Obituaries

Walter L. Biggers (01/02/04)
Walter L. Biggers, 76, of Trumann, died Monday, December 29, 2003 at his residence. Born in Weleetka, Okla., he had lived in Trumann for the last 26 years and was formerly of Michigan. He was a steel mill worker, a member of the Teamsters Union and was of the Pentecostal belief...

Thomas Jefferson "Pop" Hatcher (01/02/04)
Thomas Jefferson "Pop" Hatcher, 74, of Paragould died Saturday, December 20, 2003, at Greene Acres Nursing Home in Paragould. Born at Osceola, he lived most of his life in the Trumann area before moving to Paragould four years ago. He was retired from the Singer Co. of Trumann and was a member of the Black Oak Baptist Church...

Patricia Marie Hosley (01/02/04)
Patricia Marie Hosley, 29, of Osceola, died Saturday, December 27, 2003. She worked as a dietitian and was a member of Eagle Wright Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, Tony Boyd of Osceola; her parents, Fred Hosley Jr. of North Little Rock and Dorothy Hosley of Osceola; her grandmother, Scott Anna Branch of Osceola; four sisters, Annette Yankaway, Lucy Selvy and Stephanie Buford, all of Osceola, and Catrisa Hosley of Missouri; and two brothers, Issac Hosley of Little Rock and Phillip Ray Yankaway of Las Vegas.. ...

Robert "Bobby Joe" Joe Huffins (01/02/04)
Robert "Bobby Joe" Joe Huffins, 40, of Fisher, died Saturday, December 27, 2003, in Newport. He was a farmer and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include his wife, Linda Mae Huffins of Bradford, Fla.; his mother, Francis Huffins of Fisher; two sisters, Emily Huffins of Batesville and Shelly Huffins of Fisher; seven brothers, Jason Huffins, Richard Huffins and Dennis Huffins, all of Fisher, Jimmy Huffins and Frank Huffins, both of Newport, and Johnny Huffins and Ted Huffins, both of Coldwater.. ...

Lucille Whitten Taylor (01/02/04)
Lucille Whitten Taylor, 90, formerly of Tyronza, died Saturday, December 20, 2003, at Senatobia Convalescent Center. Manager of dry goods store and grocery store, she was a member of Friendship Baptist Church in Charleston. She was preceded in death by her husband Marion Walter Taylor...

Creadora Thompson (01/02/04)
Creadora Thompson, 81, of Parkin died Wednesday, December 24, 2003, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Little Rock. A farmer, he was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Marked Tree and the Marked Tree Masonic Lodge. Survivors include his wife, Pauline Crook Thompson of Parkin; three sons, Tommy Thompson of Burdette and Jimmy Thompson and Ronnie Thompson, both of Marked Tree; two daughters, Gloria Cox of Fulton, Ky., and Donna West of Marked Tree; six sisters, Gaulena Higgins, Connie Brown and Jo Ella Sitz, all of Marked Tree, Lucille Ray of Alma, Lorine Whitney of Fairfield, Calif., and Patsy Wallen of Atlanta; three brothers, Gene Thompson of Parkin, Billy Thompson of Marked Tree and Wayne Thompson of Alma; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.. ...

Billie Ann Ward (01/02/04)
Billie Ann Ward, 87, of Marked Tree died Tuesday, December 23, 2003, at Methodist Central Hospital in Memphis. A homemaker, she was a member of Trinity Baptist Church. Survivors include two sisters, Grace Barry of Memphis and Tommie M. Pruett of Trumann...

Ellen Nell Wilson (01/02/04)
Ellen Nell Wilson, 81, of Marion died Friday, December 26, 2003, at Johnson Hobson Nursing Home at Marion. She was a retired from American Greeting and a member of St. John Missionary Baptist Church of Osceola and Mother's Board. Survivors include three sons, Woodrow Wilson Jr. ...

