Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Ronald Burkhardt
Ronald Roy Burkhardt, 56, of Mountainburg, died Wednesday, March 13, 2002. He was a member of New Beginnings Church of God and a retired self-employed chimney sweep.
Survivors include his mother, Frances Henninger of Mountainburg; one sister, Martha Hooper of Tyrone, Okla.; one brother, Bill Burkhardt; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside service was held March 14 at Pope Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
George Hall
George McDonald Hall, 79, of Rudy, died Wednesday, March 13, 2002, at a local hospital. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a retired mechanic at Fort James.
Survivors include four sons, Alan Hall of Stoughton, Mass., Gary Hall of Dedham, Mass., Douglas Hall of Florida and Kevin Hall of Massachusetts; 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
The body will be cremated under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Charley Pursell
Charley O. Pursell, 95, of Van Buren, died Monday, March, 24, 2003, at his home. He was born Sept. 18, 1907, in St. Paul, Ark., to the late Rev. William Pursell and his wife, Emma.
Mr. Pursell marriage Tosie Lane in 1938 and had celebrated 64 wedding anniversaries with her. He worked for Shipley Baking Co. for more than 40 years, was a past member of the Van Buren School Board and was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Bond Special. He enjoyed farming and gardening and was an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan.
He is survived by his wife, Tosie; three daughters and sons-in-law, Barbara and John Seftner of Van Buren, Marlene and Steve Pfeifer of Danville and Sharon and Dennis Day of Sallisaw; a son, Jimmy Pursell of Van Buren; three sisters, Essie Weldon and Florene Armstrong, both of Van Buren, and Bessie Cole of Fort Smith; 10 grandchildren, Gary Johnson of New York, John Johnson of San Francisco, Calif., David Johnson and Amy Dodson, both of Van Buren, T.J. Seftner and Shanna McCarty, both of Fort Smith, Wade Pursell of Houston, Randy Pursell of Fayetteville, Whitney Pfeifer of Russellville and Sandi McCarty of Sallisaw; and four great-grandchildren, Nathan and Abby Johnson of Van Buren, Tanner Pursell of Fayetteville and McKayla Dodson of Van Buren.
Funeral service was held March 26 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be at Gracelawn Cemetery in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were his grandsons.
Justin Cameron
Justin L. Cameron, 16, of Uniontown, died Friday, Feb. 14, 2003, at a local hospital. He was an 11th-grade student at Cedarville High School, attended Oliver Springs Freewill Baptist Church and was a member of the Cedarville FFA.
He is survived by his father and stepmother, Doug and Patti Cameron of Uniontown; his mother and stepfather, Eddie and Vernene Parker of Charleston; his maternal grandfather, Vernon Smith of Roland; his paternal grandparents, Bud and Juanita Cameron of Uniontown; his maternal step-grandparents, Brice and Freda Parker of Dayton; two sisters, Leslie and Jennifer Cameron, both of Fort Smith, a stepsister, Amanda Hall of Uniontown; and a stepbrother, Joshua Parker of Lavaca.
Memorial service was held Feb. 18 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Justin Weems, Josh Parker, Brandon Mizell, Jimmy Boston, Bobby Davis, Hugh Huckabee and Jared and Adam Cluck.
Memorial contributions may be made to Sebastian County Humane Society, P.O. Box 10953, Fort Smith, AR 72917.
Jimmy Hudson
Jimmy J. Hudson, 75, of Van Buren, died Thursday, March 20, 2003, at his home. He was a founding member, deacon and treasurer of Oliver Springs Freewill Baptist Church and retired from Kay Chair Co.
Survivors include his wife, Patsy; two daughters, Diane Beckham and husband, Stanley, and Nancy Canady and husband, Michael, all of Van Buren; one son, Terry Hudson and wife, Susan, of Van Buren; two sisters, Helen Fight of Van Buren and Rena Brewer of Mount Ida, Ark.; one brother, Garland Hudson of Van Buren; and seven grandchildren, Justin and Ryan Beckham, Brandon, Scott and Luke Hudson and Crystal and April Canady.
Funeral service was held March 22 at Ocker Memorial Chapel in Van Buren. Burial was at Mount McCurry Cemetery near Rudy under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were grandsons, Justin and Ryan Beckham and Brandon, Scott and Luke Hudson, and sons-in-law, the Rev. Mike Canady and Stanley Beckham.
Honorary pallbearers were the Men’s Sunday School Class of the Oliver Springs Freewill Baptist Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to Oliver Springs Freewill Baptist Church, 2019 Zion Road, Van Buren AR 72956.
Bruce Driggs
Bruce W. Driggs, 48, of Uniontown, died Wednesday, March 26, 2003, at a local hospital. He was a veteran of the Marines and a member of Uniontown Assembly of God.
The body will be cremated under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
He is survived by his wife, Linda; five daughters, Tabitha Lopez and Rachel Driggs, both of Yucca Valley, Calif., Katherine Brown of South Dakota, Nicole Johnson of Van Buren and Marsha Bates of Indiana; three sons, Patrick Driggs of Fayetteville and Robert and Andrew Driggs, both of Van Buren; his stepmother, Cheryl Driggs of Summers; six sisters, Patty Spray, Wanda Waggoner, Cindy Hatcher and Lori Driggs, all of Idaho, Toni Robinson of California and Torie Driggs of Lincoln; 10 brothers, Donny and Jim Driggs, both of California, Tony Driggs of Summers, Gregg, Kevin and John Driggs, all of Oregon, and Kenny, Bucky, Kelly and Jimmy Driggs, all of Idaho; and 13 grandchildren.
Floyd Black
Floyd J. Black, 86, of Van Buren, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, at his home. He was a retired farmer, a member of the Shibley Baptist Church and the widower of Bonnie Black.
He is survived by two sons, Gary Black and Larry Black, both of Van Buren; a sister, Dorothy Willmon of Van Buren; and four grandsons, Eddie, Jeff, Steven and Eric Black, all of Van Buren.
Funeral service was held March 25 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Gracelawn Cemetery in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were his grandsons and Jim and Chad Willmon.
Cecil Strickland
Cecil B. Strickland, 65, of Van Buren, died Saturday, June 28, 2002, at a local hospital. He was a retired truck driver for Charley Transportation Co. in Fayetteville.
Survivors include his wife, Janet of Fayetteville; two daughters, Dorothy Strickland of Colorado and Janette Strickland of Fayetteville; three stepdaughters, Tina Turpin and Paula McInnes, both of Paron, and Priscilla Garcia of Gravel Ridge; a stepson, Bryan Garcia of Conway; a sister, Wanda Sue Bolton of Mena; a brother, Atha Lee Strickland of Washington state; and six grandchildren.
There will be no service. The body will be cremated under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
