Obituaries
Roger D. Allen
Roger Dale Allen, born Jan.
24, 1948, in Bismarck. Went to meet the Lord on Nov. 30, 2017.
Roger is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Thelma Allen.
Roger is survived by his wife, Linda Allen; son, Jeremy Allen; one brother, Ronnie Allen, three sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces and many friends.
Roger graduated from Bismarck High School and was a Navy veteran. He was proud of his service and always took time to talk to those who served our country. He was a member of Unity Baptist Church in Bismarck and loved his church family. He lived life praising God and loved to talk about the Bible. His favorite verse was Psalm 23.
A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 17 at Unity Baptist Church, 144 Unity Lane, Bismarck, AR 71929.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Unity Baptist Church, c/o Crystal Clardy,
846 Findley Road, Bismarck, AR 71929. Sign Roger’s tribute page at http://www.ruggleswilcox.com.
Georgia A. Braughton
Loving mother, grandmother and sister, Georgia Alice Braughton, 84, of Hot Springs, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017.
She was born in Hot Springs on Sept. 25, 1933, to the late Jesse and Minnie (Cook) Eddleman.
A lifelong Christian, she was an active member of First Baptist Church and also loved her Sunday school class. She loved spending time with family and reading her Bible daily. Georgia enjoyed sewing and making ceramics that she exhibited at the Hot Springs Arts and Craft Fair for 47 years.
She is predeceased by her loving husband of 52 years, Carl Braughton.
She is survived by her loving daughter, Judy, and her husband, Bryan Garrett; her grandsons, Zane (Jennifer) Garrett and Seth Garrett; her great-grandson, Bear Garrett; sisters, Mary (Bill) Tucker and Ruby Mears.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. today at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home with the Rev. John McCallum officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Bryan Garrett, Zane Garrett, Seth Garrett, Mike Brown, Terry Tucker and Eddie Fuhrman.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Georgia’s honor may be made to First Baptist Church Building Fund or Oak Hill Cemetery Fund, c/o Glenda Vaughn, 170 Clear Trail, Hot Springs, AR 71901.
The family will be at 106 Bay Ridge Loop, Hot Springs.
Guest register is http:// www.caruth-hale.com.
Gerald L. Buxton Jr.
ROYAL — Gerald L. Buxton Jr., 79, of Royal, died Dec. 3, 2017.
Visitation will begin 9 a.m. Thursday.
A celebration of life be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Caruth-Hale Funeral Home chapel.
Burial will be in Peak Cemetery.
Russell L. Epperson Sr.
Russell Lee Epperson Sr., 82, of Hot Springs, Ark., passed away Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017.
He was born Feb. 1, 1935, in Kirksville, Mo., to the late Robert Edgar and Loetta C. (Newcomer) Epperson. Russell was a veteran of the U.S. military, a retired truck driver and enjoyed going to Oaklawn for both live and simulcast racing.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Epperson; and a daughter, Susan Epperson.
Russell is survived by his son, Russell Epperson Jr., and his wife, Sherri; grandson, Russell Epperson III (Trey); granddaughter, Kristi Epperson; and a sister-in-law, Lorraine Garner.
Guests may register at http://www.grossfuneralhome.com.
Jerry Hatfield
Jerry Hatfield, retired financial executive, passed away on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, age 75, in Surprise, Ariz.
He was born in Muscatine, Iowa, however grew up in Hot Springs, Ark. He was a graduate of Hot Springs High School and the University of Arkansas.
He is survived by wife, Joetta Cobb Hatfield; sons, Ryan, of San Clemente, Calif., Chad, of Goodyear, Ariz.; brother, Ted, of Hall’s Crossroads, Tenn.; and five grandchildren.
Donations may be made in his name to Helping Hands, 14624 W. RH Johnson, Sun City, AZ 85375.
Hubert L. Kuykendall
BISMARCK — Hubert L. Kuykendall, 78, of Bismarck, died Monday, Dec. 4, 2017.
Arrangements are with Hot Springs Funeral Home.
Donald Ledford
PEARCY — Donald Ledford, a native of Kings Mountain, N.C., died Dec. 1, 2017, while vacationing in Utah. He was a resident of Pearcy, Ark.
Don was born Dec. 2, 1954, and grew up in Kings Mountain. He graduated from Kings Mountain High School in 1972, where he was president of his senior class. He went on to N.C. State University, where he earned a degree in forestry. He later earned a master’s degree from Texas A&M University. He worked in the forest products industry, both in manufacturing and in research and development. He retired from Weyerhaeuser.
He is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Felgate and her husband, John, and three grandchildren, Ellison, Joshua and Payson, all of Pearcy, Ark. He is also survived by his brothers, Paul and Jerry Ledford, of Kings Mountain, and their families. He was the son of the late Grace and Frank Ledford.
Don was an avid woodworker, and many of his friends and family have pieces that he constructed uniquely for them. He was a big lover of the outdoors and the national parks. He traveled around the whole country visiting parks and often had family members and friends joining him on these trips.
