Obituaries
Eddie Abbott
Eddie Abbott, age 79, of Hot Springs, passed away Thursday, April 13, 2017.
He was born on March 3, 1938, in Hot Springs, to the late Irvin and Grace Ray Abbott. During his life, Eddie enjoyed fishing, hunting, racing motorcycles and dancing. He also worked as a lineman for IBEW Local chapter for many years.
Survivors include daughters, Danna Blaylock, Terrie Baker and Jennifer Pendergrass; brother, Allan Abbott; sister, Frances Graves; seven grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.
The family would like to extend special thanks CHI St. Vincent Hospital ICU and Arkansas Hospice.
Guests may register at http://www.caruth-hale.com.
Ernestine Alexander
Ernestine Alexander, 92, of Hot Springs, passed peacefully April 12, 2017.
Ernestine was born in Monroe, La., to the late Arnold and Ida Hostetler.
Ernestine graduated from high school in Brinkley and began a career at Monsanto, which lasted over 30 years.
She was a devoted member of First Christian Church, where she was involved in numerous capacities, including choir and the Christian Women’s Fellowship group.
An avid outdoors woman, she loved to garden and did not mind at all shopping for antiques. Ernestine was also fond of traveling, especially if it involved lounge chairs and ocean liners.
Ernestine’s greatest loves were her sons, Dennis and Charles, who will miss her gentle humor and calming nature. She is also survived by her sister and best friend, Vera Evens; beloved grandson, Marc Alexander; great-grandchildren, Addison Alexander, Chloe Camp (Jordan), Marlow Alexander; great-great grandchild, Elliot Camp; niece, Malinda Narbona (Juan); nephew, Bill Nesbit (Denise); and their children; as well as other extended family members and friends.
She was predeceased by her sister, Mary Nesbit.
A celebration of Ernestine’s life will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Christian Church, with Pastor Don Naftz officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks memorials in Ernestine’s name be made to the First Christian Church at 1806 Central Ave. in Hot Springs.
Online obituary and guestbook are available at http:// www.grossfuneralhome.com.
Randy Batterton
Randy Batterton, 62, was born June 14, 1954 and went to the “land of the pretty people” on April 12, 2017.
He was a life member of the Union Iron Workers Local
321, an avid motorcyclist and loved a good barge ride on Lake Ouachita.
His quick wit and charm will be missed by his numerous friends.
Randy is predeceased by his father, Howard; and his brother, Greg.
He leaves his loving wife, Tana; daughter, Jenny (James) Adams; brother, Steve (Lisa) Batterton; mother, Lois June (Buddy); sister, Barbara (Keith); sister-in-law, Marsha Batterton; his “bonus” son, Franco (Leah) Arango; sister-in-law, Tina; brother-in-law, Lonnie; nieces; nephews; and countless friends.
A gathering will be held at
1 p.m. Monday in the chapel of Gross Funeral Home with a Celebration of Life to immediately follow at 2 p.m.
Online guestbook and tributes are available at http://www. grossfuneralhome.com.
Carolyn Denton
Carolyn Denton, age 84, of Hot Springs, passed away, on Thursday, April 13, 2017.
She was born on Jan. 26, 1933, in Alpine, the daughter of Allen Thomason and Amy Kirksey Thomason. Carolyn married Bobby Denton on July 5, 1950.
She is preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Paul Thomason, Dayton Thomason and Fay Thomason; and one sister, Helen Wheeler.
Carolyn was a member of the Hot Springs Baptist Church. She received a bachelor’s degree in education from College of the Ozarks and her master’s degree in education from North Western Oklahoma State University. She also attended many other universities to further her education, including Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University. Carolyn taught at Lakeside Middle School for over twenty years and other schools in Arkansas and Oklahoma. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, and will be missed by all who loved and knew her.
She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Bobby Denton, of Hot Springs; her two daughters and sons-in-law, Brenda and James Brown and Becky and Bobby Mote, all of Hot Springs; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren; her sister and brother-in-law, Janice and Trellis Jester, of Glenwood; nieces; nephews; extended family members; and a host of friends.
Graveside services were held at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 15, 2017, in the Jones Cemetery, in Amity, with Brother Matt Mitchell officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Glenwood.
Guest registry is at http:// www.davis-smith.com.
Billy J. Essley
Billy Jack Essley died on
April 15, 2017.
Arrangements are under the direction of Gross Funeral Home.
