-
Byron McSpadden
Byron Luster McSpadden, 94, died Friday, Dec. 23, 2011, in a Batesville nursing home.
Graveside services were at 3 p.m. today in Bethesda Campground Cemetery at Bethesda with the Rev. Steve Wingo officiating. Arrangements were by Qualls Batesville Funeral Service.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Central Avenue United Methodist Church with the Revs. Paul Seay, Ed Matthews and Steve Wingo officiating. Visitation will follow at the church. -
Gunny Hermansen
Gunborg E. “Gunny” Hermansen, 87, of Batesville, formerly of Poplar Grove, Ill., died Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, in a Batesville hospital.
Born April 23, 1924, in Dalsland, Sweden, she was the daughter of John and Hilma Larson Holmgren. She married Boyd G. Hermansen on Nov. 24, 1945, in Poplar Grove. She was a beautician and a Shaklee distributor. She was a former member of Poplar Grove United Methodist Church. -
Betty Girtman
Betty Girtman, 56, of Batesville died Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, in a Batesville hospital.
Born June 17, 1955, at Batesville, she was the daughter of Roy and Ella Sims Fulbright. She was co-owner and operator of E&B Bigger Burgers in Batesville and was a member of Rejoice Fellowship Church in Cave City.
Survivors include her husband, Elvin Girtman; a son, Kevin Girtman of Austin; a daughter, Teaha Girtman of Batesville; her mother of Batesville; two brothers, Steve Fulbright of Batesville and Tommy Fulbright of Springdale; and several nephews and nieces. -
Effie Gillihan
MOUNTAIN HOME — Effie Neal Gillihan, 101, of Mountain Home, formerly of Melbourne, died Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011, in Mountain Home.
-
Armilda Everett
OXFORD — Armilda Sherrell Everett, 81, of Oxford died Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011, in Batesville.
Born March 9, 1930, in Brockwell, she was the daughter of William and Myrtle McCurley Sherrell. She was a 1949 graduate of Oxford High School. She was united in marriage to James Everett on Jan. 15, 1954, in Kansas City, Mo. She was employed by Mar-Bax Shirt Company and Calico Rock Senior Citizens Center. She was of the Church of Christ faith and was a member of Oxford Church of Christ. -
Marie Dwight
SAGE — Marie Alta Copeland Dwight, 91, of Sage died Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011, in Melbourne.
Born June 28, 1921, in Possum Trot, she was the daughter of John Wesley Copeland and Piercy Ann Sims Copeland. She was united in marriage to Fred Dwight on June 4, 1947, in Reno, Nev. She was a homemaker. She was employed as a cook in California and worked at Pioneer Nursing Home in the kitchen. She was of the Baptist faith and was a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church. -
Laura Conley
Laura Razine Conley, 62, of Batesville died Dec. 20, 2011, at her home.
Born July 4, 1949, in Kennett, Mo., she was the daughter of John Conley and Mary Ellen Merri-weather. She was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include a son, Billy Joe Conley of Batesville; a daughter, Diane Conley of Batesville; two brothers, Billy Conley and Everett Conley, both of Batesville; two sisters, Pauline Conley and Gracie Conley, both of Batesville; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. -
Ernestine Burge
Ernestine Burge, 87, of Batesville died Friday, Dec. 23, 2011, in a Batesville hospital.
Born Aug. 18, 1924, in McHue, she was the daughter of Ernest and Ida Haertlein Stalling. She was a retired teacher from Southside School District. She received a bachelors of arts in 1946 from Arkansas College (now Lyon College) and was of the Assembly of God Faith. -
New Year’s Eve event grows
The New Year’s Eve Celebration on Main Street has expanded to include Fox Creek BBQ at 129 Lawrence St. in the restored train depot. Fox Creek will feature live music by The Bill Daum Band and will remain open late. There is no cover charge.
The celebration also features free live music at three Main Street venues. Local singer/songwriter/guitarist David Grimes will provide dinner music at Elizabeth’s Restaurant from 5:30 to 8 p.m. -
2011 was year of big decisions in Ark. politics
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A former Arkansas governor chose a lucrative television and radio career over a chance at the Republican presidential nomination. The state’s only Democratic congressman chose gearing up for a potential gubernatorial bid over his re-election campaign. A freshman Democratic legislator chose to switch parties in the middle of a GOP wave. And many others just wanted to keep their options open when it came to their political future.
-
Pecan production, prices increase
ENGLAND (AP) — Production of pecans may be down nationwide this year, but it’s up in Arkansas and so are the demand and prices for the nut.
U.S. Department of Agriculture figures indicate production will reach 252 million pounds nationwide, a 14 percent decrease from 293.7 million pounds in 2010. In Arkansas, production is expected to more than double from 1.1 million pounds to 2.6 million pounds.
Robert Carruthers, who has a 160-acre orchard near Morrilton, said a buyer in Madill, Okla., purchased his first truckload of pecans for $3.57 a pound, the most he’s ever received. -
Missing Illinois couple found safe
O’FALLON, Ill. (AP) — An elderly couple from southern Illinois has been found safe in Arkansas, 27 hours after going missing.
Charles and Evelyn Lackman, who are both in their 80s, left their daughter’s home in O’Fallon Friday evening heading back to their home about 40 miles away.
They never made it there, and police used their credit card information to track them to a gas station in Missouri just before 3 a.m. Saturday.
The couple was eventually found Saturday night outside a gated community in Arkansas, about 355 miles away from where they started.
