WILLIAM RANEY
William J. Raney, 75, of Cabot passed away Feb. 24 at home. He was a former Marine and retired from Union Pacific Railroad in 1993 after 43 years of service.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Broadus and Clara Raney of Walnut Ridge; and a sister, Sue Lavering of California.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Jean Raney; two sons, David Raney of North Little Rock and Mark Raney of Benton; two daughters, Sandra Raney Nichols and Peggy Raney Peek of Little Rock; one son-in-law, Edward Peek of Little Rock; seven grandchildren, Christopher, Rachel, Jason, and Jennifer Raney, Rett and Hamilton Peek, and Joshua Nichols; and one great-grandson.
Visitation will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home in North Little Rock.
Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 1 at Pine Crest Memorial Park in Alexander.
MARCELINE CUMMINGS
Marceline Joyce Cummings, 74, of Beebe was born March 22, 1932, in Crosby to Jim and Lee Wiggs Edwards, and she went to be with the Lord Feb. 25. She was a housewife and a member of Beebe First Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, eleven brothers and six sisters. She is survived by her husband, Clay of Beebe; one son, Billy Dean Davis of Spokane, Wash.; one daughter, Judy David-son of Beebe; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two brothers, Doris Head of Las Vegas, Nev., and J. B. Edwards of Willow Springs, Mo.; one sister, Laverne Barnett of Beebe; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe, with burial in Pleasant Grove Cemetery.
JAMES MCELROY
James Elvin McElroy, 52, of Jacksonville passed away Feb. 24. He was born Nov. 11, 1954 in Little Rock to the late Elvin and Ruby McElroy. He was also preceded in death by grandmother, Rose McElroy.
He is survived by his wife, Carla Henning; sons, Luke Thomas and James Alan; granddaughters, Angelina and Alana; brother, Gary; and sister, Donna.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ron Mosley officiating. Interment will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Park.
GEORGE TAYLOR
George Herman Taylor, 88, went to be with the Lord on Feb. 26. Taylor was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Sarah Taylor and one sister, Murriel Taylor. He was a life-long resident of Jacksonville and left behind two special friends, Ruby Hudson and Thomas Wolfe, both of Jacksonville.
He graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1930 and was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville. He served in the military during World War II and held the rank of sergeant. He worked with many friends in the CCC Camp located in Jacksonville. He was a board member of the Bayou Meto Cemetery Association.
He was a retired heavy equipment operator and a member of the International Heavy Machine Operator Union for 20 years.
He was instrumental in building Little Rock Air Force Base, many of the local airports and many of the highways across the South. He loved animals and owned several horses over the years and was a member of the National Quarter Horse Association. He also loved to travel and saw most all the states and Canada.
He requests that donations be made to First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville or to Hospice of Arkansas in lieu of flowers. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville. Interment will follow in Bayou Meto Cemetery under the direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
JAMAN WHITTENBURG
Jaman Allen Whittenburg, 50, of Ward died Feb. 25 in Jacksonville. He was born on May 30, 1956 to the late Jaman M. and Patricia Whittenburg in Hazen.
Jaman is survived by his wife, Teresa Whittenburg of the home; five children, Timothy Whittenburg of Ward, Amanda Whittenburg of Little Rock, Jeremy Bancroft of Minnesota, Matthew Bancroft of Ward, and Joshua Whittenburg and wife of Little Rock; two brothers, Aza and Phineas Whittenburg, both of Butlerville; two sisters, Maurisa Whittenburg of Carlisle and Rachel White of Hazen; and five grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Cabot Church of Christ with Bro. Mark Bradley officiating.
Interment will follow at Walters Chapel Cemetery in Carlisle. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church.
Arrangements are by Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
BERNIS CALLAWAY
Bernis Callaway, 75, of Jacksonville passed away Feb. 25. Bernie, as he was known by many friends and family, spent his final days in the compassionate care of Hospice Home Care Inpatient Unit in Little Rock.
He was born June 30, 1931 in Rain, Ky. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lige and Venie Callaway, as well as a brother, Jay Callaway, and a baby sister Marie Callaway.
He served in the Army from 1952-1954. He fought in the Korean conflict and earned the rank of tech sergeant.
He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal.
After his military service, Bernie spent many years as an aircraft mechanic with Douglas Aircraft, Air Mod, and Lear Siegler.
Bernie settled in Jacksonville and retired from Falcon Jet in 1993. Although Jacksonville was his home for 42 years, his family home is Tahlequah, Okla.
He will always be affectionately known by his family for his love of fishing, camping, good natured competitiveness in any game and his “world famous daddy burgers.” He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Lois Callaway; three daughters, Jennifer Heinrich and husband Gary of Cabot, Terry Callaway of Cabot, and Carmen Roetzel and husband Tony of Haslet, Texas.
He also leaves seven grandchildren, Andrea Cater of Jacksonville, Amanda Walker of El Paso, Texas, Scott Conway of Gillett, Nicholas Conway of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Abby Hindman of Port St. Lucie, Fla., and Lindsey and Blake Roetzel of Haslett, Texas; and five great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind seven step great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews; one brother and three sisters, Roy Callaway, Hazel Scott, Mary Wade and Flora Murphy , all of Oklahoma.
Visitation will be held at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Bernie will then be taken home to Oklahoma. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 2, with burial following at Hendricks Cemetery in Tahlequah, Okla.
Funeral arrangements are under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
JESSIE LOCKE
Jessie Cledous Locke, 78, born in Fountain Hill, died Feb. 26. He was retired after 28 years of service from the U.S. Air Force.
Survivors include his wife, Zona Locke; a daughter, Jan Davis of Beebe; two sons, Curt Locke of Florida and Mike Locke of Texas; a granddaughter, Jennifer Mitchell of Missouri; grandsons, Curtis Locke, Chad Locke and Chase Locke, all of Florida; one sister, Valeria Smith of Louisiana; and a brother, Julian Locke of Quitman.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 1 at Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke with interment in Hicks Cemetery. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the funeral home.
RICHARD GRAY
Richard Merton Gray, 67, of Jacksonville passed away Feb. 24. He was born April 28, 1939 in Youngstown, N.Y., to the late Clifton and Catherine Gray. He was also preceded in death by two brothers and one sister.
Survivors include his three sons, Richard Dean Gray of Clarendon, Pa., David Neal Gray of Wrightstown, N.J., and Lynn Meabon of Falconer, N. Y.; one daughter, Kimberly Monteleone of Columbus, Ind.; two sisters: Melinda Best of Falconer, N.Y., and Melissa Pierce of Jamestown, N.Y.; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and his companion, Sena Clair of Jacksonville. Services are private. Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
JULIETTE NEWTON
Juliette R. Newton, 81, of Jacksonville went to be with the Lord Friday, Feb. 23 in North Little Rock. She was born March 30, 1925 in Shamrock, Texas, to the late Joseph and Sophinia Richardson.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Rev. Leonard L. Newton, as well as nine brothers and sisters.
Rev. and Mrs. Newton served as pastor and pastor’s wife for several Southern Baptist churches in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
Survivors include her daughters, Janie Jackson and husband Don of Jacksonville, Julia Wonsch of Okmulgee, Okla., and Janice Movlai and husband Abbas of Edmond, Okla.; one son, Jeffrey Newton and wife Shelley of Azel, Texas; two brothers and a sister, Thurman and Newton Richardson and Dorothy Mansel, all of Texas; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Feb. 26 at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home with Rev. Greg Kirksey officiating.
Interment was in the Okmulgee Cemetery in Okmulgee, Okla.
