OBITUARIES
Patsy Burks
Patsy Jean Burks, 74, of Sulphur Springs, died Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, at her home.
She was born on Nov. 22, 1943, in Jay, Okla., to Sylvester Cox and Nellie Mae Cunningham Cox. She was the widow of the late Royce Burks. She was a homemaker who enjoyed getting together with her family.
She is survived by two sons, William Franklin Downing and Jerimiah Wayne Downing; one daughter, Barbara Sue McFarlan; two stepsons, Rocky Downing and Ted Downing; one stepdaughter, Cecilia Downing; two brothers, Wesley Cox and Dale Otis Cox; two sisters, Loretta Higgs and Stella Bowman; five grandchildren; and several greatgrandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and five brothers.
Graveside services were held at the Zena Cemetery in Zena, Okla., on Friday, Oct. 26, with Vic Luttrell officiating. Arrangements were by Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs.
Carl Florer
Carl Florer, 77, of Decatur, died Oct. 22, 2018, in Bentonville.
He was born Aug. 22, 1941, in Decatur, to Aldo and Lula Dill Florer. He was an excavator, a member of the Decatur Assembly of God and served in the Army National Guard.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother, Cliff Florer.
He is survived by his wife, Ellen Hall Florer of the home; children, Segan Lowham and husband Casey of Bentonville, Nathan Florer and wife Jessica of Decatur, and Kevin Lackey of Decatur; his siblings, Ralph Florer of Phoenix, Ariz., and Eva Lou Foreman of Decatur; grandchildren, Caylee and Cade Burns, Casey and Savannah Lowham, Chandler Lowham, Chayce Lowham, Madison and Noah Elliott, Makenna and Malorie Florer; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Decatur Assembly of God Church, with private interment in the Falling Springs Cemetery, Decatur. Arrangements were by Benton County Funeral Home, Rogers.
John Henry ‘J.H.’ Keith
John Henry “J.H.” Keith, 89, a resident of Pryor, Okla. and former lifelong resident of Centerton and Hiwasse, passed away at the Colonial Terrace Care Center in Pryor on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.
He was born April 1, 1929, to James Russell and Gladys (Edwards) Keith in Hiwasse.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister and brother-in-law, June (Keith) Cover and Oral Cover of Pea Ridge.
J.H. is survived by his loving wife of eight years, Rowena (Anderson, Eastom) Keith of Pryor, Okla.; one sister, Carolyn (Keith) Moore and husband, Glenn “Tom” Moore of Beechbottom WV, and numerous nieces and nephews.
J.H. attended school in Hiwasse and was a member of the graduating class of 1947. He served in the U.S. Army both in the U.S. and Germany in the 1950s.
J.H. was a housing developer in Centerton and was long time extractor of fertilizer from the poultry industry which was common in Northwest Arkansas in earlier days.
He was very devoted to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and was a member of the Spavinaw House of Worship in Spavinaw, Ok.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Shipman’s Funeral Home in Pryor, Okla., with interment at a later date.
PAID OBITUARY
Lil Martin
Lil Martin, 98, formerly of Sulphur Springs, and Tulsa, Okla., died Sept. 13, 2018, in Vero Beach, Fla.
She was born in Alma and grew up in Tulsa, where she met her husband, Spec. In 1980, Lil and Spec moved to their Low Chaparral Ranch outside Sulphur Springs, where they made very special memories with family and friends. She attended the Gravette Church of Christ. She enjoyed the quilting group and the Sulphur Springs Friendly Neighbor’s Club. She moved to Vero Beach in 2006.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Spec Martin; her son, Roger Martin; her sisters, Thedra and Maurine Rogers; and her parents, Ralph and Lillye Rogers.
She is survived by her daughter, Debbie and husband Bill of Vero Beach; three grandsons, Brian and wife Amber of Dallas, Texas, Brandon and wife Laura of Miami, Fla., and Chad and wife Mary of Whidbey Island, Wash.; and five great-grandchildren, Cara, Holly, Alex, Clare and Addison.
A graveside service to be held in Alma will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are by Strunk Funeral Home in Vero Beach.