Obituaries
NAOMI FAE ROTTON
Naomi Fae Rotton, 90, passed away on March 26, 2020 at her home in El Dorado. She was born in Hot Springs on September 6, 1929 to Rev. Floyd Ezekiel and Mary Evangeline McKinney Webb. The family relocated to El Dorado when she was a teenager.
She married Cloise Rotton on July 3, 1948. They celebrated 60 years of marriage in 2008 just weeks before his death. She loved her family and always supported them and lifted them up in prayer daily. She loved to receive pictures from them on her Ipad. She also loved spring and enjoyed waiting for her beautiful azaleas to bloom.
She retired from Gulf Life Insurance as bookkeeper, then retired again from El Dorado Assembly of God where she worked as administrative assistant. Fae was an active member of El Dorado First Assembly of God. She held many volunteer positions including leading the Progressive Ladies Sunday School Class. In her senior years her church family continually kept her in their arms and prayers even though she could not attend services. Brenda Murphree was a dear friend who checked on her weekly by phone or text.
Along with her parents and husband she is preceded in death by her daughter Amanda Kay Rotton, grandson Jerry Wayne Davis, son-in-law Randy Lyons, siblings Doyle Webb, Opal Orr and Aimee Osbon.
Those left to cherish her memory are her sister Christine Johnson (Tobe) of Oklahoma City, daughters Sarah Brasher (Tommy), Gail Sullivan, Beverly Lyons of El Dorado and Sue Carey of Portland OR who she loved like a daughter. Also her grandchildren Steven Davis, Becky Dowdy (Russell) of Texarkana, T.C. Brasher, Melissa Powell (Jay), Chad Sullivan (Jenna) of Springdale, Holly Jordan (Mark) of Yuma, AZ, Jeff Lyons (Michelle), Nick Lyons (Leslie) of Bentonville and Brandi Lyons (Clay Robinson).
Also her precious great grandchildren Evan Dowdy, Olivia Lyons, Jackson Lyons, Jana Powell, Rylee Lyons, Noah Sullivan, Grace Lyons, Campbell Sullivan, Jon Isaac Jordan, Malia Jordan and Nadia Jordan.
In keeping with the Center of Disease Control (CDC) recommendations regarding public gatherings there will be a private family graveside service.
Please express your condolences at our online registry www. youngsfuneralhome.com
ARNOLD C. “BUDDY” BALL
Arnold C. “Buddy” Ball, 78, of El Dorado passed away Friday, March 27, 2020 at the John R. Williamson Hospice House following a hard fought battle with cancer.
Buddy was born August 27, 1941 in Haynesville, LA to the late Arnold
C. Sr. and Alice Shockley Ball. He graduated from Hope High School in 1959. After graduation, Buddy joined the Santa Barbara Fire Department in Santa Barbara, CA. After his time at the fire department, Buddy spent a few months working on pipelines across Georgia and Alabama. Following this endeavor, Buddy began his career with J.A. West Company in Harrison, AR. It was here that he met his loving wife of 55 years, Jeanne Leigh Hames Ball. Buddy was then transferred to El Dorado, AR where he served as a Senior Buyer and General Merchandise Manager for the company.
After 27 years with West Company, Buddy began his career as a general contractor with McKinnon and Ball Construction. He spent another 27 years building residential and commercial properties across South Arkansas. He took great pride in his work and developed countless relationships with those he worked alongside over the years.
After losing his wife, Jeanne, in 2016 Buddy married Stella Walker Edwards, of Walkerville, AR. The two have made wonderful memories together and were quite the team in his battle with cancer. Buddy was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He was a faithful servant of the Lord. His family and friends will always remember him as an honest, hard working man who went above and beyond as a provider. He loved his family more than anything. Buddy was a leader, he was dependable, and he had an incredible gift of always leaving things better than he found them. He always had a story to tell, “his version” at least, and he never met a stranger. He truly was one of a kind.
Buddy was a proud member of College Avenue Church of Christ, where most children grew up knowing him as the “candy man.” He loved his church family deeply. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to fish, and enjoyed deer hunting with his fellow members of Salty’s Deer Club. Of all the things Buddy loved to do in his spare time, being “Pappaw” to his grandchildren and great grandchildren was his greatest joy.
Preceding him in death are his parents; wife, Jeanne L. Ball; son, Kendall “Ken” S. Ball; sister, Bevelyn E. Henry; sister, Glenda F. Belt; brother, James L. “Bo” Ball. Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Stella Edwards Ball of Walkerville; daughter, Suzy Cherry (Jay) of Searcy AR; four grandchildren, Ian Cherry (Jennifer), Megan Cherry (Colby Mckennon), Rachel Cole (Nic), Rebekah Ball; four great grandchildren Noah Cherry, Lydia Cherry, Abigail Cherry, and Kainan Toney. One sister; Dorothy May (Robert) and sister in law, Mary Jane O’dell Ball. Stella’s children: Mark Edwards (Sheila); Whitney Hickey (Greg); her grandchildren: Shelby Wynn (Matt); Brady Edwards (Ann); Justin Hickey; Logan Hickey; Alicia Hickey (Haden) and her great granddaughter, Stella Felts.
