Anthony "Tony" Howard Barnes
Anthony "Tony" Howard Barnes of Siloam Springs, Arkansas was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather throughout his incredible 89 years of life. Tony passed away peacefully on November 19th, 2022 with his cherished children Sally and Mark by his side.
Tony's rich life began on January 23rd, 1933 in North London. He was the son of Lillian Howard and Reginald Barnes. He would be the first to tell you that he grew up not in England, but at sea, after enrolling in Naval Training College.
Shortly after meeting his wife, the two transitioned to a new life on land where they started a family. Tony's resourceful and gregarious nature took a job vending chicken feed and developed it into a career selling chickens that carried him all over the globe. He finally settled in Siloam Springs, Arkansas where he became President of Cobb-Vantress.
Tony retired in 1996 and used the remaining 26 years to relax and enjoy the life he worked so hard to cultivate. Tony found great happiness in many things but especially playing golf, taking cruises, socializing with friends, watching detective shows, serving his community, and taking long drives in his classic British cars. He enjoyed many of these pleasures in the company of his children and grandchildren. He will be remembered for many things but especially his English charm and knack for storytelling.
Tony was predeceased by his first wife of 48 years, Dorothy Sharpe Barnes, and his second wife, Bep Morrison Barnes of 12 years.
He is survived by his daughter, Sally Carothers (Darin, Fayetteville, AR), and his son Mark Barnes (Eileen, Springdale, AR) as well as his seven grandchildren, Chelsey Schneider (Bobby, Pickerington, OH), Devin Carothers (Jenna, Los Angeles, CA), Luke Carothers (Megan, Springdale, AR), Liam Carothers (Maisie, Fayetteville, AR), Bryant Barnes (Charli, Tulsa, OK), Kate Barnes (Fayetteville, AR), Tim Barnes (Madison, Springdale, AR) and his two great-grandchildren, Emma Rose and Isaac Howard Barnes (Tulsa, OK). His family will continue to honor his legacy by living their lives to the fullest.
A service of remembrance will be held on Monday, November 28th at 2:00pm at Grace Episcopal Church in Siloam Springs with burial to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Siloam Springs Boys & Girls Club. You can celebrate Tony's life by having a cup of tea, glass of whiskey, or playing a round of golf in his honor.
Michael Stephen Biers
Michael Stephen Biers, of Westville, Okla., died Nov. 17, 2022.
He was born on Dec. 5, 1972, in Phoenix, Ariz.
He was raised by his mother and stepfather, Shirley and Robert L. Miller.
He was an accomplished chef, being the executive chef of Vintage Inn in Siloam Springs, Ark., Embassy Suite in Rogers, Ark., and Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. Aside from cooking professionally, he also loved cooking for his loved ones. In his free time, he enjoyed riding motorcycles and picking a banjo.
He is preceded in death by his stepfather.
He is survived by his mother; his spouse in heart, Bonita Gifford; one sister, Debra Brown and husband Jeremiah of Kansas, Okla.; and three nephews.
A graveside service was held Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, in Allen Cemetery.
Backstrom~Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs was in charge of the arrangements.
William "Bill" Davis
William Lee (Bill) Davis, 90, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas passed away Friday, November 18, 2022 at home surrounded by his loving family.
Bill was born September 28, 1932 in Mena, Arkansas to George Washington Davis and Elgie (Thrasher) Davis. On October 17, 1949, he married the love of his life, Grace Edith Davidson in Bentonville, Arkansas and she preceded him in death on September 24, 2022. Bill was a member of the House of Prayer Church. Bill had worked for Allen Canning for many years and was the Transportation Supervisor at Siloam Springs schools for over 32 years. During those years he was a bus mechanic, as well as a bus driver. Bill loved to sit on the couch holding Grace's hand while listening to old country music and eating popcorn. Bill also enjoyed working on race cars and going to the races, especially when his son and grandsons were racing. He loved all their grandkids and enjoyed every minute he got with them.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Grace; one son, Ronnie Davis; one daughter, Linda DeMoss; and a sister, Colleen Davidson.