Brenda L. Henry
Brenda L. Henry, age 69, of Hot Springs, died Wednesday, April 12, 2017.
She was born on May 11, 1947, in Paris, Texas, the daughter of Robert Vickers and Willie Anderson Vickers. On July 1, 1967, she married John “Doug” Henry, who preceded her in death on June 10, 2016. She was also preceded in death by her parents.
Brenda was a retired front desk clerk from the Super 8 Motel in Hot Springs and attended Christian Ministries.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, John, Jr. and Mista Henry and Michael and Sheree Henry, all of Hot Springs; two grandchildren, Casey Martineau and Dominique Martineau; two great-grandchildren, Sheridan Burnett and Camber Burnett; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Rickey and Paula Vickers, of Hooks, Texas, and Mickey Vickers, of Oklahoma City; numerous nieces; nephews; and a host of wonderful friends.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Davis-Smith Funeral Home Chapel, Hot Springs, with the Rev. Alan Clark officiating.
Interment will be in Crestview Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until service time on Monday.
Pallbearers will be Shawn Stevens, Brady Covey, Michael Stuffle, David Hobbs, Lance Sanders and Casey Martineau.
Honorary pallbearers will be Sam Pilcher, the staff of Arkansas Hospice Inpatient and the staff of CHI St. Vincent, Hot Springs, ICU.
Guest registry is at http:// www.davis-smith.com.
Vickie L. Hicks
Vickie L. Hicks, 56, of Hot Springs, passed from this life on April 14, 2017, at Arkansas Hospice, surrounded by her three daughters.
She was born Feb. 21, 1961, in Arkadelphia.
Vickie was preceded in death by her father, Fredrick (Junior) Sullivan.
Survivors include her mother, Patsy Sullivan, of Gurdon; her three daughters, Brandi Hicks, of Hot Springs, Nikki Hicks, of Arcata Calif., and Alyssa Hicks-Hammond, of Eureka, Calif.; and one grandchild, Makennah Gober, whom she adored. Siblings, David Sullivan (Lois), of St. Louis, Kim Clarke (Ricky), of Gurdon, Ronnie (Debbie) Sullivan, of North Little Rock, and Shannon Sullivan of Natchez, Miss.
Special friend Robbie Watson, of Donaldson.
Vickie had many struggles in her adult life, but she always persevered, taught her daughters the importance of an honest day’s work and was not shy about sharing her difficulties. Vickie was forthcoming about her long fight with substance abuse, and she never stopped trying to get clean for good. Her family is tremendously proud that she was able to finally overcome her addiction. Their joy is mixed with sadness in that, once Vickie was permanently living sober, she was diagnosed with cancer. Despite having only a short time with sobriety, her family knows that Vickie enjoyed the last few months immensely. She was able to travel and spend a great deal of time with her children and granddaughter, all with a clear mind and heart. It is very important that anyone struggling with addiction knows that help is always available. Vickie found that help through R.E.A.L. Recovery at New Beginnings Baptist Church in Malvern. Vickie thought of this group as family and spoke very highly of the help they provided in overcoming her addiction.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at New Beginnings Baptist Church, in Malvern, officiated by Jeff Efird.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made, to assist the family with funeral expenses, to New Beginnings Baptist Church, 3603 Lancaster Blvd., Malvern, AR
72104. Arrangements are under the directions of A Natural State Funeral Service, 2620 West Main Street, Jacksonville, AR 72076,
501-982-3400.
Glenda A. McLemore
Glenda Anne McLemore, age 58, of Bismarck, passed from this life on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at her home.
She was born Aug. 14, 1958, in Lubbock, Texas, the daughter of Richard Curtis and Linda Chandler Bates. Glenda was a former office manager for Texamerica Food Blending in Hot Springs. She attended Center Fork Baptist Church in Hot Springs. Glenda most enjoyed spending time with her family, antiquing and going to flea markets. She was preceded in death by her mother, Linda Harris; two brothers, Roy and Monty Bates.
Survivors are her husband, Greg McLemore, of Bismarck; one daughter, Shannon (Nick) Weems, of McKinney, Texas; and one grandchild, Deacon Cisnero, of McKinney, Texas.
A celebration of Glenda’s life with family and friends will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday at their home at 788 Thomas Loop, Bismarck, AR 71929.
Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.
Final arrangements are entrusted to The Welch Funeral Home of Arkadelphia. Visit http://www.welchfh.net to sign the guestbook.
