Arch Irvin Jr.
Arch Arlie Irvin Jr., 82, of Caulksville, father of Pat Childers of Clarksville, died Tuesday, July 28, 2009.
He was born at Caulksville to Bess (Workman) and Arch Arlie Irvin Sr., retired heavy equipment operator for the Blake Construction Company at Fort Chaffee, Navy veteran of World War II, Mason, member of the National Lodge No. 411 at Ratcliff, member and deacon of Paris Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Deleana Irvin; and one brother, James T. Irvin.
Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Ruth Ann Irvin; three other daughters, Sandy Haney of Stilwell, Okla., Katie Hillian of Fort Smith, and Melone Gonzalez of the home; four sons, Larry Hillian of Fayetteville, Ron and Jim Irvin, both of Des Moines, Iowa, and Gary Irvin of Fort Smith; 15 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Graveside services and burial were at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at Caulksville Cemetery with Rev. Bill Van Meter and Dan Ray Core officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home of Charleston.
Pallbearers were Mike and Michael Hillian, Elissa Finch, Bill Koch, Fermin Gonzalez, Dean Hughes, Jay Young and Ben Cooper.
Barbara Tyler
Barbara Tyler, 52, of Hartman died Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009, at her home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Darline Daffern Bazemore; and one brother, Wayne Bazemore.
Survivors include her husband, Raymond Tyler; three daughters, Rebecca Kvarda of Texarkana, Texas, Jessika Perkins of Rodessa, La., and Christy Bromley of Sheridan; three sons, Kenneth Kvarda, Josh Tyler, and Carl Tyler, all of Texarkana; two sisters, Susan Matthews and Waverly Braddock, both of Plano, Texas; one brother, Randy Bazemore of Kennadale, Texas; and 17 grandchildren.
Graveside services and burial were at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Chapelwood Cemetery in Texarkana, Texas.
Local arrangements were under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Jerry Lyn Whorton
Jerry Lyn Whorton, 44, of Russellville died Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, at his home.
He was a native of Clarksville, son of the late Wanda Joan Kirkpatrick, attended the Gospel Tabernacle of Russellville, and was preceded in death by his stepmother, Martha Ann Whorton; and grandparents, Charlie and Mildred Kirkpatrick and Hattie Bennett.
He is survived by his father and stepmother, R. Jerry and Marilyn Whorton of Russellville; sister, Stephanie Thompson of Clarksville; brother, Todd Alan Whorton of Mountainburg; four stepbrothers, Alan Hardy and wife, Laura, of Gumlog, Mark Hardy and wife, Renee, of Hagarville, Randy Hardy and wife, Teri, of Pottsville, Mike Ross and wife, Paula, of Conway; two stepsisters, Kim Patterman and husband, Jeff, and Desiree Fischer and husband, Kirk, of Charlotte, N. C.; grandfather, Franklin Whorton and wife, Athena, of Cheney, Kan.; step-grandfather, Richard Bennett and wife, Shirley, of Shawnee, Okla.; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 13, at Humphrey Funeral Service Chapel in Russellville with Rev. Mickey Shields officiating.
Memorials may be made to Gospel Tabernacle, P. O. Box 1761, Russellville, AR 72811 or any Order of the Eastern Star charities, c/o Barbara Capehart, 600 East Fir, Russellville, AR 72802.
Laura Sue Ehren
Laura Sue Hill Ehren, 75, whose brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Fritz and Juanita Ehren, reside in Clarksville, died Friday, Aug. 7, 2009.
She was a daughter of the late Lawrence and Naomi Mattingly Hill, raised in Provo near DeQueen, preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Robert C. Ehren, and member of First Baptist Church of Paris where she was involved in Bible distribution through the women's auxiliary of the Gideons International, teaching vacation Bible school, Girls in Action, youth and adult Sunday school and singing in the choir.
