Obituaries
DEATHS FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 11:03 AM CST
Richard Martin
DERMOTT — Richard Matthew Martin, 66, of Dermott died Sunday at his home.
He was born May 10, 1942, at Minden, La., a son of the late Michael Martin and Alice Sevell Martin.
Survivors include his wife, Elma Cooper Martin; one son, Michael Martin; two daughters, Connie Martin and Anita Williams; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Griffin Funeral Service at McGehee. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in New Ramah Cemetery at Haynesville, La.
Ellen McConnell
DUMAS — Ellen Faye Ingle McConnell, 78, of Dumas, Ark., born June 28, 1930, in Scott County, Ark., the daughter of the late Herman and Clora Ingle.
She was a member of Dark Corner Christian Church, retired nurse. She died Feb. 21.
Services held 2 p.m., today, Feb. 24, Griffin Funeral Home Chapel, Rev. Larry Wilkerson officiating, followed by burial in Dark Corner Cemetery.
Survivors: two sons, Bruce and Keith McConnell; two daughters, Linda Forrest and Cathy Sledge; brother, Daniel Ingle; and three sisters, Viori Ingle, Betty Morris and Susie Ingle; 15 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Arrangements: Griffin Funeral Home, Dumas, Ark.
Charles Yarbrough
MARION — Charles Winford Yarbrough, 59, of Marion, formerly of Pine Bluff, died Wednesday at his home.
Survivors include one brother, Odell Yarbrough of Blytheville; and one sister, Judy Mathews of Marion.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Hardin Cemetery at Pine Bluff. Arrangements are by Wolfe Brothers Funeral Home at West Memphis.
Jewell Cobbs
MONTICELLO — Jewell Cobbs, 87, of Monticello died Thursday at his home.
He was a son of the late General Cobbs and Mittie Binns Cobbs.
He was retired and was an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include one daughter, LaQuita Taylor of St. Louis; three stepchildren, Wilie Marie Baxter of St. Louis, Frankie Williams and Lloyd Rainey, both of Chicago; and eight stepgrandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Tabor Baptist Church with the Rev. Michael Binns officiating. Burial will be in Wilmar Cemetery.
Mary Vining
MONTICELLO — Mary Hayes Vining, 57, of Monticello passed away Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, at JRMC in Pine Bluff.
She was born April 24, 1951, in Monticello.
Survivors include her husband, Charles “Chuck” Vining of Monticello; one daughter, Candi Lawson and husband David of Monticello; one stepdaughter, Tina Hough of Memphis, Tenn.; her mother, Christine McGough Sipes of Monticello; her stepfather, Ivon Sipes of Monticello; one brother, Rev. Carl Hayes and wife, Molly of Watson, Ark.; two sisters, Jeannie Bray of Idabell, Okla., and Joyce Chandler and husband, Jim of Greenville, N.C.; four grandsons, one granddaughter.
Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Union Ridge Cemetery. Arrangements by Stephenson-Dearman.
Visitation 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Dennis Decker
STAR CITY — Dennis Allen Decker, 75, of Star City died Saturday.
He was born Nov. 20, 1933, at Copeland, Kan., a son of the late Alfred and Alice Koehn Decker.
Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Giesbrecht Decker; son, Weston Decker; daughter, Lois Smith; brother, Fred Decker; sisters, Velma Schmidt, Lillian Schmidt, LaNora Decker and Bonnie Jackson; and five grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Three Rivers Mennonite Church near Dumas. Burial will be in Three Rivers Church Cemetery by Griffin Funeral Service at Star City.
Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. today at the church.
Caldonia Washington
WABBASEKA — Mrs. Caldonia Henderson Washington, 81, of Wabbaseka died Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009.
She was born in Wabbaseka to the late Fred Henderson and Gertrude Hill.
Her survivors include sons, Cal Washington and Frank Washington Jr., both of Pine Bluff, Walter Washington of Wabbaseka, and Paul Washington of Minneapolis, Minn.; daughters, Margaret Taylor of Pine Bluff, Daphne Reed of Wabbaseka and Marilyn Smith of Altheimer; 21 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.
Her services will be Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, at Second Baptist Church in Wabbaseka. Burial will be in Wabbaseka.
Visitation is today from 5:30-7 p.m., with a family hour from 6-7 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.
The body will lie in state at the church from 10:15 a.m. until time of service.
The family will be at 102 N. Second St., Wabbaseka, Ark.
Reba Gates
WARREN — Reba Loomis Gates, 87, of Warren died Sunday at Bradley County Medical Center.
She was born Aug. 20, 1921, in Bradley County, a daughter of the late Emmit Loomis and Idella Davidson Loomis.
