Obituaries

DEATHS FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2009

Saturday, March 21, 2009 11:56 PM CDT

William Clemmons

Mr. William Hampton Clemmons Sr, 85 of Pine Bluff, died Wednesday, March 18. He was born in Almyra to the late John and Lettie Clemmons.

His survivors includes, wife, Jessie M. Clemmons of Pine Bluff; son, William Clemmons Jr., of Staten Island, N.Y.; daughters, Gloria Bradley, Olivia Stocker, and Joye Clemmons all of Pine Bluff; sisters, Ida Johnson of Idlewild, Mich., Nancy Weathersby of Denver, Colo., Lillie Turner of Chicago, Ill., and Thedora Trammell of Pine Bluff; 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Services : 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, at St. Paul Baptist Church by Reverend Lafayette Woods Sr.

Burial: Cedar Grove Section of Graceland Cemetery.

Visitation: 4:30-7 p.m. Monday with a family hour from 6-7 p.m.

The body will lie in state at the church from 1:15 p.m. until time of service.

The family will be at 3000 South Missouri Street, Pine Bluff, AR.

Richard Jamerson

Mr. Richard Lee Jamerson, 94 of Pine Bluff, died Wednesday, March 18. She was born in Minden, La., to the late Frank Jamerson and Velma Hollinger.

His survivors include: son, Donald James; daughters, Dorothy Green both of Pine Bluff, Ruth Bradforth and Virginia Jamerson of Cleveland, Ohio, Connie Dulaney, Cynthia Givens and Jasmine Jamerson all of Pine Bluff; 22 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Services: Tuesday, March 24, at New Birth Christian Church by Rev. Terry Brown at 11 a.m. Burial: Cypress Memorial Gardens.

Visitation: Monday from 5:30-7 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 911 Oakwood Road, Pine Bluff, AR.

Angela Parker

Angela Denise Parker, 31, Pine Bluff, departed this life March 19, 2009. She was a member of Greater Fellowship Ministries.

She leaves to cherish her memories: children, Dedrick, Cedrick Parker, Devall Montrell Smith; brothers, Carl Nelson, Jihad Muhammad.

Funeral: Monday 11 a.m. at Greater Fellowship Ministries, Pine Bluff, eulogy by Bishop Esau Watson Jr.

Services entrusted to Robinson Mortuary 1201 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Little Rock (501) 371-0111.

Ramona Postweiler

Ramona Goodwin Postweiler, 80, of Pine Bluff, Ark., died Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at Arkansas Convalescent Center.

She was born Nov. 16, 1928, in Truman, Ark., to Charley and Ira Pope Goodwin.

She was reared and educated in Truman.

Mrs. Postweiler had worked as a production operator and inspector for Illinois Toolworks.

Survivors include her husband, Jacob Postweiler, whom she married on Sept. 1, 1949, in Cook County, Ill.

There are no services scheduled at this time.

The family was assisted by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors.

www.ralphrobinsonandson.com

Loy Scott

Loy Opal Scott, 88, of Pine Bluff, Ark., died Friday, March 20, 2009, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center.

She was born July 13, 1920, in Lincoln County to Bart and Grace Cline Carter.

Mrs. Scott was reared and educated in Star City, graduating from Star City High School. She also attended Arkansas A&M.

Mrs. Scott had worked as a secretary at Jefferson County Adult Education before retiring in 1986.

She was a member of South Side Baptist Church.

Mrs. Scott enjoyed her Sunday School Class and her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, T. J. Scott, whom she married on Feb. 2, 1946, in Pine Bluff; her parents; and four brothers.

Survivors include a daughter, Deborah Scott Smart of Pine Bluff; two sons, T. J. Scott, Jr., of White Hall, Michael L. Scott of Montgomery, Alabama; three sisters, Bobbie Reynolds of Star City, Gertrude McGehee of Star City, Joy Rupe of Augusta; a brother, Winford Carter of Santee, South Carolina; thirteen grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren.

Visitation: 2-4 p.m., Sunday at Robinson's.

Services: 3 p.m. Monday, March 23, 2009, Ralph Robinson & Son chapel, with Dr. Ed Gillham officiating.

Burial will follow in Holly Springs Cemetery, near Star City.

Memorials may be made to South Side Baptist Church, 2309 South Poplar, Pine Bluff, AR 71601.

Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com

Herman Griffey

FAYETTEVILLE — Herman A. Griffey, Jr., 90, a resident of Fayetteville, and formerly of Pine Bluff, died Thursday, March 19, 2009, at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Fayetteville.

