very long and hard courageous battle.
She was a loving wife, caring mother and an astounding nana.
She was a member of Hwy. 89 Community Church.
Survivors include her husband, Garnett 'Lee' BeCraft; one son and his wife, Phillip and wife Laura Morris; two grandsons, Brandon and Aaron; eight sisters, Francis Mitchell, Barbara and husband Ralph Anderson, Kaye and husband Earl Willey, Diane and husband Jerry Turner, Linda Clements, Tammy Mandoza, Kathy Faith and Anna Martin; two brothers, Charles and wife Billie Peach and Paul Scott; closest friends, Jean Turner and Norman Boggs and 27 nieces and nephews.
Graveside services will be held today at 2 p.m. in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Lonoke.
RUBY PRUITT
Ruby Pruitt, 86, of Beebe passed away July 22, 2006. She was a charter member of First Christian Church of Beebe and was retired from College Inn Restaurant in Beebe.
Ruby was a loving and caring person who never met a stranger.
She will be missed by everyone who knew her, especially her family which she loved so much.
She is survived by two daughters, Paulette Anderson and her husband Jack of Beebe, Naomi Kyzer and her husband Tommy of St. George, Utah; six grandchildren, Tommy Kyzer and his wife Jennifer of Acworth, Ga., Stacy Romines of Moore, Okla., Chris Kyzer and his wife Cuma of Centerton; Shannon Anderson and his wife Jennifer of Beebe, Clinton Pruitt and his wife Jeanie of Dermott, and Larry Pruitt and his wife Alice of Denard; 13 great-grandchildren, Brittany and Zachary Kyzer, Blake, Garrett and Lauryn Romines, Cameron Kyzer, Brittany, Amber and Shannon Anderson, Jr., Amanda, Rusty, Earl and Elizabeth Pruitt; and a great-great-granddaughter, Julie Pruitt.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Moses and Mora Cannon Taylor; her husband, Roy Pruitt; a son, LeRoy Pruitt, Jr.; grandson, Jack Anderson, Jr.; sisters, Mexie Hembrey, Edna Hembrey, and brother, Houston Taylor.
Funeral services were held July 28 at Westbrook Funeral Home with burial in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens.
JESSE ALLEN MIZER
Jesse Allen Mizer, 15, of Beebe died July 21, 2006.
He was born July 7, 1991, in Omaha, Neb., to Rodney and Sujuana Mizer of Beebe.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Rodney Mizer, II. Survivors include his parents, three sisters, Marquita Moss of McCrory, Crystal Huntsman of Abilene, Texas, and Kimberly Mizer of Beebe; two brothers-in-law, Daniel Moss of McCrory and Shawn Huntsman of Abilene, Texas; and his nephew, Payton Moss of McCory.
He is also survived by his grandparents, John and Louise Mizer of Dover, Ohio; Rusty and Nell Davis of Ward and Glenn Marksbury of Omaha.
Funeral services were held July 25 at Westbrook Funeral Home with burial in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens.
GLADYS THOMAS
Gladys Nivall Thomas, 83, of Jacksonville passed away Saturday, July 22, 2006 at Searcy Healthcare.
She was born Feb. 28, 1923, in Atkins, a daughter of the late George Venable and Lillie Mae Johnston Venable.
She retired from Pulaski County School District where she worked in the cafeteria.
She was a member of First Freewill Baptist Church in Jacksonville and the Order of the Eastern Star.
She loved her friends and family.
She will be missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by two children, Clinton Earl Thomas and wife Mayfan, of Batesville, Judy Kirsch and husband Jerry of Cabot; two brothers, Oliver Venable of Russellville and Jerry Venable of Mayflower; one sister, Sybil Teague of Atkins; four grandchildren, Clinton Scott Thomas of Texarkana, Shannon Renee Arndt of Daphne, Al., Wesley Hill of Jacksonville, and Jerry Kirsch, Jr., of Long Beach, Calif., and six great-grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Clinton Leon Thomas, one son and four brothers.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, July 25, at St. Joe Freewill Baptist Church in Atkins with the Rev. Roy Dale Smith Officiating.
Burial was in St. Joe cemetery under the direction of Griffin Leggett Funeral Home in Conway.
Memorials may be made to First Freewill Baptist Church of Jacksonville, P.O. Box 294, Jacksonville, Ark. 72078.
NELLIE STRAYHORN
Nellie Strayhorn, 83, of North Little Rock, died Tuesday, July 25, 2006 at Springhill Baptist Memorial Hospital in North Little Rock.
She was born Sept. 11, 1922, in Beebe to the late Frank Elmer and Clara Eleanor Lindsey Peterson.
