4/30/2008

Norma McKennon Johnson, age 81, a lifelong resident of Clarksville, passed away at her home after an extended illness. She was born to the late State Senator Paul McKennon and Pearl Blackard McKennon on October 12, 1926.

She was a loyal and lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church of Clarksville. She was predeceased by her husband, Earle King (E. K.) Johnson, and by her siblings, one sister, Pauline McKennon Amos and twin brothers, Clyde and Claude McKennon.

Norma is the last surviving Clarksville member of a large group of McKennons who migrated to Clarksville at the end of the Civil War. She was descended from a pioneer Johnson County family on her maternal side, the Blackards. She was a great-great-granddaughter of Tolliver Goldstone Blackard, who arrived in Johnson County in the 1830s.

Following graduation from Clarksville High School she was proud to have worked for the War Department during World War II at the Los Angeles Port of Embarkation. She returned to Clarksville after the War where she met her husband, E. K., at the Palace Drug Store. They married January 26, 1947, and immediately worked together to build their family business, Eureka Brick and Tile Company in Clarksville. The family continued operation of the business for 53 years.

In healthier years, she enjoyed playing bridge, boating on the Arkansas River and landscaping. She also enjoyed a lifelong love of poetry. She was a member of the Supper Club which met at the Johnson Family Lodge on Little Piney. She was a member of the T.T.T. society and considered sharing time at the river with her “Cousins” group as one of the highlights of her life. Her greatest joy on earth was her devoted family.

She is survived by her daughter, Paula Johnson Glasgow and her husband, Roger, and by her beloved grandson, Kingsley Johnson Glasgow and his wife, Angela,  all of Little Rock. She is also survived by her son, Bradford Earle Johnson, and his wife, Suzanne, and two stepgrandchildren, Justin and Anthony Webb, all of Clarksville.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 535, Clarksville, Arkansas 72830, or to the University of the Ozarks, Earle K. and Norma M. Johnson Communications Program Endowment, 415 North College Avenue, Clarksville, Arkansas 72830.

Visitation will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at Hardwicke Funeral Home in Clarksville. A private graveside service will be held at Oakland Cemetery on Thursday, May 1, 2008. A memorial service to honor Norma’s life will be at Clarksville’s First United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2008.

Honorary Pallbearers are Carroll Bumpers, Paul Bumpers, Dane Clay, Dudley Flint, Harold Lewis, Drew Linder, Ross McCarley, Dr. Richard McKelvey, Dierk Pulliam, Dr. W. Ernest King, Virgil Knight, Dr. John Rommel and Stewart Willey.

The family is deeply grateful to the dedicated and loving caregivers who extended Norma’s life who brought her much love and joy. The Johnson family asks your prayers in the days ahead as we give thanks for Norma’s life which provided the heartbeat of our family for 61 years.

Anna Mae Verwiebe, 67, of Clarksville died Thursday, April 24, 2008, at her home.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry F. Verwiebe; and parents, William Harry and Mary Rachel Wood Embring.

Survivors include three daughters, Yvonne Verwiebe of Clarksville, Melinda M. Baurichter of Willard, Mo., and Dianna D. Bass of Georgia; two sons, Howard D. Verwiebe of Hagarville, and Vern V. Verwiebe of Springfield, Mo.; two brothers, Leroy Embring of San Diego, Calif., and Bill Embring of Los Angeles, Calif; 21 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.

Funeral was at 2 p.m. Monday, April 28, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Amos Pledger officiating.

Lila Needham Howard of Scranton died Saturday, April 26, 2008. She was born April 28, 1918, in New Blaine, Arkansas.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, John Needham. They were the owners of Needham’s Store and Gas Station in Scranton for over forty years. Following retirement, Lila worked for the Area Agency on Aging. 

She is survived by her husband, Raymond Howard; two daughters, Ann Hatchett and her husband, Jim, of Fort Smith and Lesa Moyer and her husband, Chris, of Fayetteville; three stepchildren, Joanne Wilson of Midway, Jerry Howard of Russellville and the late Herbert Howard of Paris; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; nine stepgrandchildren; nineteen stepgreat-grandchildren; and one sister, Inis Spicer of Nederland, Texas.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the Prairie View United Methodist Church in Prairie View, Arkansas with burial at Wares Chapel Cemetery, Dublin, Arkansas under the direction of Roller Funeral Home of Paris.

Pallbearers will be Eddy Hill, Thomas Needham, Wesley Howard, Gordon Boswell, and grandsons, Nolan Moyer and Logan Moyer.

The family visited with friends from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Prairie View Methodist Church, 434 E. St. Hwy 288, Subiaco, AR 72865.

Earline Skinner, 80, of Altus died Friday, April 18, 2008, in Ozark.

She was a native of Lake Village, daughter of the late James Earl and Luna Velma Ryan, member of the Free Jesus Name Pentecostal Church of Coal Hill, and was preceded in death by one daughter, Sheila Edwards; and two sons, Gary Thomas Skinner and Kenneth Ray Skinner.

