OBITUARIES
Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/obits/61572/
Bella Vista
Juanita Ruth Hensley Myers, 83, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at her home. She was born June 17, 1924, in Cowley County, Kan., to Lee R. Hensley and Ruth Pack Hensley.
She moved to Bella Vista in 2003 from Great Bend, Kan. She was a member of Judson American Baptist Church in Bella Vista. She was preceded in death by a brother, a sister, a niece and a daughter-in-law. Survivors include her husband, Roy L. Myers; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Roy Lynn Myers and Jackie Myers of Great Bend, Kan., and David L. Myers of Portsmouth, N. H.; three brothers and two sistersin-law, Edward Hensley and Arlene Hensley of Ocala, Fla., Danny Hensley and Marilyn Hensley of Liberty, Texas, and Bill Hensley of Lombard, Ill.; a sister and brother-in-law, Shirley Bradford and Wendell Bradford of Harriman, Tenn.; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2 p. m. Thursday, May 8, at Judson American Baptist Church in Bella Vista with the Rev. Henry Hensley. Arrangements are by the Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Judson American Baptist Church, P. O. Box 3029, Bella Vista, AR 72715. Online condolences may be made at www. funeralmation. com.
Bentonville
Emogene Jewel Lewis, 84, of Bentonville, Ark., died Monday, May 5, 2008, at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers, Ark. Arrangements are pending with Stockdale Funeral Services of Rogers. Fort Worth, Texas Mary Lou Dana Mary Lou Dana, 89, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Odyssey House Hospice in FortWorth. She was born Jan. 24, 1919, in Gentry, Ark., to John Shaffer and Lucy Test Shaffer. She received a degree in music from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark. She taught school in Gentry and Centerton, Ark. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Gentry United Methodist Church. She played organ for the Baptist and Methodist churches. After she retired, she took up oil painting. Survivors include two daughters, Suzanne Folsche of Fort Worth and Deborah Duncan of Covent Station, N. J.; and two granddaughters and three grandsons, all of Fort Worth. Visitation will be from 6 p. m. to 7: 30 p. m. Thursday, May 8, at Wasson Funeral Home of Siloam Springs, Ark. Funeral services will be at 2 p. m. Friday, May 9, at Wasson Funeral Home with the Rev. Brad Wright. Burial will be at the Gentry Cemetery in Gentry, Ark. Online condolences may be made at www. wassonfuneralhome. com.
Gravette
Joseph L. Webb, 48, of Gravette, Ark., died Monday, May 5, 2008, in Siloam Springs, Ark. Arrangements are pending with Wasson Funeral Home of Siloam Springs. Online condolences may be made at www. wassonfuneralhome. com. Langley, Okla. Virgil Vernon Dean Virgil Vernon Dean, 79, of Langley, Okla., formerly of Cassville, Mo., died Monday, May 5, 2008, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Fayetteville, Ark., following an illness. He was born July 7, 1928, in Tulsa, Okla., to Charles Everett Dean and Sarah Olive Handy Dean.
He was raised in West Tulsa, Okla., and graduated from Webster High School. He enlisted in the U. S. Navy when he was 17 years old and served during World War II. He married Norma Lucille Robbins on Dec. 24, 1946, in Tulsa. She preceded him in death on July 30, 1996. He married Barbara Frye on April 3, 2004, at Roaring River State Park in Cassville. He owned the Seven Valleys Motel in Cassville. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Disney, Okla.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Lucille Dean; a stepson, Lloyd T. Frye; three brothers; and three sisters.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Blanche Dean; a son and daughter-in-law, Paul Edward Dean and Tracy Dean of Tulsa, Okla.; a daughter and son-in-law, Fay Marie Havlick and Max Havlick of Villa Park, Ill.; two stepsons, Clarence L. Frye of Purdy, Mo., and Keith A. Frye of Lanagan, Mo.; a stepdaughter, Elisa Bridgeman and her husband Dean Bridgeman of Tulsa; eight grandchildren, Sandra Fay Kimball, Christopher Allen Thomas and Roy Dean Thomas, all of Kellyville, Okla., Michael Sean Dean Sr., Charles Aaron Dean, Matthew Vernon Dean and Gale Gardner, all of Tulsa, and Mark Bedell Dean of Tahlequah, Okla.; four step-grandchildren, Stephanie Zinn of Lanagan, Mo., Traci Launius of Stella, Mo., and Faith Bridgeman and Karen Bridgeman, both of Tulsa.; 14 great-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1: 30 p. m. to 2: 30 p. m. Thursday, May 8, at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Washburn, Mo.
