Obituaries
NOTICE OF PASSING
LETHANIEL CHAMPION JR.
Lethaniel Champion Jr., 49 of El Dorado, Arkansas passed away August 8, 2022 in El Dorado, Arkansas. Arrangements for funeral service will be announced by Sims Mortuary.
OBITUARIES MILDRED FAYE HOLLINGSWORTH
Mildred Faye Hollingsworth, age 100, of North Richland Hills, TX passed away on Tuesday, August 2, 2022. Mildred was a resident of El Dorado for almost 70 years prior to moving to North Richland Hills, TX in 2010 to be near family.
Mildred was born on October
5, 1921 in Waldo, AR; the daughter of Luther and Ellen
Starritt Cox. Mildred retired from Prescolite in 1983. She was a member of West Side
Baptist Church.
Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband Guy Hollingsworth, and seven brothers and sisters.
Survivors are a son, Gerald
Hollingsworth (Barbara) of
North Richland Hills, TX; a daughter Anne Barrett of
Denver, CO. Along with five grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, four great great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends an hour prior (1 p.m.) to a memorial service at 2 p.m., Saturday, August 20, 2022 in the Chapel of Young’s Funeral Directors with Rev. David Voss officiating. Inurnment will follow at Arlington Memorial Park.
Memorial may be made to West Side Baptist Church, 2400 W Hillsboro St, El Dorado, AR 71730
Condolences may be shared at www.youngsfuneralhome. com for the Hollingsworth family.
JAMES TAYLOR WHARTON
James Taylor Wharton, age 63, of St. Louis, Missouri, was suddenly called to his heavenly home on Thursday morning, May 19, 2022. Jim was born on February 27, 1959 in El Dorado, one of two sons born to Wayne Richard Wharton Sr. and Frances Elizabeth Wharton
(nee Taylor). After graduating
El Dorado High School, Jim continued his education and completed his bachelor’s degree in History at the University of
Arkansas. He then went on to study pre-law. After serving in the Navy for a short period in
San Diego, California, he traveled to Tahiti and Hawaii. He loved the ocean and Hawaii so much, and this passion drove him to pursue a career as a scuba diving instructor. This is where he met the love of his life, Xiuli Zhang, and they were married on January 9,
2004. From then on, he left his beloved ocean and followed his wife wherever she went. They left Honolulu, Hawaii in 2004 and lived in Irvine, California until 2007. In November 2007, Jim and Xiuli moved to Saint Louis, Missouri, along with their two cat “daughters” (Peaches and K.C., in Heaven with Jim now). In July 2009, they received the greatest gift, their child, David, whose birth made them finally settled in Missouri. Since then, he focused all of his energy on taking care of his wife, son and parents in-law.
Jim was an extremely knowledgeable and kind person with a soft heart. He loved swimming, scuba diving, surfing, boating, hiking, camping, reading, writing and singing. One of his hobbies was writing novels and we still have those drafts he wrote. However, Jim’s main focus was his beloved son, David. When David started to walk, he and Jim were often seen at local playgrounds. Every day, he helped David practice piano and violin. He loved to bring David to play at the beach whenever the family visited California. He dreamed of bringing David to Hawaii to visit his dear ocean.
Jim was a person full of love; he cared for all family members and relatives. He was eager to share the Gospel, tell people to love, and invited them to church. His favorite saying was: “Church is God’s house and you need to visit with all your heart.”
Jim had battled health issues for many years. But he took comfort in the knowledge that God had plans for him and he led family prayers on a daily basis. He will be deeply missed by his beloved son, wife and brother, and all Wharton’s and Zhang’s family and all our Lord’s family members.
Jim is survived by his wife, Xiuli Zhang Wharton; only son, David Zhang Wharton both of Saint Louis, Missouri; brother, Wayne Richard Wharton, Jr. of El Dorado; Xiuli’s parents, Jinkuan and Zhilan Zhang of Saint Louis, Missouri; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Graveside services are 2 p.m., Friday, August 12, 2022 in the Hamburg Cemetery.