DEATHS FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2008

Vernell Spiller

Vernell “Mike” Spiller Jr., 52, of Pine Bluff was born August 13, 1956, in Eudora to Mr. and Mrs. Vernell (Lucille) Spiller.

Vernell decided to follow Jesus at an early age under the leadership of Rev. W.W. Littleton at New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Chicot and was baptized in 1969. After the family moved to Pine Bluff in 1970, Vernell united with Old St. James Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. G.W. Westbrook where he remained a member until graduating from Pine Bluff High School in 1974. After high school he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served his country and was honorably discharged.

After his military career, he began working as an instructor of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Repair at Pine’s Vocational Technical School, currently known as Southeast Arkansas College (SEARK). He enjoyed his profession and was dedicated to providing academic guidance and support to his students all with the spirit of excellence. He was also the sole proprietor and operator of Spiller Heating and Air.

In 2001, he married the love of his life, Sharon Jones of Pine Bluff. Through their union came one child, Jaylen Spiller. Vernell was an active father and consummate outdoorsman engaged in activities ranging from boy scouts camping trips to fishing and cooking.

Varnell later moved his church membership to Pine Hill Missionary Baptist where he and his loving wife Sharon continued to serve. There he served faithfully as president of the usher ministry and on the kitchen committee. Vernell truly loved working for the Lord with his church family and was known by his testimony of “My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Vernell was preceded in death by his father Vernell Spiller, Sr. and an older brother, Jonathan Spiller. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife Sharon Spiller of Pine Bluff; three sons, Donte Spiller of Pine Bluff, Stacy Spiller of Killeen, Texas, and Jaylen Spiller of Pine Bluff; three step-children, Bryant Smith of Pine Bluff, Tay Jones of Las Vegas, LaShandra McDaniel (Donell) of Pine Bluff; his mother, Lucille Spiller of Pine Bluff; two brothers, his identical twin, Verdell Spiller of Houston and Donald Spiller of Arlington, Tex.; ten sisters, Viola of St. Louis, Bernice (Dale) Russell, Patricia (Dave) Watts, and Louise Spiller all of Pine Bluff, Doretha Cole of North Chicago, Carrie (Lonzo) Stewart of Little Rock, Vera (Eddie) Marshall of Forestville, Md., Debra Doxi of Waukegan, Ill., Idella Simmons of Arlington, Cynthia (Emory) Goodman of Waldorf, Md.; six grandchildren and a host of aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends who were blessed to have known and loved him.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Greater Fellowship Ministries, 2401 South Main with Rev. Glen Barnes officiating. Internment will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at North Little Rock. Mr. Spiller will lie in repose at the church from 10 until 11 a.m.

Thelma Schwab

CROCKETTS BLUFF—Thelma Lorraine Schwab, age 90, died Nov. 8, 2008. She was born March 12, 1918 in Roe, Ark. to Joseph W. and Carrie Murphy Keithley. She was a member of Crocketts Bluff Missionary Baptist Church, Inspirations of Stuttgart, and was co-owner and operator of Schwab’s Grocery in Crocketts Bluff.

Mrs. Schwab is preceded in death by her husband, Eddie Schwab; a daughter, Eddie Lorraine Schwab; three brothers, J.E. Keithley, Garnet Keithley, Riley Keithley, and her parents.

Survivors include; two daughters and their husbands, Peggy and William Browning of Pine Bluff, Vicki and Derrall Gardner of Crocketts Bluff; six grandchildren, William H. Browning, Jr., Amy Rowe, Tim Gardner, Eddie Gardner, Carrie Mosella and Beyjo Gunnell; 11 great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren.

Visitation will be Monday, 5-7 p.m. at Essex Funeral Home, 1405 S. Grandview Dr., DeWitt, Ark. Funeral services are 2 p.m., Tuesday at Essex Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Crocketts Bluff Cemetery. Memorials may be made to: Crocketts Bluff Cemetery, P.O. Box 56, Crocketts Bluff, Ark. 72038, or Crocketts Bluff Missionary Baptist Church, c/o Billie Horton, 714 W. First St., DeWitt, Ark. 72042.

Ollie Smith

KINGSLAND — Ollie Belle Smith, 90, of Kingsland, died Friday at Dallas County Hospital.

Funeral service: 2 p.m. Monday at Buie Funeral Chapel in Rison. Burial will follow in the Stoney Point Cemetery near Fordyce.

Visitation: 4-6 p.m. today at Buie Funeral Home in Rison. Arrangements are under the direction of Buie Funeral Home of Rison (870) 325-6216.

Clothee Vincent

MONTICELLO—Clothee Crowell Vincent, 78, of Monticello, passed away Monday. Nov. 3, 2008, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff. She was born May 24, 1930, in Lincoln County.

Survivors include five daughters, Paulene Burel of Little Rock, Sherry Squalls of Dallas, Cloverne Hudson of Macon, Ga., Sandra Spencer of Wilmar and Annette Smith of Monticello; four sons, Rev. Alphonzo Vincent of Jonesboro, Jesse Vincent of Warren, Jerry Vincent of Monticello and Glynn Vincent of Little Rock; four brothers, Parnell Crowell, Samuel Crowell, Billy Crowell and Ken Fisher; two sisters, Nevadie Sims of Warren and Cloreatha Smith of Dublin, Ga.; 28 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren and a host of neices, nephews, relatives and friends.

Funeral service ill be held 1 p.m. Monday at Mt. Pleasant AME Church. Burial in Mt. Pleasant (Campground) Cemetery by Stephenson-Dearman. Visitation will be 6-7 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Roger Corbitt

REDFIELD — Roger D. Corbitt, age 75, of Redfield, died Friday, November 7, 2008, at St. Vincent Doctors Hospital in Little Rock. Mr. Corbitt was born December 1, 1932, in Tichnor, Arkansas, a son of the late John Allen and Ethel Bitely Corbitt.

