Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Jesse W. Gray
Jesse Wilson Gray, 59, of Clarksville died Monday, Nov. 29, 2004, at Johnson Regional Medical Center.
He was a retired automobile mechanic.
Survivors include his wife, Darlene Shelly Gray; three daughters, Rachel Schneider and Tina Gray of Clarksville and Valerie Day of Lamar; four sons, Jesse Gray, Billy Jack Gray, and Falon Gray, all of Clarksville, and Mace Gray of Ozark; parents, Jesse Franklin and Ruby Jewal Berkley Gray; two sisters, Rachel Lacey and Elaine Prest of Oklahoma; four brothers, Harley Gray of Arizona, Ronnie Gray and Aaron Gray, both of Oklahoma, and Bonnie Gray of Missouri; and 12 grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Holman cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Jesse Vance Gray, Mace Gray, Falon Gray, Billy Jack Gray, Bill Schneider, Brad Day, and Shea Duffel.
Juanita Welty
Juanita Welty, 76, of Dexter, Mo., former resident of Johnson County, died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004, at her home.
She was a native of Russellville, daughter of the late Charles and Jewell Baker Harris, member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Dexter, Mo., and was employed as a press operator for Elders Manufacturing for 44 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lester Cleo England; one son, Allan Cleo England; and one granddaughter, Susan Yvonne Hunt.
Survivors include one daughter, Rhonda Martinek of Como, Tenn.; two sons, Gary England and Ronnie England, both of Dexter, Mo.; one brother, Hancel Harris of Lawton, Okla.; one sister, Lula Mae Hensley of Collinsville, Ill.; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter, Mo., with Rev. Shane Mallard officiating. Burial will be in Hagy cemetery at Dexter, Mo.
Myrtle N. Armstrong
Myrtle Nowotny Armstrong, age 83, of Gentry, AR, formerly of Clarksville, Arkansas, died Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, at Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital.
She was born to her parents, Tom Jefferson and Chloe Boen Nowonty Dec. 2, 1920, at Stone Hill, Arkansas. She was of the Baptist faith, a homemaker, and she loved to cook for her family.
She is survived by her husband of 32 years John Armstrong of Gentry, AR; one son, George T. Severn and wife, Carolyn, of Gentry, AR; three daughters, Winnie Pipkins of Decatur, AR, Mary L. Williams of Greenwood, AR, and Anna Hays of Las Vegas, NV; one brother, Billy Joe Nowotny of Clarksville, AR; three sisters, Mary Mae Williams of Knoxville, AR, Betty Hayes of Russellville, AR, and Patricia Smith of Pocola, OK; eight grandchildren, Glenn and Jimmy Severn, Mike Storment, Tonya Lavender, Richard Hose, Angela Jones, Shayne Nichols, and Penny McKendry; 11 great-grandchildren, Wendy Dixon, Wes Storment, Taylor Jones, Jacob Hose, Trey Nichols, Jake Nichols, Donna and Emily Lavender, and Avery, Eric and Trevor McKendry; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, a grandmother, Josephine Nowotny, and one aunt, Mary Talley.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, 2004, at the Roller-Cox Funeral Home with the Reverend Amos Pledger officiating. Burial was in Knoxville cemetery at Knoxville, AR. Visitation was from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21, 2004, at the funeral home.
Mildred O. England
Mildred Orlena England, 92, of Clarksville died Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004, at Clarksville Convalescent Home.
She was a daughter of the late Henry and May Farris Officer, widow of Herman England, and of the Assembly of God faith.
She is survived by three sons, Ray England of Clarksville, Cecil England of Ingleside, Texas, and Philip England of Fort Worth, Texas; one sister, Viola Carey of Clarksville; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Amos Pledger officiating. Burial was in Mt. Vernon cemetery.
Pallbearers were David England, Mark England, Greg England, Bryan England, Brad England, and Josh England.
Robert Murray
Robert (Bob) Murray, 81, formerly of Clarksville, died Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, at his home in Granite Gate Resort in Prescott, Ariz.
He was a native of Topeka, Kan., served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II, a former resident of Falls City, Neb., and Fairbanks, Ala., where he was a fire department inspector prior to moving to Mountain View, Calif., where he was a 28-year employee of Lockheed until his retirement in 1987. He was a member of Aztlan Masonic Lodge and the Willow Creek LDS Ward in Prescott, Ariz. and was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine Wiebe Murray, and one son, Roger.
Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Jean and Gary Lopez of Prescott, Ariz.; two granddaughters, Jennifer Lopez of Prescott, Ariz., and Sierra (PJ) Novak and husband, Chris, of Tucson, Ariz.; one brother and sister-in-law, Dwayne and Barbara Murray of Clarksville; and one sister, Darlene Murray of Citrus Heights, Calif.
