BETTY SUE HAMRICK
Betty Sue Hamrick, 67, of Cabot, passed away Sept. 27 in Jacksonville. She was born Dec. 13, 1937, in Swifton to the late Orvil and Mary Opal Jackson.
Also preceding her in death is a son, Jeffery Lynn Hamrick; granddaughter, Miranda; and brothers, John Lloyd and James Olen Jackson.
Survivors include three sons: Cecil Hamrick and wife Elizabeth, Donnie Hamrick and wife Cammie and Mike Hamrick and wife Donna; one daughter, Karen Latourrette and husband Robert all of Austin; two sisters, Olene Whitley of North Little Rock and Mary Lou Franks of Texas; two brothers, William Jackson of North Little Rock and Jerry Wayne Jackson of Missouri; seven grandchildren: Chris Latourrette, April Absure, Dana Hamrick, Donnie Hamrick, Jr., Angie Neal, Jeffery Hamrick and Kimberly Pool; three great grandchildren: Alexis Marie Absure, McKenzie Hamrick and Arial Elizabeth Neal.
Visitation will be held 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at Christ Worship Center in Cabot with Rev. Thomas Heffner officiating. Inter-ment will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Cabot. Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
JOANETTA NICHOLS
Joanetta Steppe Nichols was called home on Sept. 26.
She met Carlene at the pearly gates for the reunion that she awaited. This sweet, loving, and thoughtful daughter, mother, grandmother and friend to so many will be greatly missed by all. Joan’s hugs, kisses and keen sense of humor will keep everyone thinking of her always. She is one of the shining stars that have been called to serve with the Lord. Joanetta was born in Madisonville, Ky., to Mattie and John Steppe on Dec. 21, 1934.
She was preceded in death by her father, John Steppe; stepfather, Melvin Larkin; and her husband and childhood sweetheart, Carlene C. Nichols. She is survived by her mother, Mattie I. Larkin; children, Kimala J. Forrest, Carletta and husband Jerry Wilson, all of Jack-sonville; Rochone and wife Cathy Nichols of Arlington, Texas; grandchildren, Aramy and Qualenta Forrest, Cortessa, Jerica and Jeremy Wilson, and Ashley and Adreanna Nichols; an aunt, Lillian Lyles; an uncle, Billy and wife Nita Malone; and a half sister, Rosemarie Crenshaw as well as a host of cousins, many relatives and friends.
Joan cherished her long friendships with Grace and Samuel Mills and Mary and Roland Corporal. A very special friend and confidante, Micheal Forrest was cherished by Joan for his dedication and love for she and Carlene.
Joan was baptized at Zion Temple, AME in Madisonville, Ky., where she sang in the choir and served Christ until she left for college.
She graduated from Rosenwald High School and continued her education attending college at Tennessee State A & I, presently Tennessee State University, where she graduated in 1955 with a BSE in business education. Joanetta was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
She and Carlene were married in 1956 and raised a family together for 47 years. Joan worked for civil service for many years teaching pre-kindergarten on Tachikawa Air Force Base in Japan.
After returning to the United States, Joan taught in North Carolina before moving to Arkansas in 1973, where she received a MSE in educational administration in 1984. She began her career with PCSSD in 1972 at Sylvan Hills Junior High as a typing teacher and dean of students; Jacksonville High School as assistant principal and Sylvan Hills High School as assistant principal, until retiring in 2002.
Family visitation will be held on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home located at 1504 J.P. Wright Loop Road in Jacksonville.
The funeral will be held on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 11 a.m. St. Mark Community Church of Jacksonville on the corner of N. First and Martin Streets. The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Joanetta Nichols Scholarship Fund at Arkansas Bank and Trust in Jacksonville that will be given to the Jacksonville and Sylvan Hills High campuses. Pallbearers are Sammy Trantham, Rich Rodgers, Chris Dobbins, Michael Dobbins, Paul Twitty and Wayne Niles.
Honorary pallbearers are Eze-kiel Johnson, James C. Nichols, Jr., Johnny Nichols, Aramy Forrest, Jeremy Wilson, Eric Johnson, Jerry Wilson, Micheal Forrest.
