Out-of-state
WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. — Roy Walter Deere, Jr. of West Melbourne, Fla. passed away on Thursday December 5, 2019. Memorial service, Saturday December 28, 2019 at 11 a.m., Regency Chapel, Malvern Arkansas. Full obituary at regencyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Regency Funeral Home. Sign the guest book at regencyfuneralhome.com.
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WOODBURY, Minn. — Theophlese “Theo” Cobbs US Navy Veteran, Retiree of United States Post Office, age 85, of Woodbury, passed away 12/20/2019.
Preceded in death wife, Tyndra “Todd”; parents, Wilson & Abell; siblings, Morris Moore Sr., Wilson Cobbs, Osie Cobbs Sr. Survived by siblings, Erma Solcum, Arthonia Bradley, and Charles Sutton, all of Little Rock, Ark.; further survived by a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral Service 10 a.m. Tuesday, 12/24/19 at Wulff Funeral Home (1485 White Bear Ave., St. Paul) Visitation starting at 9 a.m. Interment with Military Honors in Fort Snelling National Cemetery Thursday, 12/26/19 at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials to American Cancer Society. www.WulffFuneralHome.com.
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JACKSON, Tenn. — William “Bill” Sidney Bell Sr. passed away on December 19, 2019, in Jackson, TN. He was a 1943 graduate of Catholic High. Funeral services are 11 a.m., Friday, December 27, at Lemley Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services. Online obituary and condolences are available at www.lemleyfuneral.com.
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ALLEN, Texas — Ronnie Everett Austin Sr., age 75, went to meet his Lord and a joyous reunion of family in heaven on December 21, 2019.
He was born in Junction City, Kan., to Hulon Lee and Kathryn Rodgers Austin of Rison, Ark.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Linda, and son, Chip [Texas]; sister, Cindy Harris and brother, Larry Austin [Arkansas]. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Karen Austin; half-sister, Nancy Harris; brother, Rupert Austin; nephew Stephen Austin; and step-father, Rufus Lee Rodgers.
He spent his youth in Cleveland County and attended Woodlawn schools. He earned degrees at Arkansas A&M and ETSU in Texas, and earned an Educational Doctorate at UA, Fayetteville. He served Arkansas school districts in Moro, Aubrey, Marianna, Fayetteville, Poyen, Fouke, Jonesboro, and Kingston, working as coach, science teacher, bus driver/driver trainer, principal, and superintendent.
He authored a mystery novel, Grayville’s Story, published in 2013. He was on the Sounding Off panel for the Dallas Morning News and a guest columnist for them, their Allen Neighbors Go edition, and for the Cleveland County Herald.
He was a City of Fayetteville alderman; Chairman of the Arkansas Aviation & Aerospace Commission; on Madison and Miller County Child Abuse Task Forces; Fayetteville Youth Center Board of Directors (President, 1980); Fayetteville Evening Lions Club Board, Tail Twister and Lion Tamer; Jonesboro United Way Board; State Beta Club Council; and SW Ark. Ed. Coop Secretary; and received Kingston’s 4-H Citizen of the Year award in 1994.
He served his church at times as Chairman of Deacons, Stewardship Committee Chairman, Trustee, SS Department Director and teacher (senior citizens, singles, and college), Children’s Church leader, VBS teacher, youth fellowship leader, MBSF sponsor, and sanctuary choir member. He worked with street ministry for Jews for Jesus in Dallas and Houston.
He had a lifelong love of sports. He hunted, fished and camped from a young age. He played basketball in high school and continued with golf, softball and basketball as an adult. He was a summer T-ball and softball coach, and started peewee basketball in Poyen for half-time HS basketball entertainment. He began jogging in 1985 and placed in several cross-country races, taking first in his age group once. He was recognized by the Texas Legislature when he ran 238 miles from Allen to Austin, Texas, to raise awareness for the need for kidney donation after receiving a transplant himself.
Ron was always busy with vegetable gardening, construction projects, cowboy cooking and outdoor grilling. He was very knowledgeable of teams, coaches and players of college and professional basketball, football, and baseball. He was a pretty good pool player too. He enjoyed being around people and organizing events at school for adults and children alike during his career. At Kingston, he began and led the Pride Program and a Veterans’ Day program. In retirement, he organized neighborhood block parties, a talent show for 55-plus church members, and his Woodlawn HS 50th class reunion.
Visitation will be at Ralph Robinson and Son, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Thursday, December 26, 6:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be Friday, December 27, 11 a.m. at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Rison, Arkansas (off Hwy 63) with Dr. David Harris officiating. Burial will be Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.
Memorial suggestions: Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Gideons International, or American Bible Society. Online condolences at www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.
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TEXARKANA, Texas — Allie Eldon “A.E.” “Doc” Andrews Jr., M.D. was born January 18, 1927, Jonesboro, Arkansas and passed away peacefully on December 16, 2019 in Texarkana, Texas. A.E. Andrews was a graduate of Jonesboro High School (1945). He received his B.S. from Arkansas State University (1949) and his B.S.M. and M.D. from University of Arkansas Medical School (1949 and 1952, respectively) – after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
A.E. volunteered to join the Navy Hospital Corp in 1945 three days before turning 18. After being discharged from the Navy in 1946, he enrolled in Arkansas State College (now Arkansas State University) where he earned a Bachelor of Science – Pre-Medicine. In 1948, he was admitted to University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock where he would earn his M.D. in 1952.
