Obituaries
Norice E. Chancellor
NEW DeROCHE — Norice Ella Chancellor, 85, New DeRoche Community, passed Nov.
11, 2017.
Survived by her daughters, Diane Burks (Steve), Sandra Clifton (Bobby); brother, Hubert Taylor (Geraldine); sister, Mary Jamison and sister, Janice Garner; four grandchildren, grandson Bryan Clifton (Sonja), grandson Gary Lynn (Kelly), granddaughter Kimberley Cooper (Tommy) and granddaughter Sonja Burks Reed (Josh); her great-grandchildren, Ethan Clifton, Tylor Clifton, Taylor Clifton, Carson and Logan Reed, Hayden Hodges, Alex Lynn, of Benton, Ark., and Brodie Ella Cooper.
Visitation from noon until
1 p.m. and funeral services at 1 p.m. today, Nov. 14, 2017, at Hickory Grove Baptist Church. Burial at Prairie Bayou Cemetery.
Arrangements by Regency Funeral Home. You may sign the guestbook at http://regencyfuneralhome.com.
Howard Cranford
MALVERN — Howard Cranford, 86, of Malvern, died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017.
He was born Dec. 23, 1930, to the late Curtis and Alvie Cranford. He was a United States Navy veteran.
He is preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Janice, of 60 years; sister, Ruby Burlington.
Survivors include his wife, Vicki Cranford; son, Robert Cranford (Janice), of Florida; daughters, Cheryl Kolln (Chris), Cindy McKinney, all of Hot Springs; brothers, Russell Cranford (Marguerite), Noel Cranford, James Cranford (Vonda), all of Malvern; grandchildren, Andy Buie, Tina Buie, Ryan McKinney and Shawn McKinney.
Visitation is 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, in Regency Funeral Home chapel with funeral at 2 p.m.
Burial in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens.
Arrangements Regency Funeral Home. Sign guestbook at http://regencyfuneralhome. com.
John B. East Jr.
A celebration of life for John Burnett East Jr., of Hot Springs, who died Nov. 9, 2017, will be 10 a.m. Wednesday in Caruth-Hale Funeral Home chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arkansas Hospice, 628 Malvern Ave., Hot Springs, AR 71901.
Roger E. Edwards
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Businessman, world traveler, ironworker, traveling magician and entertainer of all, Roger Emmanuel Edwards, 78, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, at the Oldorf Hospice House, Hiawatha, Iowa. Visitation 4-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17. Memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 18. Visitation and services will be at First Church of the Open Bible, Cedar Rapids.
Roger was born on Oct. 31,
1939, in Mason City, Iowa, the son of Richard and Alpha (Bagne) Edwards. In elementary school, he began to do magic shows everywhere he could. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1958 and immediately went on the road as a traveling magician with Kara Kum. In the early 1960s, he and his brother, Harold, formed the Magical Jokers. He met June Shaw at a barn dance and married her on Dec. 29,
1963, in Orchard, Iowa. He went to work for Water Tower Paint and Repair and enjoyed going from town to town with his family painting water towers. In 1969, Roger moved to Cedar Rapids, where he worked for Iron Worker’s Local No. 89. In 1983, Roger and his wife, June, opened the Cellar Door and then later acquired the Stable on the Alley.
After nearly 40 years of marriage, June died on Nov. 18,
2003. Roger continued to run both the Cellar Door and the Stable in the Alley with the help of his friends, especially his constant companion, Margaret Scheffert. He was proud of the many times the Cellar Door was recognized as the Best Antique Store in Cedar Rapids. Roger traveled to over
50 countries and shared his love of dancing with many.
Roger is survived by his children, Melody Williams, of Miles, Iowa, Christopher (LaDawn) Edwards, of Huntsville, Ala., and Michael Edwards, of Cedar Rapids; six grandchildren, Andrew, Steven, Nicholas, Kamille, Elizabeth and Hannah; a brother, Harold Edwards, of Hot Springs, Ark.; his close companion, Margaret Scheffert, many honorary family members and friends.
