DEATHS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2008
Eliza Cooper
Mrs. Eliza Cooper was born on Oct. 3, 1945, in Minter City, Miss., to the late Charlie and Dorothy Williams.
Eliza accepted Christ at an early age as a member of Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. W.M. Fane. She later became a faithful member of Lampkin Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as an usher.
Eliza was united in marriage to Gene Autry Cooper on Nov. 6, 1967, by the late Rev. W.M. Fane. Mother Cooper attended Coleman High School. She worked as breakfast manager at Burger Chef and retired from Caldwell’s Learning Center as a child care provider. Mrs. Cooper loved those children and her family.
She was preceded in death by a loving aunt, Frankie Morrison; and uncle, Johnny Neal.
Eliza leaves to cherish her precious memories a loving, devoted husband, Gene A. Cooper of Pine Bluff; three Sons, Tony Davis (Maria) of Fishers, Ind., Tabores “Toby” Cooper (Melyssa) of Little Rock and Jason Cooper (Ashley) of Anderson, Ind.; daughter, Sharon L. Davis-Carroll (Alfred); brothers, Charlie “Bubba” Williams (Virginia), James Williams (Lois), all of Pine Bluff, Henry Williams (Joyce) and Sammie Williams (Gloria); sisters, Frankie Gibson (McKinley), all of New Orleans, Ethel Copeland of Los Angeles, Hattie Hiriams (L.D.), Mary Craig (Dallas) and Barbara Caldwell (Hermon) of Pine Bluff, Dorothy Clark of St. Louis; grandchildren, Brandon, Christopher, Christina, Courtney, Candace, Ashley, Cameron, Antonio, Jasmine, Arianna, Alaina; great-grandchildren, Christopher “Tre” Good-rum III and Landon Reece Andrews; step grandchildren, Alindria, Amber, Dwain, Kalon, Jabriel “Duke”, D.J., Jordan, and David.
Her services will be Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at Lampkin Chapel Baptist Church by Rev. LeArthur Shelton at 2:30 p.m. Burial will be in Cypress Memorial Garden.
Visitation is today from 4:30-7:30 at Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.
The body will lie in state at the church from 1:45 p.m. until time of service.
The family will be at 2911 W. 15th Ave., Pine Bluff, Ark.
Eloise Linwood
Mrs. Eloise Works Linwood, 62 of Pine Bluff, died, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008.
Born in Parkdale to the late James and Fedorah Works.
Her survivors include sons, Derrick Linwood, Garland Linwood and Charles Linwood; daughter, Erin Linwood, all of Pine Bluff; brothers, James Works and Charles Works of Little Rock; sisters, Carmell Lambert of Radcliff, N.Y., Inez Arburtha of Hammond, La., and Mary Walker of Bowie, Md.; six grandchildren.
Her services will be Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church by Rev. Jimmy L. Fisher Sr., at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Cedar Grove Section of Graceland Cemetery.
Visitation is today from 4-7:30 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.
The family will be at 3501 W. 16th Ave., Pine Bluff, Ark.
Lonnie Ross
Graveside services for Lonnie Henry Ross, 77, of Pine Bluff, who died Oct. 10 at JRMC, will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Bethel Cemetery at Ladd, Rev. Douglas Allen officiating.
He was born May 24, 1931, in Ladd, Ark., son of the late Calvin and Katie C. Ross.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Willie L. Ross; one son, Ronnie Ross.
Survivors include wife, Ruthie Ross, Pine Bluff; one son, Willie J. Ross; two daughters, Linda F. Ross, Bobbie Ross; one sister, Berdine S. Greenwood, Pine Bluff; nephew, Willie Woolfolk, Pine Bluff; great-grand niece, Theresa Taylor, Pine Bluff; cousin, Leroy Litzsey, Pine Bluff; cousin, Cora Walker, Ladd.
Visitations may be made today 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
Perry Funeral Home is in home of charge
of arrangements.
Olivia Steele
Mrs. Olivia Earnestine Burkett Steele died Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at her home.
She was born Feb. 13, 1920, at Bookman, Ark., (Grant County) to the late Mr. and Mrs. Seymour and Lula Graham Burkett.
She attended the Bookman Elementary School, the J.C. Corbin High School in Pine Bluff and a cosmetology school in Ohio.
She was a licensed cosmetologist. She owned and operated a beauty shop in Toledo, Ohio, for over 30 years.
She was married to Renzy Steele. They were married for over 40 plus years. He preceded her in death.
She loved to cook and prepare food for relatives, friends and anyone who was in need of a good meal every Sunday. Her special food was “peach cobbler” with juice.
Before moving back to Arkansas she was a member of the Warren African Methodist Church, at Toledo, Ohio, where Otis J. Gordon Jr. was the senior pastor.
In June of 2002, she returned to Arkansas to live with two sisters, Beulah B. Butler and Olive B. Hannon (now deceased).
