Obituaries

OBITUARIES Information for the obituaries and funeral notices below was supplied to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Advertising Department by funeral homes. For more information including cost and deadlines contact the advertising department at (501) 378-3889.

BELLA VISTA — Ronald L. Henderson, 84, of Bella Vista, Ark., died April 15, 2017, at Circle of Life Hospice. He was born July 18, 1932, to Alf and Eleanor Henderson in Minneapolis, Minn. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.

BELLA VISTA — Darlene Jean Wales, 92, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Easter Sunday morning, April 16, 2017, in Bentonville, Ark. She was born Feb. 22, 1925, in Nevada, Iowa, to Elmer Stalhman and Bertha Rogers Stalhman.

She was a successful business woman, elementary school teacher and talented musician. Darlene was a great joke and story teller; had a rich, full life and was very much loved by her family and friends. She was a faithful member of Bella Vista Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Charles Harold Moore; her second husband, Leo A. Wales and one sister. Darlene is survived by two children, son, Jim Moore and wife, Phyllis of Gentry, Ark.; daughter, Dottie Dickson of Jane, Mo.; 11 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 until 8 p.m., Tuesday, April 18, 2017, at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., April 19, 2017, at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista with the Rev. Dennis Ritche officiating. Burial will follow at the Pineville Cemetery in Pineville, Mo.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Stockdale-Moody Funeral Services of Rogers. Words of comfort may be expressed at stockdalefuneral.com.

BELLA VISTA — Gwen G. Walker of Bella Vista, Ark., died April 16, 2017, at home. Born Nov. 18, 1931, in Walters, Okla., to George and Irene Grimes. She is survived by husband, Milton; son, Larry and wife, Kathryne Walker; daughters, Becky Walker, Karen and husband Keith Johnson, and Deanna Walker; 7 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Services at Bella Vista Baptist Church at 4:30 p.m., Thursday,

April 20. Burial will be at the Fayetteville National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bella Vista Baptist Church Youth Department. Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation. com.

FARMINGTON — Jim McCarty, age 75, of Farmington, died Monday, April 17, 2017, in Springdale. He was born Oct. 25, 1941, in Combs, Ark., the son of William Riley and Bessie Marie Lackey McCarty. He was an employee of Fayetteville Public School District for many years and was a Baptist.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Eldora Stanley McCarty; a daughter, Brenda McIlvain of Seligman, Mo.; two sons, Jamie Ray McCarty and Joe Dale McCarty, both of Farmington; and a dog Patches whom he adored; two sisters, Joy Nelson and her husband Jerry of West Fork and Janice Pense and her husband Carl of Fayetteville and a brother, James McCarty and his wife Shirley of Ventura, Calif., and many nieces and nephews.

Graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 19, 2017, at Dowell Cemetery, under the direction of Moore’s Chapel. Memorials may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (National Headquarters), 6931 Arlington, Rd., 2nd Floor, Bethesda, Md., 20814. To sign the online guest book, visit www. mooresfuneralchapel.com.

FARMINGTON — Vicki J. Smith, age 71, of Farmington, passed away on Saturday, April 15, 2017, in Springdale. She was born on Feb. 10, 1946, in Rifle, Colo., to John and Patricia Harris Van Vacter. She was a hard working wife and mother and a devout Christian. She was a good listener and gifted with people.

Vicki earned her second degree black belt in martial arts. She had a love for dancing and at one point received private lessons from Lucille Ball. She had an uncanny way of intersecting with famous people and even had a private tour of Disneyland in California from Walt Disney himself.

She is survived by her three children, David Smith and husband Michael Melvin of Plano, Texas, Janet Comfort of Lake St. Louis, Mo., and Johnny Smith and wife Kaci of Farmington; three sisters, Stacey Wulf, Kelley Blecha, and Sallee Gould; three brothers, Toby Van Vacter, Jimmy Van Vacter, and John Van Vacter; six grandchildren, Davison Sarceno, McKenzie Comfort, Kasey Comfort, Hailey Smith, Lauren Smith, and Garrick Crews; and her dog and best friend, Sam.

A memorial service will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at Nelson-Berna Funeral Home chapel in Fayetteville. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Circle of Life Hospice at nwacircleoflife.com. To sign the online guest book please visit www.nelsonberna.com.

