Obituaries

DEATHS FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2009

Wednesday, April 8, 2009 9:05 AM CDT

Sarah Mathews

FAYETTEVILLE — Sarah Margaret Williams Mathews, 87, of Fayetteville died Friday.

Survivors include one daughter, Sally Mathews of Fayetteville; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. today in Lost Creek Cemetery at Sheridan. Arrangements are by Memorial Gardens Funeral Home of Sheridan.

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until time of service today at the funeral home.

Tennessee Ladd

GRADY — Mrs. Tennessee Ladd, 75, of Grady died, April 2, 2009.

She was born to the late Neal and Willie S. Lewis.

Survivors: daughter, Elizabeth Lewis; sons, Elder Johnny Lee (Louise) Williams, both of Grady, and Jimmy L. Ladd Jr. of Radcliff, Ky.; brothers, Thomas Lewis of Grady and J.T. Lewis of Little Rock; sisters, Lula Ashley, Lue Ella (James) Jones, Helen (Earl) West, all of Grady, Clara R. Lewis of Little Rock; 13 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Services, Thursday, April 9, 2009, at Damascus MBC in Grady at 11 a.m., where Rev. Robert Scott pastors and Elder Johnny Lee Williams officiating. Burial will be in Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Varner.

Visitation is today from 5-7 p.m. at Pine Bluff Mortuary Co, 1001 E. Sixth Ave., Pine Bluff.

Merlene Schlafman

MABELVALE — Merlene Shelby Schlafman, age 75, of Mabelvale, Ark., died Monday, April 6, 2009, at her home.

She was born in Herbine, Ark., on July 10, 1933, to her late parents, Austin and Inez Holderfield Shelby.

She attended Rison High School and played basketball for the Rison Wildcats. She later moved to Little Rock and went to work for Union National Bank, where she retired. She went on to get her beautician and instructors license and owned and operated her own beauty shop. Merlene worked part-time following retirement and was a housewife. Merlene married Ralph Schlafman on June 5, 1971.

She is preceded in death by her parents, one brother and one sister, and one son, Freddy Schlafman.

She is survived by her husband of 37 years, Ralph Schlafman; five children, Randy Gill, Donnie Gill (Emily), Pam Finney (David), Dwain Schlafman (Cindy) and Deanna Ashton (Chris); three sisters, Opal Spakes (George) of Pine Bluff, Barbara Attwood (Jim Ed) of Rison, Ark.; and Frankie McCullough of Pine Bluff; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.

She was a very loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She always put everyone else first before herself. She will be truly missed by all who loved her.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m., Thursday, April 9, 2009, at the Bryant United Methodist Church with Rev. Todd-Paul R. Taulbee and Hospice Chaplain Brad Vaden officiating.

A graveside service will be 3 p.m. at Prosperity Cemetery in Rison, Ark., following the morning service.

Visitation will be 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at Griffin Leggett Forest Hills Funeral Home, 10200 Highway 5 North, Alexander, Ark.. (501) 455-1067.

To sign the online guest book please visit www.griffinleggettforesthills.com

Memorials may be made to Arkansas Hospice and or Easter Seals of Little Rock.

Banita Pertuis

STAR CITY — Banita Ann “Bonnie” Pertuis, 67, of Star City, died Monday at her home.

She was born Sept. 25, 1941, in Bluffton, Ark.

Survivors include one son, James Mason Pertuis Jr. and wife, Debe of Star City; two daughters, Brenda Cheryl Stafford of Hamburg and Melissa Victoria Pertuis and friend, Steve Brantley of Monticello; one brother, Billy Ray Summit of Rohwer; two sisters, Judith Karen Fordyce of Mountain Home and Kathy Lynne Lugo of Star City; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Thursday at the Dark Corner Christian Church. Burial in Dark Corner Cemetery by Stephenson-Dearman.

Visitation: 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Anna Henley

WARREN — Anna Lea Holcomb Henley, 83, of Warren, formerly of McGehee, died Saturday at Bradley County Medical Center at Warren.

She was born Aug. 24, 1925, at Malvern, a daughter of the late Reaves Allen Holcomb and Olivia Edgin Holcomb.

Survivors include two sons, Joe Henley and Mike Henley; one sister, Mae Sawyer; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. today in McGehee Cemetery. Arrangements are by Griffin Funeral Service of McGehee.

Samuel Owney Sr., 90, of Pine Bluff died Monday at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Perry Funeral Home.

CARTHAGE — Paul Watkins Jr., 59, of Carthage died Tuesday at St. Joseph Hospital in Hot Springs. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Brown-Williams Funeral Home of Fordyce.

MEMPHIS — Darlys Hill, 84, of Memphis, formerly of Pine Bluff, died Tuesday. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors.

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