Obituaries
Donnie Crumpton
ROYAL — Donnie Crumpton, 68, of Royal, passed away July 3, 2018, at his home.
He was born Sept. 8, 1949, in Cedar Glades, Ark., to the late Vivian Cain and Jeff Crumpton.
From 1969-1971, during the height of the Vietnam War, Donnie proudly served in the U.S. Army. He married his sweetheart, Patsy, on a 15-day leave and found out he had became a father while back on duty in Vietnam.
Donnie loved bass fishing and his farm. He could grow anything — vegetables, flowers, trees — having inherited a green thumb from his mother and his cooking skills came second only to hers.
Donnie was preceded in death by his brother, Willie Crumpton, and his sister, Joan Hickson.
The family will remember Donnie’s thirst for knowledge, daily quizzes, humor and his love of time well spent with his family.
He is survived by his bride of 48 years, Patsy; his sons, Pete and Jason (Kim) Crumpton; a brother, Wayne Crumpton; three sisters, Judy Chitwood, Joanne Sims, Pam Murray; three grandchildren, Carissa, Caden and McKenzie Crumpton; pups Katie, Pudgie and Pookie; and more friends than anyone should be allowed to have.
Pallbearers will be Jeff Crumpton, Caden Crumpton, Johnny Sims, Josh Baldwin, Jaime Crumpton and Chris Murray. Honorary pallbearers are the Royal Shell morning crew, Piney Junction McDonald’s afternoon crew, the staff at US Bank Albert Pike, and family and friends at NPMC.
A visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, July 8, and funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Gross Funeral Home with burial to follow at Lowe Cemetery.
Online guestbook is available at http://www.GrossFuneralHome.com.
Nebraska W. Moten
Nebraska Ware Moten, age 51, of Hot Springs, passed away Sunday, July 1, 2018.
He was born Nov. 1, 1966, in San Bernardino, Calif. He was an active member of Union Missionary Baptist Church.
A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. today at Union Missionary Baptist Church, 219 Gulpha St., Hot Springs, Ark.
Arrangements are entrusted to Carrigan Memorial Funeral Services.
Lilly H. Olaru
Lilly H. Olaru, 58, of Hot Springs, Ark., went home to Jesus Tuesday, July 3, 2018.
She was born Oct. 9, 1959, in Romania, to Ioan and Ilona Bodean. Lilly was a master of all trades, but mostly a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was a member of First Baptist Church.
Lilly led the way for her husband of 31 years, Vasile Olaru, and her three children, Lilly, Joy and Jeff (Alexis) Olaru, and her two grandchildren.
Visitation will be 2-3 p.m. today at First Baptist Church with a memorial service beginning at 3 p.m. with Brother Michael Pounders officiating.
Guests may register at http:// www.grossfuneralhome.com.
Richard “Bubba” Payton, of Hot Springs, passed away on July 4, 2018.
Bubba was born to Joe and Susie Payton on July 26,
1945. He was named National Boy’s Club “Boy of the Year” in 1959. He graduated from Hot Springs High in 1963 and went on to get his master’s degree from Arkansas Tech in Russellville. He also lettered in basketball, track and bowling during his tenure at ATU. Bubba coached basketball, football, track and golf at Osceola, Manila and Lakeside before settling at Lake Hamilton in 1978. In 1985, Bubba became the school’s first Director of Athletics, the title he held until his retirement in
2007. Like his childhood, over the course of his career, Coach Payton achieved many honors, including National Athletic Director of the Year, Arkansas Athletic Director of the Year and he was inducted into the AHSAAA Hall of Fame in
2009.
Bubba is preceded in death by his mother, Susie, his father, Joe, and his brother, Ronnie.
He is survived by his wife, Glenna Payton; his son, Brandon Payton (Kelsey Payton); daughters, Tracey Halligan (Pat Halligan) and Lisa Whited; and grandchildren, Shea Halligan, Meagan Weddle, Skyler Hebert, Stormie Smith and Jazmine Payton.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 8, at Wolf Arena on the campus of Lake Hamilton High school, located at 280 Wolf St., Pearcy, AR 71964.
Arrangements are with Hot Springs Funeral Home.
Online condolences at http://www.hotspringsfh.com.
JESSIEVILLE — James Larry Simmons, Jessieville, Ark., departed this realm on July 3, 2018, in Jessieville.
He was born in McCrory, Ark. (Woodruff County), on April 20, 1927, to John Jefferson (JJ) Simmons and Kathryn I. (Kate) Warner Simmons.
He graduated from McCrory High School and entered Arkansas State College at Jonesboro at the age of 16 in September 1943. In the summer of 1944, he volunteered for the Army. After infantry basic training at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock in 1945, he was sent to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry and sent to Frankfurt, Germany. While there, he met his future wife, Mary J. O’Brien, who was a civilian employee of British Army Intelligence. In early
1947, he was sent home and released from active duty. Mary came to the U.S. and they were married June 28,1947.
After a year at Baylor University, he was recalled to active duty and sent to Puerto Rico. A year later, he was sent home and relieved of active duty. He entered Tulane University, College of Civil Engineering and received a BSCE (Structural) in
1952, and an MSCE (Structural) in 1959. For 32 years, he worked in structural design in buildings, bridges and offshore structures (Gulf of Mexico). In 1984, he and Mary moved to their acreage north of Lake Ouachita. Mary died there in 1999.
He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, daughter-inlaw Gaye Simmons and brotherin-law Paul Worthington.
Survivors include their children, daughter Maureen Simmons Miller (Jimmy), of Jessieville, Ark.; son Jeff Simmons, of Tulsa, Okla. Grandchildren, Beth Miller Higgins (Josh), of Rowlett, Texas, James Miller (Amber), of Jessieville, Ark., triplet grandsons, Harry, Frank and Sam Simmons, of Tulsa, Okla.; and twin great-grandsons, Johnny and Jameson Miller, of Jessieville, Ark.; and sister, Mary Frances Worthington, of Slippery Rock, Pa.; and good friend Debbie Johnson.
Local arrangements are by Caruth Village Funeral Home. Private burial will be in Fakes Cemetery in McCrory, Ark., by Thompson-Wilson Funeral Home in McCrory.
Memorials may be made to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Guests may register at http:// www.caruth-hale.com.
Anne L. Taylor
A gathering of friends and family for Anne L. Taylor, who passed away July 2, 2018, will begin at noon today at Lake Valley Community Church with a celebration of her life immediately following at 1 p.m. with Pastor Lamar Trieschmann officiating.
Guests may register at http:// www.caruth-hale.com.