Obituaries

Ann Brunner Neel (02/04/04)
Ann Brunner Neel, 75, of Memphis died Sunday, Jan. 25, at Baptist Medical Center in Memphis. She was a homemaker and a member of St. John's Episcopal Church. Survivors include her husband, Robert T. Neel; three sons, Robert T. Neel Jr. of Little Rock, Joseph B. Neel of Breckenridge, Colo., and Michael D. Neel of Memphis; a brother, Frank Brunner Jr. of Marked Tree; and seven grandchildren...

Mitchell Cummins Busby (02/04/04)
Mitchell Cummins Busby, 82, of Trumann, died Friday, Jan. 30, at Regional Medical Center of NEA. Mr. Busby was born in Lepanto, AR and had lived in the Trumann and Marked Tree area most of his lifetime. He was a grain elevator operator for E. Ritter & Company and of the Church of God faith. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Ernestine Busby in 1987, one son, Larry Busby in 2000, one granddaughter, two brothers; one sister; and his parents, the late Lum and Rebecca Lynn Busby...

Mildred E. Chaffin (02/04/04)
Mildred E. Chaffin, 88, of Redondo Beach died Thursday, Jan. 29, in Torrance, Calif. She was born in Harrisburg. Survivors include two sons, Charles Chaffin and Donald Chaffin, both of Redondo Beach; one daughter, Jean Forbess of Redondo Beach; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild...

Jackie Nelson Jones (02/04/04)
Jackie Nelson Jones, 61, of Chelford died Friday, Jan. 30, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. Born at Crowder, Miss., he was a mechanic and of the Baptist belief. Survivors include his wife, Lisa Jones of Chelford; four sons, Bobby Jones of Marion, David Jones of Pageland, S.C., Jackie Wayne Jones of Hernando, Miss., and Michael Bennett of Chelford; three sisters, Margie Peck of Nesbit, Miss., Rachel Hollway of Nashville, Tenn., and Lona Adams of Florida; one brother, Raymond Jones of Louisiana; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.. ...

James McCullar (02/04/04)
James McCullar, 73, of Marked Tree died Sunday, Feb. 1 at his residence. He was an Army veteran of the Vietnam, Korea and Indo China Wars. He was survived by two sons, James M. McCullar of Lepanto and Everette Bruce of West Memphis; six daughters, Phyllis Davis of Southhaven MS, Kathryn Best of NLR AR, Brenda Chase of Lepanto, Cyndi Liszeska of Laughton OK, Nila Booth of Cotter, and Tami Cooper- Pennington of Jefferson City MO; one brother John McCullar of Jonesboro; 17 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.. ...

Marshall Monroe Woods (02/04/04)
Marshall Monroe Woods, 76, of Marked Tree died Monday, Feb. 2 at Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. Woods was of the Baptist belief, a member of the American Legion, and a member of the Marked Tree Historical Society. Woods was survived by his wife, Selma Rorie Woods of the home; his son, Gary Woods of Marked Tree; his daughter, Marsha Woods Graham of Marion; six grandchildren: Kimberly Hawkins McFarland, Mallory Woods, Matthew Woods, Matthew Adamson, Daniel Adamson, and Jennifer Graham; and three great-grandchildren: Austin McFarland, Triston James Adamson, and Katelynn Michelle Adamson.. ...

John Franklin Elrod Sr (02/11/04)
John Franklin Elrod Sr., 71, of Marked Tree died Thursday, Feb. 5, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Osceola. He was a chef and a member of the Church of God. Survivors include one daughter, Jackie Trenthem of Horn Lake, Miss.; three sons, John Elrod Jr. ...

Joseph Romans (02/11/04)
Joseph Romans, 87, of Osceola died Friday, Feb. 6, at Baptist Memorial Hospital at Osceola. Born at Iverson, Ill., he was a retired factory worker and Army veteran. There are no immediate survivors. Graveside services were at 11 a.m. Saturday in Sandy Ridge Cemetery at Burdette. The Rev. Moses Black officiated and burial was under the direction of Wilson Funeral Home of Osceola...

