WANDA VAUGHAN
Wanda T. Vaughan, 65, of Beebe went to be with the Lord Dec. 4. She was preceded in death by her sister, Dolly; four brothers, George, Billy, Junior and Calvin; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband, Barney Vaughan; one son, Tommy; three daughters, Charlotte, Ellen and Donna; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two brothers, Jimbo and Sidney; and three sisters, Rose Lea, Barbara and Patsy.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6 at Searcy First Pentecostal Church of God in Searcy, with burial in Beebe Cemetery. Funeral services are by Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe.
VIDA NIPPER
Vida Nipper, 101, of Beebe passed away Dec. 4 at White County Medical Center. She was a devout Christian, a Methodist for 88 years, the oldest member of the Beebe church, and perhaps Beebe’s oldest citizen.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John Wesley Taylor and Aretha Elizabeth Quattlebaum Taylor; her husband of 64 years, Leroy Nipper; brothers, Norman and Horace; sisters Edna Cotman and Odean Caldwell; granddaughters Sabra Ann Nipper and Jacqueline Nipper; and great-grandson, Thomas Herron, Jr.EE
Survivors include one daughter, Oleda Herron of Mayflower; one son, Tommy Nipper and his wife Shirley of Beebe; one brother, William Taylor and his wife Norene of San Diego, Cali. Also grandchildren, Ronald Herron and his wife Kris, Steve Herron, and Thomas Herron, Sr. and his wife Jerri, Anita Herron Long, Connie Nipper Kinman and her husband Dalin; great-grandchildren, Matthew Herron, Whitney Herron, Lindsay Herron, and Zachary Long; and one great-grandchild, Aidan Herron.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6 at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 at the funeral home, with the Rev. Denman Gillett officiating. Burial will follow at Antioch Cemetery.
ROBERT COLLINS
Robert J. “Bob” Collins, 64, of McRae died Dec. 3. He was preceded in death by his mother, Pearl Collins; and one daughter, Connie Jones. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Collins of McRae; one son, Gene Edward Collins of Kentucky; three stepchildren, Kas Glass of North Little Rock, James Glass of Beebe and Lyle Glass of Cabot; three grandchildren, Angel of Louisville, Ky., Stuart Dodson and Andrea Glass, both of North Little Rock; two great-grandchildren; three brothers, Thomas M. Collins of Beebe, George Collins of Plano, Ill. and Al Collins of Winford, Minn.; two sisters, Mabel Rettig and Florene Maple Stout, both of Beebe.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe. Burial will be in Beebe Cemetery.
SHIRLEY WILLIAMS
Shirley Denise Williams, 71, of Hickory Plains died Dec. 2. She was born February 22, 1935, at Des Arc to Howard and Nettie Gross Graham. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Wanda Wells, and brother, Max Graham. She is survived by two sons, Rusty Williams and wife Kathy of Benton, and Billy Williams of Hope; one granddaughter, Paula Campbell; two great-grandchildren, Chloe and Brendan Campbell; one brother, Houston Gross and wife Betty of North Little Rock.
Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe.
CHRISTOPHER MATTHEWS
Christopher Mark Matthews, 17, of Jacksonville died Dec. 2 in an automobile accident. He was born Oct. 11, 1989 in Jacksonville to Greg and Charlotte Davis Matthews. Chris was a student at North Pulaski High School where he was a two-year letterman on the football team.
He was employed at Arby’s in Sherwood. Chris was preceded in death by his grandfather, James Matthews. He is survived by his mother and step-father, Charlie and Jeff Bone of Jacksonville; father, Greg Matthews of Jacksonville; sister, Sarah Bone of Jacksonville; maternal grandparents, Wilma Lee and Chuck Henderson.
Also, paternal grandmother, Ginger Matthews; maternal grandparents, Billy and Jeanice Post; maternal step-grandparents, Johnny and Marcie Bone of Benton; uncles and aunts, Sam and Lorie Davis, Virgil and Kristen Nuckols, both of Sherwood, Mike Matthews of Jacksonville and Timmy Matthews of Tennessee; and several cousins. Chris was loved and will be greatly missed. Memorial services were Dec. 5, at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Chapel. The family suggests memorials be made to Chris Matthews Memorial Fund c/o North Pulaski High School.
