10/10/2007
Benjamin Austin Sotomayor Jr., 72, of Knoxville died Monday, Oct. 8, 2007.
He was a native of Tempe, Ariz., son of the late Flora (Austin) and Benjamin A. Sotomayor Sr., and professional truck driver and gourmet Mexican chef.
Survivors include his wife, Irene Strupp Sotomayor; one daughter, Julie Davis of Bentonville; three sons, Benjamin Sotomayor of Houston, Texas, William Sotomayor of Clarksville and John Sotomayor of Bartlesville, Okla.; three sisters, Mary Helen Dice of Ducor, Calif., Frances Ortiz of Woodlake, Calif., and Lupe Sands of Sanga, Calif.; five brothers, Bob Sotomayor and Charlie Sotomayor, both of Tempe, Ariz., Jessie Sotomayor of Mesa, Ariz., Fred Sotomayor of Hereford, Ariz., and Al Sotomayor of Russellville; and four grandchildren, Chloe Sotomayor, Austin Sotomayor, Jasmine Davis and Allison Sotomayor.
A memorial service will be held at noon Thursday, Oct. 11, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel.
Visitation will be from 6-8 Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Carroll Dee Sims, 46, of Clarksville died Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, in Pineville, N. C.
He was a mill wright supervisor in the nuclear industry, Baptist, and son of the late Bonnie Dee and Mildred McCarley Sims.
Survivors include his wife, Cindy Melton Sims; two daughters, Barbara DeVoe and husband, Chris, of Earle and Samantha Sims of Marion; three sons, Scott Wood of Mulberry and Carroll
Duane Sims and wife, Betsey, of Sentobia, Miss., and Jeremy Wood and wife, Ashley, of Clarksville; three sisters, Gayle Berry and husband, Bob, and Debbie Staggs and husband, Tommy, all of Earle, and Donna Sue Aldridge and husband, Wayne, of Marion; six grandchildren, Madison, Bailey, Kyler, Dally, Hannah, and Carson; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Carl and Mary Melton of Lamar.
Graveside services and burial will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at the Minnow Creek Cemetery north of Lamar with Rev. Bill Holt officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Active pallbearers will be Ted Melton Jr., Travis Caldwell, Brent Caldwell, Clint Vinson, Heth Melton, Bobby Berry and Aaron England.
Honorary pallbearers will be Curt Schmacher, Tyler Melton, Chad Melton, Larry Sanders and Caleb Melton.
Evelyn (Jean) Iris Bowen, 85, died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, at Lamar.
She was a daughter of the late John and Martha Warren Winfield, widow of Johnny W. Bowen, Baptist, member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, and was preceded in death by one sister, Betty Pitts; and two brothers, Menlace Winfield and Kenneth Winfield.
She is survived by four daughters, Sharon Freeman of Lamar, Angela Cox and Alice Jacaway, both of Clarksville, and Betty Ruth Childers of Arcata, Calif.; two sons, Leonard Bowen of New Albany, Miss., and James Bowen of Ozone; one sister, Alma Casey of Grants Pass, Ore.; two brothers, John Winfield Jr. of Eureka, Calif., and Omar Winfield of Sapulpa, Okla.; 21 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Roller-Cox Funeral Chapel with Rev. Amos Pledger officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jeremy Bowen, Joshua Bowen, Matthew Bowen, Don Pitts, Michael Perren, and Marty Pitts.
Memorials may be made to the Johnson County Senior Activity Center, 1421 Oakland Street, Clarksville, AR 72830.
Frankie Clark, 82, of Tulsa, Okla., died Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007.
A native of Nail, she was a daughter of the late Bessie Elmitta (Davis) and Albert E. Wilson Jr., and was preceded in death by two brothers, Beecher Ray and Herbert E. Wilson.
Survivors include her husband, Leon Clark; two daughters, Leona Boggs and Dianna Gencarelli, both of Tulsa, Okla.; one son, Jerry Clark of Tulsa, Okla.; two sisters, Marie Crotts and Hattie Palmer, both of Lamar; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, at Mark Griffith Memorial Funeral Home’s Westwood Chapel. Burial was in Floral Haven Cemetery.
Leeana Jean Allen, 43, daughter of Wanda Wood Alcon of Clarksville, died Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007, in Hamilton, Mont.
