Craig Adkins, 35, of Fort Smith died Sunday, June 16, 2002, in Fort
Smith.
A native of Fort Smith, he was a brick mason for Adkins Masonry, son
of the late Georgeann Russell Adkins and grandson of the late Lee and Emogene
Adkins of Coal Hill.
Survivors include his father, Ronnie Adkins of Fort Smith, formerly
of Coal Hill; and one brother, Stan Douglas Adkins of Fort Smith.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 19, at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel
in Fort Smith with Rev. Dale Thompson officiating. Burial was at Steep
Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Steve Hurst, Marty Hurst, Wesley Hurst, Kilo Adkins and Shad Adkins.
Denver Verlon Casey, 87, of Olympia, Wash., died Wednesday, June 12,
2002, at Puget Sound Health Center in Olympia, Wash.
A native of Woods Mountain, he was a son of the late A. Y. and Fannie
Casey, a farmer in Arkansas for a number of years prior to moving to Washington
where he was employed for Simpson Plywood in McCleary and Shelton as a
grader until retirement. He was a member of the Church of Christ in Olympia,
Wash., and was preceded in death by eight siblings.
Survivors include his widow, Lorene Matthews Casey; two daughters and
sons-in-law, Joyce and Don Killough of Krum, Texas, and Deni and Cliff
Vinsonhaler of Chico, Calif.; five grandchildren and spouses, Lori and
Dary Shelton of Krum, Texas, Lee Ann and Brad Winkler of Carman, Manitoba,
Canada, Joy Dawn and Ryan Nelson of Krum, Texas, Danae and John Steadman,
Tara and Jeff Vandermate, and Whitney Luper, all of Chico, Calif.; stepgrandchildren,
Devon and Aaron Vinsonhaler of Chico, Calif.; 15 great-grandchildren; one
stepgreat-granddaughter; one sister, Bernice Parsons of Tecumseh, Okla.;
one sister-in-law, Marcie Martin of Clarksville; and numerous nieces and
nephews, including Bob McGuire and Rickey Casey of Clarksville.
Funeral was at 11 a.m. Monday, June 17, at Olympic Funeral Home with
Don Killough and Paul Portley officiating.
Active pallbearers were Bobby Lumpkin, Tony McConnell, Ryan Nelson,
Whitney Luper, Guy Adams, and Bill Duggins.
Honorary pallbearers were member of the Church of Christ in Olympia, Wash.
Eula Jane Baker, 82, of Altus died Saturday, June 29, 2002, at the Ozark
Nursing Home.
She was a retired nurse and clerk at Ozark Hospital, member of the Order
of the Eastern Star, daughter of the late William A. and Willie E. Sanders
Baker, and was preceded in death by two brothers, Dennis Baker and Byron
D. Baker.
She is survived by three nieces, Sherian Rose Bramlett of Altus, Francis
Thompson of Kansas City, Kan., and Wilma Johnson of Fort Smith.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Monday, July 1, at Roller-Cox Chapel with Rev.
C. G. Fisher officiating. Burial was in Oakwood Cemetery at Paris.
Pallbearers were Robert Bramlett, Terry Masingale, Harold McFadden, Elwood Thompson, Kipp Upton, and Harold Williams.
Elta Hazel Cochran, 86, of Tulsa, Okla., formerly of Johnson County,
died Friday, June 28, 2002, in Tulsa, Okla.
She was a native of Newton County, daughter of the late Lonzo and Bell
Plumlee Cowell, and widow of Loys Cochran.
Survivors are three sons, Doug Cochran and Danny Cochran, both of Tulsa,
Okla., and Orin Lee Cochran of Elsinore, Calif.; two sisters, Wilma Self
of Clarksville and Mable Theibes of Salem, Ore.; and seven grandchildren.
Graveside services and burial were at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, at Pollard Cemetery at Dover under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral Home.
Gwendolyn Marie Gerstenberger, 49, of Pierce, Colo., sister of Dr. Terry
Kerbs of Clarksville, died Saturday, June 29, 2002, at her home.
She was a native of Fort Collins, Colo., daughter of the late Robert
Kerbs, graduate of Highland High School in Ault, Colo., member of the Pierce
Methodist Church where she was pianist, former employee of Weld County
Social Services and was employed at Larimer County Social Services.
Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Dawn and Larry Bash of
Fort Collins, Colo.; mother, Doris Batman Kerbs of Pierce, Colo.; and one
sister, Kay Byers of Iowa.
Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, July 5, at Pierce United Methodist
Church with burial in Roselawn Cemetery in Fort Collins, Colo.
Memorials may be made to the Pierce Methodist Church and/or the Animal Shelter, c/o Stoddard Funeral Home, 3205 West 28th Street, Greeley, CO 80634.
Phil W. Taylor, 70, of Clarksville died Tuesday, June 25, 2002, at St.
Edward Mercy Medical Center in Fort Smith.
He was a native of Clarksville, son of the late Mattie (Park) and Harve
J. Taylor Sr., 1950 graduate of Clarksville High School, and a 1954 graduate
of The College of the Ozarks (now University of the Ozarks) with a degree
in business administration.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he served
on the administrative board and as Sunday school superintendent, a member
of the Clarksville Lions Club for 37 years and was the recipient of the
"Lion of the Year" award and the Melvin Jones Fellowship award,
the highest Lion award, and Belle Grove Lodge No. 410 of which he, along
with other family members, donated land for the construction of the Ludwig
Masonic building.
He entered the Armed Forces on Sept. 13, 1955, and received basic training
at Camp Chaffee before going to Van Nuys, Calif. After discharge from the
service, he returned to Clarksville and taught school at Coal Hill for
seven years before entering the insurance business where he was owner-operator
of Phil Taylor Insurance Agency for 43 years.
He served as president of the Johnson County Teachers Association, the
Chamber of Commerce for one year, the Johnson County 4-H Foundation for
seven years, the Johnson County Hospital Board from 1972-77 at which time
the site was selected for the new facility, the Johnson County Library
Board for ten years, the Clarksville School Board, the Johnson County Industrial
Development Committee, was a volunteer coordinator of the Green Thumb program
for 23 years, member of the University of the Ozarks Booster Club, and
was the recipient of the Chamber of Commerce Pillar of Progress award in
1996.
He was elected to the Arkansas Valley Electric Board in 1963 where he
served until May 2002, and the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation
Board in 1981, where he served as secretary-treasurer, vice chairman, and
chairman and on the executive committee from 1988-90 and audit committee
from 1999-2002.
He attended the first peach festival held at Ludwig and was selected
to serve as marshall of the peach festival parade in 1999.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Harve Taylor Jr. and Bob B.
Taylor; one sister, Sue Nelle Farris; and three brothers-in-law, Edmond
Farris, Dr. H. H. Kennon, and Howard Deeds.
Survivors include his widow, Joanne Willett Taylor; one son and daughter-in-law,
Philip and Melody Taylor of Clarksville; two granddaughters, Tegan Taylor
and Bethany Taylor, both of Clarksville; four sisters and two brothers-in-law,
Juanita Deeds of Fowler, Colo., Polly Kennon of Clarksville, Anna Jane
and John Warren of Baton Rouge, La., and Mildred and J. H. Hall of Clarksville;
one sister-in-law, May Taylor of Clarksville; five nieces, Mary Jane Stubbs
of Shawnee Mission, Kan., Karen Gilley of College Station, Texas, Patty
Sue Stiles of Bentonville, Marilyn Crumbley of Atlanta, Ga., and Mitzi
Carol Link of Birmingham, Ala.; seven nephews, Robert Ed Farris of Lamar,
Lynn Farris of North Little Rock, Tom Taylor of Tulsa, Okla., and Harve
Taylor III, Jackie Cline, John M. Hall and Bobby Taylor, all of Clarksville,
and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral was at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at the First United Methodist
Church in Clarksville with Rev. Frank Clemmons officiating.
Burial was in Oakland Cemetery under the direction of Hardwicke Funeral
Home. Masonic graveside services were by Belle Grove Lodge No. 410.
Active pallbearers were Harve Taylor III, Tom Taylor, Bobby Taylor,
Robert Ed Farris, John M. Hall, Jackie Cline, Lynn Farris, Wesley Farris,
and Michael Stiles.
Honorary pallbearers were the Methodist Men's Bible Class, Arkansas
Valley Electric and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation board and
employees, Clarksville Lions Club, Tom Doss, Leroy Douglas, Joe Hurst,
Roy Holben, Walt Looper, Paul Blackard, Robert Ferguson, and Jon Newton.
Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church,P. O. Box 535, Clarksville, AR 72830, Johnson County Public Library, #2 Taylor Circle, Clarksville, AR 72830, or Clarksville Lions Club Eyeglasses Fund, P. O. Box 288, Clarksville, AR 72830.