Pulaski County

JOSEPH H. “JOE” McCAIN, Little Rock, died July 19 following earlier cardiac surgery. Parents were the late Isaac & Mary McCain (Marianna, Ark.). Survived by sister, Mary Nell Meyer, nephew, Jasper Fant and wife Danita, great-niece, Lorelai, and friend/ roommate, James Land (all of Little Rock). Preceding deaths were parents and brother-in-law, A.J. Meyer.

Joe attended UofA (Fayetteville), was President of Kappa Sigma XI Chapter. He graduated UT (Austin), living in Dallas before settling in Little Rock in 1996. Joe’s AFLAC career spanned 18 years; ranking Top 10 every year, winning #1 State Associate multiple times, qualifying for President’s Club, and numerous other awards.

Services Tuesday 11 a.m., Oak Forest UMC, 2415 Fair Park, Little Rock, followed by celebratory gathering 8324 Reymere, Little Rock.

Memorials to American Heart Association or Aflac Cancer/Blood Disorders Center (http://www. choa.org/childrens-hospital-services/ Obit/guestbook www.rosewoodcremation.com.

––––– ––––– WILLIAM H. McDORMAN, Sherwood, born December 1942, passed away July 20, 2014. He was a member of Sylvan Hills Church of Christ.

He is preceded in death by parents, William and Nezzie McDorman; siblings, Tommy McDorman, Robert McDorman, Mary Ella Barnes, and Lawana Collins. William is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marylan McDorman. He is also survived by children, Dana Louise Powell and William Keith McDorman; grandchildren, William Anthony McDorman and Sarah McDorman, all of Sherwood; sister, Francis Brackeen (Donald) of Holliday, Texas; sister-in-law, Mary Ruple of Sherwood; nieces, Gwen Beason of Sherwood and Mary Ann Carrington of Pine Bluff.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, July 23 at Sylvan Hills Church of Christ. Service to follow at 11 a.m. at the church. Interment will be 11 a.m., Friday at Arkansas 71, 20, State Veteran’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sylvan Hills Church of Christ or Arkansas Hospice. www. arkansasfuneralcare.com.

––––– ––––– GENE D. SLAYTON JR., 78, of North Little Rock, passed away Sunday, July 20, 2014. He was retired from Molex as a tool crib attendant and was a member of North Hills Baptist Church. Gene wrote poetry and had a book published in 2007.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Bobbie Slayton; two sons, Gene “Hook” Slayton III and Jerry Slayton, all of North Little Rock; daughter, Cathy Justice (Joe) of Houston, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Ashley Slayton, Amiee Anderson, Alexis Anderson and Madilynn Slayton; and a host of family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gene and Muriel Slayton; sister, Joan Adams; and daughterin-law, Lisa Slayton.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at North Hills Baptist Church. Arrangements by North Little Rock Funeral Home. Online obituary and guest registry at www.SmithFamilyCares.com.

––––– ––––– MILDRED LEE (ALDRIDGE) SPEARS passed away Sunday, July 20, 2014, peacefully in her sleep while surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Ambrose Spears, parents Annie Louise (Robinson) Aldridge and Robert Calaway Aldridge, brothers Willis, Ashley, and C.L. Aldridge, and sisters Bertha Mix, Geneva Aller, Suvilla Cummings, Sylvia Hooks, and Reva Langrell.

She is survived by daughter Janis Prater (Calvin), grandchildren Shannon Keener (Kevin) and Todd Prater (Alicia), great-grandchildren Alexandria, Whitney, Mason and Maddie, sister Robbie Moon (Wally), many nieces and nephews, and countless others including extended family, church family, neighbors and friends.

She was the fifth of ten children, born during World War I. During her long and fruitful life, she experienced the Great Depression, as well as every war in the remaining years of the 20th century. She married her husband, Frank Spears in 1937 at the ripe age of 19, and before that was considered an “old maid”. She was a faithful Southern Baptist, studied her bible daily, and taught Sunday school to both children and adults for over sixty years. She attended Crystal Valley Baptist Church with her husband, but after he passed moved her membership to 47th Street Baptist Church, where she was a member until her death. She was a proud, founding member of the Golden Rule Sunday School class, which she taught until her eyesight became too poor to study her lesson plans.

She was an excellent cook, and in addition to helping her husband run the family farm, she worked for Pulaski County Special School District in the cafeteria of Oak Grove High School, feeding generations of students, from 1965 until she retired in 1989. In her spare time, she cared for her extended family members, and many nieces and nephews. She donated time to her churches, always preparing dishes for potlucks, helping with Vacation Bible School, and visiting those who were sick, hospitalized, or unable to attend church services.