He was an experienced and enthusiastic skier, and spent several months each year in the western United States and abroad on ski trips. He was on a ski trip when he died.
A memorial service will be held at Oak Grove Baptist Church, 1102 Oak Grove Road, Kings Mountain, NC 28086 at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that memorials be made to Oak Grove Baptist Church.
Guest registry at http:// www.davis-smith.com.
Arrangements are by Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Hot Springs.
Ardeth V.S. Marks
Ardeth Vivian Slade Marks,
87, of Hot Springs, died Dec.
3, 2017.
Visitation will be 1 p.m. Wednesday.
A celebration of life will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Caruth-Hale Funeral Home chapel with Pastor John McCallum officiating.
Richard D. Phipps
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Richard D. (Dick) Phipps,
95, passed away from natural causes at the Solon Care Center on Sunday, Dec. 3.
Mass of Christian burial will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Iowa City. Rev. Gary Beckman will officiate.
Visitation will be held the same day, at the church, from
9-11 a.m. Burial, with full military rites, will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Iowa City.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Wenceslaus Church, Solon Nursing Care Center or Iowa City Hospice. Lensing Funeral Service is handling arrangements.
He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Elva (Babe) Phipps; his sons, Rob Phipps (Jean), of Iowa City, John Phipps (Sue), of Iowa City, Mike Phipps (Mary Lou), of Lake San Marcos, Calif., Joe Phipps, of Texarkana, Ark.; and his daughter, Julie Redifer (Bren), of Hot Springs, Ark.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Guestbook at http://www. lensingfuneral.com.
Florence Polk
Florence Polk, 94, of Hot Springs, died Friday, Dec. 1, 2017.
Arrangements are with Carrigan Memorial Funeral Services.
Edna L. Simpson
SULPHUR SPRINGS — Edna Loretta Simpson, age 79, of the Sulphur Springs, community near Norman, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017.
She was born on May 19,
1938, in Sulphur Springs, the daughter of Ed Kiser and Pearl Hughes Kiser. On March 5,
1964, she was married to Earnest “Ernie” Simpson, who preceded her in death on Dec. 29,
2012. She was also preceded in death by her parents; and her sister, Velma Simpson.
She received her Bachelors of Education from Henderson State University. For over 27 years, she operated her poultry farm along with Ernie. She had also worked for the glove factory. She enjoyed quilting, cooking, working crossword puzzles and was known for her cinnamon rolls and candy making. She was Baptist in her faith and known as Mamaw Edna to everyone.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne and Lisa Voan Simpson, of Norman, and Gary and Lisa Jackson Simpson of Hot Springs; four grandchildren, Christie Kennedy and her husband, Adam, and Neil Simpson, all of Norman, Kaylee Simpson, of Glenwood, and Devin Simpson, of Hot Springs; two sisters, Emily Fryar, of Oden, and Margie Lewis, of Mena; her brother-in-law, Elmer Simpson, of Norman; three sisters-in-law, Yvonne Rawls, of Mena, Helen Gortemiller, of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Eva Tanner, of California; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. in the Davis-Smith Funeral Home chapel, Glenwood, with Brother James Hughes officiating.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Interment will be in Sulphur Springs Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Davey Foley, Larry Jones, Rodney Standridge, Richard Osburn, David Lybrand, Russell Meyers, Wayne McClard and Tyler Betts.
Honorary pallbearers will be the nurses and staff of Montgomery County Nursing Home, Dr. Michael Verser, Clay Ellison, Dr. Lynn Cleveland, Dr. Oyidie Igbokidi and the nurses and staff of CHI St. Vincent.
Guest registry is at http:// www.davis-smith.com.
Donald E. Taylor
POINT CEDAR — Donald Eugene “Don” Taylor, age 78, of Point Cedar, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017.
He was born on May 23, 1939, in Cohasset, Minn., and was a retired logger and truck driver. He was a U.S. Army veteran and enjoyed traveling.
He is survived by two sons, Steve Taylor and Gary Taylor, both of Point Cedar; five grandchildren; two brothers, Gordon Taylor, of Minnesota, and Steve Taylor, of Oregon; and two sisters, Nina Zahran, of North Carolina, and Sue Ward, of South Carolina.
Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Glenwood.
Guest registry is at http:// www.davis-smith.com.
Edward L. Whisenhunt
GLENWOOD — Edward L. Whisenhunt, age 70, of Glenwood, died Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017.
He was born Aug. 7, 1947, in Norman, the son of George and Dixie Hill Whisenhunt. He was preceded in death by his parents; and four sisters.
He is survived by his nieces, Janie Wehunt, Joyce Lambert and Michelle Duggan, all of Amity; his nephews, Charles Ward, of Glenwood, and Richard Henthorn, of Amity; numerous other nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members and friends.
Memorial services will be held by the family at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Hilltop Full Gospel Church in Glenwood with Brother Vernon Wehunt and Brother Eric Wehunt officiating.
Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home, Glenwood.
Guest registry is at http:// www.davis-smith.com.