Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Mary Martin
Mary Dee Martin, 96, of Cedarville, died Thursday, April 18, 2002, at a local nursing home. She was formerly of Stuttgart, a homemaker and attended Van Buren First Assembly of God. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence David Martin.
Survivors include a daughter, Pauline Mullican of Cedarville; a son, Clarence Donald Martin of Fort Smith; two sisters, Myrtle Duncan of Dewitt and Lucy Duncan of Junction City, Ore.; 14 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
Graveside service was held April 22 at Bayou Meto Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were her friends.
Phillip Sangster
Phillip Sangster, 66, of Van Buren, died Wednesday, April 17, 2002, at a local hospital. He was a retired truck driver for Midway Motor Company, a member of Old Town Cruisers and raced stock cars.
Funeral was held April 20 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel of Van Buren. Burial was at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren.
Survivors include his wife, Dionne; three daughters, Phyllis Pennington of Greenwood, Becke Imhoff and Rachael Graham, both of Fort Smith; three sons, Bryon Sangster of Imboden, Michael Graham of Muldrow and Joe Graham of Fort Smith; a brother, James Sangster of Vian; and 14 grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Butch and Eddie Gilyard, Lloyd Blansett, Roger Higgins, Grant Symonds and Bobby Shepard.
Benny Nelson
Benny Nelson, 47, of Van Buren, died Monday, April 15, 2002. He was the owner and operator of Nelson’s Wrecker service and B and K Cycle in Van Buren.
Survivors include his wife, Kathy; two daughters, Tamra Henson of Cedarville, Kelly Nelson of the home; one son, Kevin Nelson of the home; his mother, Ellen Nelson of Van Buren; one sister, Barbara McKown of Van Buren; one brother, Ray Nelson of Van Buren; four grandchildren, Cody Cooper of Van Buren, Cassie Henson, Breanna Henson and Sabrina Henson, all of Cedarville.
Graveside service was held April 18 at Newberry Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Randy Payne, Greg Preston, Robert Overby and Vincent Overby.
Charlie Cox
Charlie W. Cox, 84, of Cedarville, died Saturday, April 20, 2002, at a local hospital. He was retired from Willard Mirror Co. and a member of the Cedarville Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Patricia King and Naomi King, both of Cedarville; one son, Tony Cox of Kibler; one sister, Lorene Guill of Water Valley, Ky.; 12 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral service was held April 23 at Cedarville Baptist Church. Burial was held at Gracelawn Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons.
Sisily Preston
Sisily Hope Kelly Preston, 11 months, of Mountainburg, died Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at a Little Rock hospital.
She is survived by mother, Amber Kelly, and her father, Jacob Preston of Mountainburg; maternal grandparents, Shelia and Robert Kelly of Mountainburg; paternal grandparents, Melinda Preston of Van Buren and Frank Preston of Alma; maternal great-grandparents, Vernon and Virginia Kelly of Van Buren and Phyllis and Glen Cluck of Oklahoma; and paternal great-grandparents, Joyce and Gary Linder of Oklahoma City, Dick and Sue Murphy of Amarillo, Texas, and Melba Preston of Van Buren.
Funeral service was held March 8 at Concord Baptist Church with burial at Gracelawn Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
Pallbearers were Michael Sevenstar, J.D. and Neal Preston, Shane Watkins and Royce Kelly.
Dr. Thomas Whitaker Jr.
Dr. Thomas J. Whitaker Jr. of Cedarville died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002, in a Fort Smith hospital. He was born June 27, 1935, in Heber Springs. He graduated from Heber Springs High School in 1953, the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas Medical School in 1960 with a doctor of medicine degree. He completed his residency training at Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes Hospital in obstetrics and gynecology in 1964. He practiced obstetrics and gynecology in Fort Smith more than 30 years at Sparks Regional Medical Center, St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and Crawford Memorial Hospital. He volunteered at Sebastian County Health Clinic, Holt-Krock Sports Medicine Clinic and was a member of the Arkansas Medical Society and the American Medical Society. He was a member of First Presbyterian in Fort Smith where he was former deacon and choir member, a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, was a KCCH 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a member of Van Buren Masonic Lodge No. 6, the Cedar Masonic Lodge No. 762, the Temple Lodge No. 755 in Fort Smith, the National Lodge No. 411 in Ratcliff, the Scimitar Temple in Little Rock, the Jacques DeMolay Commandery No. 3, the Royal and Select Masters Osiris Council No. 5, the Royal Arch Mason Van Buren No. 3, former secretary of Van Buren Lodge No. 6, former chairman of the scholarship committee of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, member of Van Buren Sertoma Club, the Van Buren Downtown Merchants Association and a former Cedarville alderman.
Funeral service was held March 1 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with graveside Masonic rites at Roselawn Cemetery in Fort Smith.
He is survived by wife, state Sen. Ruth Reed Whitaker; a daughter, Alicia Mattingly of Greenville, Miss.; a son, Dr. Bryan Whitaker of Fayetteville; and three grandchildren, Emily, Madeline and Amelia Whitaker, all of Fayetteville.
Memorial contributions may be made to Salvation Army, 301 N. Sixth St., Fort Smith, AR 72901 or Cedarville Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 184, Cedarville, AR 72932.
Mary McAdoo
Mary McAdoo, 73, of Seagonville, Texas, formerly of Dyer, died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002, in Dallas. She was a homemaker and was preceded in death by her husband, Ray McAdoo.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Humphrey of Mesquite, Texas; two sons, Donald McAdoo of Garland, Texas, and Eddie McAdoo of Forney, Texas; two sisters, Mildred Wright of Van Buren and Lois Gregory of Alma; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral service was held March 1 at Edwards Van-Alma Chapel in Van Buren. Burial was held at Dyer Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Jason McAdoo, Jerid McAdoo, Gatlin McAdoo, Cody McAdoo, Eric McAdoo and Dale Morrell.
