Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Laura Frances Motsinger
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Graveside services for Laura Frances Motsinger, 95, of Helena and formerly of England will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, 2009 at Sunset Memorial Park in Helena-West Helena. Brother Gary Henson will officiate.
Visitation will be held before the service from 2 to 3 p.m. at Roller-Citizens Funeral Home.
Motsinger, born May 9, 1913 in Rondo to the late Jesse Vineyard Wooten and the late Minnie Grimes Wooten, died Tuesday, April 28, 2009 in Helena.
She was of the Methodist faith and lived in England for many years.
She leaves two daughters, Mary Ann King and husband, Billy of Helena and Georgia Hayes; three grandchildren, Billy Bo King, Tammy Hall and Lauren Sanders; four great grandchildren, James Doyle, Madison Doyle, Wyatt Edward King and Dylan Adams; and two sisters, Betty Vetkos and Nora Hornbeak.
Her parents and her husband, Charles Motsinger, preceded her in death.
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home will direct services.
Lois Smith Gregory
HELENA-WEST HELENA - Lois Smith Gregory, 70, of Helena-West Helena passed away Friday, April 24, 2009. Lois was born May 26, 1938 to Claud and Iva Whitworth Smith in West Helena.
Her parents Claud and Iva Smith, bother Harold Smith and her husband, Odis D. Gregory, preceded Lois in death.
Lois spent 41 years of her life in the banking business. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt to her family.
Lois leaves 2 sons, Odis Gregory and wife, Vickie of Wabash, Phillips Gregory and wife, Shawndus of Helena-West Helena; 2 daughters, Deana Gregory of Helena-West Helena and Mona Gregory Hirsch and husband Alan Jr. of Fayetteville; 10 grandchildren, Dusty Ferguson, Jackie Chisnall, Rene Batts, Al Hirsch III, Drew Haynes, Tripp Gregory, Mollie Gregory, Matt Gregory, Joylyn Gregory and Jackson Gregory; 5 great-grandchildren, Collin Chisnall, Morgan Ferguson, Peyton Finley, Caleb Chisnall and Hannah Batts; 3 sisters, Juanita Turner and husband Frank of Helena, Sarah Bradshaw and husband, Oscar of Helena-West Helena and Virginia Alexander and husband, B.D. Marks of Mississippi; sister-in-law Virginia Smith of McGehee along with a host of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers are Al Hirsch III, Drew Haynes, Tripp Gregory, Matt Gregory, Jackson Gregory, Logan Ferguson and Chad Chisnall. Honorary pallbearers are Alan Hirsch Sr., Oscar Bradshaw, B.D. Alexander, Frank Turner Sr., Bud Gregory, Jimmy Yates and Ervin Mullally.
Services will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at the Twin City Church of Christ in Helena-West Helena with Brother Steve Reeves officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park on Highway 49 West. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 27, 2009. Roller-citizens Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.
Janice Lee Maree Willingham
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Janice Lee Maree Willingham, 66, of Memphis and formerly of Marianna, passed away Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at her home in Memphis.
Born July 24, 1942 in Helena, she was the daughter of Frank Maree and Ellen Elizabeth Shenep.
Survivors include a sister, Yvone Lowas of Lemoore, Calif.; a brother, David Maree of Helena; two daughters, Laura Willingham Gaal of DeSoto, Mo. and Donna Willingham Fellows of Jonesboro; five grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date with Roller-Citizens Funeral Home of Helena-West Helena in charge of arrangements. No visitation is scheduled.
The daughters of Janice are asking that in lieu of flowers and cards that donations be made to Donna Fellows, 521 Huntington, Ave., Apt. No.5, Jonesboro, AR 72401 to help with the funeral expense.
Aretha Bridges
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Services for Aretha Bridges 47, of West Helena, AR are incomplete and will be announced later by Brown's Home For Funerals. Bridges passed away on April 27, 2009 in West Helena, AR.
Darrin Knox
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Funeral services for Darrin Knox, 41, will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2, 2009 at the Greater Missionary Baptist Church in Caldwell. Burial will be in Stanley Grove cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Kincaid Funeral Services in Forrest City at 307 North Washington St.