Survivors include two daughters, Mable Williams of Warren and Sherry Russell of Wilmar; one sister, Jewell St. John of Fordyce; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Frazer’s Funeral Home at Warren. Burial will be in McFarland Cemetery at Banks.
Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Michael Harrison
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Michael Lawrence Harrison, age 32, of Eau Claire, Wis., died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009.
Born June 29, 1976, in Washington, D.C., he attended Bryant & Stratton College and graduated from Hampton University. He was a sales representative for The Charlton Group.
Survivors include his wife, LaKeisha Martin Harrison, whom he married on May 10, 2008, at Fayetteville, Ark.; his mother, Mary Lou Harrison Knight; his father, Varis Lavon Knight; maternal grandmother who raised him, Louise Harrison; paternal grandmother, Mary Knight; two brothers, Ernest Knight and Lawrence Knight; three sisters, Armetria Knight Charles, Felicia Harrison, and Rhia Knight; and his father- and mother-in-law, James and Phyllis Martin of Pine Bluff.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, 2 p.m. at Damascus Missionary Baptist Church at Pine Bluff with Rev. Lavara Henry officiating. Arrangements are by Fuller Hale-South Funeral Services.
Visitation will be today from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Online condolences: www.FullerFunerals.com
Billye Shepherd
RALEIGH, N.C. — Billye Dawn Shepherd, 44, of Raleigh, N.C., died peacefully at her home on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009, following a courageous 2-1/2 year battle with cancer.
Billye lived her life with a passion for others. Her true calling was being a devoted wife and dedicated mother to her two children. She never met a stranger, and had the unique ability to be a genuine friend. Whether it was a family celebration, a charity event, or a school party, she was always a gracious hostess. Even during her illness, Billye was focused on making everyone around her comfortable as they traveled to spend time with her and her family. Her ever present energy and ability to “brighten a room” will truly be missed, but never forgotten.
Billye is survived by her husband of 16 years, David Shepherd, 42, of Raleigh; daughter, Morgan Shepherd, 8, and son, Jack Shepherd, 4. Additional survivors include her parents, Bill and Diane Borutta of Lake Ozark, Mo.; sister, Linda Messing of Acworth, Ga.; brother, Jeff Borutta and wife, Darcy Borutta of Keller, Texas; brother, Dan Borutta of The Colony, Texas; mother-in-law, Carol Shepherd of Broken Arrow, Okla.; father-in-law, Ron Shepherd and wife, Geralyn Mason Shepherd of Springfield, Mo.; brother-in-law, Greg Shepherd and wife, Felicia Shepherd of Olive Branch, Miss.; sisters-in-law, Jennifer Keller (Shepherd) and husband, Jason Keller of Skiatook, Okla.; Angela Birmingham (Shepherd) and husband, Brian Birmingham of Springfield, Mo.; and Lindsay Shepherd of Tulsa, Okla. Billye is also survived by a host of uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces and cousins.
Billye was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Waymon and Una Springfield of Thayer, Mo.; paternal grandparents, Herman and Lorraine Borutta of Osage Beach, Mo.
Billye was born on Nov. 22, 1964, in Springfield, Mo. She graduated from Hallsville (Mo.) High School in 1983. Billye earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock in 1995. Billye worked as senior vice president for Lenders Mortgage in Pine Bluff and Hot Springs, Ark., during her business career. She spent the last five years at home raising her children.
A visitation will be held Friday, Feb. 27, at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home in Springfield, Mo., beginning at 6 p.m. with a service following at 7 p.m. Burial will be held on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 10 a.m. at Rivermonte Memorial Gardens in Springfield, Mo. Following the burial, there will be a reception at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Hall in Springfield, Mo.
A visitation and funeral mass were held earlier in Cary, N.C.
Acknowledgment goes to David’s employer, International Paper, for the company’s incredible support for the entire family throughout Billye’s illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Billye’s memory to the American Cancer Society.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.brownwynne.com.
W.K. Batts of Pine Bluff died Monday at Davis Life Care Center. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Henson Mortuary.
Vashtie Mays, 95, of Pine Bluff died Sunday. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.
Carrie Richard, 86, of Pine Bluff died Monday. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.
LITTLE ROCK — Bobby Thomas, 50, of Little Rock died Sunday at Baptist Health Medical Center. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Christian Way Funeral Home at Pine Bluff.
SHERRILL — Johnny Washington, 64, of Sherrill died Sunday at home. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Christian Way Funeral Home at Pine Bluff.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Frances Borkins, 80, of Oklahoma City died Friday. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.
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