Obituaries
DEATHS FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009 9:51 AM CST
Homer Brown Sr.
Homer L. Brown Sr., 80, of Pine Bluff passed away Wednesday, Feb. 18 at the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock.
He was born Aug. 12, 1928, in Savage, Miss., a son of the late Joseph and Ruthie Brown.
He was employed in the maintenance department at International Paper Mill, where he retired after 32 years of service.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Doris Blanks; and one brother, Joe Brown.
Survivors include his wife, Ima Jean Holloway Brown of Pine Bluff; two sons, Dwayne Brown (Myrtle) of Pine Bluff, and Homer L. Brown Jr., (Vonda) of Colton, Calif.; four stepsons, James Stuart of Panama, Fla., Alonzo (Carrie) Stuart of Little Rock, Keith Lowe (Dessia Ray) of Fort Riley, Ks., and Michael Davenport of Pine Bluff; two daughters, Joyce Coppage of Stone Mountain, Ga., and Pamela (Tracy) Gilbert of Middletown, N.Y.; three stepdaughters, Kristi Lowe, Marcie Davenport and Dorethea Lambert, all of Pine Bluff; two brothers, Willie (Robin) Brown of Helmet, Calif., and Cortez (Addie) Brown of Memphis, Tenn.; four sisters, Winnie Wallace of Tunica, Miss., Blanchie Allen of Little Rock, Emma Price of Pine Bluff and Draper McFarlin of Hudson, Ohio; 22 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. G. L. Ford officiating. Burial will be in the National Cemetery in North Little Rock.
Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Monday at Brown Funeral Home.
The family will be at the home.
Walter Gossom
Walter Gossom, age 81, of Pine Bluff, died Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
Born Oct. 28, 1927 at Bastrop, La., he was a graduate of DeWitt High School. He served in the United States Navy and later the Army during World War II. His parents, Edward and Lula Gossom; brother, Edward Gossom, and sister Billie Rauls all predeceased him.
He retired from Weyerhaeuser Bag Plant and was a member of Meadowview Baptist Church.
Survivors: wife, Pauline Lackey Gossom; three daughters, Kim Williams (Tim) of Woodlawn, Diane Rhoden (Terry) of North Little Rock, Donna Simpson (Richard) of Hot Springs; sister, Stella Champion of Stuttgart; a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including Meghan and Trent Williams of Woodlawn.
Services: Tuesday, 11 a.m. at Fuller Hale-South Chapel, with visitation prior to service at 10 a.m. Graveside services: Tuesday, 2:30 p.m., Old DeWitt Cemetery at DeWitt.
Memorials: Meadowview Baptist Church, 7900 Middle Warren Road, Pine Bluff, Ark., 71603.
Online condolences: www.FullerFunerals.com
Bonnie Newton
Bonnie Ruth McLemore Newton, 83, of Pine Bluff died Friday at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff. She was born Feb. 5, 1925, in Lincoln County to the late Barney and Mary Gwatney Bell. She was a homemaker, a member of the Olive Branch Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, where she was also in the Senior Adult Ministry and a Gideon.
She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Clarence Fred McLemore Jr.; a son, David McLemore; a sister, Talmadge Conway; and a step-son, Tim Newton.
Survivors include her husband, Joe Newton Jr.; two sons, Charles McLemore and Roger McLemore, all of Pine Bluff; two step-sons, Joey Newton of Tulsa, Okla., Keith Newton of Blue Ridge, Ga.; two step-daughters, Diane Johnson of Pine Bluff and Marilyn Bates of Star City. Other survivors include a sister, Kathleen Johnson of Grady; four grandchildren, Michael McLemore of Wisconsin, Heather Austin of Pine Bluff, Wad McLemore of Kansas City, Mo., Ashleigh Williams of Little Rock; six step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and 11 step great-grandchildren.
Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Olive Branch Church in Pine Bluff with Bro. Roger Stewart officiating. Visitation is from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday at Olive Branch Baptist Church. Burial will be in Dark Corner Cemetery near Gould. In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Olive Branch Baptist Church or a charity of choice. Pallbearers will be Gary Atkinson, Jeff Farris, Ed Olmstead, Ward Hesselbein, John Clements and Mike Clements. Arrangements by Griffin Funeral Service in Star City.
Leato Walker Sr.
LITTLE ROCK — Bishop Leato Thomas Walker Sr. was the only child born to King Emmanuel Walker and Frankie Walker on Dec. 15, 1917, in Nashville, Ark. Bishop Walker was united in holy matrimony to Lottie Mae Jones on Aug. 1, 1944, and the day death departed them, marked 64 years, six months, one week, six days, seven hours and 20 minutes of marital bliss.
Bishop Walker was educated in the Little Rock public school system, graduating from Dunbar High School as the youngest in his class. He then attended Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Ark., where he received a bachelor of arts in theology and later attended ITC Theological Seminary, Atlanta, Ga., where he received a Doctorate of Divinity.
