Lou Cash
Lou “Mama Lou” Cash, 85, died Dec. 31. She was born March 26, 1921. Mama Lou, as she was known by so many friends and family members, was born and spent her entire life in Lonoke.
She was a member of the staff of First State Bank in Lonoke for many years and her work station was the one sought out by the children who visited the bank because she always had treats for them. As many of those children grew to adulthood they continued to return to her bank station, sometimes for the treats, but more often because she always made time to visit with them about what was happening in their lives.
Mama Lou was a devoted member of First Baptist Church in Lonoke for 60 years and was active in the church’s programs until the end of her life. She was an avid reader who spent countless hours with her books but she was not a solitary individual and always enjoyed social interactions with other people. She loved flowers and had the extraordinary “green thumb” ability to grow plants of all types. This aspect of her life gave her a great deal of pleasure when she made summer visits to family in Michigan and could spend time working in the flower gardens but the abiding passion in her life was her family.
She was preceded in death by her husband and the love of her life, Neal Cash who died much too young, her mother and father and six brothers and sisters.
She is survived by a son, Dr. Jerry and wife Stella Hall Cash; a daughter, Judy and husband Stephen Cheney; sister, Josephine Cash; brothers, Raymond and John Gilliam; six grand-children, Shannon Kopke, Kelly Turner, Stephanie Halfmann, Kyle Cheney, Kasey Cheney and Kris Cheney; 11 great grandchildren, a number of nieces and nephews; her wonderful friend of 40 years, Irene Aukes. and Brenda Kees, a special niece who gave so much time and effort as a caregiver in the last years of Mama Lou’s life.
A memorial celebration of Mama Lou’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 12 at First Baptist Church of Lonoke with pastor Jimmy Wallace presiding.
The family would like to thank everyone for their support and extend a very special thanks to the medical personnel and caregivers at the St. Lawrence/Sparrow Hospice in Lansing, Michigan, who provided so much comfort and peace to Mama Lou during the last days of her life.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Lonoke First Baptist Church 21st Century Building Fund. Funeral arrangements are by Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke.
Bennie Finch
Bennie Finch, 82, also known to many as Uncle Bennie, died Jan. 2 after a long battle with bladder and lung cancer.
He was born to the late Bead and Jewell Finch July 29, 1924.
He was a member of Concord United Methodist Church and was the teacher for the adult Sunday school class. He was a dedicated song leader for many years and loved to sing the old hymns. He served as sergeant at arms for the state Senate for several years. He loved politics and was a Yellow Dog Democrat. Bennie was loved by everyone and never met a stranger.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Pat Finch and sister, Ruth Martineau.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Maxine McGarity Finch; daughter, Janice McCall and husband Bob, and granddaughter, Molly McCall; brothers, Burton Finch of North Little Rock and Ellis Finch of Lonoke; sister, Anna Woody of Little Rock; brother-in-law Ellis Martineau and sister-in-law Kathryn Haury and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held at Concord United Methodist Church, Jan. 5. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arkansas Hospice Foundation, 5600 W. 12th, Little Rock, Ark. 72204-1717; Concord Cemetery Association; Arkansas Children’s Hospital. or Arkansas Ostomy Association. The family will be at 319 W. Pine, Lonoke. Cremation arrangements were by Boyd Funeral Home of Lonoke.
Buford Latta
Buford Latta, 80, of Mountain Home died Jan. 1, at Hospice House in Mountain Home.
He was born April 12, 1926, in Jack-sonville to the late Robert and Kate Andrews Latta.
He was also preceded in death by two sisters.
He married Faye Dean Matheny on March 6, 1948, in North Little Rock. They were married for 58 years. He retired after 30 years service as a Certified Nursing Assistant at the V.A. Hospital in North Little Rock. Mr. Latta was an Army Veteran who served in the Philippines during the Second World War. He lived in Jacksonville before moving to Mountain Home in 1998. He was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include his wife, Faye Dean Latta, of Mountain Home; two daughters; Karen and husband Robert Troeger, of Mountain Home, and Susan and husband James E. Toburen, of McAlester, Okl.; one sister, Louise Bostic, of Jacksonville; six grandchildren, Kimberly and husband James Harris, of Titusville, Flo., Christopher Troeger, of Little Rock, Michael Troeger of Little Rock, Jennifer and husband Andrew Schafer, of Ankeny, Iowa, James R. Toburen, of McAlester, Okl. And Charles Toburen, of Norman, Okl. and five great-grandsons.
