Benjamin Franklin Overbey, 85, of Morrilton died Sunday, May 17, 2009, at Washington Regional Medical Center.
A native of Lamar, he was a son of the late Benjamin Franklin and Etta Dodson Overbey, and served in World War II in Italy as a crew chief on B-29s. He continued in the Air Force for 17 years until 1961 when he and two other persons purchased a two-way radio shop in Little Rock. He owned and managed Central Arkansas Communications with his business partner until his retirement in 1986. He was preceded in death by four sisters, Imogene Ellison, Opal Jones, Genevieve Hudson and Kathleen Talkington.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Geraldine Ruffiner Overbey; one son, Thomas L. Overbey and wife, Sallie, of Fayetteville; one brother, James L. Overbey of Lamar; one sister, Mary Helen Monroe of Fort Smith; and two grandchildren, Simon J. Overbey of Seattle and Audrey B. Overbey of New York City.
A funeral mass will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton with Rev. Charles Thessing officiating. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral mass on Wednesday, May 20, at Sacred Heart Church.
Billy Wayne Smith, 51, of Lamar died Thursday, May 7, 2009, at Countryside Manor Nursing Home.
He was a custodian for the Ozark Guidance Center, member of the Church of Christ, son of the late Floyd C. and Edith R. McCormack Smith, and a native of Fayetteville.
He is survived by five sisters, Carol Stovall of Paris, Vera Wood of Hot Springs, Betty Shick of Virginia Beach, Va., Peggy Karr of Cocoa Beach, Fla., and Karen Reid of Fayetteville.
The body was cremated under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home of Paris.
A private family memorial service will be held Thursday, May 21, at Pinnacle Mountain near Elkins.
Carl Wayne Fitts, 66, of Springdale, whose son and daughter-in-law, Johnny and Marlena Fitts, reside in Clarksville, died Monday, May 11, 2009, at the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock.
He was born in Fayetteville, the son of John Earl and Ruby Gladys Fern Tackett Fitts, truck driver for the city of Fayetteville, Baptist, and veteran of the U. S. Air Force.
Survivors include his wife, Linda F. Caudle Fitts; two other sons and daughters-in-law, Bobby and Stephanie Fitts of Highland Mills, N. Y., and Billy and Sheila Fitts of Farmington; one daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Randy Sloan of Springdale; two brothers, Johnny P. Fitts of Noel, Mo., and Roy Fitts of Farmington; eight grandchildren, Melissa Burton, Dustin Fitts, Melanie Fitts, John C. Fitts, Lance Fitts, Chris Sloan, Greyson Fitts and Ronan Fitts; one great-granddaughter, Ashtyn Burton; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services and burial were at 10 a.m. Friday, May 15, at the Union Star Cemetery near West Fork with Larry Muille officiating. Arrangements were under the direction of Brashears Funeral Home of Huntsville.
Active pallbearers were Dustin Fitts, John C. Fitts, Lance Fitts, Chris Sloan, Ben Burton, and Randy Sloan.
Honorary pallbearers were Greyson Fitts and Ronan Fitts.
Clifton Franklin Cash, 87, of Clarksville died Saturday, May 16, 2009, at Johnson Regional Medical Center.
He was a native of Buttlerville, son of the late William Marion and Mary Whorton Cash, retired employee of the Soil Conservation Service, member of the Clarksville First United Methodist Church, Lions Club where he received the Melvin Jones Fellow award, Masonic Lodge, American Legion, and DAV, and an Army veteran having served as a medic paratrooper.
Survivors include his wife, Pauline Bandy Cash; one daughter, Fonda Cash of Hot Springs; one son, Gary Cash of Clarksville; and three grandchildren, Jason Cash of Little Rock, Nathan Cash of Fayetteville, and Sean Lewis of Hot Springs.
Funeral was at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Robbie Jackson, Rev. Amos Pledger, and Rev. David Hanshaw officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Ewing Cline, Philip Taylor, Sammy Wish, L. J. Simms, Don Dougan, Jack Phillips, and Ken Hester.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the Clarksville Lions Club.
Herbert Eric Mednick, 80, of Scranton died Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at his home.
He was a native of Brooklyn, N. Y., son of the late Barney and Martha Abrahams Mednick, engineer, and preceded in death by his wife, Janet Crozier Mednick.
Survivors include one daughter, Joy Siemens of Scranton; four sons, Michael McCloud of Scranton, Terry Mednick of New Hampshire, Marty Mednick of California, and Randy Mednick of Bella Vista; one sister, Diane Kauffman of California; several grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
The body was cremated under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Jewel M. Best, 93, of Ozone died Saturday, May 16, 2009, at her home.
A native of Johnson County, she was a daughter of the late George E. and Mary May Skidgel Walker, widow of Luther Best, retired nurses aide, 50-year member of the Belle Grove Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, and a member of Ozone Baptist Church.
She is survived by two daughters, Lois B. Yates of Ozone and Reba Patton of Fayetteville; two sisters, Jean Daniels of Fayetteville and Birdie Lee Forrest of Tahlequah, Okla.; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Sawyer and Rev. Donald Carey officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Airy Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be David A. Patton, Daniel Martin, Jason Daniels, Butch Daniels, and David Forrest.
Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Hopson, Ryan Hopson, Marvin Daniels, and Nick Daniels.
Memorials may be made to the Ozone Baptist Church or Johnson County Hospice.
Mary Ann Carter Willis died Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at Johnson Regional Medical Center.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George N. and Anna L. Davis Carter; and one brother, John Carter.
Survivors include her husband, Danny P. Willis of London; one brother, George E. Carter of Twin Falls, Idaho; six sisters-in-law; six brothers-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are under the direction of Roller-Cox Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Society of Prevention of Animal Cruelty.
Richard Leon Smith, 79, of Lamar died Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at Johnson Regional Medical Center.
He was a native of Eufaula, Okla., son of the late Newt and Othel Nuckols Smith, maintenance electrician, member of the Lee’s Chapel Assembly of God Church, and preceded in death by two sisters, Lilly Dukes and Mary Kimbrel; and four brothers, McKinley Smith, Junior Smith, Hershel Smith, and David Smith.
Survivors include his wife, Emogene Curtis Smith; one daughter, Rebecca Smith Hale of Lamar; two sons, Jerry W. Smith and Richard A. Smith, both of Springdale; two sisters, Martha Woods of Springdale and Brenda Barnes of Avoca; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral was at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16, at Roller-Cox Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Dewayne Holland officiating. Burial was in Annie’s Chapel Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Patrick Smith, Zachary Smith, Chance McMaster, Justin Hale, Kenneth Smith, and William Smith.
