OBITUARIES SATURDAY

FRIDAY PAMELA MUDD

Pamela Kay Mudd, age 71, of Wake Village, Texas, died Wednesday, September 6, 2023 in a local hospice center.

Mrs. Mudd was born June 20, 1952 in Texarkana, Arkansas. She was a homemaker and member of the Trinity Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her father, Lee Elliott of Woodriver, Illinois; her mother, Latrella Elliott of Wake Village, Texas; her sister, Wanda Redmond of Fredericksburg, Virginia and by her brother, Alan Elliott of Bedias, Texas.

She is survived by husband of 42 years, Joseph Mudd of Wake Village, Texas, one son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Laura Mudd of London, England; one daughter and sonin-law, Schaley and Cody Allen of Las Vegas, Nevada; two sisters and one brother-in-law Belva and Edward Carter of Castroville, Texas and Gloria Trammell of Wake Village, Texas; one brother and sister-in-law, Joe and Melody Elliott of Wake Village, Texas; grandchildren, Nathan and Lea Mudd of London, England and Niall Allen of Las Vegas, Nevada; nieces and nephews, Joey and Ken Carter, John and David Trammell, Stephanie Elliott, Heath Elliott, Heather Thorshov, Mark and Jason Redmond and Ronnie Gilchrist.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, September 11, 2023 at Chapelwood Memorial Gardens Cemetery with Rev. Wallace Edgar officiating. Burial will be under direction of Chapelwood Funeral Home.

PATSY SORSBY

Patsy Rankin Sorsby, age 78, of Texarkana, Texas went to be with her Lord on Thursday, September 7, 2023, following a long and courageous battle with MDS.

She was born March

5, 1945, to Clifford and Lavada

Rankin and was a lifetime resident of Texarkana.

She graduated in the Top 10 at Texas High and Summa Cum Laude from Ouachita Baptist University followed by her Master’s Degree from Indiana State University. She enjoyed a long tenure as English/speech professor at Texarkana College, retiring after 41 years, only when health issues dictated. She was a proud member of “The Goddesses” and looked forward to their monthly lunches.

She was a long-time member of Beech Street Baptist Church where she was a committed Sunday School teacher for many classes over the years. She enjoyed singing in the choir and with the Joy Time Singers. Her strong faith and love for the Lord sustained her through this 14-year journey. When asked how she was doing, she would usually reply, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it”.

Pat never met a puzzle she couldn’t conquer, no matter how large and complicated. Anyone who knew her knew of her love for cats.

Pat and Bob were married September 25, 1971, and enjoyed almost 52 years of marriage. She is survived by Robert (Bob) Sorsby, brother, Don Rankin and wife, Diann, Brother-in-law, Gary Sorsby and wife, Karen, nephews, Chris and Andrew Rankin, Steven Sorsby, niece, Annie Bridges along with many other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 10am, Saturday, September 9, 2023 prior to the service.

Services will be at East Memorial Chapel - Moores Lane at 10 a.m., Saturday, September 9, 2023 with Rev. Randy Shepard officiating. Burial will be in Chapelwood Memorial Gardens under the direction of East Funeral Home - Moores Lane.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eastfuneralhomes.com.

DONNA SMITH

Donna Kay Smith, age 71, of Texarkana, Arkansas, passed away on Friday, September 1, 2023 at Little Rock Heart Hospital surrounded by her family.

Donna was born on March 20, 1952 in Texarkana to parents, Hazel Jones and Donald Mouser.

She worked for the Texarkana Arkansas Housing Authority for over 37 years as a maintenance supervisor until her retirement recently. She was a faithful member of the First Bikers Church of Texarkana.

To know Donna was to love her.

She never met a stranger that she did not embrace and welcome them into her circle. She was the best country dancer and everyone loved to see her twist, twirl and turn with such grace. Donna loved to laugh, have fun, and make memories. She gave when it was needed and even when it wasn’t needed. She had the biggest heart to be so little and she wore that heart on her sleeve. Donna valued her family and her close friends more than anything and she made a point of spending time with each of them. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Above all, she loved the Lord and her church with all her heart. She never missed a service even if it meant changing her plans. She knew the Author of her strength and she relied on that strength greatly to carry her through the tough times and she praised and thanked Him in the good times. She knew Jesus was her Savior.

Donna is preceded in death by her parents; her grandparents, Mack and Ester Lawler; and her sister, Becky Bonner.

She leaves to cherish her memories, her daughter and son-in-law, Tracy and Grant Kidd of Hot Springs, Arkansas; her granddaughter, Sam Golden and Matt Hawes of North Carolina; her brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Sharon Jones of California; nephew, Chris Bonner and his wife, Kate; great nephews and nieces, Cole Bonner, Nathan Roach, Wyatt Bonner and Emma Bonner, all of Texarkana. Donna loved her fur babies, Charlie, Checkers and Smokey.

Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at The First Biker’s Church in Texarkana, Texas with David Markham officiating. Burial will be in Rock Springs Cemetery under the direction of Chapelwood Funeral Home.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, September 8, 2023 at The First Biker’s Church in Texarkana, Texas.

HELEN PARKER

Helen F. Parker lived a long and fulfilling life. Very few have affected the lives of so many like Helen did. At the age of 94 she reached for the hand of Jesus to go home after suffering through a brief bout with lymphoma cancer.

