Clay County Times-Democrat: Obituaries from February 2003

Carolyn Trammell (02/19/03)
Carolyn Trammell, 56, of Athens, Texas, died Feb. 11, 2003, after suffering a long illness. She was born April 4, 1946, in Rector She was a former resident of Piggott and had resided in Athens for the past three years with her daughter and son-in-law, Tammie and Charles Yancey, and two grandchildren and Tammie's mother-in-law and father in-law, Donna and Gary Yancey, who cared for her during her illness...

Laura May Eaton (02/19/03)
Laura May Eaton, 83, of Rector died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born Aug. 8, 1919, in Rector, the daughter of the late John Sullivan Berry and Mabel (Church) Berry. She was a lifelong member of the community and was a homemaker. She was a member of Glaub-Lone Holly Extension Homemakers Club, Sunday school teacher, and Mary's Chapel General Baptist Church. She loved quilting and taking care of her rose garden...

Carl Avery "Bill" Cowgill (02/26/03)
Carl Avery "Bill" Cowgill, 80, of Kennett, a native of Rector, died Sunday, Feb. 23, 2003, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. A World War II Army veteran, he was born Oct. 14, 1922, in Rector to the late Leroy and Celesty Violena (Nelson) Cowgill...

Ben Arthur Rogers (02/26/03)
Ben Arthur Rogers, 48, of Roseville, Ill., son of Rue Porter Rogers of Piggott and the late Ruby Olive McReynolds Rogers, died Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2002, at the Methodist Medical Center in Peoria, Ill. Born May 5, 1954, near Piggott, he was a graduate of Crowley's Ridge College and Logan Chiropratic. He briefly attended Harding University...

Leroy Thrasher (02/26/03)
Leroy Thrasher, 81, of Rector died Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born June 16, 1921, in White Oak, Ark., the son of the late Lafe and Willie Dowdy Thrasher. He was united in marriage to Dora Mae McDaniel on April 27, 1946. To this union one daughter was born...

Herschel Lee Rogers (02/26/03)
Herschel Lee Rogers, 82, of Rector died Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003, at his home. Born Oct. 6, 1920, in Greene County, he was the son of the late William Jackson Rogers and Cordie Jane (Thrasher) Rogers. A lifelong resident of this community, he was a World War II Army veteran, a farmer and a member of Cappadocia General Baptist Church, where he was an honorary deacon...

Marie Horton (02/26/03)
Marie Horton, 82, of Stillman Valley, Mich., formerly of Rector, died Feb. 18, 2003, at her home. She was born April 12, 1920, in Hornersville, Mo., the daughter of the late Darcy Orton and Inez McIntosh Faries. She was united in marriage to Hershel Horton, who preceded her in death on May 18, 1995...

Charles E. "Diego" Fuller (02/12/03)
Charles E. "Diego" Fuller, 62, of Piggott died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Dec. 8, 1940, in Caraway, the son of the late Sammie Lee Fuller and Sylvia Irene Nelson Fuller. He was manager-operator of Lafe Rural Water, had lived most of his life in the community and was of the Baptist faith...

Andrew Melland Wofford (02/12/03)
Andrew Melland Wofford, 15, of Rector, a student at Piggott High School, died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003, at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 4, 1987, in Sacramento, Calif., the son of Dale and Tonnie Burns Wofford. He was preceded in death by a sister, Shala Wofford...

Margurette Pruett (02/12/03)
Margurette Pruett, 79, of Mandeville, La., formerly of Rector, died Feb. 7, 2003, in Mandeville. She was born Feb. 22, 1923, in Clay County, the daughter of the late Nathan Andrew and Mary Louella Ladyman Martin. She was a member of the Rector First United Methodist Church, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Fairview Extension Club...

Bert Brownel Busby (02/12/03)
Bert Brownel Busby, 89, of Jonesboro died Mondayn Feb. 10, 2003, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born Sept. 10, 1913, in Rector, the son of the late Calvin and Beulah Paine Busby. He was a retired employee of Ark-Mo Power, a World War II veteran of the Army, and a member of Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church...

Jimmy Lee Lawrence (02/12/03)
Jimmy Lee Lawrence of Rector died Thursday, Feb. 6, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Aug. 14, 1934, in Rector, the son of the late Orville Pratt and Dora Gore Lawrence. He is survived by his companion, Eulene Hulse of Rector; one son, John Todd Lawrence of Spring Hill, Tenn.; two daughters, Kay Murray of Paragould and Sharon Toone of Rector; one brother, Earl Wayne Lawrence of Tampa, Fla.; two sisters, Willo Dean Wheeler of Rector and Jo Nell Hummert of Mascoutah, Ill.; five grandchildren, Brandy Lynn Murray, Chase Murray, Jessica Lee Ann Toone, Breanna Aliese Lawrence and Hannah Lawrence; and one great-grandchild: Garrett Burns.. ...

