Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
LaVerta Driver
LaVerta H. Driver, 89, of Clinton, Arkansas, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. She was born Aug. 3, 1925, in Choctaw, Arkansas.
She is survived by relatives Patsy Huie, Marjorie Sumners, Danna Wood, Joy Dickie, Wanda Bellman, Delorse Courson and other extended family. She is preceded in death by her parents, Edgar and Nellie Hunter, and husband, Woodrow (Woody) Driver.
Funeral service was Monday, Jan. 12, 2015, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home Chapel, Clinton, Arkansas. Burial was in Huie cemetery.
Deloise Posey
Mrs. Deloise Posey, 77, of Shirley, Arkansas, passed away Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015. Service will be 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, at Roller-MCNutt Funeral Home Chapel. Burial at Lono cemetery Malvern, Arkansas.
Kenneth Williams
Kenneth D. “Jeff” Williams, 82, of Clinton died Friday, Dec. 26, 2014. Born July 26, 1932, at Formosa to Claude and Lula (Shipley) Williams.
preceded in death by infant daughter Cheryl Renea Williams, two brothers. Survived by wife June (Bonds) Williams; son Jeffery Williams (Vicki) of McRae; daughter, Terry Williams of Cabot; two grandsons; sister Lillian Goatcher.
Funeral was 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29, 2014, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home Chapel, Clinton. Burial: Halbrook cemetery.
Billie Ingram
Billie L. Ingram, 85, of Bee Branch, Arkansas, died Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014. Born Sept. 7, 1929, in Morganton, Arkansas, to Clarence and Auda (Stark) Grady. Member of Colony Church of Christ.
preceded in death by husbands Ancil Bradford and Alton Ingram; brother Utah Grady. Survivors: sons Ronnie Bradford, Danny Bradford (Melissa); daughter, Debbie McDoniel (Ransom); two granddaughters; four great-grandchildren.
Funeral: 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, Roller-McNutt Funeral Home Chapel, Clinton. Burial: Colony cemetery Morganton.
Gene Rowley
Gene Rowley left this mean old world on Christmas Day for the land that knows no parting. Gene was a Master Plumber/maintenance man in Shirley/Fairfield Bay for 35 years. He really put his heart in his work and helped many. He was known as a great friend, father, grandfather and all around good man. He had 3 children, Nikki (Chuck) Davis of Judsonia, Becky Baker of Greers Ferry, Richie (Donna) Rowley of Conway. He was preceded in death by one grandchild, Mitsy Brown and survived by three, Cody Davis, Shelbi and Paisley Rowley; and three great-grandchildren. We miss him so! Memorial service will be 2 p.m. Jan. 4, 2015, at Maranatha.
Ozell Mae Purtle
Ozell Mae Purtle, age 102, of Little Rock, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015. She was the oldest surviving member of Primrose Methodist Church; a charter member of Arkansas Iris Society; and an avid gardener. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Lillie Nickels; her husband W.F. “Bill” Purtle; and two brothers, Dr. C.W. Nickels and Wallace Nickels; two grandchildren, Matthew and Jeremy Reck; and a son-in-law, Bobby G. Wilson.
She is survived by two daughters, Billie Jo Wilson of Little Rock and Marolyn (Kenneth) Reck of Clinton; grandsons, Wayne (Debra) Wilson of Little Rock, Mark (Pam) Wilson of Little Rock, Chris ( Mayra) Reck of St Louis, Missouri.; great-grandchildren, Heather Wilson, Shanna Little, Jennifer (Gary) Clowers, Isabella, Sofia and Christen Reck; and great-great-grandchild Krista (Lindsay) Duncan.
The funeral was at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1 at Primrose Methodist Church, 3006 W. Dixon Road, Little Rock. Family received friends prior to the service, from 2-3 p.m. Memorials may be made to Primrose Methodist Church. Burial was at Primrose cemetery.
Ellen Ruth Pack
Ellen Ruth Pack, 69, of Clinton, Arkansas, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015. She was born Dec. 20, 1945, in Tielon, Washington, to Joseph Elvin and Ruby Linnie (Hoyle) Henderson.
