Obituaries from July 2008

Ella Pauline Branscum (07/03/08)
Ella Pauline (MA) Branscum, 84, of Ash Flat, Ark., daughter of the late William Albine and Flora Carlos (Bristow) Nix, was born Jan. 8, 1924, at Ash Flat, Ark. She died June 26, 2008, at the Fulton County Hospital in Salem. She was united in marriage to George Garland Branscum on Nov. 23, 1942, at Ash Flat, Ark. She worked as a cook for the Senior Citizens Center...

Merwin Leal Tucker (07/03/08)
Merwin Leal Tucker, 82, of Horseshoe Bend, Ark., son of the late Leal Merwin and Julie Mae (Shammo) Tucker, was born May 30, 1926, in Royal Oak, Mich. He died June 21, 2008, at his home in Horseshoe Bend. He was united in marriage to Ila Jean Sutherland Feb. 7, 1958, at Detroit, Mich. He worked in data processing for General Motors. He served as a volunteer EMS for Horseshoe Bend, was active in Muscular Dystrophy for 46 years and was a member of the Horseshoe Bend Methodist Church...

Gloria Tomberlin (07/03/08)
Gloria L. Tomberlin, 74, of Cherokee Village, Ark., died June 21, 2008, at her home. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donnie Tomberlin. She is survived by: daughters, Mrs. Reynee Birdsell and Rhonda Tomberlin of Cherokee Village; sisters, Yvonne Cadnea, Barbara Polak, Lela George of California and Delorse Mansse of Texas; a brother, Frank Sosa Jr., of California; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren...

Jason Smith Vanoven (07/03/08)
Jason John Smith Vanoven, 25, of Evening Shade, Ark., died June 22, 2008, at the Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home, Ark. He was born June 9, 1983, at Phoenix, Ariz., to Danny and Alice Vanoven. He was a construction worker. Survivors include: his parents, Danny and Alice Vanoven of Evening Shade; one sister, Jessica Lynn Tillman of Norman Park, Ga.; three stepbrothers, Danny Vanoven Jr., of Saddle, Bruce Vanoven and Charles Vanoven both of Jonesboro; one stepsister, Amber Johnston of Cherokee Village; several nieces; nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.. ...

Thurman Burman (07/03/08)
Thurman Rosevelt Burman, 73, of Paragould, Ark., died June 20, 2008, at Arkansas Methodist Hospital in Paragould, Ark. He was retired from General Motors. He and his wife owned Burman Jewelry Store in Hardy for many years. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War...

Herbert Collins Shultz (07/03/08)
Herbert Collins Shultz died at his home in Pocahontas, Ark., June 2, 2008. He was born Aug. 30, 1929, in Rockford, Ill., the son of the late Joseph and Garnett Elizabeth Nash Shultz. Survivors include: a sister-in-law, Wilma Shultz of Highland; two nephews, Steve Shultz of Hooper, Utah, and K.C. Shultz of Highland; two nieces, Linda Cervo of Memphis and Jacquie Polen of Tupelo, Miss...

Miles Melvin Clark (07/03/08)
Miles Melvin Clark was, born on April 25, 1922 and died May 27, 2008, at his home in Cherokee Village, Ark., donating his body to research. He was 86. He was a World War II veteran and a retired finish carpenter; he was a member of the Ash Flat Church of Christ...

Donald Heimberger (07/03/08)
Donald Heimberger, 58, of Cherokee Village, Ark., died June 24 at Hospice House in Mountain Home, Ark. He was employed by American Food Service and served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army. He is survived by one brother, Norman Heimberger of Cherokee Village...

Val W. Kirby (07/10/08)
Val W. Kirby, 100, of Strawberry, Ark., died July 1, 2008, at the White River Medical Center in Batesville. He was born Sept. 5, 1907, at Mammoth Spring, Ark., to Ewing and Alice (Owens) Kirby. He was a farmer and carpenter and a member of the Strawberry Church of Christ...