Jimmie Freeman (02/18/04)
Jimmie Freeman, 78, of Groveport, Ohio passed away Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004 at Mt. Carmel East Hospital. Freeman was retired from Federal Glass where he served for 28 years and was a member of the Pentecostal Church of God. Freeman was proceeded in death by his parents Carl and Callie Freeman. ...

Herbert Hayes "Bo" Carter (02/18/04)
Herbert Hayes "Bo" Carter, 58, of Sweetwater died Sunday, Feb. 8, at his residence. Born in Mississippi County, he was a farmer and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include four daughters, Judy Gonzalez and Penny Pilgrim, both of Sweetwater, Karen Goins of Athens, Tenn., and Sherry Carter of Trumann; a son, Jerry Carter of Trumann; three sisters, Francine Stacks of Heber Springs, Imogene Smith of Jacksonville and Gertrude Hunt of Beebe; three brothers, Otto Carter and Teddy White, both of Lepanto, and Billy Carter of Heber Springs; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.. ...

Mary Alma Muse Bell (02/18/04)
Mary Alma Muse Bell, 81, of Marked Tree, died Thursday, Feb. 12, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. She was of the Baptist belief and worked as a retail merchant. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ross Bell, a step-son Joe Bell, her parents, and one brother...

David Anthony Ashlock, 24, of Marked Tree died Friday, Feb. 20, at Regional Medical Center in Memphis. (02/25/04)
A recent graduate of Arkansas State University, he was a member of the Library Street Church of Christ. Survivors include his parents, Norman and Johnnie Sage of Marked Tree; two brothers, Jonathan Ray Ashlock of Little Rock and T. Ford Ashlock of Cordova, Tenn.; three stepbrothers, Jason Sage and Aaron Sage, both of Clarksville, Tenn., and Joel Sage of Nashville, Tenn.; and his maternal grandmother, Gertrude Ford of Bentonville...

Helen Maxine Tacker (02/25/04)
Helen Maxine Tacker, 73, of Odessa, died Tuesday, February 17 at Hospice House. She was born in Adamsville Tennessee and attended high school in Marked Tree. She was active in both Girl and Boy Scouting with her children and husband, a member of Parkview Church of Christ, and a strong advocate for the Children's Miracle Network...

James "Jim" Thomas (02/25/04)
Mr. James "Jim" Thomas, 84, a native of the Lepanto/Marked Tree area, and a 52 year resident of Madera passed, away at Hinds Hospice in Fresno on Friday, Jan. 30. Jim was a veteran of World War II, having served in the US Army in the European and African Theatres. In Madera he was a member of the VFW Post #1981. Jim was a retired cotton ginner, retiring in 1982 after 27 years with The Madera Cotton Gin Co-Op...

Arnetta Waterford (02/25/04)
Arnetta Waterford, 74, of Joiner died Saturday, Feb. 14, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis. Born in Little Rock, she was a retired cook and a member of Mount Pisby Church in Chelford. Survivors include two daughters, Betty Jean Rogers of Osceola and Johnnie Mae Brown of Joiner; six sons, Howard Waterford of Blytheville, Augustus Mitchell of Waynesboro, Miss., Gary Mitchell of Joiner, Larry Mitchell of Hazlehurst, Miss., and Charles Mitchell and Freddie Mitchell, both of Indianapolis; two sisters, Dorothy Green and Evelyn Lewis, both of Indianapolis; two brothers, Lee Moore and Tommy Moore, both of Indianapolis; 30 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren.. ...

Sue Williams, 83, of Payneway died Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Three Rivers Nursing Center in Marked Tree. (02/25/04)
She was a homemaker and a member of Corner Chapel Baptist Church in Payneway Survivors include her husband, Oscar Williams of Payneway; two sons, W.O. Kincade and Ron Kincade, both of Mountain Home; a sister, Ople Foley of Vancouver, Wash.; and three grandchildren, Shannon Kincade, Jeff Kincade and Jason Kincade; and three great-grandchildren...

