Obituaries from January 2004

George Leslie Niederkorn (01/28/04)
A funeral mass for George Leslie Niederkorn, 51, was held at 10 a.m. TUesday, Jan. 27, 2004, at Prince of Peace Church, with Father Michael J. Larkin officiating in Jacksonville, Fla. Interment was in Riverside Memorial Park in Jacksonville. A native of Rector and a 1973 graduate of Greenway High School, Mr. Niederkorn died Saturday, Jan. 24, in a local care facility...

Randy L. Shelton (01/21/04)
Randy L. Shelton, 52, of Rector, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2004, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. He was born Dec. 2, 1951, in Portland Ore., to Marion Shelton and Jewell Nelson Shelton. He was a factory worker, a member of the National Guard, a veteran of the Marine Corps and of the Baptist faith...

Gurayne Lee "Peck" Thrasher (01/21/04)
Gurayne Lee "Peck" Thrasher, 73, of Rector, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2004, at Rector Healthcare. Born Aug. 19, 1930, in Greene County to the late Zephra and Maggie Thrasher, he was a farmer, a lifelong member of the community and of the Baptist faith...

James Marion Reynolds (01/21/04)
James Marion Reynolds, 75, of Knobel, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, in Peach Orchard. Born March 26, 1928, in Marmaduke, he was a construction worker, a veteran of the Korean War and a Baptist. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Gleeda Mae Goodman Reynolds, and his parents, Newton D. and Ethel Reynolds...

Thelma Lee Hoggard (01/21/04)
Thelma Lee Hoggard, 84, of Marmaduke, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2004, at Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Nov. 25, 1919, in Marmaduke to the late Luther and Oather (Hill) Starnes. She was in the medical field, a lifelong member of the community and a member of Marmaduke First United Methodist Church...

Mary Elizabeth Hardin Nichols (01/28/04)
Mary Elizabeth Hardin Nichols, 84, of Huntsville, Ala., died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, at her home. She was a member of the Memorial Parkway Church of Christ in Huntsville. She was preceded in death by her parents, H.R. (Bud) and May Hardin of the Rector/Marmaduke area...

Vivian Faye Cooper (01/21/04)
Vivian Faye Cooper, 77, of Marion, formerly of Rector, died Tuesday, Jan.13, 2004, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital. She had worked as secretary at Marion High School and was a member of the Marion First Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, Robert F. "Bob" Cooper of Marion, formerly of Rector; one son, Case Cooper of Destin, Fla.; two brothers, Fred Case of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Ralph Case of Paragould, and four grandchildren...

Joyce Adavee Pillow (01/21/04)
Joyce Adavee Pillow, 61, of Greenway died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born May 23, 1942, in McDougal to the late Odis Cleo and Edna Nixon Gilbee and was married Sept. 17, 1960, to James S. Pillow, who survives...

Joe Statler (01/28/04)
Joe Statler, 63, of Rector, died Friday, Jan. 23, 2004, at his home. He was born May 25, 1940, in Clay County to Birtlee (Stevens) Statler and the late Barney Statler. He was retired from Monroe Auto Equipment of Paragould, a lifelong member of the community and a member and deacon of Union Home General Baptist Church...

Eva Jean Underwood (01/28/04)
Eva Jean Underwood, 66, of Little Rock, formerly of Marmaduke, died Thursday, Jan. 22, 2004, at St. Vincent's Doctor's Hospice in Little Rock. She was born May 24, 1937, in Dell, Ark., to the late Holton Carner and Virginia (Smith) Carner. She was a homemaker and a member of Marmaduke First Baptist Church...

Jewel T. Duckworth (01/07/04)
Jewel T. Duckworth, 76, of Mesa, Ariz., formerly of the Rector area, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004, in Hospice of the Valley in Mesa. Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Irby Funeral Home of Rector.

Debra Lynn Faries (01/14/04)
Debra Lynn Faries, 45, of Rector died Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, at her home. She was born Dec. 28, 1958, in Corning and was married Aug. 27, 1977, to Herbert Faries, who survives. She was the director and a teacher at James W. Graves Head Start Center in Rector and was a member of the Corning Y Pentecostal Church...

Boyd Waylan Pickler (01/14/04)
Boyd Waylan Pickler, 65, of Rector died Friday, Jan. 9, 2004, in Paragould. He was born Oct. 31, 1938, in Knob to the late Benard and Luna Pickler. He also was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Mae Pickler, and one brother, Hershel Pickler. He was a Dallas Transit bus driver and of the Baptist faith...

Orpha Irene Hamelback (01/14/04)
Orpha Irene Hamelback, 81, of Rector, died Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born July 15, 1922, in Rector to the late Marion Evans and Ella Little Evans. She was a homemaker, a lifelong member of the community and a member of the Marmaduke Church of Christ...