Cletes Wilburn Reagans (02/05/03)
Cletes Wilburn Reagans, 67, of Rector died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born July 9, 1935, in Mounds. He was of the Baptist faith and worked for Lay's Trucking in California. He is survived by his mother, Della Morgan Russell, and one brother, Wayne Reagans, both of Rector...

Ellen Covenia Ramer (02/05/03)
Ellen Covenia Ramer, 88, of Paragould died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at the Paragould Nursing Center. She was born Aug. 4, 1914, in Marmaduke, the daughter of the late Pat and Murtie Wyatt. She was a former employee of Uniroyal Plastics in Mishawaka, Ind., a member of Ramers Chapel Methodist Church, and a past member of the Eastern Star...

Celia Taylor (02/05/03)
Celia Taylor, 96, of Rector died on Jan. 28, 2003, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett. She was born on March 8, 1906, in Dunklin County, Mo., the daughter of the late William and Mary Reigert Halter. She was united in marriage to Edd Taylor. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Nimmons...

Clarence Melvin Boone (02/05/03)
Clarence Melvin Boone, 89, of Marmaduke died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Sept. 29, 1913, in Marmaduke, the son of the late James and Thresa Boone. He was Marmaduke school custodian, a deacon at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, where he was a longtime member...

Charles William Duffel, Sr. (02/05/03)
Charles William Duffel, Sr., 58, of Doniphan, Mo., died on Jan. 27, 2003, at Three Rivers Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. He was born June 15, 1944, in Rector. He worked as a Brakeman for the Union Pacific Railroad and was of the Baptist faith. He is survived by his wife, Juanita Duffel of St. ...

Ben Arthur Rogers (02/26/03)
Ben Arthur Rogers, 48, of Roseville, Ill., son of Rue Porter Rogers of Piggott and the late Ruby Olive McReynolds Rogers, died Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2002, at the Methodist Medical Center in Peoria, Ill. Born May 5, 1954, near Piggott, he was a graduate of Crowley's Ridge College and Logan Chiropratic. He briefly attended Harding University...

Helen Lorene Cummings (02/26/03)
Helen Lorene Cummings was born on a farm south of Greenway on July 27, 1909. She departed this life on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003, at the age of 93 in the Piggott Community Hospital. Mrs. Cummings parents were William Henry Smart and Catherine Elizabeth Turner Smart who preceded her in death. Her siblings: Willie, Charles, Ray, Lena and Kathleen also preceded her...

Donald Ray Brown (02/26/03)
Donald Ray Brown, 70, of Paragould died Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003, at Regional Medical Center of NEA in Jonesboro after a prolonged illness. He was born August 3, 1932, the son of Jesse Thomas Brown and Hazel Parker Brown in Clay County, Ark. Mr. Brown worked for and retired from General Dynamics in Ft. Worth, Tx. and returned to the Paragould area in 1985. He was a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict...

Leroy Thrasher (02/26/03)
Leroy Thrasher, 81, of Rector died on Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, in the Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould. He was born June 16, 1921, in White Oak, Ark., the son of the late Lafe and Willie Dowdy Thrasher. He was united in marriage to Dora Mae McDaniel on April 27, 1946. To this union one daughter was born...

Mary Genevie Woods (02/19/03)
Mary Genevie Woods, 72, of Piggott died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at her home in Piggott. She was born June 27, 1930, in Nimmons the daughter of the late Olen and Florence Herren Nettles. She was united in marriage to Marvin Woods on May 22, 1948. To this union one daughter was born...

Michael Jaye Wright (02/19/03)
Michael Jaye Wright of Kennett died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at the age of 24 years, two months and five days at his home. He was born December 10, 1978, in Kennett the son of Michael D. Wright and Brenda S (Howton) Wright. He worked as a cook in a fast food restaurant...

Carolyn Trammell (02/19/03)
Carolyn Trammell, 56, of Athens, Texas, died Feb. 11, 2003, after suffering a long illness. She was born April 4, 1946, in Rector. She was a former resident of Piggott and had resided in Athens for the past three years with her daughter and son-in-law, Tammie and Charles Yancey, and two grandchildren and Tammie's mother-in-law and father in-law, Donna and Gary Yancey, who cared for her during her illness...

Donald Ray Brown (02/19/03)
Donald Ray Brown, 70, of Paragould died Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003, at Regional Medical Center of NEA in Jonesboro after a prolonged illness. He was born August 3, 1932, the son of James Thomas Brown and Hazel Parker Brown in Clay County, Ark. Mr. Brown worked for and retired from General Dynamics in Ft. Worth, Tx. and returned to the Paragould area in 1985. He was a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict...

Sharon Edith King Wright (02/19/03)
Sharon Edith King Wright was born July 5, 1947, in Highland Park, Michigan, and departed her earthly life on Feb. 10, 2003, at St. Bernards Hospital in Jonesboro. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior on September 18, 1955, at the age of eight...

Arth Brown (02/19/03)
Arth Brown, 80, of Piggott died Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2003, in the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. He was born June 18, 1922, in Pollard the son of the late Andrew and Lillie Mayo Brown. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Mary Ellen Burgess and eleven brothers and sisters...