She is survived by one daughter, Janet Gathright and husband, John, of Conway; two sons, Grant Ehren and wife, Paula, of Russellville and Kirk Ehren of Pottsville; one sister, Nora Lee Medenwald of Hattiesburg, Miss.; other brothers and sisters-in-law include, David Hill of Provo, Ralph and Betty Ehren of McKinney, Texas, Marie and Herbert Peek Jr. of Memphis, Tenn., and Norman and Jayne Ehren of Goodyear, Ariz.; seven grandchildren, John Paul Gathright and wife, Rebekkah, of Memphis, Tenn., Laura Gathright Woodard and husband, Luke, of Benton, Jordan Ehren of Little Rock, Jodie Ehren Moore and husband, Caleb, of Russellville, Tyler Ehren of Russellville, Logan Ehren and Makenzie Ehren of Conway; and three great-grandchildren, Caleb and Reid Gathright and Drake Woodard.
A brief graveside service was held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at Oakwood Cemetery in Paris followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10, at the First Baptist Church in Paris. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller Funeral Home of Paris.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Paris, Gideons International, Conway Christian School, 700 Club, American Cancer Society or Arkansas Hospice.
Loren Hardgrave
Loren Hardgrave, 94, of Cabot, formerly of Clarksville, died Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009, at his home.
He was a native of Johnson County, son of the late Ernest Lofton and Kelly Gilbert Hardgrave, Baptist, and preceded in death by his wife, Erma King Hardgrave.
He is survived by three daughters, Kathy Medgett and Shirley Manga, both of California, and Ruby Bridges of Cabot; one son, Leon Hardgrave of Clarksville; one sister, Dorothy Lee Hardgrave of California; one brother, Waymond Hardgrave of California; nine grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Graveside services and burial were at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Lone Pine Cemetery with Rev. George Stricklen officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.
Naomi Severns
Naomi Severns, 83, of Clarksville died Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, at Heritage Living Center in Cabot.
She was a native of Illinois, daughter of the late Leonard and Nora Claton Wright, widow of Clifford Severns, member of Second Baptist Church, and preceded in death by one daughter, Joan Tinhouse.
She is survived by five sons, Rick Severns of Hensley, Alan Lashbrook of Plano, Texas, Mike Lashbrook of Austin, Mark Severns of Cabot, and James Severns of Russellville; 14 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at Hardwicke Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Tony Sparks officiating. Burial was in Minnow Creek Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Don Bradley, Harold Monroe, Bobby J. Freeman, Delmer Case, Don Wages, and Jerry Turner.
Norma Jean Garrett
Norma Jean Garrett, 83, of Clarksville died Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, at Countryside Manor Nursing Home.
She was a member of Harmony Presbyterian Church, native of Foss, Okla., daughter of the late Clay (Jack) and Minnie Larry Russell, and during World War II was employed at Douglas Aircraft in Midwest City, Okla., building C47 airplanes. She was also a former operator at Southwestern Bell, employee of Oklahoma Hardware for 18 years, and retired from AT&T after 12 years of service.
Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Hall Garrett; one son, Ron Garrett of Mustang, Okla.; two grandsons, Robert Garrett of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Nick Garrett of Winnsboro, Texas; and three great-grandchildren, Ryan Brown-Wyatt of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Riley Garrett and Bailey Garrett, both of Winnsboro, Texas.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, at the Harmony Presbyterian Church with Rev. Tracy Julian officiating.
Burial was in Harmony Cemetery under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Joe Garrett, Dustin Garrett, Danny Garrett, Glenn Garrett, Robert Garrett, Nick Garrett, and Randell Ratliff.
Phyllis Nuttle
Phyllis P. Drumburg Nuttle, 62, of Russellville, whose son and daughter-in-law, Freddie and Crystal Wilson, reside in Lamar, died Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009.
She was a daughter of the late Robert and Juanita Moran Drumburg, native of Baltimore, Md., member of the Messianic Jew Community, and was preceded in death by one sister, Glenda.