Jewell T. Duckworth (01/14/04)
Jewell T. Duckworth, 76, of Mesa, Ariz., formerly of the Rector area, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, at Hospice of the Valley in Mesa. He was born April 15, 1927, in Clay County to the late David and Lizzie Duckworth. He was an entrepreneur and a veteran of World War II...

Larry Don (Jesse) Cossey (01/14/04)
Larry Don (Jesse) Cossey of Hamburg, Mich., died Sunday, Dec. 21, 2003, at Angela Hospice in Livonia, Mich. He was born in Greene County July 26, 1942. Larry worked at Ford Motor Co. Rouge Plant as a power electrician for 36 years. He was preceded in death by his father, Ora (Tom) Cossey; one brother, Joe Cossey, and one sister, Barbara Cossey Holden Springston...

Barbara Lee Cossey Holden Springston (01/14/04)
Barbara Lee Cossey Holden Springston, 53, of Cardwell. Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003, at her home. She was born March 22, 1950, in Detroit, Mich. She was preceded in death by her father, Ora (Tom) Cossey, and one brother, Joe Cossey. Survivors include her husband, William Springston; children, Shelley and Kevin Davidson, Stacy Holden, John and Peggy Holden and William Springston; four grandsons and one granddaughter; her mother, Aline Cossey; two sisters, Shirley Adkins and Alberta Lewis; two brothers, Larry Cossey and William Cossey, and many nephews and nieces.. ...

John C. Grubb (01/05/04)
John C. Grubb, 75, of Boydsville died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003, in Piggott. He was born Jan. 31, 1927, in Boydsville, the son of Clarence and Ida Grubb. Mr. Grubb was of the Baptist faith and was a World War II veteran. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Ida Grubb; 11 brothers and sisters; one grandson; and one great-granddaughter...

Nina Parks (01/07/04)
Nina Parks, 76, of Blytheville, a native of Kennett, Mo., died Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, at her home. Born Nov. 19, 1927, in Kennett, the daughter of Frank Sr. and Nellie Hendrix Collier, she was a longtime resident of Blytheville and of the Baptist faith. She was a homemaker who enjoyed reading...

Mary L. Daniels (01/07/04)
Mary L. Daniels, 33, of Paragould, died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2004, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. A homemaker, she was born Sept. 27, 1970, in Paragould to Leroy Cobb and the late Viola Cobb. She was a member of the Seventh and Mueller Church of Christ. She also was preceded in death by a brother, Larry Cobb...

Pauline Florence Tippitt (01/05/04)
Pauline Florence Tippitt, 88, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003, at Rector Health Care. She was born July 8, 1915, in Dexter, Mo., the daughter of the late Harvey Leon Henry and Rosa Strait Henry. She was united in marriage in 1936 to Clarence Columbus Tippitt. He preceded her in death on March 17, 1998...

Larry Lewis (01/05/04)
Larry Lewis, 59, of St. Francis died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Feb. 9, 1944, in Greenway, the son of the late David and Creacy Loveless Lewis. Preceding him in death was one brother, James Lewis in 1997. He is survived by one son, Michael Lewis of Wappappello, Mo.; five brothers, Junior Lewis of Piggott, Jerry Lewis of Piggott, Billy Lewis of St. ...

Grady Thomas Arnold, Sr. (01/05/04)
Grady Thomas Arnold, Sr., 63, of Rector, died Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2003, at his home. He was born Oct. 23, 1940, in Kennett to the late George Wesley Arnold and Victory Hazel (Self) Arnold. He was a press operator for Emerson Electric, had lived most of his life in the community, and was of the Assembly of God faith. He was married to Barbara Weatherspoon on Feb. 19, 1962...

Karen Ann Ellis (01/05/04)
Karen Ann Ellis, 46, of Marmaduke died Saturday, Dec. 27, 2003, at her home. She was born Feb. 18, 1957, in Leesburg, Fla., and was married in May 1974 to Jerry Ellis, who survives. She was a housewife and of the General Baptist faith. She was preceded in death by her father, Sherman Ebert Blanton, and two brothers, Randall and Ronald Blanton...

David L. Swink (01/05/04)
David L. Swink, 71, of Rector died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003, at Paragould. He was born May 4, 1932, in Greene County to the late W.R. and Altie Swink. He was of the Baptist faith. He is survived by his wife, Jewell Swink of Rector; two sons, Robert Swink of Lafe and James Swink of Clinton, Ill.; two daughters, Altie Dale Wilson of Marmaduke and Barbara Sue Melton of Rector, and two brothers, Melvin Swink of Paragould and Houston Swink of Pennsylvania...

