OBITUARIES
Marian Best
Marian Best, 84, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Thursday, June 1, 2017, at Circle of Life Hospice House. She was born Sept. 24, 1932, in Wayland, Mo.
Survivors include a son, Russell Best and wife Victoria of Texas; two daughters, Beverly Baud and husband John, and Cheryl Hartshorn and husband David, all of Bella Vista; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Arrangements are by Epting Funeral Home of Bella Vista.
Condolences may be made at www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.
Helen Ann McClellan
Helen Ann McClellan, 94, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Thursday, June 1, 2017, at Circle of Life Hospice House. She was born July 25, 1922, in Hutchinson, Kan., to Fred and Victoria Vague.
She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Bella Vista.
Survivors include two sons, Wayne McClellan and his wife Adelheid, of Bella Vista, and Dale McClellan of Kansas; a brother Fred Vague and wife Erlee of Kansas; a grandson Rob McClellan; and four great-grandchildren.
Cremation arrangements were made under the direction of Epting Funeral Home in Bella Vista.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.
Bonnie Jean Griffith
Bonnie Jean Griffith, 79, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Monday, May
22, 2017, after a sixmonth battle with cancer.
She was born in Hamilton, Ohio, on Nov. 19, 1937, to Mae and Herman Barnes.
She graduated from Hanover High School in 1955. Shortly after graduation she met William Griffith. They married on June 23, 1955. They celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2015.
She worked in management for Cincinnati Bell and retired after 20 years of service. In 1976 she and William moved to Colorado Springs, Colo. They retired to Bella Vista in 1999, where they continued to enjoy their favorite pastimes: playing bridge, participating in various clubs, and traveling.
She was preceded in death by a son, Jason; mother and father, Mae and Herman Barnes; two sisters, Betty and Margaret; and two brothers, Donald and Ronald.
Survivors include her husband, William; and a son, Michael, who resides in Fairfield, Ohio.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory
Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.
James Edward Rice
James Edward Rice, 87, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Thursday, June 1, 2017, in Bella Vista. He was born Dec. 23, 1929, in Bryant, S.D., to George Rice and Golda Pack.
He and his brother Don were influenced by their grandparents, Murray and Katherine Finley Pack. He attended Bryant Public Schools through eighth grade before moving to Watertown, S.D., where he graduated high school.
He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1951, and was stationed in Alaska where he served as a supply sergeant during the Korean War.
He married the love of his life, Signe Husby, in the spring of 1956. During their 61-year marriage, he and Signe lived in Minnesota, Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming before moving to Arkansas in 2002. He enjoyed a prolific career in the specialty meat trade that spanned decades, working for the front-runners in the industry. In addition to his strong faith, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, his dogs, and most importantly he enjoyed time with his family.
He is survived by his wife Signe; a daughter, Cheryl Neighly of Largo, Fla.; three sons, Chuck and wife Diane Rice of Bella Vista, Tim Rice and wife MaryAnn of Fergus Falls, Minn., and Pat Rice and wife Trish of Grand Lake, Colo; a brother, Don Rice of Watertown; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Bella Vista at a later date.
Arrangements are by Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory.
Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.
John ‘Jack’ B. Ruprecht
John “Jack” B. Ruprecht, 84, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Wednesday, May 31, 2017, at Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville, Ark. He was born June 4, 1932, to John and Bernice Bosworth Ruprecht in Merrill, Wis.
He graduated from Merrill High School in 1950 and worked in Merrill, Wis., for several years before joining the U.S. Navy. He served his country for two years in the Navy.
In 1954 he married Louis Schmolze, who preceded him in death.
He worked for Pittsburg Testing and Foster Wheel. He was offered a position with the Department of Defense at Rock Island Arsenal working on M-1 and Bradley tanks. He retired from the DOD in 1991.
He married the former Joanne Poquette in 1995. They moved to Bella Vista in May 1999. He loved to golf and loved his golf group, the Thursday Thumpers.
Survivors include his wife of 22 years, Joanne Ruprecht; a son Jon Ruprecht of Wisconsin; two daughters, Linda Stanford and husband Mike of Arizona, and Kris Ruprecht of Wisconsin; four stepchildren; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a brother, Joel Ruprecht of Merrill; and a sister Denise Wolf of Arizona.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, June 9, 2017, at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 1 St. Bernard Lane, Bella Vista.
Arrangements are by Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory.
Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.