She was a longtime resident of North Little Rock and a member of Lynch Drive Assembly of God Church.
She is survived by her husband, Herman Strayhorn and two sons, Benny Lammers and Lynn Lammers, both of Beebe; one daughter, Tommie and husband Jerry Heath of Searcy and grandchildren, Honnye and husband Ted Athanasiou of North Little Rock, and Kris and wife Christina Heath and their two children, Ella and Thomas of Jonesboro; two stepdaughters, Linda Baker of North Little Rock and her five children and 13 grandchildren and Peggy and husband Johnny Robinson of Little Rock and their three children and five grandchildren; four sisters, Kaye Martinsen of Long Beach, Calif., Fran Parker of West Covina, Calif., Irma McCann of American Fork, Utah, and Ellen Reid of Frankfort, Ind.; one brother, Don Peterson of Cut Bank, Mont., and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother and three sisters.
Funeral services were held July 28 at Westbrook Funeral Home Chapel in Beebe with Rev. Bill Sims officiating.
Burial was in Rest Hills Memorial Park in Sherwood. Ted Athanasiou, Johnny Robinson, Kris Heath, Franklin Strayhorn, Don Cannon and Buddy Powers served as pallbearers.
MARIE EVANS
Marie Marcelle Germaine (Leblanc) Evans, 86, of Jacksonville went to her heavenly home Jan. 31, 2008, at North Metro Medical Center in Jacksonville.
She was born July 9, 1921 in Harve-St-Pierre, Canada, and was the third child of the late Adeodath and Ann-Marie Leblanc.
Her husband of 62 years, Jack Evans; three brothers, Jean-Paul Leblanc, Julien-Marie Leblanc, Dollard Leblanc; and one sister, Yvette Leblanc, preceded her in death. She is survived by one brother, Raymond Leblanc of Quebec, Canada; three sons, Charles W. Evans and wife Cindy of Austin, Texas, Robert S. Evans and late wife Julia of Jacksonville, Gary L. Evans and wife Marilyn of Jacksonville; and one daughter Lou Ann Rago and husband Larry Wickersham of Afton, Okla.; five grandchildren, Tara Davis, Derek Evans and wife Autumn, Katey Evans of Jacksonville, Stephanie Morgan and husband Jeremy of Tulsa, Okla., and Eric Rago stationed at Camp Casey, South Korea; four step-grandchildren through marriages of her children; two great-grandchildren, Qurinnia Brooks and Madison Williams both of Jacksonville, and one more on the way; and seven step great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Evans became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1950 after meeting the man of her dreams and coming to the United States to marry her one and only true love.
She worked for a short period of time, but her life was devoted to her husband and raising her children.
She cherished her time spent with family and friends, who were her joy in life.
She was a wonderful cook whose specialty was homemade cinnamon rolls.
She was a member of ARMETTES, Arkansas Military Retired Wives Association, a social group that provided many fun times for her.
She loved God and demonstrated this by the way she lived her life.
Her strong faith was evident in her interactions with others and her commitment to her church. She was a longtime member of St. Jude's Catholic Church in Jacksonville.
Visitation and a Rosary were Sunday at St. Jude's Catholic Church in Jacksonville.
A funeral mass was held at St. Jude's Catholic Church at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 4 with burial following at Rest Hills Memorial Garden in North Little Rock.
The family requests memorials be made to St. Jude's Catholic Church, 2403 McArthur Drive, Jacksonville, 72076.
The family wishes to thank the physicians and nursing staff at North Metro Medical Center and Arkansas Hospice for the outstanding care they provided our mother during her final days.
ABELARDO NICDAO
Abelardo Manalastas Nicdao, 94, of Jacksonville passed away Jan. 29, 2008 in Little Rock.
He was born September 6, 1913, to Andres Nicdao and Agapita Manalastas in San Fernando Pam Panga, Philippines.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife, Ciriaca Tapnio Pineda; four children; three sisters; one brother and two great-grandchildren. Nicdao was a hard-working man who always smiled and loved gardening.
He was a member of St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church and Father Les Farley was his all-time favorite priest.
He is survived by eight children, Eudencia David of Seattle, Wash., Erlinda N. Porter of Cabot, Jesus P., Dorito, Alfredo, Ricardo, Victoria and Abelardo Jr., all of the Philippines; one sister, Odic Baking of the Philippines; fifty grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; and 18 great-great grandchildren.
A mass of Christian burial was Saturday at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church in Jacksonville with interment following in Sumner cemetery.
Donations may be made to St. Jude.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Moore's Jacksonville Funeral Home.