Serving as pallbearers will be Ian Cherry, Jay Cherry, Larry McKinnon, Mickey McKinnon, Jimmy Jones, Bo Blackwood, Jerry Walker and Mark Edwards. Honorary pallbearers to be recognized are Nic Cole, Colby McKennon, Ed Garner, Virgil Grigson, Jeff King and members of Salty’s Deer Club.
In keeping with the Center of Disease Control (CDC) recommendations regarding public gatherings, there will be a private family graveside service at this time. A public memorial celebration will be held at a later date for all of Buddy’s friends and family to celebrate his wonderful life.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to College Avenue Church of Christ, 1817 N. College Ave., El Dorado, AR.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.youngsfuneralhome.com
WILLIAM L. “BILL” CRAIG
William L. (Bill) Craig died on Thursday March 26, 2020 at age 93. He was born February 7, 1927 in New Boston, TX, the second son of Marshall
W. Craig,
Sr. and Frances Thomas Craig. He was preceded in death by his parents, his step –parents, Margaret Sanders Parham and Tom Parham, his two brothers Marshall ( Sonny) Craig, Jr. and Vernon Thomas Craig.
He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Dorothy Mitchell Craig, three daughters, Lynn Rambo of Hamburg AR; Fran Caruthers of Fayetteville, AR; and Nina Gaspard of Ft. Worth, TX. Eight grandchildren including , Joby Rambo of El Dorado , AR; Amy Rosegrant of Hot Springs AR ; Courtney Rambo of Hamburg, AR; Craig Rambo of Bryant, AR ; Trey Caruthers of Chaing Mai, Thailand; Katie Caruthers of Atlanta ,Ga; Chip Gaspard of Ft. Worth ,TX ; and Anna Gaspard of Fayetteville , AR ; and eight great-grandchildren.
Bill was a graduate of El Dorado High School, received his bachelor’s degree from Southern State and his Master’s Degree from Louisiana Tech. He taught band and music for 22 1/2 years at Fairview High School (Camden), El Dorado High School and Barton Jr. High School, Mooring port, La and Oil city, La. He then joined his wife, Dorothy Mitchell Craig, as co-owners of Home finders Real Estate where he worked for 18 years as a real estate agent and a real estate appraiser. He was a member of Hickory Grove Chapel.
At age 17 he joined the Merchant Marines in New Orleans and spent one year in the South Pacific during WWII. He worked as a deck hand on a cargo ship carrying ammunition, signal corp equipment, and beer to the troops. The ship made stops at Bora Bora, New Guinea and the Philippine Islands, spending most of the time at Manila.
In keeping with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations regarding public gatherings there will be no public visitation or services at this time. Arrangements for a memorial service will be announced by Young’s Funeral Directors at a later date.
Memorials can be made to Hickory Grove Chapel 685 Agnes Rd. El Dorado, Arkansas 71730. First United Methodist 201 S. Hill El Dorado, Arkansas 71730 or Union County Animal Protection Society (UCAPS) 1000 Sunset Rd. El Dorado, Arkansas 71730. SAU Foundation Box 9174 Magnolia Arkansas Bill Craig Scholarship FS 0029.
An online registry can be signed at www. Youngsfuneralhome.com
BERTHA JEAN LLOYD
Bertha Jean Lloyd, 87, passed away Thursday, March 26, 2020, at Courtyard Rehabilitation Center in El Dorado, AR.
Bertha was born March 20, 1933 in Union County, AR to the union of Bertha Mae Phelps Russell and William Bryan Russell.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ernest Lloyd, one daughter, Vicki Lloyd Lyons.
She married Ernest Eugene Lloyd on June 21, 1950, they were married fifty years before his death on June 17, 2001 and had two children.
Bertha was a longtime active member of the New London Baptist Church. She worked for over thirty ears at Prescolite in El Dorado, and was a member of the IBEW.
Survivors include daughter, Lisa Lloyd Russell and husband John of Sharps Chapel, TN, her sister, Shirley Gean of Bastrop, LA, her brother, Bob Russell of Texas City, TX, six grandchildren, Harlan Meshell, and Chris Meshell and wife Tracie of Strong, AR, Alison Dugal and husband Shay of El Dorado, AR, Caleb Russell and wife Melanie of Knoxville, TN, Jordan Pennington and husband Joey of Farragut, TN, and Nicholas Lyons of Houston, TX, nine great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren.
Due to the current pandemic a private graveside service was held on Saturday, March 28, 2020, with Rev. Terry Smith officiating. Interment was in the Ebenezer Presbyterian Cemetery in Strong, AR under the direction of Bailey Funeral Home of El Dorado, AR
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to New London Baptist Church in Strong, AR.
Please visit www.baileyfuneralhome.net to sign the online register book.