Sharon Edith King Wright (02/12/03)
Sharon Edith King Wright was born July 5, 1947, in Highland Park, Michigan, and departed her earthly life on Feb. 10, 2003, at St. Bernards Hospital in Jonesboro. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior on September 18, 1955, at the age of eight...

Celia Taylor (02/05/03)
Celia Taylor, 96, of Rector died on Jan. 28, 2003, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett. She was born on March 8, 1906, in Dunklin County, Mo., the daughter of the late William and Mary Reigert Halter. She was united in marriage to Edd Taylor. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Nimmons...

Mary Annie Dees (02/05/03)
Mary Annie Dees, 87, of Piggott, Ark. died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. She was born Feb. 1, 1915, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Warren and Pearlie Keith Causey. She was united in marriage to Ebert Dees on Oct. 20, 1928. To this union five children were born...

Arwilla Dodd (02/05/03)
Arwilla Dodd of Dexter, formerly of Malden, died Monday, Feb. 3, 2003, at Cypress Point Healthcare in Dexter at the age of 91. She was born Aug. 12, 1911, the daughter of James Randle Lacy and Lula Bell McElyea Lacy. She was united in marriage to James Orville Dodd on Dec. 8, 1929, in St. Louis. To this union one son was born...

Orval Ray Heathcock (02/05/03)
Orval Ray Heathcock of Campbell died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003, at Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott, at the age of 80 years, four months, and 20 days. He was born Sept. 9, 1922, in Booneville, Ms., the son of the late George W. and Minnie M. McCoy Heathcock...

Sarah Mae Estes (02/05/03)
Sarah Mae Estes, 69, of Piggott, died Monday, Jan. 27, 2003, in the Three Rivers Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born Feb. 17, 1933, in Greenway, the daughter of the late Charles Frank and Cora A. Frederick Bratcher. She was united in marriage to Leborn Estes on Sept. 18, 1948, to this union four children were born. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Greenway...

Thomas Andrew Miller (02/05/03)
Thomas Andrew Miller, 43, of Idaho Springs, Colo., and formerly of St. Charles, died Jan. 9, 2003, in Colorado. He was born Feb. 3, 1959, to Paul and LaVerne (Arnold) Miller in St. Louis. Mr. Miller was an ironworker and foreman with Parkers Steel Co...

Martha Sue Williams (02/05/03)
Martha Sue Williams, 87, of Piggott died on Feb. 1, 2003, in the Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould. She was born Oct. 19, 1915, in Adair, Ky., the daughter of the late William S. and Nancy Bryant Harmon. She was united in marriage to Louis Williams on June 8, 1931. To this union six children were born...

Margaret Anne "Maggie" Edwards (02/05/03)
Margaret Anne "Maggie" Edwards, 61, of Russellville, sister of Nancy Kemp of Rector, died Monday, Jan. 27, 2003, at Community Medical Center in Fresno, Calif., after a courageous battle with cancer. An artist and a homemaker, she was born Aug. 30, 1941, in Dardanelle to the late Jack and Ava Dean Partridge...

Nicky A. Marlar (02/12/03)
Nicky A. Marlar, 58, of Spring Hill, Ark., died Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003, at his home. He was born Sept. 17, 1944, in Texarkana, Tx., the son of Auvelle and Mildred O'Rear Marlar. He was a poultry farmer with Tyson and retired with 12 years of service from International Paper Co. in New Boston, Tx. Mr. Marlar was a Baptist, the Assistant Chief of the Spring Hill Volunteer Fire Department, a member of Lewisville Masonic Lodge #14, F. & A.M., a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Shriners...

Andrew Melland Wofford (02/12/03)
Andrew Melland Wofford, 15, of Rector, a student at Piggott High School, died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003, at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 4, 1987, in Sacramento, Calif., the son of Dale and Tonnie Burns Wofford. He was preceded in death by a sister, Shala Wofford...

Mary Annie Dees (02/12/03)
Mary Annie Dees, 87, of Piggott, Ark. died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. She was born Feb. 1, 1915, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Warren and Pearlie Keith Causey. She was united in marriage to Ebert Dees on Oct. 20, 1928. To this union five children were born...

Charles E. "Diego" Fuller (02/12/03)
Charles E. "Diego" Fuller, 62, of Piggott died Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Dec. 8, 1940, in Caraway, the son of the late Sammie Lee Fuller and Sylvia Irene Nelson Fuller. He was manager-operator of Lafe Rural Water, had lived most of his life in the community and was of the Baptist faith...

Charles William Duffel, Sr. (02/05/03)
Charles William Duffel, Sr., 58, of Doniphan, Mo., died on Jan. 27, 2003, at Three Rivers Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. He was born June 15, 1944, in Rector. He worked as a Brakeman for the Union Pacific Railroad and was of the Baptist faith. He is survived by his wife, Juanita Duffel of St. ...