Jewell Aline Turner (01/13/04)
Jewell Turner, 75, of Dyess, died Friday, Jan. 3, at the Decatur General Hospital in Decatur, Ala. She was a homemaker of the Pentecostal faith. She was preceded in death by her husband George Turner. Survivors include one brother, Vernon Rogers of Portersville, Cal.; one son, Glenn Turner of Lepanto; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren...

Katie June Turner, 91, of Lepanto died Monday at her home. Mrs. Turner was born on June 21, 1912 in Water Valley, Miss. (01/13/04)
She was a homemaker who resided in Lepanto with her son and daughter-in-law, Kurron and Sue Turner. Mrs. Turner was the youngest of five children born to George F. and Maggie Lee Eubanks and a member of Red Oak Baptist Church. Survivors include one son, James Kurton Turner of Lepanto; one daughter, Pearl Dollar McGowan of Lepanto; one step-daughter, Katie Ruth Sprouse of Water Valley, Miss; 54 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren...

Betty Jane Davis (01/13/04)
Betty Jane Davis, 68, of Marion died Friday, December 26, 2003, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital. She was a homemaker and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include one daughter, Brenda York of Marion; one son, Eddie Davis of Rivervale; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren...

Peggy Lou Christian (01/13/04)
Peggy Lou Christian, 53, of Luxora died Wednesday, December 31, 2003 at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. She was a certified nursing assistant and of the Baptist belief. Survivors include one daughter, Peggy Cross of Luxora; two sisters, Sandy Daniels of Orlando, Fla., and Sarah Higginbottom of Wauchula, Fla.; one brother, Carl Daniels of Wauchula; and three grandchildren...

Climey Celess Kennedy (01/13/04)
Climey Celess Kennedy, 82, of Marked Tree, died Monday, December 29, 2003, at Methodist Hospital Central in Memphis. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of God in Marked Tree. Survivors include a stepson, Leon Kennedy of Kenosha, Wis.; and two stepdaughters, Nell Meyers of Silvis, Ill., and Helen Vanderford of Woodville, Fla...

Maxie Junior Layne (01/13/04)
Maxie Junior Layne, 80, of Blytheville died January 4. Layne was a retired electrician who was a Baptist and a WW II veteran. Layne was preceded in death by his wife, Lenora Kelling, and his daughter, Edna Saliba. Survivors include one son, Jerry Miller Layne of Blytheville; one daughter, Deloris Roberts of Blytheville; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren...

Elizabeth Aline Oliver (01/13/04)
Elizabeth Aline Oliver, 34, of Osceola died Saturday, December 27, 2003, near Osceola. She was a factory worker and a member of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church. Survivors include her parents, Dorothy Hosley of Osceola and Fred Hosley Jr. of North Little Rock; one son, Artez Oliver of Osceola; two daughters, Kaleshia Oliver and Quintella Oliver, both of Osceola; two brothers, Issac Hosley of Little Rock and Phillip Yankaway of Las Vegas; four sisters, Annette Yankaway, Lucy Shelby and Stephanie Buford, all of Osceola, and Catrisa Hosley of Missouri; and one grandchild.. ...

J.C. Patterson (01/13/04)
J.C. Patterson, 65, of Chicago died Tuesday, December 23, 2003, at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill. He was a mechanic and of the Baptist belief. Survivors include his son, Jesse Patterson of Lafayette, Ind.; one daughter, Marilyn Johns of Chicago; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren...

James Franklin Sparks (01/13/04)
James Franklin Sparks, 60, of Harrisburg died Friday, January 2, 2004 in Bay Village. He was born at Grubbs and was a self-employed truck driver. He was a member of the Arbanna Baptist Church in Mountain View and an Army veteran. Survivors include two daughters, Sheila Annette Lapiar of Piedmont, Ala., and Michele Rogers of Pearl City, Fla., and three stepdaughters, Regina Lanfair of Twist, Jessica Herring of Jonesboro and Cheryl Hernandez of Brandon, Fla.; three stepsons, Eugene Lanfair and Randy Lanfair, both of Payneway and Allen Lanfair of Mountain View; three half sisters, Barbara Lynn Cantwell of Marked Tree, Debra Clayton of Harrisburg and Rheatha Sparks of Marked Tree; one stepsister, Nancy Smith of Harrisburg; one brother, Jimmy Sparks of Bay Village; one half brother, Bobby Sparks of Marked Tree; 27 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.. ...