Patsy Alice Tyner (07/10/08)
Patsy Alice Tyner of Agnos, daughter of the late Clarence J. Ashton and Winifred McCulloch Ashton, was born Dec. 20, 1908, in Whichita Falls, Texas. She died June 26, 2008, at Fulton County Hospital in Salem, Ark., at the age of 99. She was united in marriage to Marvin Louis Tyner who preceded her in death. ...

Janet Bennett (07/10/08)
Janet Marlene Wiles Bennett of Cherokee Village, daughter of Marie Gayman Taylor and the late Col. Mark W. Gayman was born Dec. 18, 1947, in Tulsa, Okla.. She died June 28, 2008, at her son's home in Agnos, Ark., at the age of 60. She was united in marriage to Manoid Wiles in 1969 in Jonesboro. They had six children. She later married Jackie Bennett. She was a nurse and was employed by Ash Flat Convalescent Home for many years. She attended Peace Valley Pentecostal Church...

Helen Colleen Ball (07/17/08)
Helen Colleen Ball, 72, of Thayer, Mo., formerly of Cave City, Ark., was born Oct. 19, 1935, at San Pedro, Calif., the daughter of Carl and Dorothy (Drinkwine) Rinebarger. She died July 3, 2008, at her home. She was the retired owner of the Sugar Shack in Cave City and a member of the First Baptist Church in Evening Shade...

Marilyn Bickel (07/17/08)
Marilyn Rose Nicodemus Bickel, 75, died July 1, 2008, at her home in Horseshoe Bend, Ark. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on April 19, 1933, to Arthur and Sophia Nicodemus. She lived in Des Moines, Iowa, until 1988 when she retired from Federal Home Loan Bank and moved to Horseshoe Bend. After moving, she worked at the city hall for many years. She was a member of Shepard of the Hills Lutheran Church, Altar Guild, LWML Guild and was a volunteer at the Horseshoe Bend Library...

Byler Evan Solimine (07/17/08)
Byler Evan Solimine, infant son of Ross Solimine and Shawna Sisco of Ash Flat, Ark., died July 3, 2008, at the White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark. He is survived by: his parents; his paternal grandparents, Sherlyn Morris and Richard Solimine; his maternal grandparents, Melissa Ingram and Matt Billingsley; and many more relatives and friends...

Eva May McAnally (07/17/08)
Eva May McAnally, 82, of Cherokee Village, Ark., died July 2, 2008. She was born Sept. 14, 1925, in Hardy, Ark. Survivors include: six daughters, Sharry Richardson, Kay Hodgson, Linda Burris, Kathy Specht, Terri Zwickl and Della Harmon; 14 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren...

David F. "Pug" Kunkel (07/17/08)
David F. "Pug" Kunkel, 79, of Cave City, Ark., died July 7, 2008, at his home. He was born Sept. 26, 1928, at Evening Shade, Ark., the son of John Edward and Alta Kunkel. He retired from the U.S. Army after 21 years of service, drove a school bus for the Cave City School District for 13 years and was a farmer...

Jewell (Joe) Maguffee (07/17/08)
Jewell David (Joe) Maguffee, 82, son of the late Joseph Henry and Bessie Lee (Land) Maguffee, was born Nov. 2, 1925, at Salem, Ark. He died July 7, 2008, at the Fulton County Hospital in Salem, Ark. He was united in marriage to Fern C. (Grooms) Reed on June 22, 1998, at Lake Tahoe, Nev. He worked as a sheet metal worker for Industrial Heat and Air before retirement...

Jesse J. Smith (07/17/08)
Jesse J. Smith, 78, of Highland, Ark., died July 11, 2008, at the White River Medical Center in Batesville. He was born May 3, 1930, at Highland, Ark., the son of Oscar and Cena (Ferguson) Smith. He was a U.S. Army veteran having served during the Korean Conflict. He was a business owner for many years and a farmer. He was a member of the Highland First Assembly of God Church...