EDWIN PRUITT
Edwin Pruitt, 86, of Beebe was born Sept. 18, 1919, to Elmer and Irene Henry Pruitt, and he passed away Sept. 24. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening. He loved and served his family and community through his unselfish acts of kindness and generosity.
He is survived by one daughter, Judy Welch and husband Tommy, and one son, Jim Pruitt and wife Sandra both of Beebe; a daughter-in-law, Joyce Corbin of Searcy; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Lou Osborne of Searcy and Norma Jean Green of Wheaton, Ill.; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 1/2 years, Reba Nell Pruitt, and a son, Larry Pruitt, Sr.
Funeral services were held Sept. 27 at Antioch Community Church with burial in Antioch Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105-1942.
MICHAEL ELLIOTT
Michael Ryan Elliott, 30, of Cabot passed away Sept. 27. He was a member of Boy Scout Troop 201, and earned the Eagle Scout award in 1993. He was a 1993 graduate of Cabot High School and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1998 with a degree in computer science. He was a team leader at Deluxe Video.
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Linda and Bill Thompson of Ash Flat and his father and stepmother, Bill and Charle Elliott of West Fork; maternal grandparents, Dorothy Williams and Gene Taylor of Ward; one brother, Darren Elliott; one step-brother Louis Wayne Thompson, both of Cabot; a niece, Sydney Elliott and a host of uncles and aunts.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Jennifer Elliott and grandparents, Milton and Annetta Bryant of Lonoke and George Williams of Ward.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe. Memorials may be made to the Pulaski County Humane Society, 14600 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock, Ark., 72210.
NOEL WILSON
Noel Forrest Wilson, 94, of Conway, formerly of Jacksonville, died Sept. 25 at Conway. He was born Oct. 27, 1910, and lived his childhood in El Paso. It was there where Noel met his wife, Lois, the love of his life and partner through 71 years of marriage.
Noel was a loving father to his children, Delores Bowman and her husband Carl of Las Vegas, Nev., Linda Hamlett and her husband Ed of Nashville, Tenn., Jim Wilson and his wife June of Little Rock and to Merwyn Wilson, who preceded him in death.
His grandchildren, Robert Beck, Sue Kitrick, David Bowman, Chip Hamlett, Andrew Hamlett, Eddie Craven and Whitney Loibner shared in many loving moments with grandpa working in the yard, growing beautiful flowers and fishing at his many special places in Jacksonville and on Lake Conway. His great-grandchildren, Nathan and Nicholas Bowman, Dylan and Reese Craven and Wilson and Campbell Loibner will miss the opportunity to enjoy the stories and humor he was well known for but will know his love from the life he shared with their parents and their grandparents.
Noel grew up on the family farm in El Paso, working with his brothers and sisters as part of a close family. As a young man he was an all-district basketball player and captain of the White County All-Star team.
He served our country as a medic in World War II. In 1954, Noel moved the family to Jacksonville where he was active as a deacon and superintendent of sunday school of First Baptist Church. He was instrumental in the growth of that church through its building program in the 1960s and he touched many with his leadership in all areas of the church and community.
Noel loved people and had a special love of singing. He entertained many with his voice even in his last days, singing for those who gave him care. He was a man of strong personal faith and will be missed by the family and friends he leaves behind.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville. Graveside services will follow at Bayou Meto Cemetery in Jack-sonville under the direction of Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe.
FLOYD WHEELER
Floyd Donnie Wheeler, 65, of Beebe died Sept. 25. He was retired from Gurdon Industries and Am Train.
He is survived by two sons, Charlton Wheeler and wife Kara Beth, and Alvin Wheeler and wife Cindy, all of Beebe; three grandchildren, Melissa Faught, Terry Webb, and Caroline Wheeler, all of Beebe; seven great-grandchildren, Chase Weatherly, Madison Weatherly, Makenah Weatherly, Tea Webb, Brittany Faught, Natalie Faught and Stuart Faught.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Beebe Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Dr. Robert E. Elliott Foundation, 113 Emerald Lake Dr., Searcy, Ark., 72143.