She was born March

18, 1929 to

Tom Park and Belle Tarpley Park in Okolona, AR. Preceding her in death were her spouse Buddy Parker, her parents, a brother Tom Park,jr. who was a prisoner of war in WWII, and a sister Relda Park Ebert.

Helen graduated from high school in Glendale, AR and immediately enrolled in the summer session at Henderson College. Buddy Parker had finished three years of military service during WWII and returned to Henderson to complete his education. The two met and the rest is history. They married on August 22, 1947 and in 1948 Buddy accepted a coaching job in Ashdown, AR. Buddy and his bride rode a bus to Ashdown to begin their sports careers. Helen initially began teaching at the elementary school and at day’s end she would walk over to the high school to help Buddy. Being a tomboy during her formative years, it was very easy to run around the basketball court. A couple of years later she was hired to coach the girls’ basketball team at the high school. She coached for 35 years before becoming the Assistant Athletic Director. She retired in 1992 after spending 46 years with the Ashdown School District.

During her coaching career she was honored with numerous awards. The first was the Distinguished Service Award from the National Federation of High School Coaches Association in 1982. Only sixteen people across the nation are awarded this each year. In 1983, the Arkansas High School Coaches Association presented her with the Curt King Award for not only teaching her girls how to play basketball but also how to be young ladies, take pride in themselves and to never give up. Being humble, she always said her players were the ones who were honored, not herself. In recognition of her many years of dedicated service to the Ashdown School District, in 1994 the high school gymnasium was officially dedicated the “Parker Gym”. In 1996, she was among five former coaches inducted into the Arkansas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. However, the crowning achievement of her life came in 2001 when Helen was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. The last award she received was the Coach’s

Administrator honor in 2009.

One thing that she was extremely proud of was when she and area coaches and individuals across Arkansas held a writing campaign asking the Arkansas Athletics Association to allow girls to play in the same sports as boys. They won their petition and athletics were opened to both groups. Helen’s basketball and volleyball teams won multiple Arkansas state championships. In addition, she also taught Physical Education, (PE) along with sponsoring the cheerleaders. Another passion of Helen’s was the Ashdown Senior Center where she volunteered for over two decades. She taught the seniors how to line dance and do other exercises as well as delivering meals to those who could not get in line for their food. For many years Helen enjoyed participating in the plays put on by The Business and Professional Women’s Club of Ashdown, even serving as President. Helen was a member of the Methodist Church in Ashdown. She led the teenagers for numerous years in the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) program. Helen’s life goal was to serve others and she fulfilled this goal amazingly.

Survivors include two nieces, Dana Park of Missouri and Jackie Ebert of Iowa; three nephews, Britt Park of Missouri, Sam Park of California and Tommy Ebert of Arizona. Additional survivors all in Missouri include her sisterin-law Frieda Park, great-niece Veronica (Aaron) Park Everly, and two great-nephews, Lance (Kaitlin) Myer and Chris (Alicia) Park. Other survivors include many other relatives in Okolona, AR and numerous former students and friends.

Visitation is scheduled for Friday, September 8 from 3 pm – 6 pm at Madden Funeral Home in Ashdown. Services are Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m. presided by Bro. Jim Cross. Interment will follow at Ashdown Cemetery where she will be laid beside the love of her life Buddy Parker who died in 1985.

Memorials should be sent to Ashdown Cemetery, PO Box 1135, Ashdown, AR 71822 or the First United Methodist Church at 145 Commerce, Ashdown, AR 71822.

Special thanks go to Dierksen Hospice as they walked through this tough time with us along with Bro. Jim Cross, Jo Moore, and her caretakers Mary Sellers and Barbara Penny. Unspeakable love and thanks go to Tina Darden and her life-long friend, Wynell Choate.

MICHAEL CLARK SR.

Michael Clark, Sr. 69 of Texarkana, TX, passed August 23, 2023. Visitation Friday, September 8, 2023 3-5PM, Charity Baptist Church. Service September 9, 2023, 12PM, Transformation Center. Burial Chapelwood via Jones Stuart.

JAMES ROSE

James E. Rose, 81, of Hooks, Texas, passed away on September 7, 2023.

Mr.rose was born on November 24, 1941, in Texarkana, AR to Frances and

Terrell Rose.

He was a lifetime member of Everett Baptist

Church in

Hooks, TX. and a veteran of the

United States

Navy where he served in the Vietnam war, and he was a Mason. He retired from Red River Army Depot. He coached two sons Little League team for 9 years as well.

Mr. Rose was an avid gardener, a fisherman, and welder. He kept busy working in his church. He was married to the love of his life for 60 wonderful years.

He is preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Jenny Crapse, and his precious son, Terry Rose.

Survivors include his wife, Blanchie Rose; one son Jody Rose; daughter-in-law Kelly Rose; two grandsons Nick Rose and Kyle Rose; one sister Patsy Martin; cousins, Billy Wayne and Nancy Rose; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 11, 2023, at 1:00 P.M. at Everett Baptist Church in Hooks, Texas. Burial will follow at Chapelwood Memorial Gardens.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 10, 2023, at Chapelwood Funeral Home from 2:00- 4:00 P.M.

SHIRLEY MCDANIEL

Arrangements are pending with R.L. Reed Funeral Home, LLC of Magnolia, AR, for 54 yr. old Ms. Shirley A. Mcdaniel of Magnolia, AR, who passed away Thursday, August 7th, in Magnolia, AR.