She is survived by her mother, Ruby Henderson; a son, Joseph A. Pack of Morrison, Missouri; a daughter, Michelle Pack of Clinton, Arkansas; a brother, Walter Henderson (Vicky) of Clinton, Arkansas; sisters Christine Huggins (Red) of Newport, Washington, Patricia Ann McElfish of Clinton, Arkansas, Glenda F. Hayes (Ron) of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas; a brother, Lynn E. Henderson of Ridgedfield, Washington; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and many close friends.
She is preceded in death by her father, Joseph Elvin Henderson; brother Gary Wayne Henderson; and brother-in-law Ronald McElfish.
Visitation was 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, at Crabtree Foursquare Church. Funeral service was 10 a.m. with Brother Joe Berry and Pastor Dennis Berry officiating. Burial was in Crabtree cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Crabtree cemetery c/o Mrs. Barbara Jackson, 10766 Highway 16 West, Clinton, AR 72031. Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Clinton, Arkansas.
Rosetta Wactor
Rosetta Ashbrook Sykes Wactor was born in Batesville, Arkansas, on July 6, 1920, to Robert and Bessie Ashbrook.
She graduated from Cave City High School, attended Jonesboro College (ASU), and graduated with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from University of Arkansas. Rosetta taught school 31 years - 29 of which were at the Arkansas School for Blind.
She was married
to and widowed by Dr. Delzo Johnson, Raymond Sykes, and John Wactor. She is also pre-deceased by her parents; one daughter, Elizabeth Renee Sykes; two sisters, Myrtle Crafton and Elsie Fletcher; two brothers, John and Burnice Ashbrook.
Rosetta leaves fond memories to her son, Christian Sykes, and his wife, Heidi, of Waverly, Kansas; sister Gloria Renfroe of Clinton, Arkansas; and three step-children, Elaine Shaw (and Gary) of Overland Park, Kansas, Betsy Matthews (and Gary) of Independence, Missouri, Alan Wactor (and Chris) of Mesa, Arizona; and many nieces, cousins, and friends.
She was a Southern Baptist. Rosetta gave her heart to the Lord at an early age and has been a very dedicated follower. She taught Sunday School for 31 years, children’s and youth’s bible drill for 17 years, and she shared her faith with everyone she met.
Rosetta was passionate about her garden and loved sewing and traveling. But most of all, she dedicated much of her life to caring for family, friends, and anyone in need of assistance. She was selfless almost to a fault.
Funeral services were 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28, 2015, at the First Baptist Church in Clinton, Arkansas, with Pastor Faron Rogers officiating. A graveside service was at 2 p.m. at Forest Hills Memorial Park in Alexander, Arkansas. Services are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home.
Bob McKnight
A memorial service will be held Monday, Sept. 7, for Bob McKnight, who passed away on Aug. 6, 2015. The service will begin at 11 a.m. at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home Chapel in Clinton, with a visitation at 10. All of Bob’s friends are invited to attend. Donations in Bob’s memory may be made to the Van Buren County Historical Society Museum, P. O. Box 1023, Clinton, AR 72031.
Robert Boyd McKnight
Robert Boyd McKnight, 89, of Clinton, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015. He was born Jan. 16, 1926, in Clinton, Arkansas, to Cowan William and Martha Jane (Crownover) McKnight and was the eighth of their 10 children.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ida Marie McKnight; his brothers, Howard, Fred, Elbert and Olen McKnight; his sisters, Erma Steele, May Ferguson and Billie Newborn; and nephews Tom Steele and George Stephens Jr.
After graduating from Clinton State Vocational Training School (Clinton High School), Bob served in the Army in the final years of World War II, and following the war, he returned to Arkansas and attended the University of Arkansas before transferring to Arkansas A&M in Monticello where he earned a degree in forestry.
Bob’s career in the timber industry took him to Idaho and Montana. While living in Bozeman, Montana, he met and married
Ida Marie Hubbard who had two teen-aged daughters, Margie and Linda, and they became a family. After retiring from their careers, Bob and Ida began spending the winter months in Clinton and the other half of the year in beautiful Montana, where Bob enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, traveling, and other hobbies. They designed and built their retirement home together near where Bob grew up on the family farm in Clinton, and several years ago they decided to live in this home year-round. Bob and Ida enjoyed sharing hospitality in their home with family and friends, both in Montana and Clinton.