Bill is survived by his loving children; sons, Roger Davis and wife Amy of Siloam Springs, Rodney Davis and wife Kyla of Colcord, Oklahoma; daughters, Karen Sisney and husband Don of Siloam Springs, Sandy Scott and husband Emmitt of Kansas, Oklahoma; Bill and Grace also raised three grandchildren, Stacy Fullerton of Siloam Springs, Brenda Murphy of Siloam Springs and Kyle Davis of Colcord, Oklahoma; nineteen grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren and great great grandchildren, along with many friends and other family members.
The visitation will be held, 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at 10:00am at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Chapel. Pastors Mark Rotramel and Eddie Rotramel will officiate the services, with burial being conducted at the Martin Cemetery.
Arrangements are entrusted to Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs, AR. Please visit www.backstrom-pyeatte.com to sign the online guestbook.
PAID OBITUARY
Roberta Hopkins
Roberta Lee Peterson Hopkins, 92, of Decatur, Ark., died Nov. 17, 2022, at Circle of Life, Springdale, Ark.
She was born June 10, 1930, to John William Peterson and Eva Lillian McConnell Peterson in Kanopolis, Kan.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Billy Carl Hopkins; sister, Lowess Jasper; grandson, Greg Lemke; great-grandson, Wyatt Hopkins; nephew, Virgil Jasper; and nephew, Jay Jasper.
She is survived by daughter, Lynda Lemke and husband Alfred, of Gentry, Ark.; son Robert 'Rob' Hopkins and wife Tami, of Decatur; three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and many other friends and family.
Funeral services were held Monday, Nov. 21, 2022,l at Wasson Funeral Home, in Siloam Springs, Ark., with burial to follow at Decatur Cemetery, in Decatur.
David Louis Joseph
David Louis Joseph, 95, of Grove, Okla., died Nov. 8, 2022, at his home.
He was born March 30, 1927, to Louis Barnett Joseph and Virgie (Brasel) Joseph in Jasper, Ark.
He married Clara Maxine (Meeker) Joseph on April 28, 1945, in Huntington, Long Island, N.Y.
He was a World War II Veteran, serving in the Coast Guard aboard the USS Peterson and later at a lighthouse in Oyster Bay near Cold Springs Harbor on Long Island. He was at Normandy the day after D-Day where he was assigned to pick up the survivors and the dead from the water. After an injury, he was assigned to the lighthouse where Maxine would secretly join him after they were married and where they lived the first year of their married life, rotating duties each week with another service man between the lighthouse and an apartment in Huntington. They were married for 77 years.
Following the war, they moved to Kansas City, Kan., where he worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Mo., retiring as Group Sales Manager over the company's sales force.
Following his retirement, they moved from Kansas City to build, own and operate a successful commercial egg operation just outside of Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It was called Pinecrest Farms and later Joseph Egg Farm. He and his brother-in-law and sister, Chuck and Ruby Lawson, owned Morning Fresh Egg Company in Siloam Springs.
He was a private pilot with commercial and instructor ratings who loved flying airplanes.
He also loved hunting for quail and pheasant in western Kansas. He loved fishing and fished whenever possible.
He and his wife, son and daughter-in-law spent the last three years of his life in a home on Grand Lake o' the Cherokees in Northeast Oklahoma looking out over the lake.
He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, John Frank Harbaugh, Bobby Cranor, James Joseph, Tommy Joseph, and Ollen Stepp.
He is survived by his wife, of the home; sister, Ruby Lawson of Springdale, Ark.; brother, Otto Patrick Herring of Washington State; brother Bill Stepp of Springdale; sister Brenda Dowell of Springdale; sister Patsy Jones of Springdale; sister Sharon Pettijohn of Springfield, Mo.; sister Debbie Hillbrant of Boaz, Ala.; brother Chuck Joseph of Boaz, Ala.; son Paul Joseph and wife Shirley of Grove; three grandchildren and lots of family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, his family encourages donations to First Christian Church of Siloam Springs.
A funeral service was held Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at First Christian Church in Siloam Springs. Burial will be held at a later date at Oak Hill Cemetery in Siloam Springs.
