Pulaski County
KEITH ALLEN FREELS, 45, of Jacksonville, died March 11, 2018. He was born on September 11, 1972, in Little Rock. Survived by son, Josh Freels; sister, Rhonda Buffington; three brothers, Randall Freels, John Freels, and Tony Freels. Cremation arrangements are by Cremation Services of Arkansas 501-313-5431, www.cremationservicesofarkansas.com.
CALVIN ENNIS HAGAN was born on New Year’s Eve 1927 in his parents’ home in Clearpoint, Ark. He went home to be with his Savior and Heavenly Father on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018.
He is preceded in death by the love of his life and wife of 63 years, Betsy Heath Hagan, as well as his parents Chester and Desie Hagan; his brother, Crandall Hagan; two sisters, Elizabeth Hagan Smith and Deloris Hagan Vickers; as well as a great-granddaughter, Meryn Grace McCall.
He is survived by daughter Debbie Hagan, son Merlin (Bubba) Hagan (Rita), daughter Shelley Hagan Newkirk (Chris), and sister Maylene (LJ) Carter. He is also survived by grandchildren Joanna Hagan McCall (Adam), Heath Hagan (Brittney), Natalie Newkirk Welchman (Zach), Drake Newkirk (Hannah), Dakota Newkirk, and Dillan (Emily) Newkirk. Also surviving him are great-grandchildren Carter Hagan, Lucas McCall, Walker McCall, Laney Kate Hagan, Channing Hagan, Cayden Hagan, and Emery McCall.
Calvin’s childhood began in Clearpoint, Ark. It was an area just outside of Stuttgart that was composed of the Hagans’ three bedroom house and a one room schoolhouse. The house had no electricity, and no running water; the toilet was an outhouse in the backyard. His family lived there until he was in the seventh grade and they moved into Stuttgart, Ark. Calvin was not a good student; he often joked that he liked the third and ninth grades so well he repeated them twice. At the age of 21, he graduated from Stuttgart High School with 16 F’s on his high school diploma. He was, however, an excellent athlete, and Magnolia A & M (which is now Southern Arkansas University) offered him full scholarships in football and baseball. Thinking he could pass academically, he decided to go to radio school instead. He borrowed money from his grandmother for the tuition, and he and his friend hitchhiked back and forth every day for a week to Little Rock. At the end of that week, he had a job pumping gas at a service station at 8th and Broadway, a job washing dishes at Moore’s Cafeteria from 11 to 1 for his noon meal, and a room at the YMCA. Six months before he was to graduate from radio school, a new thing called television came along and the radio school added additional classes covering TV, as well as an additional tuition of $300. He didn’t have any money and his grandmother didn’t have any more money she could loan him, so he dropped out of radio school. Merlin Moore, owner of Moore’s cafeteria offered him a full time job, and taught him the food business.
In 1951 he joined the National Guard to avoid being drafted. Two weeks later, his unit was called to active duty and he served the next year and a half in Korea as a Master Sergeant in charge of all the meat for the base. In 1956, Calvin was promoted to manager of Moore’s Cafeteria, and Merlin Moore died later that year. He agreed to stay on until a buyer was found three years later.
In 1962, he became an agent for Southland Life Insurance Company, and 17 months later was named state sales manager for the company. Calvin stayed with Southland Life until 1979, when he founded Hagan Financial Services.
Calvin served on many charitable, civic, and religious organization boards. In 1975, he was asked to serve on the Board of Trustees of Baptist Hospital; six of those years he was a trustee and was a member of the Baptist Corporation Board until his death. He served on the board of Parkway Village for 20 years, and was Chairman of the Board of Baptist Medical Systems for two years. He was asked to serve on the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Foundation Board, whose purpose was to raise money to train preachers and missionaries. He started a golf tournament that now annually raises over $100,000 for the Seminary.
During his time as President of the Downtown Lions Club, Father Tribou of Catholic High School was their guest speaker. In comparing Catholic High to public schools, Father Tribou made the statement that public schools trained their students for tomorrow, while Catholic High trained its students for tomorrow, or eternity should it come tomorrow. At the time, he was President of the School Board at Pulaski Academy. The Lord convicted him that students at PA were no different than students in public school in that respect. He went to his Pastor at First Baptist Church, and told him we need to start a Christian School. Arkansas Baptist School System (now Baptist Prep) was started the next year with 200 students in the first through seventh grades.
Calvin was loyal and dedicated member of his church, First Baptist in Little Rock, for over 50 years, and then Immanuel Baptist for the past 10.
Visitation will be at Immanuel Baptist Church Wednesday evening from 5:30-7:30 p.m.; a graveside service will be held Thursday morning at 9:00 at Pinecrest Cemetary, followed by a memorial service at Immanuel Baptist Church at 10:30.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to Baptist Prep, Immanuel Baptist Church, or Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Online guestbook available at: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.
JACQUELYN HOTTLE, 87, of North Little Rock passed away March 27, 2018. She was born to Andrew Buck and Mattie Hollis in Crossett on September 22, 1930.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Joseph Hottle, and son Richard Hottle. Jacquelyn is survived by her daughter Sharon (John) Campbell, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Services will remain private. Cremation arrangements entrusted to Arkansas Cremation. www.arkansascremation.com.
STEPHEN CHARLES LIPSMEYER, 48, of Little Rock, passed away March 31, 2018. Stephen leaves behind many loved ones and friends who will miss him dearly. Funeral services will be private. Cremation arrangements entrusted to Atkinson Funeral Home in Malvern. Friends may leave condolences at www.atkinsonfuneralhome.net.
ROBERT McINTURFF, 83, of Little Rock, died Sunday. Celebration of Life will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3 at Asbury United Methodist Church in Little Rock, with visitation at 4 p.m. Visitation: 12-1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Powell Funeral Home, Searcy. Graveside service: 2 p.m., White County Memorial Gardens. www.powellfuneralhome.net.