Funeral services will be at 2: 30 p. m. Thursday, May 8, at Mount Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Vance Wiley, the Rev. Kenny Hood and Pastor Lawrence Shuey.
Burial will be at the Washburn Prairie Cemetery in Washburn, with full military rites conducted by Pineville / Jane American Legion Post 392. Pallbearers will be his grandsons. Arrangements are byWalker-Dowd Funeral Home of Anderson, Mo. Online condolences may be made at www. walker-dowd. com.
Pea Ridge
Luther Odell Black, 86, of Pea Ridge, Ark., died Wednesday, April 30, 2008, in Pea Ridge. He was born Dec. 13, 1921, in Bradford, Ark., to Lee Black and Erna Rice Black.
He was baptized on Jan. 1, 1971, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and until his health became worse, he served full time as a minister of Jehovah for 19 years. He was also a selfemployed plumber and truck driver. He was a member of the Sugar Creek Congregation of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
He was preceded in death by a son, Joe Black, in 1975.
Survivors include his wife, Loretta Pohl Black; three sons, Luther Ray Black of Rogers, Ark., Lee Odell Black of Almagordo, N. M., and James Luther Black of Combs, Ark.; three daughters, Maydelle Bayona of Rogers, Margaret Henschell of Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, and Beth Ann Fields of Avoca, Ark.; a stepdaughter, Michellene Marret of Prairie Grove, Ark.; 16 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p. m. Saturday, May 10, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Rogers, Ark., with Brother Bill Rutherford.
Arrangements are by the Benton County Funeral Home in downtown Rogers.
Online condolences may be made at www. bentoncountyfuneralhome. com.
Rogers
Bernadine E. Moore, 84, of Rogers, Ark., died Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at Heritage Park Nursing Center in Rogers. She was born Dec. 5, 1923, in Arlington Heights, Ill., to Raymond White and Cordie White. She was preceded in death by two husbands, Robert W. Perkins and William Moore; a son, David; two sisters; and a brother. Survivors include two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert R. Perkins of Bentonville, Ark., and James Perkins and Mary Perkins of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a daughter-in-law, Shelia Perkins of Gardner, Ill.; two stepdaughters, Bernadette Hebard and her husband George Hebard of Glen Ellyn, Ill., and Beth Saenz of Scottsdale, Ariz.; a stepson, Bill Moore of Downers Grove, Ill.; two sisters, Rosemary Blackstock of Rogers and Lois Peterson of Sandwich, Ill.; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Kenneth White and Patsy White of Rogers, Dale White and Ruth White of Sandwich and Donald White and Betty White of Bluffton, S. C.; 12 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1 p. m. Tuesday, May 13, at the Oakley Chapel United Methodist Church in Rogers. A short visitation will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall immediately following the memorial service. Arrangements are by Rollins Funeral Home of Rogers. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Oakley Chapel United Methodist Church in Rogers. Larry Lee Ruse Larry Lee Ruse, 75, of Rogers, Ark., died Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, Ark. Arrangements are pending with the Benton County Memorial Park Funeral Home of Rogers.
Siloam Springs
Laura Jeanne Harris, 54, of Siloam Springs, Ark., died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at her home. She was born May 24, 1954, in Topeka, Kan., to Merle Eugene Smith and Verda Marilyn Whitebread Smith. She worked as the lead in the optical lab at the Wal-Mart store in Fayetteville, Ark. She was involved in the United Way and helped various charitable organizations. She also helped the Siloam Springs football team receive a grant for equipment and the Manna Center receive a $ 1, 000 grant. She was preceded in death by her parents, Merle and Verda Smith; and a grandson, Fredrick Ross Studebaker. Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Lea Marie Murphy and Carlos Murphy, and Joannie Lee Harris and Jeff Harris, all of Siloam Springs; two stepdaughters, Angela Marie Field of Siloam Springs and Betty Araya and her husband Jeff Araya of San Diego, Calif.; a stepson, Michael Henderson and his wife Crystal Henderson of St. Louis, Mo.; two brothers, Ernie Smith and Robert Smith, both of Topeka, Kan.; three sisters, Devona Perelta of Topeka, Sharla Dorland of Carbondale, Kan., and Michele Morstorf of Meriden, Kan.; her former husband, Michael J. Harris; and 23 grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2 p. m. Saturday, May 10, at the Twin Springs Park in downtown Siloam Springs with the Rev. Leroy Ruede. Following the service, a dinner will be held at the park. Arrangements are by Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs. Online condolences may be made at www. backstrom-pyeatte. com.