Surviving Bob are his sisters, Fairy Stephens of Heber Springs and Betty Bradford of Glendale, Arizona; brother-in-law Travis Newborn of Waukegan, Illinois; sister-in-law Twyla McKnight of Brentwood, Tennessee, as well as Ida’s daughters Margie Hubbard and Linda Davies (Roger) of Yuba City, California; and four grandchildren, Leo Hubbard (Annette) of Spokane, Washington, Chris Davies of British Columbia, and Sara and Alan Davies of California; and one great-grandson, Brandon Hubbard of Florida. Also surviving Bob are his nephews Howard McKnight Jr. of Sanford, North Carolina, Dr. Bill McKnight of Rogers, Jerry Ferguson of Phoenix, Arizona, Mark McKnight of Highland Village, Texas, Roger McKnight of Memphis, Tennessee, Randy McKnight of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Carlton Bradford of Tucson, Arizona. His nieces include Phyllis Peters of Charlotte, North Carolina, Annette Lewis of Ashland, Oregon, Dr. Marty Chinnery of Corpus Christi, Texas, Lynn Beatty of Conway, Kathleen Sanchez of Omaha, Nebraska, Joyce Patterson of Clinton, Debra Jones and Brenda Zeigler of Phoenix, Arizona, and Melissa Pankiewicz of Beach Park, Illinois, as well as their children and grandchildren, and many cousins. Bob made friends wherever he lived and they will miss him as well, with special recognition of his lifelong childhood friend, Chris Halbrook of Red Bluff, California. Following the death of his wife, the highlight of Bob’s day had become sharing lunch with his good friends at the Senior Center in Clinton.
His family wishes to thank the doctors and nursing staff of the Palliative Care Unit of McClellan Veterans Administration Hospital for the care and comfort they gave Bob in his final week of life.
To honor, remember, and celebrate the life of Bob McKnight, a memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 7, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home Chapel in Clinton. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. All of Bob’s friends and family are invited to attend.
Cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Clinton, Arkansas.
James Alfred Nicholson
James Alfred Nicholson, 82, of Clinton went to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015.
Funeral services were 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Clinton with Bro. Tommy Acton officiating. Burial was in Culpepper cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Clinton, Arkansas.
Johnny Dwight Hartwick
Johnny Dwight Hartwick, 70, of Jasper passed away Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, after a battle with cancer. He was born July 28, 1945, to the late Archie and Gustay (Burroughs) Hartwick in Gravesville, Arkansas. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Ocie, Dee, Roscoe and Bill Hartwick; sisters, Sylvia Hartwick and Erma Jean Leonard; nephews, Kenny Leonard and Billy Don Leonard; sisters-in-law, Melba Hartwick and Blanche Ward.
He was the most gentle, loving, and supporting husband, father and grandfather. He was a U.S. Army veteran, ASU graduate, manufacturer, builder, farmer, business owner/operator and overall problem solver. He was of the Baptist Faith.
He is survived by his wife, Brenda Bell Hartwick; son, Jay (Nicole) Hartwick; daughter, Deanna Brewer; grandchildren, Colton Huggins, Braxton Varvil, Halle Brewer, Jackson Hartwick and Aimsley Hartwick; great-grandchild, Carter Huggins; sisters, Audrey Robinson and Lois Phipps; sisters-in-law, Deola Davis, Mary Clinton and Teresa Mooney and many other loving family members and friends.
Funeral service was 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Greenbrier with Rev. Gary Burdin officiating. Burial was in Holland cemetery in Gravesville with Steven Leonard, Stuart Leonard, Carroll D. Leonard, Jamie Leonard Barry Robinson and Mark Bell serving as pallbearers. Serving as honorary pallbearers were Danny Linn, Dwight Crider, Randy Crider, Michael Crider, Brian Bell and the Southside Class of ‘63.
