Joe A. Roberts
SPRINGDALE -- Joe A. Roberts, 83, of Springdale, died Thursday, July 22, 2010, at his home. Joe was born Feb. 8, 1927, in Springdale, Ark. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alonzo and Ellen Whinnery Roberts; a brother, Jimmy Roberts; and infant sister, Majorie Roberts. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Adella Roberts; a son, Richard Allen Roberts and wife, Lisa, of St. Louis, Mo.; daughter, Janie McGaugh and husband, Ron, of Springdale; and daughter, Teresa Harrison and husband, Billy, of Springdale. The greatest joys of his life were his grandchildren, Kimberly McGaugh Brown and husband, Jacob, of Springdale, Charlie Roberts of St. Louis, Mo., and Branden Harrison of Springdale. He had a very precious great-granddaughter, Kennedy Jane Brown of Springdale, who brought great joy to his life for the past seven months. He was also survived by several nieces and nephews.
Joe was respected and loved by many. He touched the lives of many former students. In his younger years he attended Boys' State and was an Eagle Scout. He was an adult leader at the World Boy Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge, Pa. He served in the last 18 months of World War II as a radar operator, U.S. Navy in the South Pacific.
He was a lifetime member of the First United Methodist Church. He graduated from Springdale High School and received a B.S. ED., a MED, and a D.A.S. degree from the University of Arkansas. He was with the Springdale Schools for 34 years and the Fayetteville Schools for two years as a teacher, coach, principal, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent. His professional organizations he participated in, and held office in, were the S.E.A., the A.E.A., the National Education Association, the Arkansas School Administrators Association, the Arkansas Activities Association, National Council on Schoolhouse Construction; and was a lifetime member of the Parent Teachers Association.
Community activities he actively participated in were the American Legion, the Springdale Museum Board, the Springdale Commission on Parks and Recreation, the Rodeo of the Ozarks, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the United Fund Board. Before being unable to do so, he was an avid fisherman and golfer and loved being in the great outdoors.
In his latter years, he was greatly honored by having the Track and Field Complex at Southwest Junior High named after him and he was also honored to be elected to the Springdale High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday, July 26, 2010, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Judy VanHoose officiating and under the direction of Sisco Funeral Chapel of Springdale. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Sisco Funeral Chapel.
Pallbearers are Jack Dick, Johnny Farmer, Charlie Smith, Harold Harmon, Virgil Harmon and David Harmon. Honorary pallbearers are Sonny Henson, John Lynn Fletcher, Bob Weiss, Walter Turnbow, Jim White, Jim Ritter, T.G. Smith, Norman Crowder, Paul Davis and Carroll Harmon.
Memorials may be made to the Lee Elementary School, Ozark National Science Center Scholarship Fund, 400 Quandt St., Springdale, Arkansas 72764 or the Bread of Life, c/o First United Methodist Church, 206 W. Johnson Ave., Springdale, AR 72764.
Online condolences may be made to www.siscofuneral.com.
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Bill Edward Bradford
ROGERS -- Bill Edward Bradford Sr., 80, of Rogers, went to be with the Lord on July 19, 2010. He was born March 13, 1930, in Hector, Ark., to the late Cecil Edward and Eula Ion Lay Bradford.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Harold, Cecil Jr. "Brad," Michael, Dennis and Dale; and two sisters, Nona "Sue" and Virginia L.
Bill is survived by his loving wife, LoreAn "Lore" Fields Bradford; two loving sons, Bill Jr. and wife, Jodi Bradford, and Rick and wife, Melissa Bradford; five brothers, Bob and wife, Linda, Doyle and wife, Donna, Donald and wife, Shirley, Charles and wife, Cheryl, and Ronnie and wife, Lynn; and two sisters, Brenda Rorke and Connie Grantham.
Bill is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Billy III and wife, Cindy, Brett, Erin and husband, Chris, Chad, Sean, Diana, Michelle and husband, Bill, Kelsey and husband, Chris, Casey, Brianna, Gabriella and Alexandra; four great-grandchildren, Ashley, Abby, Hunter and Taylor; and many nephews, nieces and cousins.
Bill and Lore had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this spring.
They retired and moved to Arkansas in 1984 from California. Bill was an avid fisherman and also enjoyed hunting, almost as much as he enjoyed telling the stories and being with his sons, family and friends.
Services were held 1 p.m. Friday, July 23, 2010, at Rollins Funeral Home in Rogers.
Condolences may be offered at www.rollinsfuneral.com.
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Stephen Bruce Anderton
ROGERS -- Stephen Bruce Anderton, age 37, of Rogers, died July 21, 2010, at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale. He was born in North Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 11, 1972. He attended Blue Springs High School and Johnson County Culinary Institute and was a sous chef with the Springdale Country Club for three years.
Survivors include his parents, Shirley and Bobby Ladner of Rogers, Bruce and Michelle Anderton of Louisville, Ky.; siblings, Laura and Josh Ray of Olathe, Kan.; and nieces, Kylie, Madi, Lindsey and Macie Ray.
Stephen's body was donated to UAMS for medical research; and memorial services will be held at The Church of Christ, 2022 S. 13th St., Rogers, Ark., at 2 p.m. on July 31.
Memorials, in lieu of flowers, should be made to The Anatomical Gift Program at UAMS, Little Rock, Ark., in Stephen's name.
Local arrangements are by Callison-Lough Funeral Home in downtown Rogers.
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Francis Joseph Baldus
BELLA VISTA -- Francis Joseph Baldus, 79, of Bella Vista died July 22, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers. He was born Nov. 13, 1930, in Philadelphia to Francis and Mildred Morgan Baldus.
