Melissa's Story
« February 2012 « Obituaries
February 2012 Obituaries
Beck, Sherri June Cowan, was born July 19, 1935 in Glendale, Calif., and died September 27, 2011 in Batesville, Ark. She was a member of the Mountain View, Ark., church. Sherri and her husband, Carl Thomas Beck, moved to Mountain View in 1966, where she became an active member of the church as well as a number of organizations, including the Business and Professional Women’s Club, the hospital auiliary, the Dorcas Clothing Room, and the Airport Commission. In 1968 she became the first female airplane pilot in Stone County. She held that license for the next 24 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl. Survivors: brothers, Lewis Cowan, Philip Cowan, and Mike Henry, all of California; sisters, Marcia Morris of Maryland and Connie McVey of California; children, Kim McCorkle and her husband, Larry, of Wideman, Ark., Scott Beck and his wife, Liz, of Mountain View, Kirk Beck and his wife, Noelia, of Coca, Fla., and Andy Beck of Mountain View; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Bernhardt, Alfred, was born December 30, 1924 in Altona, Okla., and died November 26, 2011 at his home in Altona. He was a member of the Okeene church. He was a farmer and a teacher. Survivors: wife, Millicent,; sons, Alfred G. Bernhardt, James Bernhardt, Merle Bernhardt, and Leslie Bernhardt; sister, Florence Clarambeau; and five grandchildren.
Garza, Donna Mae Hall, was born February 14, 1929 in Enid, Okla., and died July 20, 2011 in Hendersonville, N.C. She was a member of the Hendersonville church. Donna was an avid learner, a creative educator, writer, and artist, a gifted musician, and much more, but above all, she was a mother devoted to her family and children. Her first priority was the salvation of her family. She was preceded in death by a brother, Alfred Leon; and sister, Mary Etta. Survivors: children, Humberto "Samuel" Garza III and wife, Krystal, of Tennessee; Daniel L. Garza and wife, Myra, of Florida.; David M. Garza and wife, Tanya, of California; Susan R. Rowe and husband, Edward, of North Carolina; Stephen G. Garza and wife, LaDell, of West Union, S.C., and John A. Hall and wife, Marlys, of Idaho; sister, Wanda Lee Warner; ex-husband, Humberto S. Garza, Jr.; 28 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Hatch, Lynda V., born June 8, 1940 in Monmouth, Ill., and died November 2, 2011 in Clarksville, Ark. She was a member of the Clarksville church. Survivors: daughter, Jackie Quentin Roberts, of Hillsday, Wyo.; three brothers and three sisters; and five grandchildren.
Newton, June Nickle, was born in St. Helena, Calif., on May 18, 1923, and died December 13, 2011 in Cleburne, Tex. She was a member of the Joshua church. June graduated from Union College in Lincoln, Nebr., in 1947 and became a secretarial science teacher, receiving a M.Ed. degree from the University of Illinois in 1959. She married William Newton, and they later went to Puerto Rico as missionaries. He served as a dentist and the first job she was asked to do when they arrived in Puerto Rico was to fill in as acting administrator for the Bella Vista Hospital in Mayaguez until the regular administrator returned from a furlough and extended study leave. After that, Mrs. Newton resumed teaching and became head of the bilingual secretarial science department of Antillean Union College, also located in Mayaguez. She was preceded in death by her husband, William. Survivors: sons, James Newton and wife, Diane, of Cleburne, Tex.; Ronald Newton of Dallas, Tex.; stepchildren, Jerry Newton and wife, Joyce, of Crestline, Calif., Allen Newton and wife, Marilyn, of Cedar Glen, Calif., and Rashelle Newton Stirewalt and husband, Dennis, of Camarillo, Calif.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; foster sister, Amelia Lopez and husband, Elias; and a niece.
Orian, Katherine, born December 9, 1926 in Krasnystaw, Poland, and died November 28, 2011 in Van Buren, Ark. She was a member of the Van Buren church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Peter Orian. Survivors: two sons, Nicholas Orian and his wife, Kathleen, of Dallas, Tex., and Stephen Orian and his wife, Micki, of Shreveport, La.; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Sloan, Fairest Arland, born May 19, 1922 in Henley, Mo., and died July 27, 2011 in Sallisaw, Okla. She was a member of the Gentry, Ark., church. Survivors: daughter and son-in-law, Gail and J.P. Curtis, of Westville, Okla.; daughter, Connie Sloan of New York; sisters, Marie Bowles, of Siloam Springs, Ark., and Adolah Wright, of Bain Bridge Island, Wash.; two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Terry, Yvonne L., was born January 12, 1926 in Amarillo, Tex., and died October 5, 2011 in Midwest City, Okla. She was a long-time member of the Choctaw church. She and her family ran Terry’s Appliance Center since 1962. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Terry. Survivors: daughter, Vicki Wood and husband, Terry; son, Robin and wife, Cathy; son, Tracy and wife, Julie, all of Choctaw, Okla.; sister, Mary Artress of Smyrna, Ga.; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one uncle, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Watson, Thelma B., born November 12, 1927 and died December 1, 2011 in Malvern, Ark. She was a member of the Hot Springs church. Survivors: husband, Doyle Watson, of Malvern; daughters, Vickie Rioza of Malvern; Doie Dumas, of Hot Springs, Ark; Judy and Tom Pedretti, of Hot Springs; and Johnna McKinnon, of Jacksonville, Fla.; sisters, Amy Byrd, of Springdale, Ark.; and Ruby Cole, of Springfield, Mo.; three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