Knox was born June 19, 1967 to John and Clara Knox. He died Sunday, April 26.
He leaves to mourn his passing, 12 brothers and sisters, James, John, Charles, Bernard, Philicia, Clara, Endrea and Sidney Knox, Alvertis, Janice and Bernadine Gatlin and Linda Wilder and a host of relatives and friends.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Kincaid Funeral Services Inc.
Ruby Martin Johnson
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Funeral services for Ruby Martin Johnson, 86, of Helena-West Helena will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, April 24, 2009 at the New Haven M.B. Church in Helena-West Helena with the Rev. Leroy Carter, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park in Barton. Visitation will be held tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Robert Lee Brown Memorial Chapel.
Mother Ruby Martin Johnson was born on Oct. 10, 1922 to Henry and Nancy Baker-Martin in Ferguson. Her parents, two sisters, Otine Bonds, Katerine Atkins, a granddaughter, Ruby McCoy, an adoptive son (grandson) McGartha Johnson, III and a stepson, R.B. Johnson, preceded her in death.
She accepted the Lord as her personal Savior at an early age and became a member of Precious Grove Missionary Baptist Church until her health began to fail. She was a long time member of the Morning Glory Rising Sun No. 49.
She spent her life raising 31 grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She devoted all her love to caring for the sick, feeding the community, and taking in anyone that needed a home. She lived in Ferguson, until she moved to Elaine in 2000. She later moved to Helena-West Helena, to live with Willie and Lorene Dixon.
She departed this life on Sunday, April 19, 2009 at Helena Regional Medical Center.
She leaves to cherish her wonderful memory, eight children; Tishia Moore, Ruthie Brewer of Fresno, Calif., McGartha Johnson, Jr., Lewis Johnson, both of St. Louis, Neomia Jones of Milwaukee, Wis., Calvin Johnson of Little Rock, Lorene (Willie) Dixon of Helena-West Helena, Nancy Stanley of Flint, Mich.; a stepson, Woodrow Gardner of Lake View; 66 grandchildren; 100 great grandchildren; 26 great- great grandchildren, 5 great-great-great grandchildren; a goddaughter; Nesertar Culter of Chicago; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends.
Brown’s Home for Funerals, Inc. will direct the services.
Helen Kloene
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Graveside services for Helen Kloene, 81, of Memphis were held Monday, April 27, 2009 at the Central cemetery near Lexa with Rev. Ken Chaney officiating.
Kloene, born Jan. 6, 1909 to George and Asama Butts Kloene in Helena, died Friday, April 24, 2009.
She spent her life in the medical field as a nurse for 41 years.
Her parents and a sister, Elizabeth Kloene preceded her in death.
She leaves a sister, Gene Bradford of Helena-West Helena; two nephews, Jack Bradford and wife, Larae and Jerry Bradford; five great nephews, Robert and Chrissy Bradford, Jerry Ray and Melissa Bradford, Josh Bradford, Clay Bradford; and a niece, Bethany Bradford.
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home directed services.
Brenda Joyce Raines
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Funeral services for Brenda Joyce Raines, 65, of Helena-West Helena will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, April 30, 2009 in the Roller-Citizens Funeral Home chapel with Rev. J.E. Hughes officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Roller-Citizens Funeral Home.
Raines, born March 2, 1944 in Leachville to the late Kenneth Garrison and Mary Ann Beavers Garrison, died Saturday, April 25, 2009.
She worked for over 30 years as a teacher’s aid in Helena-West Helena. Brenda will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother aunt and dear friend to many.
She leaves her husband, Jimmy Raines of Helena-West Helena; her mother, Mary Ann Garrison of Jonesboro; three sons, Jerry Roach of Senatobia, Miss., Jeff Raines of Helena-West Helena and James Dwayne Raines of Fayetteville; three daughters, Tanna Wierman and husband, George of England, Stacy Barefield and husband, Bill of Helena-West Helena and Mindy Seaman and husband, Gus of Helena-West Helena; 18 grandchildren; three great grandchildren; a sister, Barbara DePriest of Jonesboro; two brothers, Wayne Garrison of Arizona and Larry Garrison of Jonesboro; and her two dogs, Isis and Neptune.
