Obituaries

Cleatus Luster Crain (06/04/08)
Cleatus Luster Crain, 96, a charter member and deacon of White Oak General Baptist Church in Rector, died Sunday, June 1, 2008, at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro. Born April 3, 1912, to Arthur and Maudie Huffstutler Crain in Dunklin County, Mo., he was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 74 years, Mary Anna Farmer Crain; two sons, Ralph E. ...

John N. Speer (06/04/08)
John N. Speer, 77, of Oak Park, Mich., a native of Rector, died Sunday, May 4, 2008, at his home. He was born April 5, 1931, in Rector, to the late John H. and Ida Speer. He retired from Consumers Power after 42 years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing...

Mary Ada Bozark (06/11/08)
Mary Ada Bozark, 67, of Piggott, died Wednesday June 4, 2008, at St. Bernards Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born March 22, 1941, in Rector, the daughter of the late Tommy and Opal Hawkins Whitehorn...

Robert "Larry" Dukes (06/18/08)
Robert "Larry" Dukes, 68, of Marmaduke died Saturday, June 14, 2008, at his home. He was born Jan. 7, 1940, in Transylvania, La., to the late C.B. and Letha (Fritch) Dukes and was married Aug. 19, 1961, in Lake Providence, La., to the former Willodean Massey. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a grandson, Nathan Dowdy...

Rev. George Kelly Jr. (06/18/08)
Rev. George Kelly Jr., 90, of Jonesboro died Saturday, June 14, 2008, at an area hospital. A native of Pennsylvania, Rev. Kelly lived many years at Rector, where he was pastor of Wesleyan Evangelical Methodist Church at Hargrave Corner for 20 years. In addition to Rector, he served as pastor of churches in Pennsylvania and Missouri. He recently moved to Jonesboro after over 20 years in Huntsville, Ala., where he was a member of Calvary Bible Church...

Cooper Mack (06/18/08)
Cooper Mack, 26, of Rogers, son of Rector native John Mack and his wife, Harriet, died Tuesday, June 3, 2008, succumbing to an advanced acute leukemia. He emerged as one of the most talented young architects with an exceptionally original mind for the arts. He was and always will be a man of extraordinary ability who lived a short but extraordinary life...

Charles Douglas Matheny (06/18/08)
Charles Douglas Matheny, 75, of California, Mo., a native of Boydsville, died Tuesday, June 10, 2008, at Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, Mo. He was born April 3, 1933, in Boydsville, the oldest son of Orville Ray and Evelyn Faye Simpson Matheny, who preceded him in death...

Willo Mae McKeel (06/18/08)
Willo Mae McKeel, 90, of Rector, died Friday, June 13, 2008. Born Feb. 27, 1918, in Lafe to the late Charlie "C.O." and Rosa Lee Webb, she was a homemaker. She also was preceded in death by two sons, John Franklin and Jimmy McKeel, and one brother, Fred Webb. Survivors include her husband, James C. ...

Dwight Little (06/25/08)
Dwight Little, 58, of Rector died Sunday, June 15, 2008, at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis. He was born March 6, 1950, to the late Lawrence and Neva Mae (Ellis) Little. He was a Master in the Rector Masonic Lodge and was employed by Motors Appliances in Blytheville. Survivors include three sons and two daughters-in-law, Brian and Terri Little of Holcomb, Mo., Farren and Kimber Little of Holcomb and Doug Lockard of Detroit, Mich.; one daughter and son-in-law, Sherry and David Blount of Rector; a brother, Gaylon Raney of Mountain Home; three sisters, Dorothy Boozer and Frances Raney, both of Piggott, and Sharlon Marble of Rector; six grandchildren, Josh Atnip, Brandon and Kocaina Blount, Jacqueline and Scott Stirnman, Matthew Blount, Zoey Blount and Mackenzie Little; one great-granddaughter, Izabella Blount, and a host of other relatives and friends.. ...