Survivors include her husband, Cloy Ray Skinner; two daughters, Vanessa Hawkins of Coal Hill and Wendy Shepherd of Ozark; one son, Cloy Allen Skinner of Coal Hill; three sisters, Claudette Raney of Stuttgart, Rita Sippell of Mayflower, and Phillis Gibbs of Athens, Texas; one brother, Thurman Ryan of Ada Valley; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral was at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at Shaffer Funeral Home Chapel in Ozark with Rev. David Zeiler and Rev. Kevin Nobles officiating. Burial was at Mt. View Cemetery in Ozark.

Active pallbearers were Butch and Tracy Hawkins, Justin Franklin, Todd Carter, Dale Whitson and Daniel Rosson.

Honorary pallbearers were Gene and Greg Nobles, Jim Ryan, Bobby Accord and Mike Gibbs.

Harolene Dobbs, 76, of Clarksville died Saturday, April 26, 2008, at her home.

She was a native of Oklahoma, daughter of the late Harold and Alta Ritchie Ritchey, widow of James Dobbs, Baptist, and graduate of Coal Hill High School and Draughons School of Business College in Little Rock.

Survivors are two daughters, Susan Ward and husband, Danny, and Karen Frizzell and husband, Roger, all of Clarksville; one sister, Shirley Frantz of Fort Smith; two stepsisters, Margaret Mitchell and Maxine Nicklin, both of Fort Smith;  four grandchildren, Amanda McCormick and husband, Schottky, Greg Frizzell, Jeff Frizzell and wife, Monica, and Wesley Frizzell and wife, Dana, all of Clarksville; and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral was at 10 a.m. Monday, April 28,  at Hardwicke Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Woodland Cemetery.

James Wilson (Dub) Felkins, 76, of Hagarville died Monday, April 28, 2008, at Johnson Regional Medical Center.

He was a son of the late Burl Staton and Lena King Felkins, heavy equipment operator, and was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Willine Rogers Felkins.

Survivors include one daughter, Phyllis Bedore and husband, Ray, of Marquette, Mich.; one son, Randy Felkins and wife, Donna, of Hagarville; two brothers, Vester (Nap) Felkins and Bill Felkins and wife, Alice, all of Clarksville; four grandchildren, Tanya and James Bedore, Ivy (Eugene) Wilkinson, and Randy Felkins; three great-grandchildren, Isaac and Robert Lee Felkins and Roselynn Wilkinson; two stepgrandchildren, Shanna and Billy Jean Stout; and one stepgreat-grandchild, Jadelynn Stout.

Graveside services and burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 1, at Stillwell Cemetery with Rev. Max King officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dean Dlugosh, Dewayne Dlugosh, Lance Dlugosh, Ed White, Quinton Hughes, and Randy Dub Felkins.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at Roller Cox Funeral Home.

Earnesteen Green, 73, of Maricopa, Ariz., died Sunday, April 13, 2008, in Maricopa, Ariz.

She was a native of the Spadra Community and daughter of the late Ernest and Ora Mae Broomfield Rogers.

Survivors are one son, Rick D. Blackard of Maricopa, Ariz.; and one sister, Florence Gummow of Wichita, Kan.

Graveside services and burial were at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Oakland Cemetery with Rev. Max King officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.

Hazel Marie Ross, 84, of Russellville died Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center.

She was a native of Lamar, daughter of the late Walter Columbus and Gladys Clara Davis Dennis, and was preceded in death by five brothers, Leon, Jimmie, Walter Harvey, Cecil and Earl Dean Dennis; and one sister, Lillie Agnes Dennis.

Survivors include four sons and daughters-in-law, Junior and Charlene Ross and Jerry and Dava Ross, all of Knoxville, Bill and Pat Ross of the Flat Rock Community, and Roger and Doris Ross of Atkins; one brother, Bobby Joe Dennis of Atkins; one sister, Anna Mae Mitchell of London; 12 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; three stepgreat-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral was at 10 a.m. Friday, April 25, at Shinn Funeral Service Chapel in Russellville with Rev. Don Alexander officiating. Burial was in Langford Cemetery at Scottsville.

Pallbearers were grandsons, Billy Jr., Charles, Michael, Steven, Roger Jr., and Jeremy Ross.

Maybelle Kline Gravitz, 92, of Clarksville died Friday, April 25, 2008 at her home.

She was a native of Ironwood, Mich., daughter of the late William and Martha Kanin Kline, widow of Matthew Gravitz, graduate of Stevens Point College at Stevens Point, Wis., and University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, and  a retired elementary and junior high school teacher.

Survivors include a friend, Sharon James of Clarksville.

The body was cremated.

 Arrangements were under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.

Prue Rogers Overbey, 99, of Scranton died Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at Clarksville Convalescent Home.

She was a native of New Blaine, daughter of the late Buel Sullivan and Etta Lipe Rogers, widow of Harold Lee “Jack” Overbey, graduate of Scranton High School and the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, retired elementary school teacher and librarian, longtime member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Logan County Retired Teachers Association and Arkansas Retired Teachers Association, member of the Prairie View United Methodist Church and was preceded in death of a brother, Guyth W. Rogers.