Bishop Walker was employed with Missouri Pacific Railroad for 19 years in the positions of accountant and union representative, before retiring to enter the ministry full time.
Bishop Walker was ordained as an Elder in the Church of God in Christ in 1948. He later served as Chairman of the Elder’s Council for Arkansas First Jurisdiction. Bishop Walker was consecrated as Bishop of First Arkansas Jurisdiction on Sept. 26, 1960. He was the last Bishop to have his Bishop’s credentials signed by our founding father, Bishop Charles Harrison Mason. At the time of his appointment, he was the youngest Bishop in College of Bishops.
Bishop Walker was a passionate and sought after civil leader who was recognized worldwide for his leadership skills and wisdom. He was a member of the Little Rock City Safety Commission, where he helped to formulate programs to address gang violence. He was a member of the NAACP and was instrumental in the establishment of Black Ministerial Alliance, Little Rock, Ark. He was also an establishing member of the United Christian Credit Union, which assisted low-income families and single parents secure loans. Bishop Walker’s spiritual counsel was sought during the Reagan and Clinton administrations and at the request of President Clinton, he attended and was a participant in the 1992 Presidential Inauguration ceremonies.
Bishop Walker chartered the accredited Charles Harrison Mason/L.T. Walker Bible College and School of Theology in Arkansas, which had a main campus and three satellite campuses.
Bishop Walker’s pastorage included East Jerusalem Church of God in Christ, Jackson Memorial Church of God in Christ, Walker’s Temple Church of God in Christ, Adam’s Temple Church of God in Christ, Faith Temple Church of God in Christ, Ebenezer Church of God in Christ, and Holy Temple Church of God in Christ which later became Holy Temple Cathedral Church of God in Christ where he served as pastor until God called him from labor to reward.
As prelate of Arkansas First Jurisdictional, Bishop Walker was overseer of 163 churches. Nationally, he served as Vice-chairman of the national Board of Bishops for 24 years and in 1996, he became chairman of the national Board of Bishops where he proudly served for 10 years until his retirement.
Bishop Walker will be sorely missed by citizens of the community of Little Rock, Ark., the members of Holy Temple Cathedral Church of God in Christ, the entire congregation of Arkansas First Jurisdiction, the Church of God in Christ family worldwide and countless others from around the nation.
Bishop Walker leaves to cherish the memories of his celebration of life, Mother Lottie M. Walker, his loving wife of 64 years; three sons, Elder Leato T. Walker Jr., (Mrs. Sandra Walker, Leato III, DeAndre and Serenity), Archie Walker and Caleb Walker; four daughters, Lydia Walker, Dr. Letha Walker-Richardson (Supt. Dr. Gerald Richardson, Lottie, Leah and LeGeraldyn), Missionary Lisa Walker M.ED (Lyndsey, Dwalisa and Thomas Wheeler) and Eddie Hayes; one sister, Adell Coulter; and two god-daughters, Dana Hervey and Ollie Anderson.
Bishop Walker has left a legacy that stands as a beacon of light of hope to people all over this nation.
Bishop Walker’s body will lie in state from 12 noon Monday until the Jurisdictional and local service at 7 p.m. that evening at the Holy Temple Cathedral Church of God in Christ, 1322 Pulaski St., Little Rock, Ark., 72204.
Then on Tuesday, Feb. 24, Bishop Walker’s body will lie in state from 10 a.m. until the National Service, which is at 12 noon at St. Mark Church, located 5722 W. 12th St., Little Rock, Ark., 72204. The International Bishop, Charles Blake of the Church of God in Christ Inc., will preside. You may also find additional information on the Church of God in Christ web page (www.cogic.org or www.cogic.com).
Both services are open to the public.
All expressions of kindness to the Walker family (cards, flowers, resolutions, etc.), can be sent to: Mother Lottie Walker, 2323 Chester St., Little Rock, Ark., 72206.
The services are entrusted to Christian Way Funeral Home, 1204 W. Fifth Ave., Pine Bluff, Ark., 71601, 870-536-2800.
Theresa Allbright
REDFIELD — Theresa Ann Allbright, 42, of Redfield, died Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center.
She was born July 21, 1966, in Worcester, Mass., daughter of the late Ronald and Kay Westberg Barry.
Survivors include her husband Terry Lee Allbright; daughter, Kimberly Marie Valentin of Redfield; son, Brad Lee Allbright of Redfield; step-daughter, Belinda Sue Allbright of Pine Bluff; step-son, Jaydee Robert Allbright, brother, William Barry, sister, Angela Ducimo, and step-sister April McIntyre, all of Worcester.
Graveside service: 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, at Jones Cemetery with Rev. Gary Akers officiating. Visitation: Monday, 4-6 p.m. at Robinson's.
Website: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com
DEWITT — Charles Reed of Dewitt died Saturday. Funeral arrangements will be announced by McKinzie/Wilson Funeral Home of Gould.
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Michael Lawrence Harrison, age 32, of Eau Claire, Wis., died Tuesday. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Fuller Hale-South Funeral Services of Pine Bluff.
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