A celebration and Masonic service with full military honors was held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 26, at Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home.
Willa Grace
Willa Celestia Dalton Grace, 104, died Nov. 11, 2004, in Indianapolis, Ind.
She was a former resident of Clarksville having resided here from 1967-69 and from 1973-1994 and was a member of First Baptist Church.
She was a native of Doniphan, Mo., daughter of the late Eliijah Lee and Laura Alice Dalton, widow of George Grace, and was preceded in death by four sons.
Survivors include one daughter, Laura Owens of St. Charles, Mo.; one son, Eldon Grace of Fishers, Ind.; one sister, Alta Marie Holmes of Grapevine, Texas; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral was Monday, Nov. 15, at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan, Mo., with Rev. Randy Miller and Rev. Bob Grace officiating. Burial was in Doniphan City cemetery.
Gertie S. Ray
Gertie R. Swatzel Ray, 100 of Fayetteville, formerly of Johnson County, died Monday, Nov. 29, 2004 at Northwest Medical Center of Washington County in Springdale.
She was a native of Sevier County, daughter of the late John H. and Nancy Elezabeth Alexander Swatzel, member of the Primitive Baptist Church and waas preceeded in death by her husband of 66 years Charles R. Ray Sr.; one daughte, Glentia Ray Day; one son, Charles Ray Jr.; three brothers; and six sisters.
She is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Mareta and Ralph Adams of Hartman; one son and daughter-in-law, Jack E. a dn Donna Ray of Fayetteville; nine grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec., 3 at Hardwicke Funeral Chapel with Elder Harold Stumbaugh officiating. Burial will be in the West Mount Zion Cemetary.
Pallbearers were the grandsones. Randy Ray, Russ Ray, Matt C. Ray, Mike Ray, Bob Day and Steve Day.
Emma McWilliams
Funeral for Emma Caroline McWilliams, 85, of Mena, who died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004, in Hot Springs Village, was at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 3, at the First Presbyterian Church in Mena with Burle Mattingly officiating. Graveside services and burial followed at 3 p.m. at Oakland cemetery in Clarksville under the direction of Beasley-Wood Funeral Home of Mena.
Memorials may be made to Good Samaritan Campus, Hot Springs, Village, AR and/or Saline Memorial Hospice, Benton, AR.
She was married
to Patrick Angel McWilliams Jr. of Clarksville, who preceded her in death; a native of Mena, daughter of the late William Evan and Maude Gardner Watkins, and a member of the Presbyterian Kirk in the Pines Church in Hot Springs Village and the First Presbyterian Church of Mena.
Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Ted Winters of St. Louis, Mo.; three sons and one daughter-in-law, Col. Brian McWilliams and Glenn McWilliams, both of Mena, and Keith and Helena McWilliams of Sheridan, Wyo.; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
James G. Coker
James G. Coker, 57, of Ozark died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004, in a Fort Smith hospital.
He was a maintenance employee of Tyson Foods and an Army veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Glenda Coker; two daughters and one son-in-law, Tonya and Tommy Fraser of Clarksville and Tammy Coker of Fort Smith; one son and daughter-in-law, Ray and Deanne Coker of Ozark; one sister, Dorthy Tanton of Onalaska, Texas; two brothers, Charles Coker of Hull, Texas, and Donald Coker of Zapata, Texas; and seven grandchildren.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, at Shaffer Funeral Home Chapel in Ozark with burial in Highland cemetery.
Pallbearers were Gary Ragsdale, Steve Williams, Bobby Nichols, Jade Moholland, Lewis Robinson, Darrell Lemmons, Johnny Harmon and Bo Tanton.
John Vaughan
John Vaughan, 76, of Cape Coral, Fla., husband of the former Barbara Bean of Clarksville, died Nov. 12, 2004.
He was a native of Cleveland, Okla., son of the late Neal and Eva Vaughan, member of the Church of Christ, veteran of the U. S. Air Force, graduate of Oklahoma State University, received a master's degree from the University of Kentucky and retired from Clemson University Agricultural Extension Department as an Animal Science Specialist and from the USDA Civil Service and South Carolina State. He was preceded in death by three sisters and two brothers.
Other than his wife of 51 years, he is survived by one son, Stanley and two grandsons, Robert and George, all of Las Vegas, Nev.; one brother, Warren Vaughan of Tulsa, Okla.; one sister, Norma Berger of Cleveland, Okla.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Selby and Mildred Brown of Knoxville; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, at Ft. Gibson National cemetery in Ft. Gibson, Okla., followed by burial on Monday, Dec. 13.