She was a former resident of Salinas, Calif., and a 19-year member of Post 589 American Legion Auxiliary of Salinas.
Other survivors include two sisters, Phyllis Queen and Londa Pearson, both of Russellville; two brothers, Allen McKinney of Salinas, Calif., and David Wood of Pacific Grove, Calif.; and one aunt, Shirley O’Keefe of Russellville.
The body was cremated.
Mamie Laster, 97, of Clarksville died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007.
She was a native of Hartman, daughter of the late William Thomas and Annie Elizabeth Smith Hatcher, widow of Opal C. Laster, member of the Church of Christ, and was preceded in death by one son, Ronnie Laster.
She is survived by two sons, Clyde Laster of Clarksville and Raymond Laster and wife, Lanell, of Van Buren; six grandchildren, Jeff Laster, Brent Laster, Susan Millsap, Sarah Laster, Brenda Wolfe and Cathy Laster; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at the Clarksville Church of Christ with John Ballard officiating.
Burial will be in Union Grove Cemetery under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be John Nelson, William Rutledge, Duane Steele, Jeff Laster, Brent Laster, and Walker Laster.
Marie Russell, 81, of Clarksville died Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, at her home.
She was a native of Hunt, daughter of the late Searcy and Pearl Ross Chesser, and a Baptist.
Survivors include her husband, John L. Russell; one daughter, Phyllis Towler and husband, David, of Lamar; two sisters, Lois Metzker of Clarksville and Pat Yates of Russellville; two brothers, J. T. Chesser and Gene Chesser, both of Clarksville; two grandchildren, John Towler of Lamar and Samantha Patterson and husband, Calvin, of Owasso, Okla.; and three great-grandchildren, Rebecca Patterson of Freer, Texas, and Nikki and Ashley Patterson of Owasso, Okla.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8, at Hardwicke Funeral Chapel with Rev. Tom Dicus officiating. Burial was in Woodland Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Donnie White, Mike Cox, James Cox, Jamey Chesser, Herman Houston, and Ray Volgamore.
Raymond Lester R. L. Maxwell, 39, of Clarksville died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007.
He was disabled.
Survivors include two daughters, Karissa Star Maxwell and Serenity Rain Maxwell of Clarksville; one son, Ryan Holland Maxwell of Clarksville; mother, Betty Morse of Fort Smith, maternal grandmother, Betty Masterson of Spiro, Okla.; two sisters, Tammy Lynn Grimes of Fort Smith and Charlotte Mae Teague of Clarksville; and one brother, Shelby Maxwell of Clarksville.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Ocker-Putman Funeral Home Chapel with burial at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Fort Smith.
Active pallbearers were Tony Edwards, Jimmy Edwards, Steve Chance, J. R. Coffee, Joey Parker, Jason Parker, Shawn Masterson, Jamie Masterson, and Andy Hobson.
Honorary pallbearers were Jimmy Masterson and Bryan Masterson.
Taft McKinley Mathis, 92, of Clarksville died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, at his home.
A native of Marshall, he was a son of the late Offie and Samantha Smith Mathis, and was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Hazel Bryan Mathis. He and his wife moved to Clarksville in 1945 where they operated The Family Shoe Store prior to becoming owners and continuing the operation until 1985. He was also the owner of The Shoe Box in Russellville for 20 years. Following retirement, he was employed at Hilton Machine Shop for 15 years. He was a member of Clarksville First Baptist Church since 1945, serving as a deacon and later deacon emeritus.
Survivors include one daughter, Levada Qualls and husband, Lonnie Ray, of Clarksville; one sister, Janice Mathis Kelly and husband, Joe, of Marshall; one brother, Morris Mathis and wife, Juanita, of Harrison; three grandchildren, Karen Qualls Hilton and husband, Pat, Kathy Qualls Ramsey and husband, Carl, and Bryan Lee Qualls and wife, Laura; seven great-grandchildren, Josh Hilton, Caleb Hilton, Jacob Hilton, Kelsey Ramsey, Keaton Ramsey, Emily Grace Qualls and Cody Qualls, all of Clarksville; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at First Baptist Church with Rev. Billy Usery and Rev. Darrell Bridges officiating.
