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Leslie Dewayne Garner
Leslie Dewayne Garner, 43, known lovingly as "Dutch" by family and close friends died on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, in a motorcycle accident.
He was born on May 3, 1962, in St. Louis, the son of Howard Dewayne and Patsy (Blocker) Garner.
A Piggott graduate, he married Christine Jones after high school and joined the 
military. They had two children, Ross Earl and Danielle Malea, whom he adored and doted upon. After serving his country in active duty for 22 years, he retired in 2004 as an E7 and entered into civilian life.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Roy and Beedie Blocker of Piggott and Lester and Hallie Garner of Piggott.
He is survived by his wife, Christine of Anaheim, Calif.; son, Ross Earl of Anaheim, Calif.; daughter, Danielle Malea of Aneheim, Calif.; his father, Howard Garner of Exeter, Mo.; his mother, Patsy Garner of Piggott; his sister, Kimberly Buteaux and husband, James, of New Iberia, La.; his brother, Ashley Garner and wife, Amy, of Cassville, Mo.; one niece, Morgan Buteaux; and two nephews, Blake Buteaux and Dylan Garner. He also touched the lives of innumerable others including devoted aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, with many being from the local area.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 8, 2005, in the Irby's Funeral Home Chapel in Piggott with Willie Sandlin officiating. Burial followed in the Piggott Cemetery. Active pallbearers were cousins David Garner, Doug Garner, Brian Grimes and Sean Graddy, lifelong friend Todd Watson and nephew Blake Buteaux. Honorary p allbearers were Larry Harmon, Stephen Speer, Scott Speer, Tony Watson and John Dixon.
Irby Funeral Home of Piggott was in charge of the arrangements.
Rev. Jerry Murray
Rev. Jerry Murray, 63, of Poplar Bluff died on Aug. 2, 2005, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis.
He was born Sept. 24, 1941, in Knobel, the son of the late Loyd Franklin Murray and Lena Nettie (Whitaker) Murray.
He was united in marriage to Linda (Perkins) Murray on Nov. 10, 1961, in Corning.
Rev. Murray served as the pastor of the Poplar Bluff Pentecostal Church of God in Poplar Bluff and was a retired roofer and carpenter.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Jerry Dewayne Murray on Jan. 3, 1970.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Murray of Poplar Bluff; two daughters, Brinda Kay McKinney of Paragould and Cindy McCombs of Neelyville; two brothers, Bill Murray of Fairdealing, Mo., and Garry Murray of Corning; two sisters, Ina Douglas of Rockford, Ill., and Arlene Montgomery of Knob; and two grandsons, Jerry Murray Pringle of Bamburg, Germany, and Nathan Douglas Pringle of Neelyville.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2005, in the Ermert Funeral Home Chapel in Corning. Burial followed in the Corning Cemetery.
Ermert Funeral Home of Corning was in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Alberta Moore Black
Mrs. Alberta Moore Black, 78, of Blytheville died Monday, Aug. 15, 2005.
Born April 14, 1927, in Marmaduke, the daughter of Henry C. and Lillian Cathey Wright, she was a homemaker and a member of Beacon Baptist Church. She was an Arkansas resident for most of her life, and had been a resident of Blytheville since 1989.
Mrs. Black was a devoted Christian and actively involved with the Women's Missionary Auxiliary at her church. She was also actively involved in the community, volunteering her time for the Relay for Life and the Haven. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who enjoyed reading, cooking and was always mindful of the needs of her family. She was a good listener and had a special gift of making others smile and feel better.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two husbands, Clovis H. Moore and Jimmie L. Black; four sisters; and two brothers.
Mrs. Black leaves two daughters, Shirley Gribble and Sandy Shelton and husband, Keith, all of Blytheville; one son, Jerry Moore and his wife, Lou, of Blytheville; one brother, Zane Grey Wright of McDougal; one sister, Mable Daley of Exeter, Calif.; five grandchildren, Tim Gribble, Chasedy Payne, Matthew Stewart, Austin Moore, Alexis Moore-Cox and Angela Gentzler; nine great-grandchildren, Alex Gribble, Haley Gribble, Jacob Payne, Nickolas Payne, Isabella Stewart, Derek Gentzler, Skyanne Gentzler, Gracie Gentzler and Alivia Gentzler; and she was looking forward to the birth of her tenth great-grandchild, Campbell Wesley Cox.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, in the Cobb Funeral Home Chapel in Blytheville with the Rev. Ken Pruitt officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday (today), Aug. 17, 2005, at the funeral home. Condolences may be e-mailed to cobbfuneralhome@arkansas.net.
