Pulaski County
HELEN M. FINNEY, 78, of Little Rock, Ark. went to be with her Lord, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. She was born Dec. 7, 1936 in Leslie, Ark. to the late Albert and Mary Perry. Helen was known for her kindness, gentle spirit, and awesome cooking.
She was preceded in death by husband, Boyd Ray Finney and daughter, Joy Ann Finney.
She is survived by two sons, Chuck Finney (Deb) of Little Rock, Jim Finney (Nancy), of Little Rock; five grandchildren, Aubrey Stromnes (Steven), Jennifer Moser (T.C. Webb), Rebecca Holsted (Gary), Anette Rabun (Terry), Kenny Cates; seven great-grandchildren, Taylor Stromnes, Sydney Escobedo, Jeremiah Webb, Bradley Trantham, Taylor Trantham, Mike Langford, Buck Finkbeiner; five great-great grandchildren, Hunter Langford, Drake Langford, Chase Trantham, Aiden Trantham, Brody Finkbeiner; five sisters, Kesia Close, Betty Chambers, Mary Alice Long, Barbara Mosley, Gail Sartin; one brother, Lewis Perry; and a host of family and friends.
Graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 at Pine Grove Cemetery in Little Rock. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Roller-Drummond Funeral Home.
Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/drummond.
REBECCA ANN HIGGINS, age 52, of Little Rock, passed away Jan. 28, 2015. She was a lifelong member of Mabelvale United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her father Jimmy Higgins.
Rebecca is survived by her mother, Nettie Mae Higgins of Little Rock; brother, James Higgins; nephew, J. Shelby Higgins; and two nieces, Sarah and Laura Higgins, all of Maumelle, AR.
Funeral service will be Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015 at 11 a.m. at Mabelvale United Methodist Church with burial to follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at the church.
Arrangements by Roller-Drummond Funeral Home, 10900 I-30, Little Rock, AR 72009 (501-4555800). Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/drummond.
HERBERT CECIL “HERB” JAMES, 77, founder of James Tree Service in North Little Rock, Ark. and resident of Life Care Center of Columbia for the last 5 years, journeyed to his Heavenly home on Jan. 30, 2015. Among those who knew him, there was never any doubt that he loved his Savior and served Him faithfully.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Griffen & Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home of North Little Rock, Ark. Entombment will follow in Rest Hills Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 12 until the service time at the funeral home in Arkansas. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Herbert was born to Charles Ray and Florence Osmon James in Bald Knob, Ark. on January 17, 1938. At the age of 18, he left to serve in the U.S. Navy. Upon returning to civilian life, he was hired by West Tree Service where A.D. West became his employer, friend, and mentor. He learned the art of tree removal and started his own tree service in 1965 with just a pickup truck and a double bit axe.
Later in his life, he moved to Tenn. For the last five years he resided at Life Care Center of Columbia where he was lovingly known as “Blue Eyes.” The nursing staff will never know how much their tender, loving care meant to him and his family.
Herbert was a kind, generous man who would do anything to help someone in need. He loved people, and he loved the outdoors. Anyone who knew Herb knew that he was most at home in a tree or on the Buffalo River.
Herbert was a member of Crystal Hill Assembly of God and enjoyed bringing people to church with him. A wonderful husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and friend; he was a living example to all.
He will be missed dearly by his wife, Barbara Bennett James; daughter, Teresa Points and son-in-law, Rick; son, Terry James and daughter-in-law, Gina; granddaughter, Hannah Points; grandson, Justin James and granddaughter-in-law, Nikki; and grandson Jordon James. He is also survived by a loving sister, Evelyn Wood.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Curtis James and sisters: Pauline Bowman, Mary Hume, Audrey Wilcox, and Linda Smith.
You may share condolences with the family at the Heritage Funeral Home website: www.TnFunerals.com.
EMUEAL EARL “BASHAUN” JONES, 53, of Little Rock, 851 Marshall Street, Little Rock, (501)374-5025.
Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. before the services. Interment will follow at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery, 1501 West Maryland Avenue, North Little Rock. Services entrusted to Serenity Funeral Home, “Providing Service of Excellence”; online guestbook at www.serenityfuneralhomear.com.
––––– ––––– VICTOR N. MIRON (MIRONTSCHUK), 91, of Little Rock died on Jan. 31, 2015. Victor was born on Oct. 12, 1923 in Taganrog, Russia.
As a young college student, he was captured by the Nazis in 1941 during the German occupation of southern Russia. He was sent to Germany where he worked on a farm for 5 years until his liberation by the US Army in 1946. After the war Victor met his wife of 43 years Ludmilla Solotuchina in Nuremberg, Germany. Ludmilla was also born in Russia and captured by the Germans and then too liberated. Victor and Ludmilla immigrated to the United States via the port of New Orleans in 1949. With the help of many new friends and their American Sponsors, the Bailey family, Victor and Ludmilla moved to Little Rock, Ark.
After several miscellaneous jobs, Victor found work with Chicopee Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson. Working during the day and going to school at night for 16 years, he received a chemistry degree from Little Rock University. With his college degree, Victor climbed the corporate ladder to eventually become the manager of quality control for all of Chicopee North and South America(s). He was awarded a Chicopee Indian by the Company, a prestigious award given to only a few for his cost-saving innovations. He worked for Chicopee for 40 years before retiring at age 65. At his retirement party it was noted that he never missed a day of work. Victor, a world traveler, loved the Black Forest of Germany and spent many seasons there. This was a testament to his optimism and his capacity for forgiveness of the Nazis who were responsible for the deaths of many of his family members and friends.
In 1989, his wife, Ludmilla, died, leaving him grief-stricken. With the help of his great friend and loving companion, Sara Garrett, he eventually returned to travel the world over and enjoyed many great years in retirement until his move to Parkway Village in 2012.
In his later years Victor suffered from Alzheimer’s and was cared for by many compassionate workers at the Ginny and Bob Shell Alzheimer’s Center. The family would like to thank and acknowledge these workers, Sara Garrett and his beloved daughter-in-law, Janet Miron, for helping make Victor’s final years comfortable and dignified.
Victor has been a member of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church for over 65 years where he and Ludmilla worked many tireless hours in the kitchen and at church festivals. Victor also served as church treasurer during the dedication of the Church’s beautiful new home on Napa Valley Road, an amazing accomplishment for him and many other church members who emigrated with their families from all over the world to live in freedom and peace from the tyranny of their former native lands.
Victor was preceded in death by his wife, Ludmilla. Victor is survived by daughter, Natalie Parks of Kingwood, Texas; sons, Victor Mirontschuk (Lucy) of New York, N.Y. and Philip Miron (Janet) of Little Rock, Ark. He is also survived by his dear, loyal, and loving companion, Sara Garrett. Victor leaves to treasure his memory eight (8) grandchildren and nine (9) great-grandchildren.
Vespers will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015, at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Ark., 72211 (501) 224-8300. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 1100 Napa Valley Drive, Little Rock, Ark., 72211 (501)221-5300. Interment will follow at Rest Hills Memorial Park, North Little Rock.
Memorials may be made to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Scholarship Foundation.
His guestbook may be signed on at www.rollerfuneralhomes. com/chenal.
RUBY MITCHELL, 72, of Sherwood died Saturday. Visitation will be held at 1 p.m Wednesday at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral home followed by a Graveside service at 2:15 p.m. at Rest Hills Memorial Park, 7724 Landers Rd., North Little Rock. Please sign online guestbook and view complete obituary at www.griffinleggettresthills.com .