Monday, November 20, 2006

OBITUARIES >> 11-18-06

Lucy Keaton
Lucy Baker Keaton, 84, of Jacksonville passed away Nov.14, in Jacksonville.

She was born on June 17, 1922, in Norfork, to the late Joe E. and Lydia Long Baker.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville for many years and in her later years of life a member of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville.

She dearly loved the women of Winsome Sunday School class, the name signifying “win some for Jesus.”

She was a loving, devoted wife to her husband, the late Walter W. Keaton. Her enormous love for life was obvious. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining for friends and family. She was an avid Razorback and Dallas Cowboy football fan, a talented artist with oil and acrylic painting, and a romance novel addict, always looking for or ready to share a good laugh, and the life of every party.

Mrs. Keaton was employed as a bookkeeper for Munsey Products, Inc., The Jacksonville Daily News, and her husband’s company, Keaton Construction. She was instrumental in assisting her husband with the development of Indian Head Subdivision in Sherwood. After retirement she worked for Heritage Publishing and was a subscription specialist at Leader Publishing.

She was an active member of La Sertoma and a leader in charity drives such as “The Mothers March,” a member of the Jack-sonville Garden Club and the McArthur Drive Bridge Club. She and Walter both enjoyed membership in a ballroom dance club for many of their 32 years of marriage.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband Walter, and four brothers and sisters.

Survivors include her sons, Jim Johnson, M.D., of Tulsa, Okla.; Bob Johnson, C.P.A., of Jacksonville; and Michael M. Keaton of Houston, Texas; stepchildren, Bill and Phillip Keaton and Nina Brocchus; sister, Oma Widmer of Fayetteville; eight grandsons and eight granddaughters and many special friends and loved ones.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home with the Rev. Cliff Hutchins officiating.

Burial will follow at Pinecrest Cemetery in Alexander. Family will receive friends at 10 a.m. Saturday for viewing.


Joyce Shepherd
Joyce Ann Coleman Shepherd, 51, died Nov. 14.

She was born June 20, 1955, to the late Lee Andrew, Sr., and Viola Coleman in England.

She leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Nicholas Gilliam and Joe Shepherd, Jr.; two daughters, Angela Shepherd and Jacqueline Austin; eight sisters; four brothers; six grandchildren; a host of nephews, nieces, relatives and friends and a very special friend, Ezzard Gilliam.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at St. John the Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Lonoke Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are by Boyd Funeral Home at Lonoke.


Virginia Huffman
Virginia Lee Huffman, 73, went to be with the Lord Nov. 13.

She was preceded in death by her father, Ester Lee Cummings; and brother, Billy Franklin Cummings.

She is survived by her husband, Clint Huffman; stepson, David Huffman; brother-in-law, Millard Huffman of Vallijo, Calif.; sister, JoAnn Hicks; brother, Curtis L. Cummings, and mother, Maybell Cummings, all of Jacksonville.

Funeral services were held Nov. 17, at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home. Burial was in Chapel Hill Memorial Park at Jacksonville.

The family would like to thank all the hospice workers who diligently spent hours every day taking care of Virginia and her husband, Clint.