Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
James Joseph "Joe" Kretschmar Jr.
75, a resident of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, passed away October 14, 2009 at his home in Prairie Grove. He was born May 2, 1934 in Jefferson City, Missouri, the son of Jim and Ruby Barbour Kretschmar.
He was a member of the Viney Grove United Methodist Church where he was an Adult Sunday School Teacher. He attended high school in Jefferson City Missouri where he was a three-year letterman in basketball and baseball and All-State in 1952 in basketball. He graduated in 1954 from Jefferson City Junior College where he was a two-year letterman in basketball, he then received a basketball scholarship to the University of Arkansas, where he lettered in basketball and baseball for two years. In 1956 he graduated with a Bachelor Degree and later went on to receive his Masters in Education in 1964.
After graduation from the University of Arkansas, Joe signed a professional baseball contract with the Kansas City Royals. He played in the West Texas league with the Pampa Oilers.
In the summer of 1954, Joe played professional baseball in Liverpool, Nova Scotia Canada for the Boston Red Sox.
In the summer of 1955, Joe played baseball in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and in the same summer, played shortstop in the first baseball Global World Series, representing Canada in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Joe’s first coaching job was in Iberia, Missouri, from 1956 until 1959. He coached high school boys and girls’ basketball and baseball.
Joe coached in Centralia, Missouri, from 1959 until 1962. He was the high school boy’s basketball coach and assistant football coach and taught 9th grade civics.
Joe returned to Fayetteville, Arkansas, in September of 1962 as the junior high baseball, football and track coach at Hillcrest Jr. High, now known as Ramay Jr. High.
From 1965-1966 Joe was the assistant basketball and football coach at Fayetteville High School. From 1966 until 1992 he was the head men’s basketball coach and athletic director until his retirement.
He was assistant basketball coach for the West All-Star team in 1975, coach of the year in 1987, National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association Coach of the Year in Arkansas 1987. His teams played in the State Tournaments 24 of the 26 years. He was selected AAAA West coach of the year eight times. He won 10 conference championships, sent 38 athletes onto college on athletic scholarships and six were All-Americans. Five assistants who worked with Joe became head basketball coaches in Arkansas’ largest classification schools. He won 3 state championships and was inducted into the Arkansas High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007.
He coached the 1st high school basketball game on prime time television in Northwest Arkansas. He was the first coach to take teams to the “next level” of National High School Tournaments and the 1st active basketball coach to become athletic director and coach at a AAAA high school. In 1975, Joe was assistant coach to the University of Arkansas’ Coach Pat Foster in the Arkansas College Senior All-Star Game. In 26 years as Fayetteville High School head coach his record was 535-230 (over 20 wins/season).
Joe was a member of Phi Delta Kappa at the University of Arkansas, a lifetime member of the Razorback A Club and a lifetime member of the Arkansas Activities Association.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Frances Carnahan Kretschmar of the home; two sons, Mike Kretschmar and wife Pam of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Jason Daugherty and fiance Mary Kate Chambliss of Fayetteville, Arkansas; two daughters, Kelly Kretschmar Smith of Farmington, Arkansas and Christi McKnight and husband TJ of Frisco, Texas; three grandchildren, Lauren Smith, Ryder McKnight, and Finley McKnight.
Visitation will be held Friday night from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Viney Grove United Methodist Church near Prairie Grove.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, October 17, 2009 - 1:00 P.M. at the C.A.C. Building Central United Methodist Fayetteville, Arkansas, with Randy Nix officiating. Burial will be in the Prairie Grove cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Viney Grove United Methodist Church - 751 E Parks Street - Prairie Grove, AR 72753.
Pallbearers will be Bill Brunner, Tommy Lee, John Everett, Don Pinkley, Jack Gabler and Harold McDowell.
Honorary Pallbearers will be his former Fayetteville High Athletes.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
Donald T. Draper
Donald T. Draper, 83, of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, passed away, Thursday, October 15, 2009, in Fayetteville. He was born June 24, 1926 in Brigg Lincoln, England. The son of Frederick Herbert and Annie Elizabeth (Boothway) Draper. He was a very accomplished contractor.
He is survived by two sons; Jeff Donald Draper of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Jerry Anthony Draper of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, one daughter; Catherine Rose Scott of Winchester, California, two brothers; Dennis and Ted Draper both of England, three grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Graveside services will be 3:00 PM, Monday, October 19, 2009 at the Prairie Grove cemetery.
There is no visitation scheduled at this time.
Arrangements are by Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory of Fayetteville.
Kerry Wade Carter
39, a resident of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, passed away September 30, 2009 at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, He was born November 6, 1969 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the son of Linard and Patricia Slaughter Carter.
Kerry served in the United States Navy during the Gulf War, as a heavy equipment operator. He worked for the University of Arkansas as a Master Plumber.
