Obituaries

OBIT -- Collins (08/02/07)
Robert C. "Bob" Collins, 85, of Little Rock, formerly of Marked Tree, died Tuesday, July 24 at Arkansas Hospice Center in Little Rock. He was a member of Praise Assembly of God in Little Rock and an Army Veteran of WWII. He was preceded in death by his parents, R.G. and Cordelia Collins, three brothers and one sister...

Joann Merritt (08/02/07)
Joann Merritt, 64, of Jonesboro, died Friday, August 27 at the NEA Hospital. Until her death, she was an assistant to the disabled and handicapped. Preceded in death by her daughter Pearline Gray, she leaves her stepfather and stepmother, Leroy and Carolyn Madlock of Lepanto; her special companion James Nichols of North Little Rock; her stepbrother Zachary Patterson of Lepanto; as well as two grandchildren and two great grandchildren...

Wasil Boblack (08/09/07)
Wasil Boblack, 86, of Marked Tree died Saturday, August 4. In St. Bernard Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born February 11, 1921, in Korezowo, Poland. He is preceded in death by his wife, Helena Boblack. Survivors include one son, Anthony Boblack of Jonesboro; two daughters, Christine Boblack of Marked Tree and Irene Boblack of Alhambra, Calif.; one granddaughter, Jennifer Wrinkle and one great grandson, Braxton Wrinkle...

Carolyn Craft (08/09/07)
Carolyn Craft, 63, of Marked Tree died Sunday, August 5, 2007, at St. Bernard Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She attended Marked Tree Church of God. She was a former member of the Jaycettes and a member of Beta Sigma Phi. She was actively involved with the Head Start Program for 20 years and served on the Head Start Policy Council. ...

Karen Lee Bridger Patin (08/15/07)
Karen Lee Bridger Patin, 40, of Breaux Bridge, LA, formerly of Marked Tree died Monday, August 6. She was preceded in death by her father, William Bridger; her maternal grandparents, Donald and Irene McWhirter and her paternal grandparents, Wylie "Doc" and Gladys Bridger...

Cecil Buckner, Jr. (08/15/07)
Cecil Dean Buckner, Jr., 28, of Tyronza died on August 7 at Little Rock. He was a member of the Church of Christ and was preceded in death by his father, Cecil Dean Buckner, Sr. He is survived by his wife, Rhonda Buckner of Tyronza; his mother, Jacqueline Coleman of Crawfordsville; his grandmother, Mary Lee Phillips of Crawfordsville; two brothers, Orlando Buckner and Johnaton Buckner of Crawfordsville; two step daughters, Tiffany Hendrix and Alycia Hendrix of Tyronza and one step son, Huey Warren of Tyronza.. ...

OBIT - Seth Wallace Whited (08/23/07)
Seth Wallace Whited, 18, of Monette died Friday Aug. 10, 2007. Born at Jonesboro Aug. 25, 1988, he was a farmer and was attending Arkansas Northeastern College, pursuing a physical therapy degree. He was a member of Monette First Baptist Church, where he was active in the youth program. He was an avid outdoor hunter, fisherman and water sportsman...

OBIT - Paul B. Bryan (08/23/07)
Paul B. Bryan, 83, of Lepanto, died Saturday, August 18, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was a member of Lepanto First Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Golda Bryan. Survivors include one daughter: Betty Talley of Bedford, Tex.; two sons, Jerry Bryan of Tampa, Fla., Gary Bryan of Lepanto; one brother, Charles M. Bryan of Lepanto, eight grandchildren, twenty-eight great-grandchildren and three great great grandchildren...

OBIT - Nina Pearl "Peggy" Gillespie (08/23/07)
Nina Pearl "Peggy" Gillespie, 72, of Snow Lake, departed this life on August 16, 2007, at 1:45 p.m. She fought cancer with her grateful spirit; she never complained or shed a tear. She was more concerned with everyone else's well being, instead of her own, until the end. Her love, strength and courage will live on in our hearts forever...

OBIT -- Morales (08/23/07)
Manuel Enrique Morales, 35, of Lepanto died Saturday, August 18 at his residence. Survivors include his wife, Esmeralda Morales of the home; one daughter, Claudia Elizabeth Morales; two sons, Manuel E. Morales, Jr. and Erick Alejandro Morales; one brother, Carlos Morales of Mission, Tex.; and two sisters, Monica Morales and Viviana Morales, both of Mission...

OBIT - Nella Rue Watts (08/23/07)
Nella Rue Watts, 81, died August 16, 2007 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law after an extended illness. Watts was a dedicated housewife who married Douglas Charles Watts on April 11, 1943, in Mississippi. They moved to Arkansas after Douglas returned from his overseas military service and finally settled in Memphis in 1953. ...

Nona Lee Long (08/30/07)
Nona Lee Long, 98, of Marked Tree died Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007 at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born on Sunday, August 15, 1909, to the late William Robert and Bertie Myrtle Moore Davis. She was born in Prentis County, Miss., and had lived in the Trumann and Marked Tree area for the past 57 years. She was a housewife and of the Baptist faith...

Kathy Steen (08/30/07)
Kathy Steen, 59, of Marked Tree died Tuesday, August 21, 2007, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. Survivors include her husband, Kenneth Steen of the home; three sons, Greg East of Marked Tree, Michael Steen of Olive Branch, Miss., Greg Steen of Brookland; one brother, Olen Bragg, Jr. of Jonesboro; six grandchildren; Harlee Beth East, Savannah and Chloe Steen, and Dillon, Logan and Christen Poppleton...

Jessica Lougena Kelso (08/30/07)
Jessica Lougena Kelso, 23, died Wednesday, Aug. 22 at the Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis. She was a member of Dominion World Outreach Ministries in Marion where she served on the minister's staff of intercessory prayer, leader of the dance ministry and director of youth ministry as well as other church ministries. She especially loved the dance and music ministries of the church...