Mary Ethel Brown, 68, of Caraway died at St. Bernard's Medical Center. (02/25/04)
She was a member of the Buffalo Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband, Billy Ray Brown of Caraway; one daughter, Malinda Brown of Newark; and one brother, Ernest McKay of Shirley. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Talinda Brown; one son, Ronnie Ray Brown; her parents; and one sister...

Louise Byers Crum (02/25/04)
Louise Byers Crum, 67, of Marked Tree, died Wednesday, Feb. 18, at St. Bernard's Medical Center. She was a homemaker and member of the Church of God. Survivors include four sons, Jim Crum of Marked Tree, Rick Crum of Trumann, Thomas Crum of Orange County, Calif., and Chris Crum of Payneway; one daughter, Fran Bell of Marked Tree; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren...

Annie Mae Dority (02/25/04)
Annie Mae Dority, 86, of Luxora died Sunday, Feb. 15, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Osceola. Born in Durham, N.C., she was a retired cook and a member of Gospel Temple Missionary Baptist Church, where she served on the Mother's board. Survivors include four daughters, Earlene Smith and Shirley Huberins, both of Luxora, Jerlene Chew of Blytheville and Ethel Mae Downer of Detroit; five sons, Robert Smith of St. ...

Billy George Ford, 59, of Tyronza died Monday, Feb. 16, at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro. (02/25/04)
He was a musician, an Army veteran, and of the Baptist faith. Survivors include two sons, Billy Dink Ford of Bono and David Fortner of Berlin, Germany; two daughters, Jody Mangrum of Memphis and Dee Angela Victory Ford of Tyronza; three sisters Dorothy Ford of Marked Tree, Georgia Goodin of Gosnell and Edna Ford of Berwyn, Ill.; and four grandchildren, Eric Flemming, Michael Flemming, Chris Flemming and Kayla Flemming...

Carolyn F. Hood (02/25/04)
Carolyn F. Hood, 44, of Trumann died Saturday, Feb. 21 in an automobile accident on Hwy 463 in Trumann. Hood was born April 2, 1959 in Union City, Tenn. She was a homemaker and of the Baptist belief. Hood was survived by her husband, Jimmy Hood of Trumann; her mother Robbie Montgomery of Trimble, Tenn.; two daughters: Stacy Mullins of Payneway, and Seena Mullins of Payneway; one sister: Mary Mullins of Newborn, Tenn; and four brothers: David Davis of Trumann, Chester Davis of Newborn, Tenn., Clydel Davis of Newborn, Tenn., and Charlie Davis of Newborn, Tenn.. ...

Eddie Raymond Hubbard, 65 died February 19. (02/25/04)
He is survived by his wife of forty-four year, Dorothy; two brothers, James Hubbard and Harold Hubbard; and stepmother, Doris Hubbard; five daughters, Faye Strange, Tonda Walker, Kelly Walker, Tabitha Foster, and Shannon Tucker; eleven grandchildren, Jaime Strange, Traci Johnson, Ashley Walker, Taylor Walker, Nicole Kelley, Zackery Tucker, Andrew Kelley, Chelsea Tucker, Olivia Walker, Grace Foster and Thomas Walker; and two great-grand children, Joseph Hale and Cody Strange...

Jim "Earl" Jackson (02/25/04)
Jim "Earl" Jackson, 87, of Blytheville died Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Blytheville. Born in Etowah, he was a lifelong resident of the community. He was a member of West Ridge Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon. He was a farmer and also drove a school bus for the Mississippi County School system for 24 years...

Verla Mae Ousley (02/25/04)
Verla Mae Ousley, 95, of Marked Tree,died Saturday, Feb. 21 at St. Bernard's Medical Center. Born in Kensett, she was a retired cafe owner and was of the Baptist belief. Survivors include one godson, A.J. McCuistion of Marked Tree. Graveside services were held at noon Tuesday at River View Cemetery at Marked Tree, with the Rev. Willie Brown officiating. Sims-Woodard Funeral Service in Marked Tree was in charge of arrangements...