Roger was preceded in death by his wife, June, in
2003; his parents, Richard and Alpha Edwards; and siblings, Richard Edwards and Barbara Dutcher.
The family would like to thank Hospice of Mercy and all of Roger’s friends for the ways they cared for him.
Memorials may be directed to Hospice of Mercy. Online condolences may be directed to the family at http://www. iowacremation.com under Obituaries.
Clyda J. Franks
MALVERN — Clyda Joyce (Blevins) Franks, 77, of Malvern, passed Nov. 12, 2017.
She was a retired teacher from Malvern School District.
Survivors include her husband of 56 years, Jim Paul Franks, who she married Feb. 10, 1961; her sons, Todd Franks, (Janet), of Arkadelphia, Neil Franks (Kendra), of Columbia, Mo.; sisters, Ginger Sexton (Pat) and Verna Wells (Mike), all of Magnet Cove; grandchildren, Ben Franks, Laura Franks, Daniel Franks, Adason Franks, Nathan Franks and Travis Franks; brother-in-law, Jerry Franks (Madge); and numerous nieces, and nephews.
Visitation is 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, at Regency Funeral Home.
Funeral service is 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017, at Third Baptist Church, Malvern. Burial at Rockport Cemetery. Arrangements by Regency Funeral Home. You may sign the guestbook at http://regencyfuneralhome.com.
Eva M. Harper
Eva Mae Harper, 80, of Hot Springs, died Nov. 11, 2017.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
A celebration of life will be 1 p.m. Thursday in CaruthHale Funeral Home chapel with Brothers Roger Harper and Al Harvey officiating.
Burial will be in Rock Springs Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Chad Cook, Phillip Nahas, Justin Harper, Bryan Harper, Kenneth Johnson and Larry Johnson.
Honorary pallbearers are Vernon Jr. and Connie Tedford, the adult Sunday school class at Bates Community Church and Romosha Bridges.
Bobby L. Hecke
Bobby L. Hecke, 91, of Hot Springs, passed away Friday, Nov. 10, 2017.
Bobby was born to Jessie (Sloan) and Louis Denver Hecke on Oct. 15, 1926. Bobby was truly an example of what has come to be known as “The Greatest Generation.” Raised in the Great Depression as one of 10 children, he left home and went off to a trade school in Little Rock, while still a young teenager. Fabricating a story, with the help of an aunt, he convinced state authorities to change his birth certificate so that it showed the year of his birth as 1925. This made him, on paper, a year older than he really was. He did this so he could secure a job at a national defense plant in Seattle, Wash. Once in Seattle, he soon discovered he could make more money at the Rainier Brewery, where the owner befriended Bobby and gave him a room in his home in which to live.
With World War II in full swing and his age changed to reflect him as a year older, he realized he would soon be eligible for the draft; with that possibility looming, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on March
19, 1943, at the real age of 16. Bobby was first stationed at Tanforan Racetrack in San Bruno, on the San Francisco Peninsula in California, which had been converted for military use during the war.
During his Navy time, he was never stationed aboard a ship, and after Manus Island, New Guinea, was recaptured from the Japanese on May 18,
1944, he spent the rest of his Navy time piloting different types of small Navy water craft there. Manus had Seeadler Harbor, which became the base for many large warships and transports. According to Bobby, Manus Bay, as he called it, was larger than Pearl Harbor. On Nov. 10, 1944, the Navy’s lead ammunitions ship during WWII, the USS Mount Hood, exploded; Bobby, piloting his small landing craft, helped to recover the dead and wounded. The devastation was so great he had trouble in telling what actually took place.
Bobby was discharged from the Navy on Feb. 24, 1946; returned to Hot Springs, where he met his lifelong partner of 68 years, Mary Dee Riddle; the two were married on July 13, 1946. After a few years working in Chicago, Ill., Bobby returned to Hot Springs and established himself as a highly qualified and reliable automobile repairman; eventually purchasing a service station from his wife’s uncle. That service station still bears the family name today.
