Althay Lavine Gifford, 94, of Clarksville died Thursday, Aug. 25, 2005,
at her home.
She was a member of the Hunt Tabernacle Church, daughter of the late
Vanvert Jordan and Cora Heath Wilson, widow of Andrew Walker Gifford,
and was preceded in death by two sisters; four brothers; three
grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Survivors include four daughters, Joyce Evelyn Ponder of Tichnor,
Willie Jean Ponder of Madera, Calif., Peggy Dellen Gallardo of Grand
Junction, Colo., and Hellen Marie Vaughn of Clarksville; three sons,
Andrew Jordan Gifford of Lindale, Texas, Elmer Leroy Gifford of
Stuttgart, and Algie V. Gifford of Johnson County; two sisters, Mammie
Wright of Stuttgart and Hester Stith of Casscoe; 67 grandchildren; 56
great-grandchildren; and 30 great-great-grandchildren.
Daniel (Dan) Dee Garrett, 84, of Conway, formerly of Clarksville, died
Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005, at Arkansas Hospice Hospital in Little Rock.
He was a World War II Army veteran, recipient of the Purple Heart,
member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled
American Veterans, and was preceded in death by one daughter, Danella
Langston, and his parents, Dee A. and Effie M. Brown Garrett.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years JoAnn Garrett; one son, Dickey
J. Garrett of Conway; four grandchildren, Maridee Hickman of
Purcellville, Va., Molly Ann Garrett and Elliott Garrett, both of
Phoenix, Ariz., and Mitchell Garrett of Russellville; and three
great-grandchildren, Preston and Peyton Garrett and Jessica Madree
Hickman.
He was a son of the late Fred and Minerva East Porter and a member of
Mt. Vernon Community Church.
Survivors include his wife, Loretta Clark Porter; one daughter and
son-in-law, Patricia and Felix Shatwell of Clarksville; four sons and
three daughters-in-law, Weldon and Evelyn Porter and Robert and Stacie
Porter, all of Clarksville, Carl Porter and Phillip and Sissy Porter,
all of Lamar; 22 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Mt. Vernon
Community Church.
Burial will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery under the direction of
Hardwicke Funeral Home.
Active pallbearers will be Frank Shook, Roy Shook, Doug Bryan, James
Overbey, James Childers and Dean Cowell.
Jeremy Patrick Ashlock, 26, of Fort Smith, brother of Heath Blasingame
of Clarksville and Chance Blasingame of Coal Hill, died Saturday, Aug.
20, 2005, in Fort Smith.
He was a 1995 graduate of the Youth Challenge Program, retail sales
employee, and was preceded in death by his grandfather, Willie Ashlock.
He is survived by two daughters, Angel McClure and Joanna Ashlock; one
son, Dakota Ashlock; parents, Linda and Troy Blasingame of Ozark and
Rick and Theresa Ashlock; five sisters, Joanna Tedford of Van Buren,
Sarah Tobin, Malinda Sigman and Lynette Almassri, all of Fort Smith,
and Tammy Medly of Spiro, Okla.; three other brothers, Robert
Kogutkiewicz of Sparta, Wis., Chris Harris of Van Buren and Chism
Blasingame of Altus; maternal grandparents, Don and Joann Swaty of
Irving, Texas; and paternal grandmother, Loudema Ashlock of Van Buren.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, at Shaffer Funeral Home
Chapel with Rev. Rich Mitchell officiating. Burial was in New Cemetery
at Mulberry.
Active pallbearers were John Tobin, Stacey Medly, Chris Harris, Robert
Crachey, Chism Blasingame, and Josh Sigman.
John Arlie Clark Jr., 56, of Van Buren, brother of Mary S. Smith of
Clarksville, died Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005.
He was a member of the Holiness Block Church, retired truck driver
having driven for Wilson Brothers and Nolan Faubus, and was preceded in
death by his parents, John and Wilma Dawn Trainer Clark Sr., and two
brothers, Gerald and Truman Robertson.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years Nora Clark; one daughter,
Stephanie Harrison of Mountainburg; one son, Kevin Clark of Fort Smith;
one other sister, Joyce Lopez of Bryan, Texas; two brothers, Frankie
Robertson of Benton and Kenneth Robertson of Russellville; two
grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services and burial were at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Gill
Cemetery in Van Buren under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home.