Cobb Funeral Home of Blytheville is in charge of the arrangements.
Ruby Aleta Brawner
Ruby Aleta Brawner, 99, of Piggott died Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005, in Murphy Health and Rehabilitation Center in Piggott.
She was born June 7, 1906, in Greenway, the daughter of the late Monroe and Mae Davis Raymond.
She was united in marriage to Marvin Ulrich in January of 1944. He preceded her in death in July of 1970. She later married Ethridge Brawner in April of 1979. He also preceded her in death in April of 1996.
She was also preceded in death by two brothers and a sister-in-law, Herman Raymond and Truman Raymond and wife, Margaret, all of St. Charles, Mo.
She graduated from Piggott High School on May 15, 1930, and afterwards taught school in Clay County for 13 years. At the same time she attended college at Jonesboro during the summers until she had accumulated enough hours to equal two years of training. She accepted Christ as her Savior at a young age at Gravel Hill Methodist Church west of Greenway and at the time of her death was a member of First Baptist Church in Piggott.
She is survived by one sister, Edith Green of Piggott; one sister-in-law, Mereda Raymond of St. Charles, Mo.; one nephew, James Raymond and wife, Peggy, of Baldwin, Mo.; five nieces, Sandy Huff and husband, Jerry, of Independence, Kans., Joan Elder and husband, Eugene, of Maryland Heights, Mo., Barbara Gawedzinski and husband, Norbert, of Fenton, Mo., Linda Balestreri and husband, John, of Maryland Heights, Mo., and Evelyn Ulrich of Logansport, Ind.; one stepson, James Richard Brawner of Kooskia, Idaho; and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, 2005, in the Hoggard and Sons Chapel with Dr. Shannon Holmes officiating. Burial followed in the Piggott Cemetery. Active pallbearers were Don Featherston, Jerry Huff, Norbert Gawedzinski, Jim Raymond, James Featherston, J.B. Featherston, Leland Gibson and Eugene Mann. Honorary pallbearers included James King and Harry Niewald Sr.
Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home of Piggott was in charge of the arrangements.
Monty Gale Crawford
Monty Gale Crawford, 45, of Rector died Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005, at his home.
Born Nov. 1, 1959, in Rector, he was a member of the First General Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his father, Howard Crawford.
Survivors include his mother, Jewel Crawford of Rector; a son, Monty Kyle Howard Crawford of Rector; six brothers, Byron and Paul Crawford, both of Rector, Howard W. Crawford of Piggott, Kenneth Crawford of Nashville, Tenn., Joey Crawford of Hardy and Dale Crawford of Piggott, and four sisters, Madge Callentine of Norfork, Veda Holligan of Mountain Home, Pat Dillard of Rector and Gayla Rice of Pocahontas.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight (Wednesday, Aug. 17) at Mitchell Funeral Home in Rector.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at Mitchell Funeral Home Chapel with Anthony Dowdy officiating. Burial will be in Mitchell Cemetery
at Greenway.
Pallbearers will be Dennis Barber, Timmy White, Terry Bracken, Stanley Crawford, Marty Callentine and Jimmy Householder.
James D. Laxton
James D. Laxton, 42, of Rector died Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005, in the Three Rivers Nursing Home in Marked Tree.
He was born Nov. 30, 1962, in Kennett, the son of John H. Laxton Sr. and Bonnie Burrow Laxton.
He was preceded in death by his father, John H. Laxton Sr.; and one sister, Adriane M. Shelton.
Survivors are one daughter, Kasha Laxton of Rector; parents, J.C. and Bonnie Shelton of Marion, Ark.; five brothers, Larry Laxton of Aurora, Mo., Henry Laxton of Piggott, John H. Laxton Jr. of Marion, Ark., Josh Shelton of Marion, Ark., Keefer Laxton and Floyd Laxton, both of Rector; three sisters, Johnda Myers of Aurora, Mo., Tina Stokes of Rector and Holly Shelton Arreola of Marion, Ark.; nine nephews; eight nieces; and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005, in the Hoggard and Sons Chapel in Piggott with Freddie Barker officiating. Burial followed in Woodland Heights Cemetery
at Rector. Active pallbearers were Jim Harmon, Alan Forbs, Robert Wiseman, Kathy Burrow, Bob Simmons and Rowdy Hayes. Honorary pallbearers included Bob Burrow, Frank Wiseman, Bill Hayes and Bryon Little.
Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home of Piggott was in charge of the arrangements.
Juantia Looney
Juanita Looney, 83, of St. Francis died Saturday, Aug. 15, 2005, in the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott.
She was born June 22, 1922, in St. Francis, the daughter of the late Joseph and Eva Frieze Choate.
She was united in marriage to Willard Pharis Looney, who preceded her in death on Feb. 2, 1974.
She was a lifelong member of the St. Francis Baptist Church, which she attended regularly and where she sang faithfully in the choir for many years. She also worked for a number of years in Piggott at Hamra's Department Store and the Piggott High School Cafeteria.
She was a loving wife and mother, devoted grandmother, sweet sister, faithful friend and a helper of those in need. She lived her life for others and was a light to all who knew her. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
She is survived by one son, Robert Joe Looney and wife, Jennifer, of Grand Cayman, British West Indies; four grandchildren, Robert Jason Looney of Mooresville, N.C., Tyler Joe Looney of Statesville, N.C., Kristyn Michelle Looney of Statesville, N.C., and James Ryan "Joey" Looney of Grand Cayman, British West Indies; one sister, Georgia Lucille Choate of St. Francis; two brothers, John Thomas Choate of Trenton, Mich., and James Herschel Choate of Huachuca City, Ariz.; and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 19, 2005, in the Hoggard and Sons Chapel with Rev. Howard Brooks and Dr. Todd Ewing officiating. Burial followed in the Gravel Hill Cemetery
in St. Francis. Pallbearers were Boyce Wagster, Delbert Hughes, Jim Duty, Cleveland Daffron, Ricky Haywood and Fred Hicks.
Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home in Piggott was in charge of the arrangements.
Kenneth Oliver
Kenneth Oliver, 78, of Rector died Friday, Aug. 12, 2005, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould.
Born Dec. 10, 1926, in St. Louis, Mo., to the late Argolis and Gertrude (Waldron) Oliver, he was a retired farmer, a World War II Army veteran and a lifelong member of the community.
He was married Dec. 1, 1948, in Piggott to Emma Lee Halter, who survives.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Lindus, Arlanza and Doyce Oliver, and one sister, Arlene Oliver.
Survivors include his wife, Emma Oliver of the home; one son, Steven and wife JoAnn Oliver of Piggott; two daughters, Sherrine and husband Paul Simmons of Steele, Mo., and Doreta Locascio of Kennett, Mo.; two brothers, Donnie Oliver of Florida and John S. (J.S.) Oliver of Kennett; one sister, Wilma Jean Hillman of Panama City, Fla., nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, at Irby Funeral Home Chapel in Rector. Burial was in Woodland Heights Cemetery
in Rector with Irby Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Margie Bradberry Cate
Margie Bradberry Cate, 84, of Rector died Saturday, Aug. 20, 2005, in the Paragould Nursing Center in Paragould.
She was born July 20, 1921, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Jesse and Maybell Allen Welty.
She was united in marriage to Carl Bradberry, he preceded her in death. She married Love Cate and he also preceded her in death.
She was a member of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Rector.
She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Marie Wells and Virginia Welty; and two brothers, Ira Welty and Eual Welty.
She is survived by one son, Carl Bradberry and wife, Melba, of Roscoe, Ill.; one granddaughter, Danita Hall and husband, Scott, of Sussex, Wisc.; two great-granddaughters, Kaleigh and Melanie; and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, 2005, in the Hoggard and Sons Chapel with Rev. Jack Bearden officiating. Burial followed in the New Hope Cemetery
in Pollard.
Hoggard and Sons Funeral Home of Piggott was in charge of the arrangements.
Stephen Lewis Sharp
Stephen Lewis Sharp, 44, of Collierville, Tenn., died suddenly Sunday, Aug. 21, 2005, at his residence.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Sharp of Collierville, Tenn.; two children, Nathan and Matthew of Collierville, Tenn.; his mother, Sarah Smith Sharp of Ozark, Ark.; his father and stepmother, Lewis and Judy Sharp of Piggott; his brother, Stuart Sharp of Morrilton; and his beloved mother-in-law, Patty Paige of Collierville, Tenn.
Services will be held Wednesday (today), Aug. 24, 2005, at Memorial Park in Memphis.
The family requests that memorials be made to a special account established at Piggott State Bank for Mr. Sharp's children or to a charity of the donor's choice.