Survivors include three daughters, Norma Bearden and husband, Jim, of Scranton, Betty Plugge and husband, A. J., of Fort Smith, and Patricia Blanton and husband, Hugh, of Amarillo, Texas; one son, Rogers Overbey and wife, Marcia, of Edmond, Okla.; two sisters, Marilyn Shepherd of Edmonds, Wash., and Eileen Graves of Scranton; one brother, David Rogers of Prairie View; 14 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral was at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at Prairie View United Methodist Church with Rev. Scot Overbey and Ross Rogers officiating. Burial was in Lamar Cemetery under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were Bill McElduff, Jack Bearden, Rogers Bearden, Scot Overbey, David Plugge, and Dan Plugge.

Memorials may be made to Prairie View United Methodist Church. 

Rosey Brilla Russell, 75, of Parsons, Kan., formerly of Johnson County, died Friday, April 18, 2008, at Elm Haven Nursing Home in Parsons, Kan.

She was a daughter of the late John George and Cora Emma Reese Perry, widow of Edward (Bud) Russell, Baptist, and nurses aide and cook.

She is survived by three sons, Terry Pierce of Bowie, Texas, David Pierce of Baltimore, Md., and Kenneth Russell of Parsons, Kan.; one brother, George Gray of Irving, Texas; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Graveside services and burial were at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Hartman Cemetery with Rev. Bob Oden officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.

William (Bill) Bonde Fletcher, 64, died Wednesday, April 23, 2008, in Clarksville.

He was a native of Memphis, Tenn., building contractor in the Mountain Home area for 15 years, an avid hunter and fisherman, guide on area lakes and rivers for many years, and was preceded in death by his parents and one sister.

Survivors include one son, William Bonde Fletcher Jr. of Houlka, Miss.; two daughters, Lara Gay (Shane) Davis of Mountain Home and Natalie (Craig) Weatherly of Little Rock; two brothers, Bud and Mark Fletcher of Memphis, Tenn.; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at Eastside Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Shy officiating.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Ozarks.

Local arrangements were under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.

Sharon Ann McMillon, 55, of Clarksville died Monday, April 28, 2008, at Clarksville Convalescent Home.

She was a native of Clarksville, graduate of Clarksville High School, widow of David McMillon, member of First Assembly of God Church, employee of Johnson Regional Medical Center as an EMT for 13 years and as home health clerical support for 10 years, and was preceded in death by her mother, Alice Brinegar; one son, Gary Robinson; paternal grandparents, Oliver and Jewell Taylor; maternal grandparents, Riley and Lilly Carter; and one brother, Vernon W. Taylor.

She is survived by her father, Vernon D. Taylor of Clifton, Colo.; two sisters, Brenda K. Robinson of Clarksville and Carla S. Bridges of Venus, Texas; one brother, Ricky Brinegar of Gorman, Texas; stepfather, Rod Brinegar of Gorman, Texas; one grandchild, Savanna Robinson of Lamar; two uncles, Pat Taylor and Wayne Carter, both of Clarksville; aunt, Helen Burch of Clarksville; niece, LaDonna Hamilton of Clarksville; and nephew, William Martin of Clarksville.

Funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at the First Assembly of God Church in Clarksville with Rev. Terry Cameron officiating.

Burial will be in Shady Grove Cemetery under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Rusty Taylor, James Hamilton, Wesley Kendrick, Scott Gilbert, Levi Willis, and Chris Pickett.

John Patrick Simms, 38, of Clarksville, a native of Austin, Pa., died Saturday, April 26, 2008, in Logan County.

Survivors include his wife of nine years, Christina Simms; two daughters, Alexis and Tristen, of Clarksville; two sons, Andrew and Dalton, of Clarksville; parents, Thomas and Grace Simms of Austin, Pa.; and one brother, Andrew Simms.

The body was cremated.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at 1876 County Road 3451, Clarksville.

Local arrangements were under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.

William (Bill) Schweyer, 74, of Clarksville died Monday, April 28, 2008, in Clarksville.

He was a native of Ashland, Ohio, son of the late Paul and Grace Limbaugh Schweyer, owner and operator of Bill’s Bait and Tackle Shop, graduate of Mansfield High School in Mansfield, Ohio, and Tarrant County Junior Colllege in Fort Worth, Texas, member of the American Catfish Tournament Series, a 20-year Air Force veteran, and a disabled veteran.

Survivors include his wife, Louise Jencks Schweyer; one daughter, Heidi Barber and husband, Raymond, of Copperas Cove, Texas; two sons, Paul Schweyer and wife, Christina, of Barling and Douglas Schweyer and wife, Tina, of Rocky Mount, N. C.; one sister, Phyllis Schweyer of Columbus, Ohio; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, May 2, at Hardwicke Funeral Home Chapel followed by burial at the National Cemetery in Fort Smith on Monday, May 5.