Other survivors include her husband, Andrew Thomas Nuttle; one daughter and son-in-law, Quanina and Ronald Bowden of Orange, Texas; one sister, Roberta Smith of Pasadena, Md.; one stepdaughter, Lisa Ann Gibson of Booneville; nine grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; and one stepgreat-granddaughter.
Graveside services were held at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Pisgah Cemetery at Pottsville. Burial was by Humphrey Funeral Service of Russellville.
Rita Ann Coolidge
Graveside services and burial for Rita Ann Coolidge, 56, of Huntsville, who died Aug. 5, 2009, at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, were at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, at the Oark Cemetery with President Michael Weickersheimer officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Brashears Funeral Home of Huntsville.
She was a native of Denver, Colo., daughter of the late Henry Raymond Schubarth, employed as a registered nurse at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, U. S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, and member of the Huntsville Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Thomas Henry and Sara Moran Coolidge of Anchorage, Alaska; mother, Faye Schubarth of Huntsville; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Charles and Tammie Schubarth of Ozark, Clyde and Linda Schubarth of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Coy and Sylvia Schubarth of Bridge City, Texas; and two grandsons, Thomas Ryan Coolidge and Logan Alexander Coolidge, both of Anchorage, Alaska.
Ruth I. Crask
Ruth I. Crask, 78, formerly of Clarksville, died July 27, 2009, at the home of a daughter in Apple Valley, Calif.
She was a native of Owensboro, Ky., daughter of the late George and Imogene Blackford, widow of James Crask, and a Christian.
She is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, James G. and Kathryn Crask of Colorado Springs, Colo.; four daughters and sons-in-law, Beckie and Jim Dodge and Kelly and Ken Stibal of Apple Valley, Calif., Anna and Royell Storing of Clarksville, and Nancy and Garry Matheny of Romania; one sister, Shirley Miller of Lynville, Ind.; 21 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 15, in Boonville, Ind., followed by burial at Bethabra Cemetery in Folsonville, Ind.
Selba Patterson
Selba Patterson, 53, of Clarksville died Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, at Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock.
He was a son of the late Selba Isaac and Oca Ernestine Butts Patterson, member of the First Assembly of God Church in Clarksville, custodian, and preceded in death by three brothers, Glen, Carl and Charles Patterson.
Survivors include two sons, Joshua Patterson of Conway and John Patterson of Clarksville; three sisters, Verba Jones of Hunt, Anna Immel of Clarksville, and Rita Funderburg of Lamar; three brothers, J. V. Patterson of Peculiar, Mo., and Raymond Patterson and Clyde Patterson, both of Clarksville; one sister-in-law, Catherine Nunn and husband, Art, of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the Harmony Presbyterian Church with Rev. Eddie Birdsong and Rev. Dade Kindrix officiating.
Burial was in Harmony Cemetery under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Active pallbearers were Steve Immel, Jason Patterson, Calvin Patterson, Jimmy Patterson, Matthew Patterson, and Gary Grace.
Honorary pallbearers were Leo Villines, Dwight Taylor, and Loyd Wayne Jones.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
LaRue Westbrook
May 24, 1941 – August 6, 2009
LaRue Westbrook left this earthly place with the angels after a long and courageous battle with Huntington’s Disease. From the moment she tested positive for the gene that determines Huntington’s to her last breath, she put up a gallant fight and remained eternally optimistic and downright joyous up until the bitter end. She was a positive force who touched the lives of all those with whom she came in contact. LaRue was born on May 24, 1941 in Paris, Arkansas. She grew up in Clarksville, Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas where she met the father of her children, Paul (Randy) Payne to whom she was married for 13 years. LaRue spent most of her career helping and educating children; her specialty was early childhood development and learning disabilities. Her passion to be an advocate for those with little or no voice changed lives.