Julia E. Boettger (07/17/08)
Julia E. Boettger, 92, of Cherokee Village, Ark., died July 9, 2008, at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark. Mrs. Boettger was homemaker and artist. She was the daughter of the late Peter Charbarneau and the late Edna (O'tonna McRill) Chamberneau...

Altha Fay Frazier (07/17/08)
Altha Fay Frazier, 86, of Cave City, Ark., died July 9, 2008, at the White River Medical Center in Batesville. She was born Nov. 4, 1921, in Lebanon, Mo., the last of eight children of Jacob and Rachel Varner Detherow. She was a homemaker and a member of the First Missionary Baptist Church in Cave City...

Shirley A. Sturgeon (07/17/08)
Shirley A. Sturgeon, 66, of Horseshoe Bend, Ark., was born Jan. 25, 1942, at St. Louis, Mo., the daughter of the late Louis William and Bernice Laura (McCauley) Holtman Jr. She died July 2, 2008, at Mountain Home, Ark. She worked as a secretary for the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church where she was a member...

Robert E. "Bob" Bryan (07/17/08)
Robert E. "Bob" Bryan, 80, of Cherokee Village, Ark., died July 2, 2008, at his residence. He was born March 9, 1928, in St. Louis, Mo., the son of Wilbur and Josephine (Nurenburg) Bryan. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was united in marriage to Geraldine Cooper in January of 1954 in St. ...

Earl Nelson Graham (07/17/08)
Earl Nelson Graham, son of the late Nels August and Caroline Margaret (Erickson) Graham, was born Oct. 9, 1918, at Chicago, Ill. He died July 7, 2008, at the Fulton County Hospital in Salem, Ark., at the age of 89. He was united in marriage to Jean Mary Riley on Sept. 29, 1945, at Chicago, Ill. He worked as a lineman for Southwestern Bell Telephone until retirement...

John Malcolm Miller Jr. (07/24/08)
John Malcolm Miller Jr., 70, son of the late John Malcolm and Kathryn Ruth (Wilenzick) Miller Sr., was born Jan. 26, 1938 in New York, N.Y. He died July 17, 2008, at Little Rock, Ark. John was united in marriage to Deanna Elizabeth Dodge on June 28, 1958, in New York, N.Y. He spent his working years as a real estate broker and later as Golf Course Superintendent for the city of Little Rock for 15 years, retiring in 2000...

Clara Stone Luhr (07/24/08)
Clara Stone (Axford) Luhr, 89, of Cherokee Village, Ark., died June 14, 2008, at her home. Clara was retired from White Sewing Machine Company where she worked in sales. She was a member of First Methodist Church of Cherokee Village. She is survived by: two grandsons, Carl and Kevin Luhr of Stafford, Va.; and a nephew...

John F. Secrest (07/24/08)
John F. Secrest Jr., 80, of Ash Fat, Ark., son of the late John F. and Nellie Virginia (Gasket) Secrest, was born on July 13, 1928, at Rondo, Ark. He died July 16, 2008, at the Fulton County Hospital in Salem, Ark. He spent his working years as a core maker for a steel company...

Robert "Bob" Slayton (07/24/08)
Robert "Bob" Lee Slayton, 80, of Hardy, Ark., died July 17, 2008, in Jonesboro, Ark. He retired as the Chief of Fire and Security for the City of Cherokee Village, and was a former Arkansas State Trooper. He was a member of Ward Street Church of Christ where he served as an elder for over 30 years...

Harvey P. Ball (07/24/08)
Harvey P. Ball, 76, of Cave City, Ark. died July 17, 2008, at the Ash Flat Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Ash Flat, Ark. He was born Oct. 14, 1931, at Cave City, Ark., the son of Louis and Lucille Ball. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran, retired owner of the Sugar Shack in Cave City and of the Methodist faith...

Geraldine Elanor Sepulbda (07/24/08)
Geraldine Elanor Robinson Sepulbda, 64, was born Oct. 2, 1943, in Detroit, Mich., and died July 11, 2008, at her home in Mammoth Spring, Ark. Survivors include: one daughter, Joyce Guzik and husband Bob; two sons, John M. Burke of Mammoth Spring and Donald D. ...