CHARLES RICE
Charles “Judge” “Curly” “Chuck” Abbott Rice, 66, of Cabot passed away Dec. 1. He was born Oct. 13, 1940 in Furlow, to the late Charles Wesley Rice and Frances Lucile Wilson-Rice. He was a very knowledgeable person about many things and very athletic from a very young age. During high school “Judge” was one of the star quarterbacks at Cabot High School. In the 1960’s he was a sprint car racer, and for a time was a star bowler, at one time holding a record score.
Being a very big racing advocate, no matter what he never missed a race. He became a very important part of a local racing crew for Barker’s Motor Sports. Very knowledgeable about racing and having such a friendly helpful personality, “Curly” would always help any racing crew he was around. He was a friend to everyone and never met a stranger. He was the 2006 Arkansas State Pool Player of the Year and finished in the rankings at the National Pool Championship in Las Vegas. Also preceding him in death were one daughter, Brenda Ann Rice, and one brother, Edward Eugene Rice. Survivors include two daughters, Tami Lowe and Tina Barnwell of Kansas; one sister, Thelma Dean Rice-Robinson of Cabot; several grandchildren and many other family members and dear friends.
Services were Dec. 5 at Cabot United Methodist Church with Bro. Dennie Calhoun officiating. Serving as pallbearers were Kevin Barker, Jason Hefley, Chuck McGinty, Danny Barker, Robert Murphy and Tim Caplinger. Graveside services were at Red-men Cemetery in DeQueen. Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
EUGENE GANN
Eugene E. Gann, 62, of Jacksonville peacefully passed away Nov. 30 at his home. He was born June 15, 1944 in St. Louis, Mo., to the late Joseph F. Gann and Mrs. Edith May Smith Gann. Two sons, Eugene E. Gann Jr. and Charles Lloyd preceded him in death. He was of the Pentecostal faith and he enjoyed wrestling, watching TV and listening to gospel music.
He is survived by his loving wife, Betty Lee Gann of the home; his mother, Edith Gann of Truman; 16 children; three brothers; four sisters and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were Dec. 4 in the chapel of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home with the Rev. Royce Lowe officiating. Burial followed in Chapel Hill Memorial Park.
JASON BURTON
Jason Burton, 35, of Cabot passed away Nov. 30. He was born Sept. 4, 1971 in California to JoAnn Burton and the late Richard W. Burton. He is survived by his mother, JoAnn Burton of Cabot. Arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
LILLIE DEARMAN
Lillie Mae Dearman, 93, of Cabot passed away Nov. 29. She was born April 25, 1913 in Woodruff County to the late Franklin and Mary Holder. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Dearman; son, Jerry Sloan Dearman; daughter, Kathrine Moseley and three brothers and four sisters. Survivors include one son, James Dearman of Sheridan; 10 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren and one great-great-great-grandchild, along with many other family members and friends.
Graveside services were Dec. 2 in Sumner Cemetery at Cabot. Funeral arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
HARLEN BASS
Harlen Wayne Bass, 61, of Duffield, Virg., died Nov. 27. He was born July 30, 1945, in Searcy, to the late Quenton “Dick” and Mae Falen Bass. He was preceded in death by his brother, Johnny Kieth Bass. He is survived by his wife, Lilia Mae Purvis Bass; two daughters, “Frog” Jerrie and husband Jackie Barnette, and “Toad” Terrie and husband Johnny Fritz, all of Duffield, Virg.; one stepson, Joe Geovanni; five grandchildren, Joshua Wayne Peterson, Chad-wick Dean Fritz, Ashley Nachole Petersen, Cody Allen Fritz and Tyler Blake Barnette; one sister, Laurie Firth and husband Harold of Ward, three brothers, Gregory Lee “Greg” Bass of Ward, Richard and wife Lilian Bass of Clinton, and Dale and wife Patricia Bass of Beebe; one sister-in-law, Pat Bass of Ward. Funeral services were Dec. 2 at Westbrook Funeral Home with burial in Butlerville Cemetery.