LaRue lived in Denton, Texas, for many years…a place she still considered home. She raised her children and met some of the most influential people of her life there. Later her life’s journey took her to Taos, New Mexico and eventually to San Marcos, Texas where she enjoyed a second career at one of the university bookstores. As the disease progressed and her ability to work diminished, she elected to return to her roots and live close to her best friend, her loving sister, Rebecca Plunkett in Fort Smith, Arkansas. LaRue spent the last four years, the most incredibly difficult days of our lives, at Greenhurst in Charleston, Arkansas where she received kindness, compassion and care until her last breath.
She is survived by her children, daughter Savanna Payne Bogardus and husband Tom of Austin, Texas; son Josh LaRue and wife Jamie of Silver Spring, Maryland; surrogate son Jeff Payne of Washington, DC; grandchildren Jackson and Katharine Bogardus and Iris LaRue; sister Rebecca Plunkett and husband Phillip of Fort Smith, Arkansas; brother Kent Westbrook, M.D. and wife Jonnie of Little Rock, Arkansas; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a network of life-long friends; Shelly Torres, Karen Parr and Anita Long.
LaRue will be dearly missed and remembered not only for the things she taught us but for the way she lived her life. She was gifted with the ease of making friends, helping those in need and living life by the Golden Rule. She instilled in her children compassion for others, love of life and learning and gentleness with nature. She loved to be spontaneous and have fun; camping and canoeing were some of her favorite passions. She loved to laugh and dance; we recall many Christmas celebrations dancing in the living room to holiday music. She loved good music (especially Bob Dylan with whom she shared a birthday, Joni Mitchell, Terri Hendrix, Talking Heads and Chicago ) and Mexican food! She loved her pets and we know LaRue will be united with Otis Dog once again! She loved her sister Rebecca most of all and together they not only survived life’s many challenges but lived every moment to the fullest; being a support and caretaker to each other in times of need. LaRue was always the hippest mom; wearing the most fashionable clothes and styles. She was always the most beautiful woman and turned heads wherever she went. She could manage to pull off her Neiman Marcus taste on a Wal-Mart budget. LaRue was one in a billion. There is no one like her. Our hearts are filled with sadness because we will miss her so much; but we find comfort that she is no longer suffering and is with the angels above.
A celebration of her life was shared by her family and friends at Smith Mortuary in Charleston, Arkansas on Monday, August 10, 2009 at 11:00 AM.
The family wishes to express special thanks to Mary Jane Christenberry and the exceptional staff at Greenhurst for their loving dedication and tenderness in caring for LaRue throughout her last years.
In lieu of flowers, those who desire may send a memorial donation to Huntington’s Disease Society of America in memory of LaRue Westbrook at HDSA.org or HDSA, 505 8th Avenue, Suite 902, New York, New York, 10018; or to a charity of your choice.
(Paid Obituary)
Gracie Einert
Gracie Einert, 87, of Lamar, Arkansas, died Saturday, August 8, 2009, at her home. She was born on January 16, 1922, at Spoke Plant, Arkansas. She was a retired poultry processing worker and a member of the Lighthouse Church in Clarksville.
She is survived by four daughters, Alma Holt and her husband, Paul, of Lamar, Myrna DeForest of Lamar, Linda White and her husband, Don, of Clarksville, and Betty Killough and her husband, Mike, of Knoxville; one sister, Clara Saylor of Fremont, California; one brother, Carlis Ritchie of Mulberry; eight grandchildren; and eleven great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles “Blackie” Key on April 3, 2009; three brothers; and five sisters.
The family received friends at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m., Monday, August 10, 2009. The funeral service was at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 11, 2009, at the Roller-Cox Funeral Chapel, with Reverend William Hickman officiating. Burial followed in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery, in Clarksville.
Pallbearers were Jeff Roberson, Garry Wayne Roberson, Randy Warren, Gary Warren, Rickey Pitts, and Raimond Willis.
Arrangements were under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home (479) 754-2201.
(Paid Obituary)