Bessie Mae Brown
Bessie Mae Brown, 97, of Van Buren, formerly of Clarksville, died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at Crawford Healthcare and Rehabilitation.
She was born at Lutherville, daughter of the late Solen Ethel and Nancy Russell Williams, and member of Van Buren First Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband of 78 years, Willie Brown; one son, George Brown and wife, Carolyn, of Van Buren; three grandchildren, George Lee Brown of Bella Vista, Phillip Brown of Fort Smith, and Mariesa Baker of Van Buren; six great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Hardwicke Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Frank Clemmons officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery.
Pallbearers were George Brown Jr., Phillip Brown, Haskett Baker, Jeremey Brown, Adam Brown, and Erin Brown.
Carol Sue Engbretson
Carol Sue (Susie) Engbretson, 63, died Jan. 14, 2009, at the Gunnison Clinic of LaCross, Wis.
A resident of the Aase Haugeur Home of Decorah, Iowa, she was a daughter of the late Irvin and Marge Houston Engbretson of Decorah, Iowa, and granddaughter of the late Denver and Bertha Laster Houston of Clarksville.
She is survived locally by a great-aunt, Aulda Laster Meek of Clarksville; and several cousins in the Clarksville area.
Funeral was Sunday, Jan. 18, at Madison Lutheran Church followed by burial at Madison Lutheran Cemetery of Ridgeway, Iowa.
Memorials may be made to Madison Lutheran Church, P. O. Box 2, Ridgeway, Iowa 52165.
Christine Perry
Christine Perry, 75, of Altus, mother of Shelby Moore of Clarksville and Melissa Weathers of Coal Hill, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in Van Buren.
She was a native of Pontotoc, Miss., daughter of the late Isaac Neal and Charlie Mae Cheney Palmore, widow of Floyd Eugene Perry, Pentecostal, quilter, and lifetime member of Coal Hill VFW Ladies Auxiliary.
She is survived by three other daughters, Linda Powell of Tahlequah, Okla., Brenda Rackley of Heber Springs, and Debra Chancey of Ozark; one son, Bernis Harris of Myrtle Creek, Ore.; one sister, Birdie Castleman of Newbern, Tenn.; 14 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, at Shaffer Funeral Home Chapel in Ozark with Rev. Bill Reno and Rev. David Zeiler officiating. Burial was in Houston Cemetery at Alix.
Active pallbearers were Charles Bittle, Chris Bittle, Anthony Bittle, Austin Bittle, John Powell and Dondie Butler.
Honorary pallbearers were Mark Oswald and Harold Weathers.
John H. Hilton
John H. Hilton, 86, of Clarksville died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at his home.
A native of Montana, he was a son of the late Charles E. and Bertha Mertens Hilton, member of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, and World War II veteran where he served in the Army Air Corps. He was preceded in death by one son, Greg Hilton; three brothers, Frank, Charles, and Fred Hilton; and one sister, Grace Hilton.
Survivors include his wife, Estella Mae Plugge Hilton; two sons, Randy and Robert Hilton and one daughter-in-law, Dayna Hilton, of Clarksville; one daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Joel Rossmaier of Clarksville; five grandchildren, John, Jason, Jana and Jack Rossmaier and Michael Post; two sisters, Josephine Hilton and Dorothy Kremers of Clarksville; one brother, Edward Russell Hilton of Clarksville; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.
Rosary was at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at Hardwicke Funeral Home with Rev. William Wewers officiating. Funeral was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church followed by burial in Holy Redeemer Catholic Cemetery.
Lector was Gary Wiederkehr.
Active pallbearers were Joe Kremers, Tom Kremers, Frank Hilton Jr., Pat Hilton, Tim Hilton, Charlie Hilton, Mark Hilton, Larry Plugge, Charlie Plugge, and Kevin Wiederkehr.
Honorary pallbearers were Russell Plugge, Wayne Plugge, Roman Plugge, John Plugge, Fred Hilton, and Steve Hilton.
Kenneth G. McGuire
Kenneth Gerald McGuire, 46, of Ozark died Monday, Jan. 12, 2009, at his home.
He was an employee of the highway department, attended the Old Country Church in Ozark, son of the late Laura Brison McGuire, and was preceded in death by two sisters, Shirley White and Sue Young; and three brothers, Billy McGuire, Ricky Don McGuire, and L. J. McGuire.
Survivors include his wife of 27 years, Joyce McGuire; one daughter, Jessica Mason of Ozark; one stepson, Wayne McCartney of Clarksville; one stepdaughter, Becky McCartney of Altus; father, James McGuire of Knoxville; one sister, Patsy Ralls of Clarksville; two brothers, Jimmy McGuire of Clarksville and Frank McGuire of Wilson; two grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.
