Mrs. Vernie Mae Lancaster Dankert, age 65, died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003.
Mrs. Dankert was born and raised in the St. Francis County area, the daughter of Claude Lancaster and Nettie Mae Lancaster. She is survived by her husband, Ron Dankert; her children, Debbie Southerland of Wynne, Pat Purvis of Little Rock, Mike Purvis of Glen Allen, Va. and James Purvis of Bend, Ore.; her sister, Diane Reeves of Forrest City; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She was preceded by both her parents.
Funeral services were held for Mrs. Dankert on Monday, Dec. 22, 2003, in the Chapel of Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke. Burial followed in Brownsville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Lupus Foundation of America-Arkansas Chapter, 220 Mockingbird, Hot Springs, AR 71913.
Mr. Thomas "Tommy" B. DeVazier, age 63, of Forrest City, died Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2003, at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis.
Mr. DeVazier was born Dec. 6, 1940, in Caldwell, the son of Clarence DeVazier and Maureen Porter DeVazier. He lived in Forrest City for all of his life, and was owner and operator of Arkansas Concrete, a past president of Arkansas Ready Mix Concrete Association and a member of First Baptist Church.
Mr. DeVazier married Donna Austin in 1960, and she survives him along with a son, Brad DeVazier of Forrest City; a daughter, Shawn DeVazier Maynard of Forrest City and five grandsons.
Funeral services for Mr. DeVazier will be held graveside on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2003, at Forrest Park Cemetery, at 3 p.m. Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
The family requests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, the St. Francis County Humane Society or to the American Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals.
Mr. Marreo Dion Ivory, age 23, of Forrest City, died Saturday, Dec. 20, 2003, at St. Jude Hospital in Memphis.
Mr. Ivory was born Sept. 2, 1980, in Forrest City, the son of Johnny Ivory Sr. and Annette Wilson Ivory. He was a graduate of Forrest City High School in 1998, and attended Philander Smith College, Arkansas State University and East Arkansas Community College.
Mr. Ivory is survived by both his parents of Forrest City; two brothers, Johnny Ivory Jr. of Conway and Michael Ivory of Marianna; his grandmother, Ethel Wilson of Humphrey; and his grandfather McKinley Ivory of Forrest City. He was preceded in death by his grandmother Arlene Ivory and his grandfather Bess Wilson.
Visitation for Mr. Ivory will be held on Friday, Dec. 26, 2003, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Chapel of Woodhouse Mortuary. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2003, at 11 a.m. at Taylors Chapel CME Church with Rev. Jesse Brown officiating. Burial will follow in Casteel Cemetery.
Mr. Calvin Eugene Rhodes, age 57, of Lakeland, Tenn., died Saturday, Dec. 20, 2003, at Methodist Hospital-Central.
Mr. Rhodes was born Nov. 30, 1946 in Forrest City. He was a record producer. He is survived by a son, Calvin Eugene Rhodes II of Arlington, Va.; three brothers, James E. Rhodes of Forrest City, Lee Andrew Rhodes of Las Vegas, Nev. and Albert L. Rhodes of Memphis; three sisters, Annie F. Brown of Arlington, Va., Freddie J. Cross of Peoria, Ill. and Alvina R. Rhodes of Forrest City and two grandchildren.
Visitation for Mr. Rhodes will be held on Friday, Dec. 26, 2003, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Clay Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2003, at 2 p.m. at the Summerfield M.B. Church with Bishop Dr. James Wade officiating. Burial will follow in Forrest City Cemetery.