Audra Monroe Cowan, 87, of Fort Smith died Friday, Sept. 23, 2005.
He was a native of the Harmony Community, son of the late George Monroe
and Cornelia Rhea Cowan, attended Harmony school, graduated from
Clarksville High School and the University of the Ozarks, and received
a master of music education degree from the University of Oklahoma.
He was a member of Central Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith, the
Arkansas Retired Teachers Association, the Western Arkansas Chapter of
Phi Delta Kappa and the Community Band of Western Arkansas.
While attending the University of the Ozarks, he taught band at Coal
Hill for two years. Following graduation from college, he taught band
at Indianola, Okla., for two years prior to entering the U. S. Army in
1942. He played in an Army band and took officer's training at Fort
Benning, Ga. He fought with the infantry across France, Belgium, and
Germany. He received the Purple Heart in September 1944. He received a
medical retirement with the rank of captain in December 1946. He taught
band in Clarksville, Sheridan, Ozark and Ramsey Junior High School
until retiring in 1983. He was selected by the Arkansas Bandmasters
Association as "Bandmaster of the Year" in 1975 and inducted into the
Arkansas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. In 1990, he received the
distinguished alumnus award of the class of 1940 from the University of
the Ozarks.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years Margaret King Cowan; one
daughter, Kathryn Rice and husband, Bruce, of Fort Smith; three sons,
David Cowan and wife, Terry, of Little Rock, Donald Cowan of Dallas,
Texas, and Kenneth Cowan and wife, Susan, of Fort Smith; two
granddaughters, Sarah Cowan of Jackson, Miss., and Rachel Cowan of Fort
Smith; and four grandsons, Patrick Cowan of Little Rock, Kendall Rice
of New Haven, Conn., and Daniel Rice and Phillip Cowan, both of Fort
Smith.
Funeral was at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at Central Presbyterian
Church in Fort Smith with Rev. Tom Ulrich officiating followed by
burial at 2:30 p.m. in Oakland Cemetery at Clarksville. Arrangements
were under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith.
Pallbearers were Stanley Cate, W. N. Shaver III, Richard Peer, Ronald
Garner, Leighnora Buchanan, Ralph Riley, Gene Maddux, Steve Kesner and
the grandchildren.
Nettie Jacobs, 96, of Clarksville died Friday, Sept. 23, 2005, at
Countryside Manor Nursing Home.
She was a daughter of the late John Franklin and Savannah Smith
Bridges, widow of Roy Jacobs, and member of Johnson Regional Medical
Center Auxiliary and Landmark Missionary Baptist Church where she had
been a Sunday school and Bible school teacher. She was preceded in
death by two brothers, Rev. Oren Bridges and Erna Bridges, and one
sister, Lennie Randle.
She is survived by two sisters, Magdalene Dobbs and Lucy Jacobs, both
of Clarksville; one brother, Olen Bridges and wife, Doris, of Camargo,
Okla.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at Landmark Missionary Baptist
Church with Rev. Vernon Bass and Don Gillam officiating.
Burial was in Kendall Cemetery under the direction of Roller-Cox
Funeral Home.
Ruby Arnette McCleary, 81, died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2005, in Manteca,
Calif., where she had resided for 52 years.
She was a native of Hartman, daughter of the late Joe and Bertha
Shoeffler, widow of Homer F. McCleary Jr., and a 50-plus year member of
the Assembly of God Church where she led the Women's Missionary Council
(WMC), was Sunday school superintendent for the children's division,
and held a seat on the mission's board for many years. She and her late
husband started McCleary Plastering in 1962 which she continued to
operate even after his death in 1971 until she retired in 1994.
Survivors include her children and spouses, Stacy and Danell McCleary,
Robin and Russ Sousa, and Rod and Brenna McCleary of Manteca, Calif.;
grandchildren, Janell and Christopher Morris, Nicole and Forrest
Woodman, Brian and Rebecca McCleary, Randi and Rick Fowzer, Rachele
Sousa, Ranette Sousa, and Rod McCleary Jr., all of Manteca, Calif., and
Darci and Damon Eisenga of Escalon, Calif.; five great-grandchildren;
siblings, Melba Robertson of Manteca, Calif., and Harold Shoeffler of
Stockton, Calif.; and sister-in-law, Mrs. Joseph (Priscilla) Shoeffler
of Hartman.
Funeral was at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at the First Assembly of
God Church in Manteca, Calif., with Pastor Donald Annas, Pastor Michael
Dillman and Pastor Scott Hoag officiating.
Burial was in Lakewood Memorial Park in Empire, Calif., under the
direction of P. L. Fry and Son Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Rodney McCleary Jr., Christopher Morris, Rick Fowzer,
Robert Tyler, Brian McCleary, Forrest Woodman, and Damon Eisenga.