Born Jan. 22, 1919, in Lewisville, Ark., he was a son of Herman A. Griffey, Sr. and Effie Mae Garvey Griffey. He and his family moved to Pine Bluff in 1922.

Mr. Griffey was reared and received his early education in Pine Bluff. He was a graduate of Pine Bluff High School. Herman Anthony Griffey, Jr. married Wava Barfield in Star City, on April 30, 1938. Mr. Griffey was a United States Army veteran of World War II.

Mr. Griffey was a conductor for the Cotton Belt Railroad, retiring in 1982, after 43 years of service. He was a member of Belair Presbyterian Church, a church board member, and past church treasurer.

Mr. Griffey was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Wava Barfield Griffey; one daughter, Linda Lou Griffey Romine; one son, Thomas A. Griffey.

Survivors include one son, Michael Anthony Griffey of Fayetteville; five grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren.

There will be no formal visitation, but Mr. Griffey will lie in state at Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors, Sunday, March 22, 2009.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, March 23, 2009, in the Chapel of Ralph Robinson & Son with Reverend John Shell officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com

Joshua Currier

MONTICELLO — Joshua Michael Currier, 14 of Monticello, died Friday.

Joshua was an 8th-grade student at Drew Central High School.

Survived by his father, Michael Rodger Currier; mother, Shelia McClellan Currier; brother, Jason McClellan; grandparents, Vera McClellan, Ken Currier, Ron and Lola Westfall.

Funeral services: 2 p.m. Monday at Macedonia Free Will Baptist Church in New Edinburg with burial in Reaves Cemetery.

Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Sunday, and Monday from noon until service time at the church.

Arrangements by Buie Funeral Home of Rison (870)325-6216. Please sign the online guestbook at www.buiefuneralhome.com.

Maurine Collins

STAR CITY — Maurine Newton Collins, 86 of Star City, died Friday at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff. She was born Aug. 9, 1922, in Cornerville to the late, Homer Fred and Lois Farmer Newton. She was a homemaker, and a member of the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church at Palmyra.

She was also preceded in death by her husband, Walter C. “Mutt” Collins, one brother, Roy Ewell Newton, and three sisters, Lavon Sladyen, Sue Branscomb and Margarite Newton.

Survivors include a son, Ronald Collins and wife Belinda of Richmond, Va.; two daughters, Phyllis Gail Ridgeway and husband Wayne of Star City, and Sandra Wright and husband Paul of Rison. Other survivors include a brother, Clinton Newton of Cornerville; three sisters, Oneita Souheaver of Little Rock, LaNelle Morgan of Monticello, Jean Carolyn May of Greenbrier; four grandchildren, Michael Blasengame, Anthony Wright, Ronald Collins Jr., Joshua Collins; and three great-grandchildren, Jared Blasengame, Lora Collins and Ronald Collins III.

Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Griffin Funeral Chapel in Star City, with Bro. John Marlar officiating. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Palmyra Cemetery. Arrangements by Griffin Funeral Service in Star City.

Frank Lightfoot

Frank F. Lightfoot, 70, of White Hall, died Friday, March 20, 2009, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Ark.

Frank was born Dec. 22, 1938, in Little Rock, son of the late Thomas William and Mary Beryl Hatton Lightfoot. He was reared and received his early education in Van Buren, graduating from Van Buren High School, where he fondly served as sports editor of the school newspaper and his love for journalism began. He attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Westark Community College (now the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. While attending college, Frank also served in the United States Air Force Reserve.

Upon entering the newspaper business at the age of 14, Frank first served as a "printer’s devil" for the Press Argus in Van Buren. For the next 13 years, he held various positions as reporter, sports editor and managing editor at the Fort Chaffee Reveille, Paragould Daily Press, Fort Smith Times Record, Rogers Daily News, Arkansas Gazette, and Denton (Texas) Record-Chronicle. In 1970, Frank returned to Arkansas as Sports Editor of the Pine Bluff Commercial. During his 15-year tenure with the Commercial, he also served as Managing Editor. Stepping out of the journalism field briefly, Frank was Vice President of Marketing and later Interim Director of the Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce from 1985-86 and then Specialty Administrator of the Chemical Dependency Treatment Center at Jefferson Regional Medical Center until 1989.

