Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
William Morton
William “Bill” Morton, 87, of Hawthorne, Calif., died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003. He was the widower of Luella May Bailey Morton, a veteran of World War II, member of Hawthorne Masonic Temple No. 647 and a self-employed general contractor.
Survivors include two daughters, Nancy Jeanette Alfino and Lisa Norene Morton-Wentink, both of Northridge, Calif.; three sons, Jimmy Dale of St. Paul, Minn., William Terry of Hawthorne and Doris Wayne of Cameron, Okla.; one sister, Jean McKinney of Fresno, Calif.; 17 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Jimmy, Terry and Doris Morton and Joe, Chris and Edward Alfino.
The family will visit with friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ocker Funeral Home, 700 Jefferson St., Van Buren.
Joyce Landers
Joyce Landers, 53, of Van Buren, died Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003, at a local hospital. She was a homemaker and former resident of Fort Smith and California.
She is survived by her husband, Jimmy; a daughter, Lori Palafox of Fort Smith; two sons, James Landers of Van Buren and Jody Landers of Dora; a sister, Dorothy Landgraft of Sacramento, Calif.; and six grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Feb. 3 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Thomas Landers, James Hibbard, J.R. and Randy Dunn and Johnny and Jeffery Jones. Honorary pallbearers were Archie Arman and Danny Landers.
Gene Cole
Gene Cole, 80, of Van Buren, died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at a local hospital. He was a native of White County and had been a resident of Van Buren since 1950. He was an Air Force veteran of World War II, a member of Disabled American Veterans and the Van Buren Church of the Nazarene. He was the retired owner of Sterling Variety Store in Van Buren.
He is survived by his wife Marie Cole of the home; a daughter, Carolyn Loyd of Van Buren; a son, Kenny Cole and wife, Jackie of Pocola; a sister, Alter Blair of Jackson, Miss.; a brother-in-law and wife, Coy and Margie Keck of Florida; three grandchildren, Kevin Moore of Alma, Erika Wright and husband, Mike of Van Buren and Eric Cole of Maryland; and three great-grandchildren, Austin and Kenny Cole, both of Jacksonville, Fla. and Zane Wright of Van Buren.
Funeral service was held Feb. 1 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Willis Campbell, Johnny Means, Jeff Donnell, James Gay, Bob and Brad Keeter.
Honorary pallbearers were members of his Sunday school class., Randy Loyd, Bill Farrar, Bill Bridges, Raymond Battles, Bill Hess, Ross Robinson and John Riggs.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Church of the Nazarene, 2516 Alma Highway, Van Buren, AR 72956.
Edgar Staggs
Edgar Henry Staggs, 69, of Van Buren, died Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2003, at a local hospital. He was a member of Zion Missionary Baptist Church and a retired custodian for the Van Buren Middle School.
He is survived by his wife, Patsy; two daughters, Tara Greenwood and Gayla Walker, both of Van Buren; a son, Mark Staggs of Amherst, Texas; a sister, Maxine Darter of Tulare, Calif.; two brothers, Edward Staggs of Pinole, Calif., and Paul Staggs of Balch Springs, Texas; and 10 grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Jan. 31 at Ocker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Macedonia Cemetery near Uniontown.
Pallbearers were Harold Loveless, Marty Clark, Bryon Staggs, Odell Nunley, Steve and Jeremy Greenwood.
Honorary pallbearers were nurses in the Alzheimer’s Wing at Crawford Healthcare and Rehabilitation.
Nancy Wormuth
Nancy P. Wormuth, 85, of Mountainburg, died Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003, at a local hospital. She was born July 17, 1917, in Johnson City, Tenn. She was a retired licensed practical nurse and of the Baptist faith.
Graveside service was held Jan. 30 at U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Alma.
She is survived by her husband, Austin.
Josie Rooney
Josie Rooney, 92, of Van Buren, died Friday, Feb. 8, 2002, at a local nursing home. She was a retired chef and a member of First Baptist Church in Fort Smith.
Survivors include two sisters, Nita Morris of Alma and Aleta Davis of Van Buren; two nieces and four nephews.
Funeral service was held Feb. 11 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Chapel. Burial was held at Gill Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren.
Pallbearers were her family members.
Ray Peters
Ray J. Peters, 77, of Mountainburg, died Wednesday, March 19, 2003, at a local hospital. He was born Nov. 13, 1925, in Ada, Ark., and was a retired self-employed homebuilder. He was a member and former commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 8855 and member of Pigeon Creek Freewill Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Christie; five daughters, Delora Moore, Reta Pense, Teresa Sill and Marla Pense, all of Mountainburg, and Leona Martin of Alma; two brothers, Troy Peters of Alma and Paul Peters of St. Louis; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held March 22 at Alma Full Gospel Tabernacle. Burial was at Cain Cemetery in Mountainburg under the direction of Lewis Funeral Chapel.
Pallbearers were Ivan Pense, Dwight Pense, Gail Sill, Wendell Martin, Jerry Shelton and Dustin Graves. Honorary pallbearers were grandsons and grandsons-in-law.
Lura Willhite
Lura Ellen Willhite, 86, of Kibler, died Sunday, Dec. 23, 2001, at a local hospital. She was a homemaker and was a member of Kibler Assembly of God, where she had been the church secretary and had also taught Sunday school. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harrison Willhite.
Survivors include three daughters, Lena Aldridge Yakley and Laverne Hicks, both of Kibler, and Agnes Harrell of Alma; a son, Herbert Willhite of Fort Smith; two sisters, Louise Bryan of Alma and Thelma DuHon of Breaux Bridge, La.; a brother, Edward J. Hobson of Kibler; twelve grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral was held Dec. 26 at Kibler Assembly of God with burial at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home in Van Buren.
Pallbearers were Tom Harrell, Dennis Willhite, Tracy Lollis, Kevin Hicks, Randal Hicks, Adam Hicks, Randy Aldridge, Tim Aldridge, David Aldridge, Stanley Aldridge, Letitia Willhite and Marcy Blanton.
