Clay County Times-Democrat: Obituaries from June 2004

Michael Lynn Davis (06/23/04)
Graveside services for 56-year-old Michael Lynn Davis of Marmaduke were held at 2 p.m. Sunday June 20, 2004, at Woodland Heights Cemetery in Rector with Ronnie Stevens officiating. Mr. Davis died Thursday, June 17, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould...

Donald (Slim) Taylor (06/23/04)
Donald (Slim) Taylor, 93, of Rector died Monday, June 21, 2004, at Pocahontas Nursing and Rehab Center, where he resided with his wife of 73 years, Elma Mae (Morrow) Taylor. Born Sept. 8, 1910, in the Boydsville area near Rector, Mr. Taylor was the son of the late Luther Taylor and Elizabeth (Batemen) Taylor. He lived 85 years of his life in the Rector area and 18 years, 1942-1960, in Detroit, Mich. He was a retired farmer...

Virginia Mozell Lewis (06/16/04)
Virginia Mozell Lewis, 76, of Paragould died Thursday, June 10, 2004, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. She was born June 5, 1928, to the late Cecil and Pauline Lawson Swink. Mrs. Lewis was a retired Licensed Practical Nurse and a member of the Seventh and Mueller Church of Christ...

Ashley Sue Brown Reed (06/09/04)
Ashley Sue Brown Reed, 20, of Kennett died Wednesday, June 2, at her home in Kennett. She was born Oct. 26, 1983, in Kennett to Ricky and Suzie Edwards Brown. She married Chad Lee Reed on April 24, 2004, in Kennett. Mrs. Reed was a member of the Kennett High School Class of 2003...

Bessie Faye Tarpley (06/09/04)
Bessie Faye Tarpley, 94, of Lafe died Thursday, June 3, 2004, in Paragould. She was born Feb. 4, 1910, in Knob to the late John Thomas and Arzella Lucy. She was a homemaker and of the Methodist faith. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Tarpley, and several brothers and sisters...

Frances Oveda Allen (06/09/04)
Frances Oveda Allen, 77, of Newport, formerly of Rector, died Thursday, June 3, 2004, in Newport. She was born July 1, 1926, in Rector to the late Willard and Claire Williamson and was married in 1946 to Dewitt Talmadge Allen Jr., who preceded her in death in 1991. She also was preceded in death by a brother, Michael Williamson...

Robert Elbert "Al" Goodman (06/16/04)
Robert Elbert "Al" Goodman, 74, of Drumright, Okla., a native of Rector, died Thursday, June 3, 2004, in Mannford, Okla. He was born Sept. 13, 1929, in Rector to the late Harry Lee and Pearl Mae (Walker) Goodman. A self-employed carpenter and a U.S. Air Force veteran, he was a member of the Church of Christ...

Robert Lee DeLuryea (06/16/04)
Robert Lee DeLuryea, 34, of Cabot, formerly of Rector, died Friday, June 11, 2004, in an auto accident near Cabot. He was born June 3, 1970, in Laredo, Texas, to John DeLuryea and Rosa Marie DeLuryea. He was in auto sales. He was preceded in death by his step-mother, Deloris "Sis" (Beckley) DeLuryea in 1994...

Robert Donald Hailey (06/16/04)
Robert Donald Hailey, 88, of Rector, died Sunday, June 13, 2004, at NHC Healthcare in Kennett. He was born May 16, 1916, in Rector to the late Robert David Hailey and Laura Ellen Anderson Hailey. He was a broommaker and restauranteur and had lived most of his life in this community...

Suzanne Phillips (06/16/04)
Suzanne Phillips, 60, of Piggott died Wednesday, June 9, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Jan. 28, 1944, in Owosso, Mich., daughter of the late James and Edith Dowell Martin. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Tom Martin, Jack Martin and Jim Martin...

Mary Louella Matheney (06/16/04)
Mary Louella Matheney, 81, of Marmaduke died Sunday, June 13, 2004, at her home. She was born Sept. 30, 1922, in Melbourne, Ark., daughter of the late William Thomas and Allie Maude Freeman Langston. She was united in marriage to Olan Wayne Matheney on October 12, 1941. They had three children...

Virgil Wagster (06/16/04)
Virgil Wagster, 88, of Harviel, Mo., died Wednesday, June 9, 2004, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center North Campus. He was born June 30, 1915, in Clay County, the son of Rev. John and Rilley Boyd Wagster. He was united in marriage to Nancy Dunbar in 1952. She preceded him in death on Jan. 25, 1991...

