Gary Blakeslee
Gary Allen Blakeslee, 46, of Jacksonville died July 13 at his home. He was born July 27, 1960 in Mt. Clemmons, Mich.
Gary worked in parts sales for Diamond International trucking. He was of the Methodist faith.
He was preceded in death by his mother, E. Joanne Blakeslee and his grandparents.
Survivors include his wife of 25 years, Suzanne Denise Bush Blakeslee; two sons, Tyler and wife Hyechin of Germany and Nicholas of the home; daughter, Alexandra of the home; father, Amos M. and stepmother, Phyllis Swinney Blakeslee of Kokomo, Ind.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, July 18 at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, with Bro. Marck Gibson officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 401 N. 1st St., Jacksonville, Ark. 72076. Funeral arrangements are by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
James Cook Jr.
James Paul Cook Jr., 25, of Cabot died July 5 in Italy. He was born Feb. 5, 1982 in Sedalia, Mo.
He was a 2000 Cabot High School graduate and a member of the track team and the Spanish and art clubs. At the age of 12, he became a certified scuba diver. He loved to float the Buffalo River, fish and hunt. He enjoyed working in the garden and flowers. In November 2001, James entered the Air Force and served two tours in Qatar and two tours in Iraq. His grandparents preceded him in death.
He is survived by his parents, James Paul Sr. and Wendy Wentz Cook; wife, Suzanne Necole Cook of Jacksonville; children, Christopher Paul and Isabella Marie Cook; brother, Jason Wayne Cook of Eugene, Ore.; sister, Heather Renee Cook of Los Angeles, Calif., and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many friends.
The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 21 at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Cabot. Burial will be at 3 p.m. at Marshall Memorial Gardens in Marshall. Visitation will be 5 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Arrangements are by Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
L. Wayne Jones
L. Wayne Jones, 58, of Jacksonville died July 10. He was born Aug. 21, 1948 in Coy to the late Birl and Martha Camp Jones. He worked as a truck driver for Wrights Cabinet.
Survivors include his daughter, Rashelle Zelaznik of London, England; son, David Jones of Tulare, Calif.; brothers, Birl and Kenneth Jones of Jacksonville and Marvin Jones of Tulare, Calif.; sister, Pat Anderson of Redding, Calif.; one grandson and one granddaughter.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, July 20 at Moore’s Funeral Home in Jacksonville.
Joe Brackett
Joe Lee Brackett, 61, of Cabot died July 13. He was born April 23, 1946 in Bennington, Okla., to Wilma Sons Brackett and the late Eugene Brackett. He was also preceded in death by his nephew, Doyle Brackett.
Survivors include two sons, Anthony and David Brackett of Florida; two daughters, Lavinia Anspach of Florida and Carline Brackett of Illinois; two brothers, Carl Brackett of Alabama and Jim Brackett of Arkansas; two sisters, Evelyn Alexander of Oklahoma and Phyllis Lloyd of Illinois; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 18 at Yuba Baptist Church in Yuba, Okla., with burial immediately following at Bokchito Cemetery in Bokchito, Okla. Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot and Gordon Dalton Holmes Funeral Home in Achille, Okla.
Wanda Palmer
Wanda Lee Palmer, 64, of Jacksonville died July 12 in her home. She was born Jan. 19, 1943 in Mt. Clements, Mich., to the late William and Dorothy Peek Clayton. She was a homemaker and a Baptist.
She was also preceded in death by her sister, Norman Smith; a grandson, Dale Wayne Worley and a son-in-law, Tony Worley.
Survivors include her husband, Dale Palmer of Jacksonville; four daughters, Denise Worley of Tontitown, Pauline Ward and husband Eddie of Fayetteville, Colleen Hills and husband Kirby of Honeybrook, Pa., and Pattie James and husband Howard of Sherwood; a son, Michael Dale Palmer and wife Kelly of Sherwood; a brother, Kenneth Clayton and wife Ann of Leesburg, Fla.; 10 grandchildren, Timothy Worley, Kendall Ward, Ammie Ward, Charles Humphrey, Tommy Humphrey, Jami Hills, Staci Hills, Jacob Palmer, MaKayla Palmer and Gavin Palmer, six great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and other family and friends.
Funeral services were July 15 at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with Rev. Jim Ward officiating. Interment followed in Chapel Hill Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements were by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Leonard Morden
Leonard Edgar Morden, 87, of Jacksonville died July 10. He was born Jan. 15, 1920 in Jacksonville to the late Horace and Venie Clement Morden.
He was a retired heavy equipment operator. He was a member of Jacksonville First United Methodist Church, the men’s Bible class, and a lifetime member of the Methodist Men.
He was a Second World War veteran, serving in the Army’s 9th Armor Division during the Battle of the Bulge. He received the Purple Heart and two Bronze Service Stars.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge #216 and Order of Eastern Star chapter 520. He was the “self-designated greeter” for the Methodist church for over 50 years.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Blanche Evatt Morden; son, Michael and wife Michelle Morden; three daughters, Sandra and husband Rex Marson, Marsha Hunter and husband Keith Steensma, and Teresa Story of Jacksonville; six grandchildren, David and wife Robin Chamblee, Jeryll Story and wife Susan of Cabot, Carl Chamblee, John Story and wife April, Shannon Hazlett and husband Eric, and Sharon Graham of Jacksonville; three sisters, Lena Grimmett, Corene Mitchell, and Adene Gwin and husband Bud of Sherwood, brother-in-law, John Evatt of Jacksonville, 11 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral service was July 13 at First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville with Dr. Don Hall and Dr. Carol Goddard officiating. Burial was at Chapel Hill Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville. A special thanks to Dr. Obasi and the staff of the SIC Unit and 5 E Step Down Unit of McClellan Veterans Hospital. Funeral arrangements were by Moore’s Jack-sonville Funeral Home.
William Hester
William Charles Hester, 72, of North Little Rock died July 10 in Little Rock. He was born July 24, 1934 in North Little Rock to the late William Louis and Elrena G. Harris Hester.
He served in the Navy and was a Baptist. He worked in the Federal Building for the government as a GSA administrator.
He was also preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Judith Addean Hester.
Survivors include children, Cliff C. Hester, Connie L. Wood, Cheryl A. Hester and Craig A. Hester; brother, Gerald R. Hester; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 11 step-great-grandchildren and one expected-great-grandchild.
Graveside services were July 16 at Hester Cemetery in the Fairview Community. Arrangements were by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