In 1989, Frank had the opportunity to return to journalism and fulfill a lifelong dream to own a newspaper. He and his late wife of 29 years, Sarah Silence Lightfoot, formed Forest Communicators, Inc., and purchased the White Hall Journal March 31, 1989. For the next 18 years, he proudly served as President and Publisher of The Journal. Forest Communicators also proudly published the Arsenal Sentinel for the Pine Bluff Arsenal. After over 50 years in the newspaper business, Frank retired in September of 2007.

Frank actively participated in the Arkansas Press Association for many years, serving as President, chairman of the 125th APA Anniversary Committee and board member. In addition, he was a board member of the national Associated Press Sports Editors Association and was the Southwest United States representative of APSE.

In addition to his journalism career, Frank was very active in the community. He served as a board member of the White Hall Chamber of Commerce for 3 years, Tournament Operations committee member for King Cotton Sports, Inc., Media Coordinator for more than ten Babe Ruth Baseball World Series across North America, and advisory board member of the Southeast Arkansas Livestock, Fair and Rodeo. He was a graduate of Leadership White Hall and returned as an instructor for the program. A member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Pine Bluff, he served as past Vestry member, Junior Warden and Acolyte Master.

Most notable among Frank’s numerous accomplishments, was receiving the 2008 W. F. "Jack" Moody Volunteer Award from the White Hall Chamber of Commerce for his overall contributions to the White Hall community and the Arkansas Press Association’s Golden 50 Award recognizing 50-plus years in the journalism field.

Frank enjoyed traveling, camping with friends, woodworking, and of course, perusing newspapers from all over the country. He was an avid supporter of the Arkansas Razorbacks and the White Hall Bulldogs and particularly looked forward to "March Madness" at the end of each college basketball season.

Most important to Frank was spending time with the family he loved so much, especially his wife, Jeanette Bradshaw-Lightfoot, whom he married Sept. 5, 1992; his four sons, Frank F. Lightfoot II and wife, Donna, of Dallas, Texas, Joseph A. Lightfoot and wife, Allison, of Lafayette, La., Buddy Smith of White Hall and Brian Smith of Chicago, Ill.; his two daughters, Sherri Lewis and husband, Charles, of Ft. Worth, Texas and Jeanine Hatfield and husband, Patrick, of Cheney, Kan.; his brother, Thomas H. Lightfoot, of Springdale, Ark.; his cousin, Barbara Lightfoot Allison and husband, Robert, of Overland Park, Kan.; his thirteen grandchildren, Trey, Bailey, Lexi, Kaleb, Brennan, Cooper, Roni, Joshua, Samuel, Abby, Stephanie, Jason and Scott; and other special family members, including Judy Parker of White Hall.

Funeral services: 2 p.m. Monday, March 23 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 703 West 3rd Avenue, Pine Bluff with the Rev. Dr. Walter Van Zandt Windsor officiating. A reception will be held prior to the service at 1 p.m. in the church’s Parish Hall. Burial: Graceland Cemetery by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors. Visitation: Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Home, 807 Cherry Street, Pine Bluff.

The family requests that gifts/memorials be made in Frank’s honor to White Hall High School, 700 Bulldog Drive, White Hall, AR 71602 for the Frank F. Lightfoot Memorial Scholarship fund.

Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com

Carl Kelley

TULSA — Carl Brewster ‘CB’ Kelley, 58, formerly of Pine Bluff, died in Tulsa, Okla. He was born June 16, 1950, in Pine Bluff, Ark., to the late Alfred Kelley and Pauline Tatum Kelley Martin. He attended Watson Chapel Schools. He was an auto body shop worker and had worked for Smart Body Shop.

He is survived by: daughter, Briana (husband Nick) Summerlin and granddaughter, Kate Summerlin; son, Brad Kelley all of Fayetteville, Ark.; brothers, Danny Kelley of Mountain View, Ark., Larry (wife Charlotte) Kelley of Star City, Ark.; sisters, Geraldine (husband Jimmy) Davis, Aline (husband Roy) Harrison, Sue (husband Dale) Davis, and Barbara (husband Steve) Lay, all of Pine Bluff, Ark.

Graveside services was at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, 2009, at Cedar Branch Cemetery with Bro. Bobby Bass officiating. Funeral arrangements are by Cranford Funeral Home of White Hall.

Simon Allen, 73, of Pine Bluff died Friday at St. Vincent infirmary Medical Center Little Rock. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Perry Funeral Home.

Alfonso Royal, 91, of Pine Bluff died Saturday, March 21, 2009, at JRMC. Arrangements will be announced by Brown Funeral Home of Pine Bluff.

Jessie Collier Jr., 55, of Wabbaseka, Ark., died Friday at his home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Perry Funeral Home.

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