Active pallbearers were Raymond Grove, David Morse, Jimmy Boyd, John
Cliff, Ed Torre, Larry English, John Randolph and Jim Harris.
Jerry Duane Haynes, 72, of Clarksville died Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005,
at Johnson Regional Medical Center.
He was a retired air traffic controller at the Federal Aviation
Administration in Jacksonville, Fla., veteran of the United States Air
Force, member of Bunch Walton Post No. 22 of the American Legion in
Clarksville, attended Russellville Christian Center, and was preceded
in death by his parents, Alonzo Augustino and Agnes Derrick Haynes, and
one brother, Larry Haynes.
Survivors include his wife, Jean Russell Haynes; two sons, Benjamin and
Shane Haynes of Jacksonville, Fla.; three sisters, Margaret Nelson,
Judy Laeger and Darlene Green, all of Tulsa, Okla.; and one brother,
Edward Haynes of Tulsa, Okla.
Jobelle King Laster, 86, of Clarksville died Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005,
at her home.
She was a native of the Harmony Community, daughter of the late Gus and
Bonnie Baskin King, widow of Fred Laster, graduate of Clarksville High
School, attended the University of the Ozarks, the 1936 state spelling
bee winner, member of the Clarksville First Presbyterian Church, AARP,
National Association of Retired Federal Employees, Johnson Regional
Medical Center Auxiliary, and Johnson County Historical Society, former
librarian at Johnson County Public Library for 18 years, former manager
of Hurie School cafeteria and snack bar at the University of the
Ozarks, and did volunteer work with the Needy Paws Animal Shelter and
Meals on Wheels.
She is survived by two daughters, Bonnie Jo Laster of Jacksonville,
Fla., and Sue Laster of Clarksville; and several nieces and nephews
including Ronald Laster and James Robert Laster of Clarksville.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Harmony Presbyterian
Church with Rev. Lance Jones and Denton Tumbleson officiating.
Burial was in Harmony Cemetery under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral
Home.
Active pallbearers were Bob Hardin, Larry Don Kinman, Mark McCabe, Rick
Wewers, Ewing Cline, Mike Jacobs, Bobby King and Burnett King.
Honorary pallbearers were Phillip Pierson, Fred. D. Laster, and Billy
Dickerson.
James Michael Holman, 44, of Clarksville died Friday, Aug. 26, 2005, at
Johnson Regional Medical Center.
He was a native of Clarksville, 1979 graduate of Clarksville High
School, graduate of the University of Arkansas and University of
Arkansas Law School, member of the Arkansas Bar Association, and had
been a practicing attorney in Clarksville since 1987. He was preceded
in death by his father, J. Marvin Holman.
Survivors include his mother, Carol Barnes Holman of Clarksville; two
sisters and brothers-in-law, Andrea and Bill Pearson and Kim and Dennis
Stumbaugh, all of Clarksville; four nephews, Wesley Pearson, David
Pearson, Mark Pearson and Hunter Stumbaugh, all of Clarksville; and two
nieces, Summer Stumbaugh and Aimee Pearson, both of Clarksville.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, at the Clarksville First United
Methodist Church with Rev. Steve Wingo officiating.
Burial was in Oakland Cemetery under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral
Home.
Active pallbearers were Steve Libby, David Pitts, Steve Paladino, Kevin
Paladino, Scott Talley, Steve Miller, Russell Smith, and Mike Jacobs.
James Franklin (Frank) Russell, 79, of Clarksville died Sunday, Aug.
28, 2005, at St. Edward Mercy Medical Center in Fort Smith.
He was a native of Clarksville, son of the late Ed and Frances Hubbard
Russell, Navy veteran of World War II having served aboard the
Battleship North Carolina in the South Pacific, salesman for Associated
Credit Bureaus for many years, and was self-employed in real estate in
Texas and Arkansas for several years.
Survivors include his companion, Verna Russell; one stepdaughter,
Mildred Myers of San Diego, Calif.; one stepson, Steve Molnar of
Clarksville; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Thelma and Eugene Findlay
of Culver, Ore., and Faye Mahoney and Bob Albright of Claskanie, Ore.;
one brother and sister-in-law, John and Marie Russell of Clarksville;
and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Hardwicke Funeral
Chapel with burial in Woodland Cemetery.