Frances J. Morris
Frances Jo Morris, 85, of Hot Springs, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, April 13, 2017.
She was born in Hot Springs on Dec. 19, 1931, to the late William “Ike” and Agnes Hymus.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Joseph Morris (Becky), Philip Morris, Jill Morris and Julianna “Julie” Morris Dickerson; grandchildren, Jordan Morris Dickerson, Jesse Dickerson, Dennie Morris and Jennifer Morris; six great-grandchildren; and many other nieces; nephews; and loving relatives.
Jo was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and loved to fish.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday at Gross Funeral Home.
Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel of Gross Funeral Home at 10 a.m. on Tuesday officiated by Father George.
Burial will immediately follow at Center Hill Cemetery in Fountain Lake.
Pallbearers will be Alan Jordan, Mike Smith, Jordan Dickerson, Tim Huddleston, Jim Norman and Alan Abbott.
The online guestbook, memorial tribute and obituary are available at http://www.grossfuneralhome.com.
Wanda J. Muncrief
Wanda Jean Muncrief, age
80, of Hot Springs, passed away peacefully at Arkansas Hospice, CHI St. Vincent — 5th floor, and joined her parents, sister and husband in heaven on Saturday, April 8, 2017, after a lengthy illness.
She was born on Dec. 14,
1936, in Point Cedar, the daughter of Fred Ralph Sheets and Zella Hayden Traywick Sheets. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold “Bunny” Muncrief; her parents; and her sister, Verna Ruth Sheets.
She was a retired RN from St. Joseph Hospital, now CHI St. Vincent-Hot Springs.
She is survived by her brothers and their spouses, Murrell and Beverly Sheets of Hot Springs, Glenn and Rebecca Sheets of Hot Springs and Wayne and Gwen Sheets of Royal; four nephews; three nieces; and numerous other family members.
Interment was held in the Oma Cemetery in a private ceremony.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to all of the caring doctors, nurses and staff of Arkansas Hospice, CHI St. Vincent Medical Center — Hot Springs, Heritage Health and Rehabilitation and to National Park Medical Center for all of their support and assistance.
Arrangements were under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Hot Springs.
Guest registry is at http:// www.davis-smith.com.
Jerry W. Oglesby
Jerry W. Oglesby, 72, of Hot Springs, passed away April 14, 2017.
Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Caruth-Hale Funeral Home.
Genelle V. Triffet
Genelle Vanderslice Triffet,
94, of Hot Springs, died Thursday, April 6, 2017.
Mrs. Triffet was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Robert Wilton Triffet Jr.; her parents, Benjamin and Thelma Johnson Vanderslice; brother, Gerald Lee Vanderslice, all of Hot Springs; and sister Geraldine Barnes, of Ruston, La.
She is survived by one son, Robert Wilton Triffet III, of Hot Springs; one daughter and son-in-law, Mary Genelle and Gregory L. Baltz, of Pocahontas; and three grandchildren, Gregory Lewis (Regina) Baltz Jr., of Broomfield, Colo., Clinton Triffet (Anne) Baltz, of Lincoln University, Pa., and Angela Genelle (Tony) Baltz-Karr, of Portland, Ore.; great-granddaughter, Rosemary Irene Baltz; and great-grandson, Wayne Anthony Karr; three nieces; and one nephew also survive.
Mrs. Triffet was born in Story in 1922 and moved with her family to Hot Springs in
1923. She graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1940, attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas, and graduated from Arkansas State Teachers College (UCA) in Conway in 1943. She taught home economics, English and science in the Hot Springs school system for twelve years before leaving education to be a homemaker.
Mrs. Triffet was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Hot Springs since 1937, serving as deacon and librarian. She was an organizing member of the Hot Springs Grow and Show Garden Club, was active in Century Club, Daughters of the American Revolution and Junior Auxiliary for many years and enjoyed the civic and community activities as well as the natural beauty Hot Springs offered.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the First Presbyterian Church. The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. under the direction of Gross Funeral Home, with the Rev. Dr. Lacy Sellars officiating.
The family would like to thank the staff of West Shores Assisted Living, Arkansas Hospice, Evelin Morgan and the caregivers of All Ages Home Care, the Rev. Sellars, Dr. Michael Frais and Judy Vanderslice for their love and attention for their mother during her infirmity.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Garland County Library or the charity of the donor’s choice.
Online obituary and guestbook are available at http:// www.grossfuneralhome.com.