William Alfred "Al" Sparks (06/23/04)
William Alfred "Al" Sparks, 73, of Rector died Thursday, June 17, 2004. He was born May 20, 1931, in Post, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Ara (Robinson) Sparks, and two grandchildren, Jeffrey Scott and Shelby Raylene Ward...

Gene Bullinger (06/23/04)
Gene Bullinger, 64, of Rector died Sunday, June 20, 2004, in Rector. He was born June 16, 1940, at Lafe. He worked as a truck driver and was of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Opal Bullinger; a son, Gary Bullinger, and two brothers, Wayne Bullinger and James Bullinger Jr...

Mildred L. Holmes (06/03/04)
Mildred L. Holmes, 80, of Birmingham, Ala., formerly of Rector, died Monday, May 31, 2004. She was a member of the Brewster Road Baptist Church. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and James Stevenson of Trussville, Ala.; one son, Paul Holmes of Trussville; one brother, George Linam of Rector; two grandsons, Paul Seegraves and wife Heather of Piggott and Phillip Holmes of Homewood, Ala., and great-grandchildren, Emilee Seegraves and Shawn Hudson Seegraves...

Lila Jane Pickler (06/03/04)
Lila Jane Pickler, 80, of Rector died Thursday, May 27, 2004, in Nashville, Tenn. She was born Sept. 29, 1923, in Detriot, Mich., to the late Ronald and Ethel Miles. She was a bookkeeper and of the Baptist faith. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Lindell N. Pickler, and two brothers, Keith Miles and Vernon Miles...

Virgil Wagster (06/23/04)
Virgil Wagster, 88, of Harviel, Mo., died Wednesday, June 9, 2004, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center North Campus. He was born June 30, 1915, in Clay County, the son of Rev. John and Rilley Boyd Wagster. He was united in marriage to Nancy Dunbar in 1952. She preceded him in death on Jan. 25, 1991...

Neva Cox Bradford (06/23/04)
Neva Cox Bradford, 89, died June 21, 2004 at St. Bernards Regional Medical center. She was born July 9, 1914, in Piggott, daughter of William Orley and Alda Hennager Cox. She was united in marriage to Glover Bradford on Feb. 9, 1935. They had five children. She was a member of the General Baptist Church and a longtime member of the Ladies' Aid. She was employed by the Piggott School system for 16 years in the cafeteria...

Winard Steward (06/23/04)
Winard Steward, 64, of Piggott died Sunday, June 20, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Oct. 5, 1939, in Holcomb, son of the late Herman and Dimple Lennie Hicks Steward. He was united in marriage to Gearldean Tankersley on June 19, 1958. They had three children...

Wayne Rodery (06/16/04)
Wayne Rodery, 81, of Bernie, died Friday, May 28, 2004, at the Malden Nursing Center. He was born in Clay County on March 21, 1923, son of the late Joe Rodery and Ethel Mae George Rodery. He was united in marriage to Helen Marie Blevins on Dec. 20, 1947, in St. Louis. She preceded her husband in death on March 13, 1990...

Mary Louella Matheney (06/16/04)
Mary Louella Matheney, 81, of Marmaduke died Sunday, June 13, 2004, at her home. She was born Sept. 30, 1922, in Melbourne, Ark., daughter of the late William Thomas and Allie Maude Freeman Langston. She was united in marriage to Olan Wayne Matheney on October 12, 1941. They had three children...

Alma Davis Bowden (06/16/04)
Alma Davis Bowden, 70, of Salem, Oreg., died Friday, May 21, 2004, after a long illness. She was born on Dec. 21, 1933, in Pollard, daughter of the late Clyde and Wilma Oxley Davis. She is survived by her husband Robert L. Bowden; one daughter, Barbara Pennington of Denver, Colo.; one son, Lt. ...

Leslie Bailey (06/16/04)
Leslie Bailey, 79, of Greenway died Tuesday, June 8, 2004, in the Poplar Bluff Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Jan. 16, 1925, in Piggott, the son of the late Clifford Weldon and Icy Dora Gregory Bailey. He was united in marriage to Betty Roden on Jan. 28, 1948...

Suzanne Phillips (06/16/04)
Suzanne Phillips, 60, of Piggott died Wednesday, June 9, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Jan. 28, 1944, in Owosso, Mich., daughter of the late James and Edith Dowell Martin. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Tom Martin, Jack Martin and Jim Martin...