He was preceded in death by his step father, John Clark, maternal grandparents, Lub and Virginia Slaughter and paternal grandparents, Frank and Vera Carter.
Survivors include one son, Kody Carter and one daughter, Katy Carter both of Booneville, Arkansas; his father, Linard Carter and his wife, Bettie of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; his mother, Patricia Clark of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; one brother, Kevin Carter and his wife, Tracy, of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; one sister, Kimberly Pinkley and her husband, Donald, of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; one step sister, Kourtnee Holland and husband Windy of Siloam Springs, Arkansas; one step-brother, Brent Johnson and wife Kristen of Clarksville, Tennessee; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Family will receive friends on Friday evening from 6:00-7:00 P.M. at Luginbuel Funeral Home in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
Funeral Service will be held Saturday, October 3, 2009 - 10:00 A.M. at the First Baptist Church in Prairie Grove, Arkansas with burial in Rose cemetery near Viney Grove, Arkansas.
Pallbearers will be, Kary Reed, Jason Skelton, Blake Sargent, Gary Dick, Mike Witherspoon, Jeff Slocum, Shawn Carlton, Brent Johnson and Windy Holland.
Memorials may be made to Scholarship fund for Kody and Katy c/o Kim Pinkley at Arvest Bank Account # 20648455.
Bobby Daryl Dobbs
64, a resident of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, went to be with his Lord on October 9, 2009 at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, Arkansas. He was born May 10, 1945 in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, the son of Marvin Lee and Frances M. Cole Dobbs.
He was a member of the New Sulphur Freewill Baptist Church in Prairie Grove.
Daryl was preceded in death by his wife, Wilma Dobbs and his father Marvin Dobbs and his step father, Floyd Rose.
Survivors includes three sons, Billy Wayne Dobbs, Barry Gene Dobbs and his wife, Karen, Brian Dale Dobbs and his wife, Melinda all of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; his mother, Frances Rose of Owasso, Oklahoma; four brothers, Jerry Dobbs of Garfield, Arkansas, Leon Dobbs of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Lloyd Wayne Rose of Owasso, Oklahoma and J.C. Dobbs of Prairie Grove, Arkansas; one sister, Brenda Kay Hanchett of Owasso, Oklahoma; six grandchildren, Cody Dobbs, Courtney Dobbs, Haylie Dobbs, Lane Dobbs, Korbin Dobbs and Brinley Dobbs; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Family will receive friends on Sunday afternoon from 4:00-5:00 P.M. at Luginbuel Funeral Home in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
Funeral Service will be held Monday, October 12, 2009 - 2:00 P.M. at the New Sulphur Freewill Baptist Church in Prairie Grove, Arkansas with burial in the Prairie Grove cemetery in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
In lieu of flowers family ask that memorials be made to the New Sulphur Freewill Baptist Church 13425 Hogeye Rd. Prairie Grove, Arkansas 72753.
Pallbearers will be: Keith Pergeson, John Castor, Larry Cole, LeRoy Cole, Travis Dobbs, Lee Dobbs, Otheo Cole and Ray Dobbs.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
Raymond “Ray” Travis West
73, a resident of Prairie Grove, Arkansas died October 2, 2009 at Springdale Health and Rehab in Springdale, Arkansas. Ray was born November 26, 1935 in Sudan, Texas the son of Dudley Raymond and Vera Eaton West and grew up in Lincoln, Arkansas and in Los Angeles County California.
He graduated from Bell High School 1955 in Bell California. Ray served in the U.S. Army in Germany from 1958 – 1960. He retired from Bethlehem Steel in California in 1975 and moved his family to Arkansas in 1975. In 2001 he retired from Franklin Electric in Siloam Springs. Ray was an active member of First Baptist Church of Lincoln.
Ray was preceded in death by his parents Dudley and Vera West of Lincoln, and sister, Sybil Howard of Lincoln.
Ray is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Brenda, his son Wayne West of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, his son and daughter-in-law, Neil and Karen West of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, his granddaughter Emily West of Ocean Springs, his grandson Joseph Humphreys of New Orleans, Louisiana and his sister Clara Reed of Farmington, Arkansas.
Ray was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and will be greatly missed by those left behind.
The family would like to thank the fellowship of First Baptist Church of Lincoln for their support and kindness as well as thank the staff at Springdale Health and Rehab for their compassion and care given to Ray.
Visitation will be on Monday afternoon from 12:00-8:00 P.M. at Luginbuel Funeral Home.
Funeral service will be held Tuesday, October 6, 2009 - 10:30 A.M. at the First Baptist Church in Lincoln, Arkansas with Harold Leo Reed officiating. Burial will be in Bethesda cemetery near Morrow, Arkansas.
Arrangements are under the direction of Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