Her greatest love was her family. She was always cooking big dinners, including fabulous desserts, taking care of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, canning fruits and vegetables, making jelly, rolls and divinity, for which she was famous. She showed love to her friends and family by making pies for their special occasions. She was lovingly known as “Granny” to family and friends alike. Before macular degeneration took her eyesight, she studied her bible daily and spent time gardening, feeding the birds and squirrels, and sitting on her deck enjoying the majesty of God’s creation.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday at North Little Rock Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mayflower Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the American Cancer Society, or to the 47th St. Baptist Church in her honor. Online obituary at www. SmithFamilyCares.com.

––––– ––––– BLANCHE MORRISON WARD, 85, died July 21, 2014. What began at age 16 as a switchboard operator in 1946 in Dermott, Arkansas, became a life-long dedication for Blanche. Even her retirement in 1986 failed to dampen her affection and support for Southwestern Bell and then AT&T and all the people she mentored through the years. She rapidly moved up the career ladder becoming a Service Representative in 1957, then Business Office Supervisor in 1960. She was named manager in Morrilton and Conway for SWB in 1972 where in 1974, she was instrumental in ending the 8-party system and installed the first touch-tone phone in Conway. In 1978, she was the first woman named to the Conway Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. In 1979, she moved back to Little Rock to become the District Staff Supervisor for Installment and Repair, breaking the glass ceiling for the women of Arkansas. She is remembered for her “no-nonsense, no whining, get things done” style of management. Along with this approach, she was enormously protective and supportive of those she supervised, and many of them became her closest friends. To her last days, she was both appreciative and loyal to AT&T. She was a pioneer for women in management and for a lifestyle of women working and excelling outside of the home as well as inside.

Her protective nature was even more evident when it came to family. Her two daughters, Peggy Davis Pryor (husband Cactus, deceased) of Austin, Texas, and Patricia Davis Norris (husband Art) of Little Rock were at the heart of her being. Of course, their children were heirs to that devoted attention. Peggy’s son Stuart Davis Clark of Lampasas, Texas, and Patricia’s two sons Jason Bulloch of Redfield and Joshua Bulloch (deceased) were treated to her endless affection and concern. She was overjoyed by her great-grandchildren. Stuart and wife Julie provided her with Kevin and Michael, and Jason and wife Kim brought Jessi Hall and Olivia Bulloch to her.

Blanche was born in 1929 to Claude and Lovester Morrison in Dermott, Ark. She was preceded in death by one brother, Windell Morrison (wife Sylvia) and one sister, Becky Davis (husband Cleo, also deceased), both of Dermott. She is survived by two sisters, Joyce Hall, (husband Randall) of Mablevale and Betty Lou Connard (husband Eugene) of Lake City and one brother, Larry Morrison (wife Wanda) of Rocky Face, Georgia. Blanche was married to: Dean Davis, the father of her daughters; Dee Hartwick; and Gerald Ward.

During the years of marriage to Dean and after, the members of the Davis family became additional brothers and sisters to Blanche. Her love of family grew as it incorporated Dee’s and Gerald’s families. Gerald’s sons Joe Ward (wife Diane) of Conway, Jerry Don Ward, deceased, (wife Sharon) of Damascus; Tracy Ward, deceased, (wife Patricia) of Russellville all became dear to her as did their combined eight children and nine grandchildren.

Blanche was endowed with a sense of JOY that could not be defeated. She had a very strong drive for hard work and accomplishment, but it was also enormously important to have fun. She had an infectious laugh, and her humor was often directed at herself. Her joy was contagious, and life was easier and more enjoyable around her. She lived as she believed: hard work, fun, honesty, fair treatment. Summing words, among others, are: dedicated, loyal, fun, joyous, protective, confident, aware, loving. The world is a better place because of Blanche. Her family and friends will celebrate her long after her passing and this time of mourning.

There are no words to express adequately the gratitude the family holds for her loving caregivers. Blanche was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. To honor that, the family requests no flowers but rather memorial donations to either the Democratic Party of Arkansas, 1300 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72201, www.arkdems.org or Hospice Homecare at 14 Parkstone Circle, North Little Rock, Arkansas, 72116.

There will be a visitation at Ruebel Funeral Home on Tuesday, July 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. and a funeral service Wednesday, July 23 at 2 p.m. at Ruebel Funeral Home, 6313 W. Markham, Little Rock, followed by interment at Crestlawn Memorial Park, Hwy. 64 East, Conway. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.