Eva Virginia Stokes Graham Frets (01/05/04)
Eva Virginia Stokes Graham Frets, 89, of Rector died Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003, at her home. The daughter of the late Alfred Marion Stokes and Stella Miller Stokes, she was born Sept. 4, 1914, in Clay County. She was a retired beautician and had lived in Rector and Caruthersville, Mo., her entire life. She was a member of the Fifth and Pine Church of Christ...

Melissia Heath (01/05/04)
Melissia Heath, 73, of the Rector Nursing Home, formerly of Black Oak, Ark., died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Aug. 29, 1930, in Crockett, the daughter of the late Ruben T. and Callie Hilderbrand Graves. She was united in marriage to Elmer Heath on Dec. 22, 1956. He preceded her in death in February of 2002...

Helen Lawson Wheat (01/05/04)
Helen Lawson Wheat, 73, of Dewitt, mother of Danny Wheat of Rector, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003. She was a homemaker and member of Sunnyside Missionary Baptist Church. Other survivors include her husband, Doyle J. Wheat; three additional sons, Dillard Wheat of Ontario, Canada, Doyne Wheat of Memphis and David Wheat of Locust Grove; six grandchildren; and two great-grandsons...

Selma Lee Grigsby (01/28/04)
Selma Lee Grigsby, 76, died Jan. 10, 2004, at Crestpark Retirement Home in Marianna, Ark. She was born Dec. 16, 1927, in Leachville, the daughter of Charlie Perry and Dool Mae Gatlin Gray. She was united in marriage to Thedell Grigsby. Mrs. Grigsby was a homemaker and was of the Baptist faith...

Velma L. Rice (01/28/04)
Velma L. Rice, 86, of Festus, formerly of Piggott, died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2004, at her home in Festus. She was born June 23, 1917, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Euin and Belle McDonald Pillow. She was united in marriage to George Spencer Pickering and he preceded her in death in 1959. She married Edwin Rice on Nov. 27, 1973...

Jerry Jordan (01/28/04)
Jerry Jordan, 85, of Success, Ark., died Jan. 24, 2004, at the John J. Pershing V.A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Nov. 4, 1918, in Hickoria, Ark., the son of R.O. and Effie White Hooper Jordan. He was united in marriage to Virgie Mae Ellis on April 28, 1940. To this union 14 children were born...

Ronald Max Seal (01/21/04)
Ronald Max Seal, 66, of East Prairie, Mo., died at 6:20 p.m., Jan. 12, 2004, at the Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tenn. He was born on Aug. 22, 1937, in Piggott, the son of Faye Arnold Seal of Paragould and the late Frank Seal. He had been the office manager at the Associated Natural Gas Company and retired in April of 1998. ...

Lucy M. Elkins (01/07/04)
Lucy M. Elkins, 66, of Piggott, died Saturday, Jan. 3, 2004, in the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born Aug. 20, 1937, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Lonnie and Edith Ann Brown Elkins. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Shelly Odell Elkins and Norman Elkins; and one sister, Zora Sullivan...

Myrtle Lee Cochran (01/02/04)
Myrtle Lee Cochran, 93, of Corning died Dec. 28, 2003, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Dec. 3, 1910, in Crockett, the daughter of the late James Walter and Leota Mae Walls Bradberry. She was united in marriage to Virgil Otto Cochran on Feb. 17, 1926. He preceded her in death on June 11, 1981. Mrs. Cochran worked as a farmer and homemaker. She was of the Baptist faith...

Virgil Don Broadway, Sr. (01/02/04)
Virgil Don Broadway, Sr., 62, of Greenway died Sunday, Dec. 28, 2003, in Greenway. He was born May 12, 1941, in Modesto, Calif., the son of the late Andrew and Lavitha McCaslin Broadway. He was united in marriage to Judy C. Courtroul on Oct. 16, 1961, to this union four children were born...

William Giles "Billy" Whiteaker (01/14/04)
William Giles "Billy" Whiteaker, 22, of Las Vegas, died Jan. 3, 2004, at his residence in Las Vegas. He was a graduate of Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada and worked as a waiter. Mr. Whiteaker was a member of Southaven General Baptist Church...

Charley Jones (01/14/04)
Charley Jones, 93, of Piggott died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004, in the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center in Kennett. He was born Nov. 14, 1910, in Paragould, the son of the late Sam and Maggie Riggs Jones. He was united in marriage to Marjorie Lucille Neighbors on Sept. 10, 1932. To this union three daughters were born...

Pauline Florence Tippitt (01/02/04)
Pauline Florence Tippitt, 88, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003, at Rector Health Care. She was born July 8, 1915, in Dexter, Mo., the daughter of the late Harvey Leon Henry and Rosa Strait Henry. She was united in marriage in 1936 to Clarence Columbus Tippitt. He preceded her in death on March 17, 1998...