Funeral was at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. J. D. Ellison officiating. Burial was in Batson Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Jerry Williams, Glen Chavers, Steve Fetters, Andy May, Todd Fales and Travis Pelts.
Honorary pallbearers were Darrin Phillips and Kirby Yates.
Luther Jestice
Luther (Bud) Jestice, 89, of Hartman died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009, at the Veterans Hospital in Fayetteville.
He was a native of Havana, son of the late William and Maude Spivey Jestice, World War II Army sergeant, member of the First Infantry participating in the Normandy Invasion on Omaha Beach, North Africa invasion and the invasion of Sicily, recipient of two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, farmer, bus driver for Havana School for 19 years, member of Boyce-Woods Post 3141 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and First Baptist Church in Centerville, and was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Frame Jestice.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Jestice of Scranton; one son and daughter-in-law, Billy and Donna Jestice of Hartman; two daughters and sons-in-law, Patricia and Jim Stokes of Franklin, Tenn., and Darlene and Dave Deal of Baton Rouge, La.; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, at Cornwell Funeral Home Chapel in Danville with John McCourt and Dave Deal officiating. Burial was in Havana Cemetery with military honors by Boyce-Woods Post 3141 of the VFW.
Mary Lou Kinder
Mary Lou Kinder, 61, a former resident of Clarksville, died Dec. 25, 2008, in Denver, Colo.
She was a native of Peoria, Ill., daughter of the late Clarence Lee and Darlene Wagner, graduate of the University of the Ozarks, former teacher at both Clarksville and Lamar public schools having taught for a total of 32 years, one of the first teachers of the gifted children in the state of Arkansas, was instrumental in the creation of the LIGHTS program, a curriculum that taught primary school aged children creative problem solving skills, and was an active member in the First United Methodist Church in Clarksville.
She is survived by one son, Kyle Kinder; one daughter, Kara Kinder; and three sisters, Shirley Luby, Judy Phillips Jones and Nancy Hurt.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at the First United Methodist Church in Clarksville. Burial will be by cremation.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Patrick V. Pledger
Patrick V. Pledger, 63, of Longview, Texas, formerly of Clarksville, died Monday, Jan. 19, 2009, at his home.
He was a native of Coal Hill, son of the late Vernon and Rhea Ogden Pledger, employed in the maintenance department of a fire sprinkler company in Longview, Texas, and was preceded in death by one stepson, Maroy Mackie.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Pledger; two daughters, Melissa Cady and husband, Craig, of Liberty City, Texas, and Shelia Mackie of Longview, Texas; one son, Gary Pledger of Fort Worth, Texas; two brothers, Rev. Amos Pledger of Clarksville and Floyd Pledger and wife, Linda, of Clarksville; and three sisters, Iva Henderson and husband, Donnie, of Lamar, Etta Hamilton and husband, Burton, of Westmoreland, Tenn., and Inez Selby of Russellville.
The body was cremated.
Paul Andrews
Paul D. Andrews, 54, of Dover, brother of Gladys Warren of Clarksville, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009.
He was a native of Crook County, Ore., son of the late Gladys (Brown) and Alfred Andrews Jr., Baptist, and aircraft engineer.
Survivors are one son, David Manuel Andrews of Ohio; two brothers, Alfred Wayne Andrews of Jefferson, Mo., and Jimmy Ray Andrews of Los Angeles, Calif.; and three other sisters, Brenda Doyle of Dover, Betty Andrews of Russellville and Mary Turner of Wichita, Kan.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at Shinn Funeral Service Chapel in Russellville with Rev. Blaine Rogers officiating. Burial was in McFadden Cemetery at Dover.
Active pallbearers were Eric Hanks, Larry Doyle, Raymond Turner, Bob Morris, Larry Madden and Bob Warren.
Honorary pallbearers were Keyle Ramondos and Wayne McAlister.
Walter Purdion
Walter (Blue) Purdion, 63, of Clarksville died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, at St. Vincent Medical Center in Little Rock.
He was a native of Chaneyville, La., son of the late George and Laurina Jones Purdion, produce vendor, and was preceded in death by one sister and five brothers.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Purdion; one daughter, Billie Jo Purdion of Clarksville; two sons, Walter D. Purdion and Troy Lesinkski, both of Clarksville; four stepchildren, Shane DuPuy, Johnny DuPuy, Marie Dauzat and Tammy Merrall; three sisters, Dorothy (Dot) Thompson of Houston, Texas, Carolyn Baker of Clarksville, and Lula Evans of Houston, Texas; one brother, Emmitt Purdion of Clarksville; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; 11 stepgrandchildren; and five stepgreat-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Roy Shook and Jerry Self officiating. Burial will be in Louisiana.
Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home.