Elmer Floyd Henry (07/24/08)
Elmer Floyd Henry, 73, of Paragould, Ark., died July 12, 2008, at his home. He was preceeded in death by: his parents, Vader and Annie Pocahontas Henry; and brother, Ernest Henry. He is survived by: his wife, Macel Henry; daughters Michelle Wooldridge, Martha Queen; sisters, Wilma Reagan, Inez Reagan; brothers, James Henry, Ralph Henry; grandchildren, Alex Wooldridge, Sabrina Queen and Melissa Brown...

John "Bertis" "Cat Eye" Nix (07/24/08)
John "Bertis" "Cat Eye" Nix, 88, of Mulvane, Kan., a retired Mulvane teacher and coach died, July 12, 2008. He was born Sept. 22, 1919, in Ash Flat, Ark., to the late Melvin and Myrtle Nix. He grew up in Ash Flat and was an athlete. At age 17 he went to St. ...

Cassie Wallis (07/31/08)
Cassie Wallis, 94, of Ash Flat, Ark., died July 19, 2008, at the Fulton County Hospital. She was born Feb. 11, 1914, at Myron, Ark., the daughter of Willie and Kitty Hinson. She was a homemaker and a member of the Ash Flat Church of Christ. Survivors include: three children, Connie Crouch and husband, Jerry of Wiseman, Ark., Judith Wallis of Little Rock and Roger Wallis and wife, Lisa of Little Rock; three grandsons; five great-granddaughters; and two great-great-grandsons; numerous nieces; nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.. ...

Hazel Sewell Brooks (07/31/08)
Hazel Sewell Brooks, a long-time Cherokee Village, Ark., resident, died July 18, 2008, at the Fulton County Hospital. She was born in Cleveland, Okla., Oct. 15, 1913. She graduated from high school in Cushing, Okla., and attended Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater. ...

Bill Denham (07/31/08)
Bill Denham, 75, of Cherokee Village, Ark., died July 19, 2008, at the White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark. He was born Sept. 11, 1932, in Hazel, Ky., the son of John Malcolm and Ollis April (Cole) Denham. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and retired from General Services Administration of the Federal Government in Miami, Fla. He was a member of the Ash Flat United Methodist Church since 1991...

Doyle Gene Pickett (07/31/08)
Doyle Gene Pickett, 61, of Hardy, Ark., died July 21, 2008, at the Eaglecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Ash Flat, Ark. He was born Aug. 24, 1946, in Lone Oak, Ark., in Lawrence County, the son of Clyde Pickett and Katherine Georgene Sanford Pickett...

Dr. Raol J. Taft Sr. (07/31/08)
Dr. Raol J. Taft Sr., 82, of Cherokee Village, Ark., formerly of Staunton, Ill., died July 18, 2008, at Hospice House in Mountain Home, Ark. He was born April 16, 1926, in Edinburg, Ill., the son of the late Elwin E. Taft Sr. and the late Fay (Fancher) Taft. He married Marian J. Greear on June 25, 1945, in Williamsburg, Va...

Mark P. Miller Sr. (07/31/08)
Mark P. Miller Sr., 85, of Hardy, Ark., died July 19, 2008, at the White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark. He was born on July 29, 1922, in Wichita, Kan., the son of C.W. Miller and Anna H. (Bredfelt) Miller. He moved to Hardy in 1971 from Little Rock, Ark., with his family. He was a minister...

Troy D. Eversoll (07/31/08)
Troy D. Eversoll, 69, of Glencoe, Ark., died July 23, 2008, at his residence. He was born June 25, 1939, in Alcoa, Ark., the son of Melvin Eversoll and Lula (Martin) Eversoll. He was a veteran of the United States Army. He was united in marriage to Sharon Yates on March 27, 1963, in Highland, Ark...