He was employed as an electrician at El Camino Junior College for 27 years.
Survivors include his wife, Gail Louise Baldus; five sons, Frank Baldus of National Park, N.J., Michael Baldus of Fresno, Calif., Mark Baldus and wife, Theresa, of Hawthorne, Calif., Scott Baldus of Bentonville and Brett Baldus of Bella Vista; three brothers; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. today at the First United Methodist Church in Bella Vista.
Arrangements are by the Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory.
Laurie Lee Strate
BENTONVILLE -- Laurie Lee Strate, 52, of Bentonville, Ark., died Wednesday, July 21, 2010, at her home in Bentonville. She was born on Oct. 2, 1957, in Anchorage, Alaska, to Jack K. Anderson and Katherine M. Wheat Anderson.
She attended the Bella Vista Assembly of God Church.
She is survived by her husband of 11 years, John Strate of Bentonville, Ark.; parents, Jack and Katherine Anderson of Bella Vista, Ark.; one daughter, Heather Niefeld of Bella Vista, Ark.; one brother, Kenneth Anderson of Eureka Springs, Ark.; one sister, Lisa L. Kolb and Brian of Bella Vista, Ark.; one granddaughter, Chelsea Barnhardt of Jane, Mo.; nine nieces and nephews; and eight great-nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 26, 2010, at the Bella Vista Assembly of God Church, 1771 Forest Hills Blvd., with the Rev. Jonathan D. Watson officiating.
Arrangements are by the Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory, 2258 Forest Hills Blvd., Bella Vista, Ark.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Benton County Women's Shelter, P.O. Box 1059, Rogers, AR 72757.
Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.
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Ruby Jewel Graham
ROGERS -- Ruby Jewel Graham, 92, of Rogers, died Monday July 19, 2010, at her home. Ruby was born July 9, 1918, in Okemah, Okla., to the late William and Olive (Haley) Beets.
Ruby loved to go fishing and tend to her garden, and she was a faithful member of Lakeside Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Kenneth Graham; two sons, Tommy Weaver and Donnie Weaver; one son-in-law, Kenneth Strang; two brothers, Charlie Beets and Frankie Beets; and two sisters, Millie McCully and Stella Mannwarring.
Survivors include her daughter, Jan Strang; two brothers, James Beets and Sammy Beets; three sisters, Lois Fox, Laverne Greer, and Francis Beets; four grandchildren, Don Strang and his wife, Toni, Shawn Chasteen and her husband, Tommy, Curt Weaver and Sabrina Weaver; and eight great-grandchildren, including Parker and Whitney.
There will be a memorial service for Ruby at her home from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, July 24, 2010.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Circle of Life Hospice House in Springdale.
Online condolences can be made at www.rollinsfuneral.com.
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James Richard Currie
BELLA VISTA -- James Richard Currie, 65, of Bella Vista, Ark., died Thursday, July 22, 2010, at Circle of Life Legacy in Bentonville, Ark. He was born on April 14, 1945, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Eugene B. Currie and A. Lucille True Currie.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having served during Vietnam. He moved to Bella Vista in 2001 and recently was employed at Harps Food of Town Center.
He was preceded in death by his father.
He is survived by his mother, A. Lucille Currie of Bella Vista, Ark.; two sisters, Peggy Curran and husband, John, of Bella Vista, Ark., Patricia Post and husband, Denny, of Auburn, Ind.; and several nieces and nephews.
No services are planned.
Arrangements are by the Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory, 2258 Forest Hills Blvd., Bella Vista, Ark.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Circle of Life Hospice, 901 Jones Road, Springdale, AR 72762.
Online condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.
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Carson Louis Garcia
BENTONVILLE -- Carson Louis Garcia, 9, of Bentonville died July 21, 2010, in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 9, 2000, in Springdale, to Jose and Jacqueline Garcia.
He attended Mathias Elementary School.
Survivors include his parents; and two brothers, Joshua and Jimmy Garcia.
Services will be at 6 p.m. today at Callison-Lough Funeral Home in Bentonville. Visitation was Friday.
Ray Burkett
SELIGMAN, Mo. -- Ray Burkett, 66, of Seligman, died Thursday, July 22, at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers. He was born Sept. 22, 1943, in Paragould, Ark., to Alvin Burkett and Edith Smith Burkett.
He was a foreman for Emerson Electric, retiring after 31 years. He enjoyed traveling with and watching the Southwest Trojan basketball team, going to the Branson Shoot-out, playing bingo and fishing. He was a member of New Prospect Baptist Church, and is preceded in death by his wife, Donna Burkett; his parents; one son, Lonnie Burkett; and one brother, Roger Burkett.
Survivors are one son, Brett Burkett of Seligman; two daughters, Cindy Wright and husband Jimmy, and Kim Burkett, all of Seligman; 11 brothers, Jim Burkett of Powell, Mo., W.C. Burkett of Illinois, Eugene Burkett of Kansas City, Mo., John Burkett and Garry Burkett, both of Pea Ridge, Steve Burkett of Garfield, Gayland Burkett of Monett, Mo., Tim Burkett, Bruce Burkett, and David Burkett, all of Seligman, Robert Burkett of Anderson, Mo.; one sister, Onida Club of Seligman; and two grandchildren, Miranda and Landon.
Funeral is set for 10 a.m. Monday, July 26, at Sisco Funeral Home Chapel in Pea Ridge, with the Rev. Ron Shults officiating.
Burial will be at Ruddick Cemetery.
Visitation is set for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 25, at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be made at siscofuneralhome.net.
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