Funeral services were Jan. 5, at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville. Burial was in Chapel Hill Memorial Park in Jacksonville. Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Ozarks, 701 Burnett Drive, Mountain Home, AR 72653. Funeral arrangements were by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Helen Lokey
Helen Marie Lokey, 65, passed away Jan. 1. She was a member of Carlisle Pentecostal Church of God.
Survivors include her husband, Bill T. Lokey; a son, Charles Lee and wife Evelyn Lokey of Mayflower; a daughter, Leanna and husband Joe Cromer of Jacksonville; her mother, Alberta and husband Bill Knowles of Carlisle; three brothers, Vernon and wife Beverly Herring of Alexander, Charles and wife Dianne Herring of Little Rock and Danny and wife Joan Herring of Stuttgart; one sister, Shirley and husband Bill Walker of Lonoke; three grandchildren, Scarlett Lokey, Charlotte Cromer and Chase Cromer; brothers-in-laws, Jim and wife Nancy Wood of Stuttgart and Paul and wife Betty Wood of Bruce, Miss.; sisters-in-laws, Carolyn and husband Glen Lawson of Hamburg, and Faye and husband Robert Barth of Alamogordo, N.M., and several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Services were Jan. 3 at Boyd Funeral Home Chapel in Lonoke with burial in Flynn Cemetery.
Mary Pederson
Mary Frances Pederson, 81, of Jacksonville died Jan. 2 in North Little Rock.
She was born Jan. 8, 1925 in Hartman to the late Roland C. and Lela M. Parker Higgs.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd R. Pederson, Sr. and a brother, Roland Charles Higgs.
Mrs. Pederson formerly worked as a registered nurse and was a member of First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville.
Survivors include three daughters; Sharon Ashcraft of Sherwood, Karen Hearn and husband Robert of Batesville and Joanne Holland of Cabot; son, Floyd R. Pederson and wife Rena; six grandchildren, Cliff farmer, Corie Farmer-Rowe, Allison Petters, Melisa Gibbons, John Daniel Holland and Kiley Pederson and her faithful schnauzer ‘Sadie.’
Funeral services were Jan. 5 at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Don Hall officiating. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery in Clarksvill.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pulaski County Humane Society. Funeral arrangements were by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Wilmer Taylor
Wilmer Eugene “Gene” Taylor, 78, of Ward, went to be with the Lord Jan. 1.
He was born June 19, 1928, at Hazen, to the late Walter and Mamie Denson Taylor.
He was a member of Hickory Plains Missionary Baptist Church. He was a farmer and mechanic most of his life. He loved music and all his friends at the musical gatherings.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; a son Kenny; two sisters and one brother. Survivors include his daughters, Sherry and husband Teddy Jones, Brenda and husband Jimmy Graham, Susan Green of Cross Roads and Carol and husband Herb Snider of Hazen; 16 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; sisters, Jackie and husband Gordon Tarter of Carlisle, Evelyn Pate of Hazen, Wecona and husband Joe Bednar of Slovak; his loving mate, Dorothy and her sons, Billy Elliott, David Elliott, Max Elliott, Scotty Williams, and many other friends and relatives.
Funeral services were Jan. 4 at Westbrook Funeral Home at Beebe with Pastor Tony Crye and Pastor Mark Eisold officiating. Burial was in Center Point Cemetery near Hazen.
Pallbearers were his grandsons, Timmy Jones, Jeff Jones, Randy Munnerlyn, Brad Graham, Derek Graham, Scott Green, and Taylor Green. Honorary pallbearers were Robert Phillips and Darren Elliot.