A.E. enjoyed a successful career as a doctor, specifically of radiology, in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas. He interned at Arkansas Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas from 1952-1953. From 1953-1966 he worked at a family practice in Paragould, Arkansas before serving a residency through University of Tennessee in Memphis, Tennessee from 1966-1969. He was certified by the American Board of Radiology in 1970 and began a 24-year career as a radiologist in both Texarkana, Arkansas and Texarkana, Texas. His career as a practicing Doctor of Medicine included appointments as Chief of Staff and other positions of Arkansas Methodist Hospital (Paragould, Arkansas), Chief of Staff and other positions of Saint Michael Hospital (Texarkana, Arkansas/ Texas), and Chief of Staff, member of the Board of Directors, and other positions at Texarkana Community Hospital (Texarkana, Texas). After 36 years in medicine, A.E. retired in 1990, receiving a letter of honor from then-Governor Bill Clinton. During his career he served as an elected officer of the Light Plant Commission (Paragould, Arkansas) and Lions Club (Texarkana, Arkansas), as well as president and officer of Greene-Clay County Medical Society, Miller-Bowie County Medical Society, and the Arkansas Medical Society. Past memberships include Texas Medical Association, American College of Radiology (Arkansas Chapter), and serving as Arkansas representative delegate of American Medical Association. He was a member of First United Methodist Church (Texarkana, Arkansas).
A.E. loved his family, friends, golf, ice cream, education, and the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. He was a driven, intelligent, and generous self-starter of a man. More than a doctor, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who wanted nothing more than to provide for and protect those he loved and impart wisdom to anyone willing to listen. He married his wife of 60 years, Johnnie Mae Scott of Marked Tree, Arkansas, in 1948 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He woke up each day ready to provide the most comfortable and (within reason) cosmopolitan life for her. They raised four children together, primarily while living on Rio Grande Avenue in Texarkana, Texas, which they called home for just under 50 years. Perhaps most of all, he cherished his five grandchildren, their spouses, and four great-grandchildren. Known lovingly to them (and perhaps to most family friends) as “Doc”, he provided for and guided them in every way possible. He constantly encouraged them to pursue their best life, to make the most of their God-given gifts, to never stop learning, and to accumulate as much knowledge as possible. He never missed an opportunity to pass along bits of wisdom, advice, and his own brand of education (primarily financial) – no matter how dubious the source or subject matter. These lessons extended to anyone within earshot – willing audience or not. He was an avid golfer (a passion passed along to most of his grandchildren) and recorded three hole-in-ones – including two at Texarkana Country Club, his home golf course for most of his life. Perhaps the most fitting ways to remember him, his signature phrases were “Way to go!” and “See you some day.”
A.E. is preceded in death by his father Allie Eldon Andrews Sr., mother Lillian Kerouac Andrews, his wife Johnnie Mae Scott Andrews, brother Lowell Thomas Andrews, brother Stanley B. Andrews, sister Eleanor “Jackie” Andrews Katz, and daughter Helen Lee Andrews. He is survived by his children Susie Williams and husband Don, Jenny Cope and husband Brad, and David Andrews and wife Jane; grandchildren Andrews Welborn Cope and wife Danielle, Ben Williams and wife Ann Carolyn, Scarlet Andrews, Emily Cope, and Olivia Cope; as well as four great-grandchildren.
Memorial Service will be held December 26 at 4 p.m. at Cornerstone Retirement Center. A reception will follow. Donations may be made to: Hospice of Texarkana or Cornerstone Healthy Living Community, Texarkana, Texas. Arrangements are under the care of Texarkana Funeral Home, Texas.
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Roderick Fitzgibbon, 90, of Alexandria, Virginia, formerly of Little Rock, Arkansas, died December 19, 2019. He was born October 4, 1929 in Little Rock, son of Carney and Creasy Durham Fitzgibbon.
Roderick was reared and received his early education in Little Rock, Arkansas, graduating from Central High School. He earned his Bachelors Degree from Ouachita Baptist University, where he was a member of the tennis team. Dr. Fitzgibbon earned his pharmacy degree from the University of Arkansas School of Pharmacy.
Dr. Fitzgibbon owned and operated his own pharmacy, Fitzgibbon Pharmacy, from 1964-1978 in Parkin, Arkansas. After selling the pharmacy, he worked for a few other pharmacies before retiring and moving to Virginia. He was a member of the United Methodist Church and enjoyed playing golf and tennis.
Dr. Fitzgibbon was preceded in death by his son, Warren Fitzgibbon; his parents; older brother, Carney Fitzgibbon, Jr.; and twin brother, Rodney Fitzgibbon. Survivors include his wife and caretaker, Simone Fitzgibbon of Alexandria, Virginia.
Graveside services will be 2 p.m., Friday, December 27, 2019 at Graceland Cemetery by Ralph Robinson and Son Funeral Directors. Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.