Obituaries

WILMA HUDGENS

Wilma Sue Hudgens, age 83, of Texarkana, Arkansas went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, December 2, 2022, at her residence surrounded by her family.

Mrs. Hudgens was born October 14, 1939 in Duran, New Mexico. She was retired from the Social Security Administration and was a member of Northern Hills Baptist Church. She was a Sunday school teacher for many years, enjoying teaching others about Jesus. She was a previous member of the Garden Club and enjoyed growing beautiful plants. Mrs. Hudgens loved watching the redbirds and hummingbirds in the yard. She also enjoyed playing the piano and singing in the choir. Her family was very important to her and she enjoyed spending time with them. She is preceded in death by her husband, Joe Hudgens and her parents, John and Cora Belle Saunders.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Dede Cooper and her husband, Dane; four grandsons, Jordan Lemley and his wife, Myka, Joseph Bennett, Blake Cooper, Kyler Cooper; one great-grandson, Hoyt Lemley; one great-granddaughter, Zoie Bennett; one sister-in-law, Doris Jane (Susie) Grimmett and a number of other friends and relatives.

Graveside services will be 11:00 AM Friday, December 9, 2022 at Shiloh Cemetery in Waldo, Arkansas with Dr. Roger Copeland officiating. Burial will be under the direction of Texarkana Funeral Home, Arkansas.

The family would like to give a special thanks to the staff of Ashley’s Care and House Call, especially her sitters Payton Tice and Tracy Guthrie and to Enhabit Hospice for the wonderful care they gave her.

Register online at www.texarkanafuneralhome.com.

JOHN C. WILKEY

John Conrad Wilkey was born November 6, 1935 in Quincy, IL, the son of Keith L. and Ruth Meier Wilkey. He died December 6, 2022. He graduated at Camp Point high school, Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL with a Bachelor of Arts, Garrett Biblical Institute with a Master of Divinity, and University of Dubuque Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry.

He married Eileen Deloris Daggett on July 10, 1955. Eileen passed away on March 2, 2003. They were parents of five children: John Wesley (Sheryl),

Brian Ross (Barbara), Brinton Geoffrey (Susan), Jael Ellen (Mark), and Jared Asbury (Yu Jie). Also surviving are seventeen grandchildren (Heather Coddington, Ariana Gladfelter, Christian, Eva Morton, and Ian; Greg, Jeff, Andrew, and Stephen Wilkey;Megan, Brinton Jr., and Allison Wilkey; Matthew, Michael, and Katie Simpkins; Molly and Keith Wilkey. Also surviving are nine great grandchildren with one on the way.

On April 24, 2004 John married Stephanie Smith-Jarratt of Atlanta, TX. She survives. John and Stephanie worked together as pastor and choir director at Grace church and Law’s Chapel from 1988 and on. Together, they performed for many concerts with John playing the mandolin and guitar, and Stephanie playing autoharp and singing.

John was called to preach in May 1953 and started to preach in the same fall in Western, IL. John was ordained into the ministry of The Methodist Church, taking Deacon’s orders in 1958, and Elder’s in 1961. He served pastorates at Murrayville, Pontiac, Cuba, Augusta, Pittsfield, and Grace Church in Jacksonville, all in IL. In retirement he served Laws Chapel in Atlanta, TX. He served the Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference and its predecessor body, Central Illinois Conference as chair of the Board of Finance and Administration, Board of Ordained Ministry, District Board of Ministry (25 years), and taught in the Jurisdictional License to Preach School for twenty years. John was elected by his peers to serve as a delegate to the North Central Jurisdictional Conference for four quadrennia, and as an alternate delegate to the General Conference. He also taught religion courses at John Wood Community College, MacMurray College, and at Illinois College.

He was an amateur bluegrass musician playing multiple instruments, especially adept with the mandolin. In the 1960s, John and Eileen formed a folk band, The Prairie Ramblers, performing throughout west central Illinois. As an outdoorsman, he enjoyed cutting wood with his sons and son-in-law. John was a voracious reader, audiophile, an avid gardener, and a tree farmer.

The family will receive friends Thursday, December 8, 2022, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Hanner Funeral Service.

Guest registry is available at www.hannerfuneralservice.com.

LILLIAN WYATT

Lillian Yevette Wyatt, 55, of Texarkana died Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at her residence. Arrangements are pending with Haynes Mortuary, Inc.