Charles Erwin Irby (06/03/04)
Charles Erwin Irby, 66, of Piggott, died Thursday, May 27, 2004, at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born Dec. 9, 1937, in Pontiac Michigan, son of W.E. Irby and Emogene (Simpson) Irby. He was a member of the Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his father...

J.B. Miller (06/03/04)
J.B. Miller, 84, of Malden, died Tuesday, May 25, 2004, in the Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter, Mo. He was born May 12, 1920, in Corning, the son of the late Columbus Lee and Eva Janes Miller. He was united in marriage to Ann VeenKant on Aug. 11, 1967...

Rev. Charles Roark (06/03/04)
Rev. Charles Roark, 69, of Noxapater, Miss., died Saturday, May 1, 2004, at his home. He was a native of Arkansas but lived in Mississippi for the past 49 years. He attended Tupelo Bible College in Tupelo, Miss., and he pastored Pentecostal Apostolic Church in Philadelphia, Miss., for 29 years where he worked at the time of his death...

Angela Marie Vinson (06/03/04)
Angela Marie Vinson, 27, of Pollard, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at the St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Aug. 24, 1976, in Poplar Bluff, the daughter of Melvin and Pamela Vinson Baker. She was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Piggott. She was also a member of the Eagles Lodge #3730 and attended Twin Rivers and Poplar Bluff High Schools...

Mildred L. Holmes (06/03/04)
Mildred L. Holmes, 80, of Birmingham, Ala., formerly of Rector, died Monday, May 31, 2004. She was a member of the Brewster Road Baptist Church. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and James Stevenson of Trussville, Ala.; one son, Paul Holmes of Trussville; one brother, George Linam of Rector; two grandsons, Paul Seegraves and wife Heather of Piggott and Phillip Holmes of Homewood, Ala., and great-grandchildren, Emilee Seegraves and Shawn Hudson Seegraves...

Vergilee "Vergie" Binkley (06/09/04)
Vergilee "Vergie" Binkley, 78, of Flint, Mich., died Friday May 21, 2004, at Genesys Hospice Care Center in Goodrich, Mich. She was born in Piggott on Aug. 3, 1925, daughter of Riley and Lottie (Pardon) Book. She married James L. Binkley on October 31, 1942...

Genevieve Goodrich (06/09/04)
Genevieve Goodrich, 82, of Kennett, died Tuesday, June 1, 2004, at her home. She was born January 18, 1922, in Marion, Ill., daughter of the late Guy and Virgie Latta Hayes. She was preceded in death by her husband, Luke Goodrich; one brother, Dewey Hayes; one granddaughter; and one great-granddaughter...

Jessie Denver Kitchens (06/09/04)
Jessie Denver Kitchens, 86, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, June 3, 2004, at his home. He was born June 22, 1917, son of the late Solomon James and Minnie May McFerron Kitchens in Leora, Mo. He was a sailor in the U.S. Navy and served in several stations, including Guantanimo Bay, Puerto Rico and Japan. He was in Okinawa when a Kamikaze pilot destroyed his ship. He retired from the John J. Pershing Medical Center...

Joe Nichols Jr. (06/09/04)
Joe Nichols Jr., 79, of Piggott died Tuesday June 2, 2004, at his home. He was born Aug. 5, 1924, in Piggott, son of the late Joe A. and Lora Lewis Nichols. He married Anna Lee Rodery on Nov. 20, 1948. They had two children. Nichols served as a master sergeant in the 101st airborne division in World War II. He was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church...

Kalman Julius Katona (06/09/04)
Kalman Julius Katona, 77, of Barnhill Camp, Corning, died Saturday, June 2004 at the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born June 25, 1926, in Dearborn, Mich., son of the late Julius and Julia Katona. He is survived by a companion of several years, Dwila Pipkens of Corning, and other relatives and friends...

Dallas Doyle Dunlap (06/03/04)
Dallas Doyle Dunlap, 78, of St. Louis, died Friday, May 28, 2004. He was born Aug. 9, 1925, in Pollard, the son of the late Gentry Mayo and Myrtle Menty Baker Dunlap. He was united in marriage to Mamie Lou Goldsmith on June 28, 1984. He was preceded in death by his wife; and two brothers, Otis Dunlap and Rollen Dunlap...