FAYETTEVILLE — Lloyd “Dwight” Rash, longtime Fayetteville resident and lover of Arkansas. Son of Lloyd and Opal Rash, deceased. Survived by brother, Dan Rash, S.C. and nephew, Doug Rash Jr., Texas. Ozark Carburetor, school bus driver/aide. Burial/Remembrance: Double Mountain Cemetery, Peacock, Texas. Funeral arrangements by Beard’s Chapel. For information contact docdanr@icloud.com. Condolences at www.beardsfuneralchapel. com.

HARRISON — Mary Lee Kelley, 78, died on April 16. Visitation is Wednesday, April 19 at Holt Memorial Chapel, in Harrison, at 4 p.m. Funeral service is Thursday, April 20 at Ozark Baptist Church, in Bergman, at 10 a.m. Survivors include daughters, Vicki, Debbie, Margie, and Sherri; and one son, Rick.

LOWELL — James Edward Jackson, 78, of Lowell, Ark., passed away Sunday, April 16, 2017, at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale, Ark., surrounded by his daughter and granddaughters.

James was born on Jan. 18, 1939, in Heavner, Okla., a son of Omer Jackson and Dovie (Ferguson) Jackson. He moved from California to Arkansas in 1971 to raise his family. He was a long time parts man at Springdale Dodge, retiring in 2009. Later in life, he enjoyed raising a small farm and woodworking with his wife Sue.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 44 years, Sue Jackson; a daughter, Jamie Bilderback; one brother, Pete Jackson; and one sister, Ruby Bowden. James is survived by his daughter, Jeri Rood and husband Larry of Springdale, Ark.; four granddaughters, Robyn Stinnett of West Fork, Ark., Holly Mashburn and husband Donald of Rogers, Ark., Renee Birchfield and husband Parker of Conway, Ark., and Jessica Rood of Springdale, Ark.; four great-grandchildren, Ashlyn Stinnett, Aiden Stinnett, Jackson Mashburn and Jeremiah Mashburn; and a long-time friend Pauline Hatfield of Springdale.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Chapel in Springdale from 5-7 p.m. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 20, 2017, at the funeral home with Rev. Derek Stinnett to officiate the service. Committal service to follow at the Bluff Cemetery in Springdale. To sign the online guest book, visit www. backstrom-pyeatte.com.

ROGERS — Gladys Louise Pierson, 81, of Rogers died Saturday, April 15, 2017, at Northwest Medical Center of Benton County in Bentonville. She was born in 1936 in Stella, Mo., the daughter of Marguerite Sprenkle and Glen Murphy.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Paul Pierson in 1999, two sons, Robert Brian Pierson and James David Pierson, and one grandchild, Heather Pierson. Gladys is survived by: one son; John Eric Pierson and his wife Tonya, of Rogers, three daughters; Elizabeth Ann Oberholtzer, of Rogers, Margaret Bardrick and her husband Robert, of Rogers, and Sara Lynn Sly and her husband Rick, of Rogers. Gladys has several siblings and seven grandchildren; Jennifer Tisdale, Bailey Bardrick, Matthew Oberholtzer, Amy Oberholtzer, Cassie Pierson, Josh Pierson, Emily Sly, and four great-grandchildren.

The graveside service will be Wednesday, April 19, at 10 a.m. at Benton County Memorial Park in Rogers. Memorials may be sent to The American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.

Funeral service arrangements were made under the direction of Epting Funeral Home of Bentonville. Condolences: www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.

SPRINGDALE — Cindy Kay Barkley, 54, of Springdale, died Saturday, April 15, 2017, at Washington Regional Medical Center. She was born July 15, 1962, in Springdale to Doyle Hugh and Dorothy Lee Yarbrough White. Cindy was a beautician in St. Louis for several years before returning to Springdale. She enjoyed watching birds at her feeder and the deer in the field.

In addition to her mother she is survived by her son, Michael Barkley of Springdale; sister, Beverly Clark and husband Steve also of Springdale; and a brother, Gary White and wife Laquita of Pennsylvania. She was preceded in death by her father and a brother, Mike White.

Visitation will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, at Heritage Funeral Home. A graveside service will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Silent Grove Cemetery.