Kenneth D. Stewart, 74, of Clarksville died Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005, at
Countryside Manor Nursing Home.
He was a supervisor with Metropolitan Transit in Houston, Texas, for 33
years, member of the First United Methodist Church in Clarksville, and
son of the late Dewey H. and Myrtle Phillips Stewart.
Survivors include his wife, Marcella Ballard Stewart; one son, Michael
D. Stewart of Kingwood, Texas; one sister, Katala (Kay) McGuire of
Hensley; two grandsons, Michael D. Stewart Jr. of Houston, Texas, and
Chase Foster Stewart of Kingwood, Texas; and one great-grandchild.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, at Roller-Cox Chapel with Rev.
Steve Wingo officiating. Burial was in West Mt. Zion Cemetery near
Hartman.
Leoma J. Atkins, 87, of Clarksville died Friday, Aug. 26, 2005, at
Clarksville Convalescent Home.
She was a native of Clarksville, daughter of the late William Perry and
Nancy Self Houston, graduate of Clarksville High School and attended
the Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Roy,
George and Floyd Houston; and five sisters, Estelle Stutts, Rela Bean,
Beulah Hardgrave, Edith Williams and Eula Houston.
She is survived by one son, Keith Atkins of Clarksville; two sisters,
Pauline Goble of Chula Vista, Calif., and Mae Storts of San Antonio,
Texas; one grandson, Bryan Atkins and wife, Jeanette, of Pueblo West,
Colo.; and two great-grandchildren, Shanya and Jessica Atkins of Pueblo
West, Colo.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, at Hardwicke Funeral Chapel
with John Ballard officiating. Burial was in West Mount Zion Cemetery
near Hartman.
Lillian Halmes Blackard, 81, of Hartman died Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005,
at her home.
She was a retired teacher after 39 years of service of which 23 years
were in the Clarksville Schools, member of the Grenade's Chapel
Methodist Church, daughter of the late Fuller and Una Mae Chandler
Halmes, and was preceded in death by one brother, Lowell Halmes.
She is survived by her husand of 63 years Paul Blackard; one daughter,
Karen Nordin of Clarksville; one son, Larry Blackard and wife, Carol,
of Hartman; two brothers, J. E. Halmes of Ozark and Howard Halmes of
Hartman; five grandchildren, Jeff Blackard and wife, Deanne, and Eric
Blackard and wife, Amy, all of Hartman, Nick Blackard and wife, Lou
Ann, of Greenwood, and Bryan Nordin and Callie Nordin, both of
Clarksville; and three great-grandchildren, Abby, Wyatt and Tyler.
Funeral was at noon Tuesday, Aug. 30, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel
with Rev. Frank Grubbs officiating. Burial was in Bethlehem Cemetery
near Hartman.
Pallbearers were Jeff Blackard, Eric Blackard, Nick Blackard, Bryan
Nordin, David Halmes, and Eldon Edgin.
Ray L. Johnson, aged 96, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 24th at the
Clarksville Convalescent Home. Ray was born in Hartman on May 10th,
1909. His parents were Sam and Minnie Morgan Johnson. He lived in
Hartman most of his life. He was one of the few remaining baseball
players from the Coal Hill and Stony Point baseball teams of the 1930s
and 1940s. Ray worked at the Sunshine Coal Mines for 14 years and later
was an employee of Hanford and Swift companies in Clarksville.
He was a World War II veteran, having entered the Navy in March of 1944
where he was assigned duty on a merchant ship which carried ammunition.
He was for many years an avid duck hunter and fisherman.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice Johnson, who passed away
on February 15, 2004. They had been married 66 years at the time of her
death. A son, Mike Johnson also preceded him in death in 1978. His
survivors include a daughter, Phyllis Jones and her husband Sonny from
Monticello; a son, Monroe Johnson of Hartman; a son, John and wife Inge
of Alma; a sister, Muriel Eichenberger of Clarksville; one
granddaughter, Andrea Puyear of Carrollton, Texas; five grandsons,
Kirby Johnson of Sheridan, Andy Johnson of Sherwood, Steve Puyear of
Little Rock, Brian Johnson of Hartman, and Keith Johnson of Salem,
Oregon.