Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Wilson Charles Deese
Wilson Charles Deese of Little Rock died April 4, 2003.
He was born June 2, 1918, at Wattensaw, Lonoke County.
He was a pastor of the First Baptist Church of Cabot, the West Helena Baptist Church, as well as a former employee of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. He served as chaplain during WWII in the Pacific and retired as a colonel with the Arkansas National Guard. He was also a chaplain with Baptist Medical Center.
He is survived by three daughters, Lane Phelps of Maumelle, Linda Pate of Mesquite, Texas, and Charla Cheatwood of Little Rock; a brother, Richard Deese of Auburn, Ala.; three step-brothers, Alvin Flynt of Bentonville, Clayton Flynt of Camden, and William Flynt of Springdale; a step-sister, Emma Bowie of Clarksville; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was April 7, at Lakeshore Drive Baptist Church, Little Rock, with a graveside service at Sparkman cemetery, Sparkman. Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, Little Rock, was in charge.
Memorials may be made to Baptist Health Medical Center, 9601 Interstate 630, Little Rock, Ark., 72205; and to Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, Ark.
Lavaughn E. Westerfield
Lavaughn Earnest Westerfield, 72, of Jacksonville, died Thursday, April 3, 2003.
He was in the National Guard for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1951. He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War and retired in 1971 after 20 years of service with the rank of Master Sergeant. After the Air Force he went to work for the U.S. Postal Office in 1971 and retired in 1992. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, a volunteer for the Jacksonville Care Channel and the meals on wheels program.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Willa (Jones) Westerfield of Jacksonville; three children, Vanessa Nation of Jacksonville, Donna Pedersen of Cabot and Lt. Colonel Philip Westerfield of Colorado Springs, Colo.; six grandchildren; one brother, Roy Daniel Westerfield of Batesville.
Funeral services were April 8, at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home Chapel, followed by interment in Chapel Hill Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 909 W. Second, Little Rock, Ark., 72201; or the First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 220 W. Main St., Jacksonville, Ark., 72076.
Frederick Paradise
Frederick Paradise, 53, of Hazen, died March 26, 2003.
Funeral service was April 5, at St. Paul Baptist Church, Lonoke. With burial at Arkansas State Veteran cemetery, North Little Rock. Services entrusted to Premier Funeral Home.
Lewis Earl Elmore Sr.
Lewis Earl Elmore Sr., age 86, of Mayflower, a former resident of Lonoke, died April 2, 2003.
He was a member of First Baptist Church of Mayflower.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Chloe Elmore; one son, Lewis Jr. Elmore of Paola, Kan.; four daughters, Susan Pate of North Little Rock, Terry Dycus of Mayflower, Robin Johnson of Roland and Penny Landreth of Benton; 18 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter.
Funeral service was Saturday at Boyd Funeral Home, Lonoke with burial at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
Thomas Franklin Jones
Thomas Franklin Jones, age 81, of Perryville died April 3, 2003.
He served Perry County residents as their County and Circuit clerk from January 1953 to February 1956 and from 1967 to 1970 and 1973 to 1980.
He is a former Elder of Perryville Church of Christ, and former owner of Perryville Abstract and Stanley’s Hardware Store. He also was a former insurance salesman, worked for the Perry County Revenue Office, and a member of the CCC Camp in Hollis near Hot Springs. He served on the Selective Service Local Board #53, was a member of the Perryville Masonic Lodge, a former employee of five years for Arkansas Kraft, and he was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran where he served as second lieutenant.
Survivors include his wife, Lucille Padgett Jones of Perryville; daughter, Tommie Lou Wingfield of Fort Worth, Texas; sisters, Ruby Jones Morgan of Perryville and Myrtle Jones Kitchen of Cabot; brother, Donald Ray Jones of Jackson, Miss.; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services were April 7 at Perryville Church of Christ. Burial was at Hope cemetery by Harris Funeral Home of Perryville.
Harriet S. Alexander
Harriet Semmes Alexander, 53, of Memphis died March 31, 2003.
Survivors include a sister, Mary Alexander Bryant of Austin.
Funeral was April 3 at Cobb Funeral Home in Blytheville, with burial in Maple Grove cemetery.
Henry Wayland
Henry Wayland, 92, of Paragould died April 6, 2003.
He was a retired farmer, and a member of Immanuel Baptist Church.
Survivors include sons, Bill William C. Wayland of Paragould and Larry Wayland of Bryant; daughters, Carol Beeler of Lonoke and Wanda Messer of Paragould; sisters, Emma Nell Denneman of Coffeeville, Kan., Helen Dixon of St. Louis, Mo., Willie Massey of Prescott, Ariz., Norene Tucker of Yuccipa, Calif. and Corine Wayland of St. Louis, Mo.; 11 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m., April 10, at Heath Colonial Chapel, Paragould, with burial in Brown’s Chapel cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Brown’s Chapel cemetery Fund.
Cecil Mabel Carpenter
Cecil Mabel Carpenter, 88, of Austin, died Sunday, March 30 at her home. Graveside services were Wednesday, April 2, at 16th Section cemetery in Austin. Arrangements by Cabot Funeral Home, 501-843-5816.
Judy Lynn Archer
Specialist E-4 Judy Lynn (King) Archer of Florida, formerly of England, Ark., went to be with the Lord March 28, 2003 at the age of 45.
She was blessed with the love of her husband, Michael Junior Archer; two beautiful children, Joshua White of North Carolina, and Dakota Lynn King of Arcadia, Fla. She was loved by her four sisters, Katherine Ward of Texas, Betty Troutman of California, Sheila Hall of Lonoke and Clara Chidester of Leola; three brothers, Sammie King of England, Calvin King of Lonoke and Bryan King of California; a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Walter and Georgia King.
Judy was a mechanic specialist with the 4th Infantry Division for the United States Army.
Funeral service was 2 p.m., Tuesday, at Roberson Baptist Church, with interment in King cemetery, with full military honors by Leonard Stark VFW Post 3543 Honor Guard, Heber Springs. Arrangements were by Boyd Funeral Home of Lonoke.
Don L. Philpot
Don L. Philpot of Carlisle, a Christian, loving son, father, grandfather and friend, went home to be with the Lord Tuesday afternoon, March 25, 2003, at age 75.
He was born Nov. 25, 1927, in England to Belle Jackson Lilly and the late Steve R. Philpot. He was also preceded in death by his stepfather, Fred Lilly.
Don graduated from Carlisle High School at age 16 and attended Ouachita Baptist College in Arkadelphia. He served in the U.S. Army. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Carlisle Masonic Lodge. He was a longtime member of Carlisle Baptist Church where he served as Sunday School secretary for many years. He enjoyed serving with the Carlisle Auxiliary Police and also served as a substitute mail carrier. He was retired owner and operator of Lilly Iron and Boiler Inc. as an irrigation well driller. Following that, he retired as a car salesman.
Don leaves to cherish his memory, his longtime companion, Janice Highfill of Carlisle; his 96-year-old-mother, Virginia “Belle” Lilly of Carlisle; a son, John F. Philpot of Conway; daughters, Lee Anne Hess of San Jose, Calif. and Donna Curry of Carlisle; a sister, Sandra Haddock of Texas; four grandchildren, Lee Wood of Conway, Suzanne Smiley of Morrilton, Allison and Andrea Hunt of Carlisle; two future great-grandchildren (to be born this year); and a host of friends.
Don never met a stranger.
A celebration of Don’s life was held at 2:30 p.m., March 28, 2003, at First Baptist Church in Carlisle, with interment in Carlisle cemetery by Boyd Funeral Home of Lonoke.