Mr. Corbitt was reared and educated in Little Rock, having moved there with his family as a child. He was a 1950 graduate of Little Rock Central High School.

He was a member of Redfield United Pentecostal Church where he was a Deacon, Trustee and Board Member. He was also a U S Army Veteran.

Mr. Corbitt was a lifelong brick mason and founding partner of C B Masonry and ABC Equipment.

He was preceded in death by three sisters, LaVerne Williams, Ina Hampton and Mildred Corbitt; one brother, Orville Corbitt.

Mr. Corbitt is survived by his wife, Barbara Ann Shirley Corbitt, his sweetheart, whom he married June 1, 1957, in Little Rock; four daughters, Brenda Plumlee and Carolyn Johnson, both of North Little Rock, Beverly Mercer and Susan Hines, both of Little Rock; three sons. Mark and David Corbitt, both of Redfield and Nathan Corbitt of Allen, Texas; two brothers, Reggie Corbitt of Little Rock and Jeff Corbitt of Cabot; two sisters, Velma Brown of Hot Springs and Jeannette Joseph of Shreveport, Louisiana; seventeen grandchildren, one great grandchild.

The family will receive friends at the Redfield United Pentecostal Church Monday evening from 6 to 8 PM.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, November 11, 2008, at 10 a.m. at the White Hall United Pentecostal Church by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors with Brother Phillip Hedden and Brother Bill Harden officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com

Lillie Kemp

ROHWER — Lille Jo Kemp, 65, of Rohwer died Wednesday at her home in Rohwer.

She was born January 28, 1943, in Flintville, Tenn. to Vivian Ridge Prince of Watson and the late Leroy Prince.

She was a hairdresser and a member of the Kelso Baptist Church.

In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by two husbands, Walter Ray “Hot” Fortenberry and Jimmy Kemp; two brothers, Johnny Prince and Jimmy Prince; one sister, Imagene Moore; two grandsons, Blake and Bradley Kemp, and two granddaughters, Mary Margaret and Camilla Ann Fortenberry.

She is survived by three sons: Michael Fortenberry of Rohwer, Shaun Fortenberry of Falcon, Colo. and Jake Kemp of McGehee; one daughter, Margaret Capps of Star City; two brothers, Phillip Prince of Watson, Jimmy Lee Welch of Pine Bluff; one sister, Dorothy Welch of Pine Bluff; nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Griffin Funeral Service in McGehee.

Pallbearers will be Stephen Finch, Stephen Beatty, Micah Beatty, Micah Heiser, Jashua Rochner and Jimbo Morphis. Honorary pallbearers will be Peanut Moreland, Bart McAffry, and Greg Hollman.

Funeral Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Kelso Baptist Church with Rev. Ben White officiating.

Burial will be in the Watson Cemetery under the direction of Griffin Funeral Service of McGehee.

Leonard Johnson

WARREN—Leonard Byron “Bubba” Johnson, age 66, of Warren died Friday at Bradley County Medical Center.

He was born Aug. 5, 1942, at Hope, the son of the late Leonard Boyce Johnson and Ida Belle Gambill Johnson.

Survivors: wife, Brenda Jones Johnson, whom he married Sept. 5, 1964; daughter, Brigette Johnson Bondio and spouse Mike of Crossett; brother, Mark Johnson and spouse Elizabeth of Houston; sister, Linda Parrish and spouse Bob of Spring, Texas.

Funeral service: 1:30 p.m. Monday at Frazer’s Chapel. Burial: Outlaw Cemetery at Sumpter by Frazer’s Funeral Home of Warren.

Visitation: 6-9 p.m. today at Frazer’s

Thomas Peek

WARREN — Thomas H. Peek, 78, of Warren died Friday at Bradley County Medical Center.

He was born Aug. 22, 1930, at Warren a son of the late Henry Franklin Peek and Mary Jane Oakley Peek.

Survivors: wife, Martha Sue Williams Peek whom he married Nov. 1, 1951, in Greenville, S.C.; sons, Johnny Peek of Warren and spouse Janice, Randy Peek of Warren and spouse Beth; daughter, Becky Thomey of El Dorado and spouse Jimmy; brother, Rufus Peek of Warren; sisters, Suzie Simmons and Ruby Lee Lasiter, both of Warren and Mary Francis Taylor, of Pine Bluff; six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Funeral services: 1:30 p.m. today at Frazer’s Chapel. Burial: Wheeler Springs Cemetery by Frazer’s Funeral Home of Warren.

Catherine Cates

BEAUMONT, Texas —Catherine Barnett Cates, 90, of Beaumont, Texas, formerly of Monticello, passed away Wednesday in Beaumont. She was born March 23, 1918, in Ladelle, Ark.

She was the widow of Fred Barnett, retired from Burlington Industries and a member of East Side Baptist Church. She was the daughter of the late Charlie Monroe Thurman and Ollie Mae Thurman and was preceded in death by a daughter, Sylvia Barnett.

Survivors include one son, Douglas Dewayne of Beaumont; three grandchildren, Michelle Shoulders of Houston, Texas, Wendy Taylor of Austin, Texas, and Michael Barnett of Weatherford, Texas; 11 great grandchildren and several cousins.

Graveside service will be 10 a.m. Monday at Lacey Cemetery by Stephenson-Dearman. Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Colonel Merlin W. “Bill” Foerster, U.S. Army (Ret.), 88, of Pine Bluff, died Saturday at Trinity Village Medical Center in Pine Bluff. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Ralph Robinson and Son.

Mamie Smith of Pine Bluff died Saturday at the Allegiance Specialty Hospital at Little Rock. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the P.K. Mortuary.