An online guestbook is available at www.wassonfuneralhome.com.
Vonda Kay Matheny
Vonda Kay Matheny, 56, of Siloam Springs, Ark., died Nov. 14, 2022, at The Maples at Har-Ber Meadows.
She was born Dec. 10, 1965, in Dixon, Ill., to Marvin Sullivan and Nada (Boyd) Sullivan.
She is survived by her husband, Tim Matheny, of the home; her daughter, Ashley Estes and husband Justin, of Siloam Springs; her son, Collin Matheny, of Fayetteville, Ark..; two grandchildren, her parents, Nada and Marvin Sullivan, of Siloam Springs; sister, Cindy Ramos and husband Ron, of Plano, Texas; brother, Gene Sullivan and wife Chris, of Harrison, Ark..; sister Linda German and husband Tim, of Gentry, Ark..; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends.
A Celebration of Life was held Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, at New Life Church, 1611 Cheri Whitlock, Siloam Springs. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Alzheimer's Foundation: www.alz.org/donate.
An online guestbook is available at www.wassonfuneralhome.com.
Archie Ray McNeely
Archie Ray McNeely, 75, of Siloam Springs, Ark., died Nov. 20, 2022, at his home.
He was born Oct. 14, 1947, in Kountze, Texas, to Buck McNeely and Angela Marie (Holland) McNeely.
He married Gloria 'Gail' (Bettis) McNeely in 1970 in Texas. They moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2014, to be closer to their children. He spent many years as a sawmill supervisor for Anthony Lumber Company. He was also the head deacon at the Gum Springs Baptist Church. He loved to fish and hunt, and was an avid sports fan, rooting for the Texas Longhorns.
He is preceded in death by both parents; and one son Ricky Dean McNeely.
He is survived by his wife of the home; one son, Robin "Rob" McNeely, of Siloam Springs; one daughter, Shelly (McNeely) Jordan and Micheal Wickham, of Ocheleta, Okla.; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one sister, Karen Kirkpatrick.
Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at Gum Springs Baptist Church, 20054 Keck Rd., Siloam Springs. Funeral service will be held immediately after, at 2 p.m., and burial will follow at Fairmount Cemetery.
An online guestbook is available at www.wassonfuneralhome.com.
James "Jamie" Gerald McNeil
James "Jamie" Gerald McNeil, 58, of Gentry, Ark., died Nov. 14, 2022, in Fayetteville, Ark.
He was born Jan. 21, 1964, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to John McNeil and Barbara Crowder.
He married Yvette McNeil in Fayetteville on Aug. 24, 1998.
He enjoyed four-wheeling, camping and building R.C. boats.
He was preceded in death by his father, John McNeil and one granddaughter, Athena Rain Lyman.
He is survived by his wife, of the home; four children, Jeffery Allen Samuelson of Gentry, Mathew Keith Meins of Gentry, Nicole Marie Lyman of Watts, Okla., and Amy Kay Brigance and husband William of Poteau, Okla.; eight grandchildren; his mother, Barbara Crowder and husband Gene of Gentry; one brother, John McNeil; one sister, Melanie McNeil; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at Wasson Funeral Home in Siloam Springs, Ark.
An online guestbook is available at www.wassonfuneralhome.com.
Robert Dale Morris
Robert Dale Morris, 67, of Los Angeles, Calif., died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 at Siloam Springs (Ark.) Regional Hospital.
He was born Jan. 1, 1955 in Modesto, Calif., to Bob Morris and Viola Stoddard-Morris.
He served honorably for the United States Army. He went onto starting his own construction business and being a security officer.
He is survived by his wife, Napapron Morris, of the home; son, Kenneth Morris of Russellville, Ark.; two daughters, Bobbie Jean Wood of Michigan and Tonya Morris of Turlock, California; two brothers, Randy Morris of Sonora, Calif., Ricky Dean Morris of Los Angeles; two sisters, Lola Batey and Bonnie Lankford, both of Sonora, Calif.; four grandchildren, one great grandchild and many other loved ones.
Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs was in charge of cremation arrangements.
Norma Trammell
Norma Lorrayne Shelley Trammell, 89, formerly of Colcord, Oklahoma, passed away Friday November 18, 2022, at the Promenade Health and Rehab Center.
Lorrayne was born at home in Delaware County, Oklahoma on October 22, 1933. She was the daughter of Albert Noah Shelley and Ruby Mildred Whitmire Shelley. She married Ward F. Trammell on January 2, 1952, in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, who preceded her in death. Lorrayne had worked for the John Brown University in the cafeteria. She was always lovingly dedicated to taking care of her family and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kansas Oklahoma.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ward Trammell; her parents, Albert and Ruby Shelley; her daughter and son in law, Kathy and Wayne Brown; two brothers, Max Shelley and his wife Mille, and Jerral Shelley.
She is survived by one son, Michael Trammell of Rogers; three grandchildren, Shaunna Davis and husband Jeffrey of Hermitage, TN, Cortney Brown of Alexandria, VA and Wayne Brown and wife Amanda of Alma, AR; seven great grandchildren; one brother-in-law, William Trammell of Florida; one sister-in-law, Janet Shelley of Colcord, Ok; along with many nieces, nephews, and other family members.
Visitation will be held at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home on Monday, November 21, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Chapel. Pastor Terry Wofford and Pastor John Crowley will officiate the services. Burial will be conducted at the Gentry Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home of Siloam Springs, AR. Please visit www.Backstrom-pyeatte.com to sign the online guestbook.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the K9 for Warriors Charity.
PAID OBITUARY
Meghan Whitaker
Meghan Suzanne Whitaker, 37, of Rose, Oklahoma, went to be with Jesus on November 19, 2022. Born 1 minute before her twin Joseph Obadiah Whitaker on February 15, 1985 to Terry and Paula Sue Whitaker In Fayetteville, Arkansas.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents Clint and Grace Whitaker and Arvle E. Teague
Meghan is survived by her parents Terry Ray and Paula Sue Whitaker. Her Granny Betty Teague, her two sisters Rachel Elizabeth Whitaker and Rya Melson and husband Michael.
Four brothers Joseph Obadiah Whitaker and Wife Charla, Thomas Gene Whitaker and Fiancé Tiara, Charlie Riley Whitaker, Richard Edward Whitaker and several foster sisters and brothers.
Three nephews Owen Whitaker, Eli Whitaker and Ryan Melson and one niece Machala Melson
Uncles, Aunts and family Roy and Jennifer Teague, Roger and Jill Teague, Shirley and Tommy Karr, Caroline and Ronnie Larsen and Church family and Friends.
Meghan loved to crochet, collect cobalt blue glassware, and she loved her bible study class. She had several dogs over the years but her latest Clayton was probably the most spoiled.
Memorial service will be 11:30a.m., Wednesday, November 23, 2022 at First Christian Church, Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
PAID OBITUARY
Sharon Jean Wood
Sharon Jean Wood, 71, of Gentry, Ark., died Nov. 15, 2022, at Siloam Springs Regional Hospital.
She was born May 17, 1951, in California to Floyd Parmley and Elizabeth (West) Parmley.
She loved spending time out in the sunshine, tending to her garden. Flowers brought a sense of color and joy into her life.
She was preceded in death by parents; husband, Edward Wood; sisters, Dolly Sue, Chris and Leila; and brothers, Joe, Floyd "Cowboy", Jim and Charles "Bo".
She is survived by her daughter, Victoria Hitchcock; son, Robert and wife Crystal Wood; stepson Edward Wood Jr.; stepdaughters, Treva Kuelper, Rhonda Hansen, and Opal Keith; sisters, Evalynn and Jeanie; brothers, Frankie and Bobby; seven grandchildren, seven stepgrandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held at 10 a.m., Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, at Wasson Funeral Chapel, in Siloam Springs.
An online guestbook is available at www.wassonfuneralhome.com.
McNeil
Hopkins
Matheny
Trammell
Wood
Davis
Barnes