Rena L. Terrell (01/14/04)
Rena L. Terrell, 94, of Payneway died Tuesday, Jan. 6, at her residence. She was a retired cafeteria worker for Lepanto High School and was a member of Corner Chapel Baptist Church and the Order of Eastern Star. Survivors include her husband, Alvin Terrell of the home; two sons, Alvin B. Terrell Jr. of Rockford, Ill., and Ronnie Shempert of the home; one daughter, Teresa Shempert of Jonesboro; and one granddaughter...

Randolph E. Thomas, 69, of Marked Tree died Monday, Jan. 5, at Three Rivers Nursing Home in Marked Tree. (01/14/04)
Born in West Virginia, he was of the Catholic belief. Mr. Thomas had no immediate survivors. Graveside services were held Thursday, Jan 8 at 2 p.m. Sandy Ridge Cemetery in Burdette. Reverend Gary Andrews officiated the service.

Lizzie Anderson (01/21/04)
Lizzie Anderson, 81, died Friday, Jan. 16. at Three Rivers Nursing Center in Marked Tree. Anderson was born Aug. 16, 1922 in Greenville, Miss. Mrs. Anderson was a homemaker and a member of the Anderson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church where she served on the Mother's Board. Anderson was also a member of St. Matthew's Chapter #351 Order of the Eastern Star...

Ida Gene Avery (01/21/04)
Ida Gene Avery, 61, of Lepanto died Friday, Jan. 16 at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith; she also was a volunteer worker at Lepanto Senior Life Center. Survivors include her husband, Harvey Avery of the home; her mother and father, James Odell Miller and Bertie Laura Bolder; two daughters, Hope Avery Parsons and Faith Baine of Lepanto; three brothers, James Miller of Lepanto, Travis Miller of Mississippi, and Mickey Miller of West Memphis; two sisters, Shirley Davis of Illinois and Anita Johnson of Lepanto; and two grandchildren. ...

J.B. Broadaway (01/21/04)
J.B. Broadaway, 81 of Trumann died Monday, Jan. 19, at Regional Medical Center of NEA in Jonesboro. Born in Trumann, he had lived in Trumann for the past 40 years and was formerly of Marked Tree. He was a retired service station owner, a member of the Jonesboro Bowling Center League for over 40 years and was of the Pentecostal faith...

Judy Ann Brown (01/21/04)
Judy Ann Brown, 53, of Dyess died Saturday, Jan, 17 at Baptist ER in Osceola. Born in Lepanto, AR, she was a homemaker and of the Pentecostal faith. Survivors include her husband, James Brown of the home; four sons, Bradley Brown, James Brown Jr., and Anthony Brown all of Dyess, and Bobby Brown of Trumann; four daughters, Margie Meurer and Tanya Brown of Lepanto, Mary Raines of Dyess, and Tammie Miles of Jonesboro; one sister, Nina Underwood of Lepanto; two brothers, Bobby Tucker of Lepanto and Larry Crump of Greenfield, IN; 23 Grandchildren and 3 Great-grandchildren.. ...

Alton Darty Sr. (01/21/04)
Alton Darty Sr., 67, of Osceola died Monday, Jan. 12, at his residence. Born at Nauvoo, Ala., he was a retired farmer and a member of Etowah Pentecostal Church of God. Survivors include four daughters, Cathy Moore of Gosnell, Barbara Yancy and Phillis Towery, both of Osceola, and Alva Lee Lang of Hardy; one son, Alton Darty Jr. of Osceola; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren...

Odell Knighten Sr (01/21/04)
Odell Knighten Sr., 67, of Osceola died Wednesday, Jan. 14, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. A retired employee of Osceola Products, he was a member of Tabernacle Church of God in Christ. Survivors include his wife, Bobbie Beal Knighten; six sons, Odell Knighten Jr. ...

