Mrs. Helen Harrelson Cannon, age 90, died Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2002, at her home in Forrest City.
She was born Oct. 26, 1912, in Forrest City, the daughter of Pearl Crippen Harrelson and Frederick Floyd Harrelson.
Mrs. Cannon made her home in Forrest City most of her life, and was active in local affairs. She was chairman of the Forrest City Centennial Celebration in 1970, and served as county chairman for St. Francis County's Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1986. She was the organizer and first president of the St. Francis County Historical Society. She served as president of the Cosmos Club of Forrest City, as state president of the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs from 1961 to 1962, and the National Community Improvement Chairman for the General Federation of Women's Clubs in 1984. In 1968, she was appointed by the governor for a two-year term as one of Arkansas' two representatives to the U.S. Defense Department's advisory committee on women in the Armed services. She taught Sunday school at First Baptist Church for over 30 years and was a member of the WMU.
Mrs. Cannon was preceded in death by her husband, Carroll Cannon; a sister, Martha Harrelson Clark and a brother, Frederick Floyd Harrelson.
She is survived by three children, Judge of Toledo, Ohio, Cathy of Dallas, Texas and Margy of Forrest City; three grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Mrs. Cannon will be tonight, Thursday Oct. 31, 2002, from 5-7 p.m., at Stevens Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be Friday, Nov. 1, 2002, at 11 a.m., at the First Baptist Church on Rosser Street. Burial will follow at Forrest Park Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, the St. Francis County Museum or the Forrest City Public Library. Under the diretion of Stevens Funeral Home.
Mrs. Lela Mai Christian, age 95, of Forrest City, died Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2002, at the Crestpark Retirement Inn in Forrest City.
Mrs. Christian was born Sept. 13, 1907, in Paris, Tenn., and was the daughter of Andrew Puckett and Minnie Francis Lindsey Puckett. She lived in St. Francis County most of her life, was a housewife, and a member of the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church.
Mrs. Christian married Dennis F. Christian in 1923, and he preceded her in death in 1987. She was also preceded in death by two sons, Billy Christian and Freddie Christian.
She is survived by three daughters, Francis Frost of Forrest City, Barbara Royle of Arizona and Jo Ellen Arnold of Illinois; one sister, Betty Jo Weeks of Missouri, 16 grandchildren several great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Christian will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow in Loughridge Cemetery. Vistitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at the Stevens Funeral Home. Under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
Mr. Aris Etherly, age 92, of Palestine, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2002, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City.
Mr. Etherly was born Aug. 10, 1910, in Helena, the son of Arthur Etherly and Pearl Hunt Etherly. He is survived by his wife, Jolena Weaver Etherly of the home; five daughters, Oristine Jones, Jolena Etherly and Marcia Etherly all of Chicago, Ill., Delouis Lockett of St. Louis, Mo., Doris Etherly of Little Rock; four sons, John Etherly and Thomas Etherly both of Palestine, William Etherly and Leon Etherly both of Chicago, Ill.; one brother, Legrant Etherly of Chicago, Ill.; 25 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Visitation for Mr. Etherly will be held Friday, Nov. 1, 2002, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Jericho Church of God in Christ in Palestine. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2002, at noon at the Pine Tree Church of God in Christ with Elder Nathanael Pendleton officiating. Burial will follow in Clark Cemetery under the direction of Woodhouse Mortuary.
Mr. Glispie Peoples, age 70, of Forrest City, died Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2002, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City.
Mr. Peoples, born Jan. 2, 1932, in Forrest City, was a retired truck driver. He is survived by his wife, Mildred Peoples of the home; a son, Johnny Peoples of West Memphis; three daughters, Mattie Peoples and Willie Johnson, both of Forrest City; and Mildred Holliman of Rockford, Ill.; three brothers, Elder M.T. Dedner and Sherman Dedner Jr., both of Forrest City and Otis Peoples of Chicago, Ill.; two sisters, Eula Mae Humphrey of Memphis and Vester Lee Franklin of Chicago, Ill.; a stepson, James Bailey of Rockford, Ill.; a stepdaughter, Mary Agnew of Forrest City; 20 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mr. Peoples were held on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2002, at 1 p.m. at the Church of the Living God with Elder M.T. Dedner officiating. Clay Funeral Home was in charge of arrangments.
Mrs. Vernas Jean Wright-Williams, age 40, of Anthonyville, died Monday, Oct. 28, 2002, at her home.
Mrs. Wright-Williams is survived by her husband, James Michael Williams of the home; six daughters, Tiffany Shaw of Edmondson, Stephanie Pollard of Memphis, Toney Wright, Tina Wright and Venessa Wright of Proctor; four sons, Lavelle Wright of West Memphis, Thomas Lowe III, Kadrian Wright of Proctor, James Williams III of Rogers; three sisters, Carrie Gilliam of Hughes, Annette Wright of Proctor and Ada Mae Wright of West Memphis; seven brothers, Willie Charles Wright and Elbert Wright of Detroit, Mich., Jesse Wright Jr and James Wright, both of Dallas, Texas, Mack Wright of Wichita, Kan., and Jamie Wright and Floyd Wright, both of West Memphis.
Visitation services for Mrs. Wright-Williams will be held on Friday, Nov. 1, 2002, in the chapel of Anthony Funeral Home from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2002, at 11 a.m. at Bright Star M.B. Church in Anthonyville with burial following Paradise Garden under the direction of Anthony Funeral Home in Anthonyville.