He was a great lover of all the outdoors, loved camping, was an avid hunter and even a more enthusiastic fisherman. He loved and shared these passions with his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed family gatherings, family penny ante poker games and trips with family members to Oaklawn Park.
He never met a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone at any time; most recently, he loved to sit on the porch at Cracker Barrel and hold conversations with anyone who happened to pass by, often relating stories about the early days of Hot Springs and how he once, as a young boy, had caddied for the infamous gangster Owney Madden. But his great passion and pride was his family and he would frequently remark how close his family was.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Dee; brothers, Bunk, Walter, Earl Wayne and Billy Hecke; sisters, Delia Ward and Shirley Beckham.
Bobby is survived by his children, Dan and Jan Hecke, Vickie Loris, Robby and Malissa Hecke, and Darla and Randy Hall; his beloved grandchildren, Melanie and Tony Streetman, Matthew and Stephanie Hecke, Sophia Loris, Stephanie and Wes Richardson, Kellie Wilson, Kristen and Will Parker and Mary Ashley Hall; beloved great-grandchildren, Brodie and Justin Underwood, Josh Warren, Alexis Streetman, Ashleigh Streetman, Aundrea Streetman, Skylar Streetman, Gracen Streetman, Daniel Streetman, Sammy Richardson, Wyatt Richardson, Gunner Parker, Lexi Parker and Brady Frye; one great-great grandchild, James Herring; a brother, Roy and Juanita Hecke; sisters, JoAnn and James Beckwith and Diana and Jerry Jr. Hawthorn; and a multitude of nieces and nephews, along with extended family and friends.
Visitation will be at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, with a celebration of a life well lived, immediately following at 2 p.m., officiated by the Rev. Scott Gallimore in Davis-Smith Funeral Home chapel, Hot Springs.
Interment will be at Memorial Gardens, under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Hot Springs. Military honors will be provided by the U.S. Navy and the Thaddeus H. Caraway VFW Post No. 2278.
Pallbearers will be Matthew Hecke, Tony Streetman, Richard Morrow, Steve Pilotte, Taylor Liggett and Will Parker.
Honorary pallbearers are Jamie Nimmo, Wes Richardson, Donnie Hecke, Blake Hecke, Randy Hall, Jay Conly, Chris Conly, Todd Conly, George Queen and Mike Sharp.
The family would like to thank Bobby’s VA Foster Home care givers, the doctors, nurses, hospital and rehabilitation staff that have attended to his needs over the past few years. The family truly appreciates your care and concern.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bobby’s honor to Arkansas Hospice, 628 Malvern Ave., Hot Springs, AR 71901.
Guest registry is at http:// www.davis-smith.com.
Evelyn Melson
Evelyn Melson, 83, of Hot Springs, died Monday, Nov. 13, 2017.
The service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Davis-Smith Funeral Home chapel, Hot Springs.
Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. today.
Interment will be in Godwin Cemetery.
Manuben B. Patel
Manuben Babubhai Patel, 69, of Hot Springs, Ark., passed away Nov. 11, 2017.
She was born May 5, 1948, in Digus, India, to Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Desai and Savitaben Naranbhai Desai. Manuben was of the Hindu faith.
Survivors include her husband, Babubhai D. Patel; sons, Manishkumar B. Patel (Shardhdha), Devendra B. Patel (Seema), all of Hot Springs; daughter, Jayshri D. Patel (Dipak), of Clarksville, Tenn.; brothers, Ramanbhai N. Desai, Champakbhai N. Desai; sisters, Dhanuben B. Patel, Ramilaben J. Patel; and five grandchildren.
Visitation and prayers will be 5-7 p.m. today at CaruthHale Funeral Home.
A celebration of Manuben’s life will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in Caruth-Hale Funeral Home chapel.
Guests may register at http://www.caruth-hale.com.
Philip A. Ward
Philip Anthony Ward, 61, of Hot Springs, died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017.
Arrangements are with Gross Funeral Home.