Alvin H. Terrell (01/21/04)
Alvin H. Terrell, 90, of Payneway died Thursday, Jan. 15, at his home. He was a farmer, a Mason and member and song leader at the Corner Chapel Baptist Church. Survivors include two sons, Alvin H. Terrell Jr. of Rockford, Ill., and Ronnie Shempert of Payneway; one daughter, Teresa Shempert of Jonesboro; a brother, Ralph Terrell of Wardell, Mo.; and a grandson, Joey Terrell of Rockford...

Ida Gene "Eudell" Avery (01/28/04)
Ida Gene "Eudell" Avery, 61, of Lepanto died Friday, Jan. 16 at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith; she also was a volunteer worker at Lepanto Senior Life Center. Survivors include her husband, Harvey Avery of the home; two daughters, Hope Avery Parsons and Faith Baine of Lepanto; three brothers, James Miller of Lepanto, Travis Miller of Mississippi, and Mickey Miller of West Memphis; two sisters, Shirley Davis of Illinois and Anita Johnson of Lepanto; and two grandchildren, Bradley Edward Gage Baine and Jessica Ann Davis of Lepanto.. ...

Charles Clifford Holt (01/28/04)
Charles Clifford Holt, 75, died Jan. 25, at Conway Regional Medical Center in Conway of natural causes. Holt was born in Batesville and lived in Trumann most of his life before moving to Greers Ferry 12 years ago. He was retired from the Singer Company in Trumann and a member of the Freer Baptist church...

Jessie Faye Mosley (01/28/04)
Jessie Faye Mosley, 53, of Blytheville died Sunday, Jan. 25, at Blytheville. Born at New Albany, Miss., she was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include her father, James Henry Cox of Manila; and four sisters, Bessie Mae McCullough and Kimberly Gann, both of Blytheville, Melba Argentine of Highland, Ind., and Shae Walker of Griffith, Ind...

Jerry Lane Darby Sr. (01/28/04)
Jerry Lane Darby Sr., 59, of Osceola died Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Osceola Healthcare. Born in Hope, Miss., he was a retired truck driver and a member of the Church of God. Survivors include his wife, Marie Kouch Darby; two daughters, Karen Simmerson of Marion and Sharon Darby of West Memphis; four sons, Jerry Darby Jr. ...

Ruby Pearle Easter (01/28/04)
Ruby Pearle Easter, 97, of Trumann died Thursday, Jan. 22, at Trumann Health and Rehab Center in Trumann. Born in Bowman, she was a lifetime resident of Trumann, a housewife and of the Pentecostal faith. Survivors include a son, Check Easter of Trumann; a sister, Irene Ghant of Marked Tree; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren...

Carrie Lewis (01/28/04)
Carrie Lewis, 101, of Luxora died Monday, Jan. 19, at her home. Born at Lake Village, she was a retired factory worker and a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Burdette. Survivors include one stepson, Leroy Moreland Sr. of Chicago, Illinois; one nephew, Ben Clark Jr. of Luxora...

Pamela Renee Bell (01/28/04)
Pamela Renee Bell, 43, of Fayetteville died Friday, Jan. 23, in Fayetteville. Born at Marked Tree, she worked in child care and was a member of Christ's Church in Fayetteville. Survivors include her husband, Robert Bell of Fayetteville; two sons, Michael Lynn Bell of Marked Tree and Johnathan Robert Bell of Jacksonville, Fla.; her mother, Eloise Brown of Marked Tree; two brothers, James Earl Brown of Xenia, Ohio, and Thomas Gerald Brown of Marked Tree; and two grandchildren...

Mae Jeanette Young (01/28/04)
Mae Jeanette Young, 79, of Memphis, TN, died January 25 at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis. She was a retired sales person for C.E. Thompson Lumber Co. of Memphis, a member of Gracewood Baptist Church of Memphis, and she was married for 50 years to her husband, Shelby Young...