Obituaries
Reminder of Services
CHARLES ESTES Charles Estes, 59 of El Dorado passed away on Sunday, July 17 at the Medical Center of South Arkansas. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, July 25 at the McCoy Cemetery near New Edinburg, Arkansas.
Obituaries
DOUG SHELTON Doug Shelton, 85, of Alma, passed away Thursday, July 20, 2017 in Fort Smith after an 11-month battle with cancer.
He was born March 10, 1932 in Norphlet, AR to the late Creighton and Eva Shelton.
He was married to Betty Mott on October 21, 1960.
An extremely shy young person, he went on to be quite the talker in later life. Friends have teased that if he'd had his knees replaced in high school, he could have been drafted by the NFL. "He could catch anything but could not run."
He joined the Air Force on the "buddy system", but during basic training, he ended up in the hospital with bad knees and was medically discharged. His brother-in-law ("Buddy") was then sent on "alone" to England.
Doug worked in oil and gas fields all of his life. Roustabout, cable tool, well service and even at MacMillan Refinery. In later years was lease operator, foreman, compressor mechanic, supervisor, etc. Doug went to work for Gulf Oil Co. in 1969 and retired from Chevron in 1993. He transferred from Smackover, AR to Sulphur, LA back to Smackover, then to Homer, LA, then Kilgore, TX and finally Ozark, AR. Instead of transferring to Laredo, TX he took early retirement and settled in Alma. Every move but the last was a promotion.
After retirement and back surgery, Doug enjoyed working with wood and making gadgets. He was always appreciative of "shop" class in high school. About two years before sickness, he built farm tables and benches, bookcases, coffee tables and even a playhouse for the grandkids. After back surgery recovery, he went back to golf and worked and played for the next 20 years at River Valley Golf in Alma. There he formed many close friendships.
In addition to his parents, Doug was preceded in death by a son, Stephen Shelton, and a sister, Virginia Gandy.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Shelton of the home; a daughter, Sharon Haney and husband Michael of El Dorado, AR; a son, Scott Shelton and wife Jennifer of Alma; three sisters, Dean Williams of Milton, FL, Jean Stringfellow and husband Gene of Hampton, AR, and Ann Harvison of Clarksville; eight grandchildren, Jessica, Raquel, Jonah, Micah, Noah, Eliana, Erica and Malachi, and three great-grandchildren, Chloe, Barrett and Emerie.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, July 24, 2017 at Young’s chapel with Rev. Tim Sullivan officiating. Interment will follow with Military honors in the Smackover Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.
The family will receive friends at 1:00 p.m. Monday until service time at Young’s.
Memorials contributions may be made in Doug's name to the Building Fund, Northside Pentecostal Church, P.O. Box 4230, Fort Smith, AR 72914.
To place an online tribute, go to www.youngsfuneralhome. com.
GLORIA THOMPSON Gloria Wilkins Thompson, 62, of Smackover passed away Friday, July 21, 2017 in Hot Springs.
Born February 11, 1955 in El Dorado, she was the daughter of Kenneth David and Addie Lee Chelette Wilkins.
Gloria was the assistant editor of the Smackover Journal and a member of First United Methodist Church. Along with visiting with family and friends, spending time with grandchildren she enjoyed camping, shopping, playing games and keeping up with Facebook.
Preceding her in death along with her parents were a brother, Billy David Wilkins and a sister Brenda McQueen.
Survivors include her husband Mike Thompson, daughters, Melanie Price (Jeff) and Candis Langley (Tim) all of Smackover. Surviving grandchildren are Jordan Price, Grace Langley and Coa Langley.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 24, 2017 in Young’s Chapel with Rev. Carly Davis and Rev. Leon Dixon officiating. Interment will follow in Crossroads Cemetery at Smackover under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.
The family will receive friends for visitation from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Young’s and also receive friends at their home at 458 Ouachita 72, Smackover, AR 71762.
Memorials may be made to Arkansas Hospice, 628 Malvern Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 71901 or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN, 38105
An online registry will be available at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.
(The deadline for full obituaries for the next day’s newspaper is 4 p.m. The deadline for death notices is 5 p.m. the day prior to publication. Obituaries submitted after these deadlines will not be published the next day, but will run in the following day’s newspaper. For more information about costs of obituaries and photos, call 870862-6611).