Obituaries
Notice of Passing
MINNIE LEWIS MABSON
Minnie Lewis Mabson, age 88, of Mount Holly passed away on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 at the John R. Williamson Hospice House in El Dorado.
Arrangements will be announced by Bailey Funeral Home.
Reminder of Services
WALTER CHAMBLISS
Funeral for Walter Chambliss will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Mt. Zion #2 Missionary Baptist Church in Urbana. Interment will be at Mt. Zion #2 Cemetery under the direction of Sims Mortuary.
Sign the guestbook online at www.simsmortuary.com.
DESMOND M. TRAYLOR
Funeral for Desmond Montez Traylor, 34, will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at the Mt. Union Missionary Baptist Church in Marion, with the Rev. Willie D. Simmons, pastor, the Rev. Tommy L. Carr, officiating. Interment will follow at the St. Paul Cemetery in Marion.
WILLIAM R. WHITE
Funeral for William R. White, 64, will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Pleasant Hill AME Church in Strong, with the Rev. Gail Williams, pastor/officiating. Interment will follow at the Pleasant Hill Church Cemetery.
EUGENE WHITLOCK
Funeral for Eugene Whitlock, 71, of El Dorado will be held at 11 a.m. today in Andrews Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Floyd Davis officiating.
Burial will follow in Hicks Cemetery in Smackover under the direction of Andrews Funeral Home. All public viewing will be after the service.
KYIA WILLIAMS
Funeral for Kyia “Gucci” Williams will be held at 11 a.m. today at Douglas Chapel Baptist Church. Interment will be at Pickett Cemetery under the direction of Sims Mortuary.
Sign the guestbook online at www.simsmortuary.com.
Obituaries
FRANCES CHAMBLEE
Frances McWilliams Dodson Chamblee was born Sept. 21, 1934 in Magnolia. She went to meet Jesus, face to face, on Feb. 7, 2018. She was the Daughter of Nettie and A.D. McWilliams and last surviving sibling of ten children.
She was a wonderful Mom, loving wife, exceptional Mamaw, great friend, good listener, kind spirit, beautiful person and a blessing to us all. She added so much to all of our lives and will be greatly missed.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, E.E. Sonny Dodson of 37 years from Smackover, and her second husband, Bill Chamblee of 20 years from Tyler, Texas. She is survived by her children, Sue (Glenn) Thomas, Smackover, Judy (Robert) Durham, Lindale, Texas, Reggie (Michele) Dodson, Aubrey, Texas, and Debbie (Glen) Griffin, Whitehouse, Texas. Grandchildren, Kerri (Anthony) Briggs, Kevin (Stephanie) Thomas of Smackover, Allie Durham, Seattle, Washington, Erin (Quincy) Salyer, Lindale, Texas, Nat (Randi) Dodson, Springdale, Nichole (Justin) Williams, Elkins, Tracy (Nick) Akin of Burleson, Texas.
Great-Grandchildren, Rebecca, Cooper and Kennedy Briggs, Colton Thomas all of Smackover, Jase Salyer of Lindale, Texas, Brady and Madeline Dodson, Springdale, Hensley Williams, Elkins, and Colton Akin, Burleson, Texas.
Viewing will be from 5 until 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, at Jackson’s Burks Walker Tippit Funeral Home in Tyler, Texas. Services will be at 10 a.m., Monday, Feb. 12, at First Baptist Church, Smackover. Viewing will begin at 9 a.m.
In lieu of flowers the family request that memorials be made to Tyler Junior College Vocational Nursing Program or the Family Life Center, First Baptist Church, 201 West 7th, Smackover AR.
JAMES D. JONES
James Doyle Jones, 92, of Smackover died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 at Oak Ridge Nursing Home.
Born on March 4, 1925 in Damascus. The second Child of Dessa Burdick and Orval McKinley Jones.
He was raised on a farm, worked in the
CCC and then joined the Army in 1944. He was an infantry man in the Battle of the Bulge and often recounted that cold winter. After returning home, he married and became a logger in the California Redwoods. A barber by trade after that and was a gifted storyteller.
Preceded in death by a grandson, Seth James Parrish; and five brothers, J.D., Ray, Bill, Ben and John; and one sister, Linda.
Survived by his wife of 70 years, Nina Jones; three daughters, Doy (Ronnie) Thomasson, Jan (Dan) Henderson and Glenda (Clark) Langley; seven grandchildren, Ray (Lea) Thomasson, Amber (Brandon) Miller, Tim (Candis) Langley, Ashli Henderson Parrish, Tara (Rusty) Prestridge, Drew Henderson and Tucker Henderson; and eight great grandchildren, Kaylee, Mark, Austin, Grace, Coa, Cole (Johnna), Sydnee, and Parker; three step great grandchildren, Addie, Rex Allen, and Emma; three brothers, Bob, Rockey and Greg; five sisters, Margie, Shirley, Judy, Susan and Sharon; and more than 50 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 at Maple Avenue Baptist Church in Smackover, with Dr. Benjy McCann officiating. Burial will follow at Smackover Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.
Visitation will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday prior to the service at the church.
A special thanks to the staff at Oak Ridge Nursing Home.
Memorials may be made to Life Touch Hospice, 2301 Champagnolle Rd., El Dorado, AR 71730 or Maple Avenue Baptist Church, 1306 Maple Ave., Smackover, AR 71762.
MOLLIE P. MEEKS
Mollie Patricia Meeks, 91, of El Dorado, passed away, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, at the John R. Williamson Hospice House.
She was born
Oct. 24,
1926, to Rodney
P. Smith,
Sr. and Molly Aileen Cobb
Smith in Magnolia.
She was a 1944 graduate of El Dorado High School and was a member of St. Mark United Church for 65 years. She retired from the El Dorado School District, where she worked as a teacher’s aide at Hugh Good Elementary, Westwood Elementary, and Rock Island Elementary. She was an independent oil producer for M & M Oil. Patricia loved horse racing and was owner of several thoroughbred horses, one of which was “Carbekat”, an all-time Louisiana Breed money winner at the Fairground Track in New Orleans.
Preceding her in death are her parents; husband, William M. “Dub” Meeks, Jr.; and son, James Patrick Meeks and her sister, Frances Annette McKnight Oakley.
Survivors include her sons, Michael P. Meeks of El Dorado, William “Bill” M. Meeks III (Rebecca) of Tulsa, Oklahoma; brother Rodney P. Smith, Jr. (Elaine) of Tallahassee, Florida; grandchildren, Kellye Ann Baggett, John William Meeks, Susan Marie Ball; six great grandchildren; nieces and nephews, Julia Burns, Lisa Smith, Rod McKnight; and her loving caregivers, Loretta Franklin, Bonnie Bragg, and Vickie Davis.
Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, at Young’s.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Mark United Methodist Church with the Rev. Winston Roden and the Rev. Alvin McGhee officiating. Burial will follow at Arlington Memorial Park under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors. Serving as pallbearers are George Blackmon, Phillip Lansdell, Jerry Huffman, James Hollensworth, Chris Hollensworth, Stow DeLone, Scooter Register, Gene Burns, John Bolding, Jimmy Newton and honorary pallbearers are Bill Tarver, John Tarver and Dr. William Harper.
Memorials may be made to St. Mark United Methodist Church, 2010 W. Hillsboro, El Dorado, AR 71730.
An online guest 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 870-862-6611.)