Donald Rex Causey (01/14/04)
Donald Rex Causey, 75, of Blytheville died Friday, Jan. 9, 2004, in the Baptist Hospital East in Memphis. He was born Sept. 9, 1928, near Piggott, son of the late James Riley and Addie Keith Causey. He was united in marriage to June Marie Piland on Jan. 16, 1951. To this union three children were born...

Inell Duff Molencupp (01/02/04)
Inell Duff Molencupp, 79, of Supply, Ark., died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003. She was born July 29, 1924, in Supply, Ark., the daughter of Robert Arnie Duff and Birdie Lee Fowler Duff. Mrs. Molencupp was a member of the Grandview Free Will Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clead Molencupp; a son, Garry Molencupp; her parents, Robert and Birdie Duff; three sisters; and three brothers...

Versa M. Davis (01/14/04)
Versa M. Davis, 97, of Clio, Mich., died Friday, Jan. 9, 2004, in Flint, Mich. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, at Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 16, 2004, in the Hoggard and Sons Chapel with Dale Davis officiating. Burial will be in the Piggott Cemetery...

Mary Ann Myers (01/07/04)
Mary Ann Myers, 70, of Marquand, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, at the Madison Medical Center in Fredericktown, Mo. She was born on July 12, 1933, in Campbell, a daughter of William Wallace and Eva Bell Pierson Alderson. On Sept. 27, 1956, in St. Louis, she was married to Marvin Basil Myers who preceded her in death on Dec. 9, 1994...

Jewel Causey (01/07/04)
Jewel Causey, 73, of Senath, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, at his residence in Senath. He was born April 21, 1930, in Piggott, the son of the late James R. and Addie Keith Causey. Mr. Causey was married to Virginia Wagster on Feb. 10, 1950. He married Drenda Wilson on July 22, 1972, in Senath...

Doyle Allen "Hot" Blackwell (01/07/04)
Doyle Allen "Hot" Blackwell, 52, of Poplar Bluff died Monday, Dec. 29, 2003, in the Three Rivers Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Sept. 6, 1951, in Poplar Bluff, the son of the late Doyle and Cora Francis Ollis Blackwell. He was united in marriage to Kelly Ann Merritt on Oct. 3, 1981, to this union two daughters were born...

Melissia Heath (01/02/04)
Melissia Heath, 73, of the Rector Nursing Home, formerly of Black Oak, Ark., died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, in the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Aug. 29, 1930, in Crockett, the daughter of the late Ruben T. and Callie Hilderbrand Graves. She was united in marriage to Elmer Heath on Dec. 22, 1956. He preceded her in death in February of 2002...

Ida Mae Acker (01/21/04)
Ida Mae Acker, 67, of St. Francis died Monday, Jan. 19, 2004, at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born July 3, 1936, in Harbor Heights, Mich., the daughter of Claud Garland Kirkham and Mildred Irene Randall Kirkham. She was united in marriage to Gerald Lee Acker on Dec. 24, 1963, in Pontiac, Mich. He preceded her in death on Nov. 8, 1997...

Versa Margrette Davis (01/21/04)
Versa Margrette Davis, 97, of Clio, Mich., died Jan. 9, 2004, in Flint, Mich. She was born Apr. 27, 1906, in Peoria, Ill., the daughter of the late Charles and Mary Chapman Foltz. She was united in marriage to Bill Davis on Oct. 5, 1925, to this union three children were born...

Floy Mahdeen Romine (01/21/04)
Floy Mahdeen Romine, 79, of Piggott died Friday, Jan. 16, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. She was born Aug. 25, 1924, in Black Oak, Ark., the daughter of the late Oscar and Sophia Armstrong Hickey. She was united in marriage to William Harold (Bill) Romine on Jan. 23, 1947, to this union two sons were born...

Ronald Shipman (01/21/04)
Ronald Shipman, 52, of Caraway, Ark., died Jan. 15, 2004, at the Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born May 31, 1951, in Dexter. He was the son of the late Eullis and Zelma Potter Shipman. He married Doris Jones on April 7, 1979. He is survived by his wife, Doris; three sons, Shawn, Anthony and Brett Shipman; three daughters, Christy Woods, Jennifer Shipman and April Shipman, all of Caraway; six grandchildren; four brothers, Otis and Carroll of McDougal, Harold of Odessa, Mo., and Raymond of Aurora, Mo.; four sisters, Inez Willson of Millington, Mich., Wava Shipman of Piggott, Willene Wieners of Oak Grove, Mo., and Ruby Sanders of McDougal; and other relatives and friends.. ...

Joyce Adavee Pillow (01/21/04)
Joyce Adavee Pillow, 61, of Greenway died Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004, in the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born May 23, 1942, in McDougal, the daughter of the late Odis Cleo and Edna Nixon Gilbee. She was united in marriage to James S. Pillow on Sept. 17, 1960, to this union three children were born...

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