She is survived by Mr. Muriel Oxner (cousin), caregiver of Toledo, Ohio; two sisters, Mrs. Delores B. King of Pine Bluff, Ark., Mrs. Millard (Sydney) Adams of Benton, Ark.; caregiver, Evelyn Taylor of Pine Bluff, Ark.
Funeral services will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church (Highway 190 East-Bookman) with Rev. Norma Gillom officiating. Interment is at the St. Paul Cemetery with services by the P.K. Miller Mortuary.
Alvin Marshall
BEARDEN — Alvin “Flip” Marshall, 53, of Bearden died Friday.
He was a son of Cora Mae Mays of Bearden.
Other survivors include one son, Maurice Marshall of Bearden; daughter, Kienda Marshall of Bearden; stepson, Edward Goodwin of Bearden; stepfather, I.J. Mays of Bearden; brother, Tony Mays of Omaha, Neb.; sisters, Coraphine Chambers and Tonya Mays, both of Minneapolis, Ivory Jean Collins of Sparkman and Victoria Mays of Bearden; and stepsister, Amber Mays.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church at Bearden. Arrangements are by Marks Funeral Home of Fordyce.
J. Montgomery Sr.
DUMAS — Mr. Jessie Montgomery Sr., 81, of Dumas died Oct. 12, 2008, at Delta Memorial Hospital.
Born March 15, 1927, at Meroney, Ark., he was a son of the late Tommy and Ollie Anderson Montgomery Sr.
He was a member of Syrene MBC at Pickens and a retired farmer.
Survivors include four sons, Leandrew Montgomery, Charles Montgomery, both of Dumas, Samuel Montgomery of Las Vegas, Nev., Kendric Allen of Nashville, Tenn.; four daughters, Shellia Benton of Star City, Ollie Witherspoon of Dumas, Dorothy Henley of Pine Bluff, Bobbie Montgomery of Los Angeles, Calif.; five brothers, Joe Boatner, Thomas Boatner, Percy Boatner, Ivory Boatner, Arthur Boatner, all of Los Angeles, Calif.; two sisters, Dixie Crowell of Visalia, Calif., Erma Russ of Los Angeles, Calif.; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008, at Union Baptist Church in Dumas with Rev. Walter Witherspoon Jr. officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery in Meroney by Brown Funeral Home of Dumas.
Visitation will be today from 4-6 p.m. at the funeral home.
The body will lie in state at the church Saturday from 10 a.m. until time of service.
Mary Groves
RYE — Mary Groves, 94, of Rye died Wednesday at Bradley County Medical Center at Warren.
She was born April 28, 1914, in Bradley County, a daughter of the late Marl C. Lephiew and Belva Clemmons Lephiew.
Survivors include one daughter, Neda Groves McLean of Irving, Texas; one sister, Elizabeth Taylor of Star City; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today at Union United Methodist Church at Rye. Burial will be in Union Cemetery by Frazer’s Funeral Home of Warren.
Dennis Venable
STAR CITY — Dennis Dwayne Venable, age 60, of Star City, died Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008.
Born July 8, 1948, at Sulphur Springs, Texas, Dennis was a son of the late Isaac Jackson Venable and Beulah Irene Dalton Venable. He grew up in Bentonia, Miss., and was the salutatorian in the class of 1966.
A sister, Dorothy Jones, also preceded him in death.
A resident of Pine Bluff since 1976, he worked in the farm equipment business for over 30 years and was inside salesman for W&A Manufacturing Company. He was a member of Good Faith United Methodist Church where he had formerly served in several leadership roles. An avid outdoorsman, Dennis was also a member of Ducks Unlimited.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Jo Taylor Venable, whom he married on Nov. 26, 1971, at Yazoo City, Miss.; a daughter, Jennifer Venable and husband, Walter Jones of Star City; a son, Brian Venable and wife, Wendi of Fayetteville; his grandchildren, Mackenzie, Zachary, Morgan, and Madison, all of Star City, and Amber of Natchitoches, La.; his siblings, Sonya Truelove of Charenton, La., Jack Venable of Mesquite, Texas, Jim Venable of Franklin, La., Linda Burgess of Bolton, Miss., Cathy Worrell of Byram, Miss.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Another grandchild, Brian Taylor Venable II is due to be born in November.
Funeral services will be Saturday, 10 a.m. at Fuller Hale-South Funeral Chapel with Brother George Odell officiating. Burial will be in Best Cemetery at Star City.
Visitation was Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Good Faith Carr United Methodist Church, 3703 Ryburn Road, Pine Bluff, Ark., 71603.
Online condolences: www.FullerHaleSouth.com
Gladys Dumas, 84, of Pine Bluff died Wednesday at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.
Lucille Green, 67, of Pine Bluff died Thursday at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.