Her first husband, Harold Roach; her father, Kenneth Garrison; two brothers, Melvil and Andrew Garrison; and a dear friend, Barbara Raines, preceded her in death.
Pallbearers will be Orie Jaco, George Wierman, Jerry Roach, Jason Wierman, Gus Seaman and Michael Swan.
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home will direct services.
William “Bill” Casteel
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - William “Bill” Casteel, of Bartlesville, Okla., died. Monday, April 27, 2009 at the Medicaloge of Dewey, Okla.
Graveside services will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3, 2009 at the LaGrange cemetery in the LaGrange community. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Roller-Citizens Funeral Home in Helena-West Helena.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established and those who wish may send their contributions to SPCA, 16620 State Highway 123, Bartlesville, Okla., 74003 or the American Cancer Society, Attn: Kathy Leeper, P.O. Box 1094, Bartlesville, Okla., 744005 or Eldercare, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville, Okla., 74006 or to the James H. Teel American Legion Post No.105 N.E. Washington Blvd., Bartlesville, Okla. 74006.
Mr. Casteel was born at Calico on Sept. 8, 1923, the son of Robert Luther and Della (White) Casteel.
“Boots” as he was known in Arkansas grew up in the LaGrange area and attended school at Barton. He worked as a truck driver at a CCC Camp in Kramer N.D. until entering the U.S. Navy on Jan. 7, 1943. He served in the South Pacific in the Battle of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands and at Kwakalein in the Marshall Islands. Following his honorable discharge on Jan. 3, 1947, he returned to Arkansas and married
Henri Irene Allen on June 22, 1947 at LaGrange. Casteel attended Oklahoma State Technical School at Okmulgee on the GI Education Bill where he received an associate’s degree in design and drafting in 1950.
The Casteels moved to Bartlesville to establish their home. Phillips Petroleum employed Casteel for over 35 years until his retirement in 1985 as a master supervising designer.
Casteel was an active member of the James H. Teel American Legion Post No.105 and during the late 1950s and early 1960s he managed the Clubroom for five years. He was active as a parent volunteer for the Phillips 66 Splash Club from 1956 - 1963.
In 1963 he became a member of the Bartlesville Masonic Lodge No. 284 AF and AM and in 1965 became active as a Shiner’s clown until 1995. He enjoyed woodworking and fishing on Grand Lake.
A son, Donnie Allen Casteel; his wife, Nancy of Bartlesville; a daughter, Connie Brandon of Bartlesville; a granddaughter, Sonya Hauser of Bartlesville; and a niece, Ann Brown of East Point, Fla. survive him. His wife, Henry Irene Casteel, his parents, two brothers and his two beloved cats, both named “Jabo, ” preceded him in death.
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home will direct services.
Booker Scruggs
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Services for Booker Scruggs of West Helena, AR are incomplete and will be announced later by Brown's Home For Funerals. Scruggs passed away on April 30, 2009 in West Helena, AR.
Glenda Williams
Helena-West Helena, Ark. - Funeral services for Glenda Williams, 52, of Little Rock, formerly of Marvell will be held 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25, 2009 at St. Matthew M.B. Church in Marvell with the Rev. Jeff Ellington officiating. Burial will follow in the Lone Valley cemetery in Marvell.
Visitation will be tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Robert Lee Brown Memorial Chapel.
Williams was the oldest of six children born on March 13, 1957 to the late Theotis and Mae E. Williams.
She accepted Christ at an early age at the New Mt. Everett Church in Marvell.
She was an honor graduate of Marvell High School in the class of 1975. She attended UCA in Conway where she later received a Bachelor’s Degree in business. She moved to Colorado in 1987 and worked for the state of Colorado for 18 years in Denver.
She departed this life on Sunday, April 19, 2009 in Little Rock.
She leaves her loving son, Chad M. Williams of California; two sisters, Tina Williams of Marvell and Sharon Williams of Little Rock; two brothers, Michael Williams of Marvell and Clarence Hendrix of Marietta, Ga.; her fiancé and soul mate, Oscar Smith of Denver; five nephews, two nieces; many special relatives and devoted friends.
