Stories from Wednesday, December 18, 2013

MARKED TREE - John Alan Price, 68, born October 3, 1945, died on Nov. 13, 2013 at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. A graduate of Marked Tree High School and Arkansas State University, Mr. Price was a lifelong and dedicated member of Marked Tree's community, acting as owner and operator of J.A. ...

LEPANTO - Otto Harold Carter, Sr. of Lepanto, born July 5, 1943, went home to be with the Lord Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. He was preceded in death by his parents, Oliver and Virgie Carter; one son, Christopher Carter; eight brothers; and three sisters. He was a retired farmer and of the Baptist faith...

TRUMANN - Mrs. Ruth Helen Smith, 93, of Trumann died Dec. 9, 2013 at Legacy Fort Smith Health and Rehabilitation Center in Fort Smith. Mrs. Smith was born in Lake City and had lived most of her lifetime in Trumann. She was a housewife and a member of First Pentecostal Church in Trumann. ...

LAKE CITY - Mr. W.A. "Dub" Echols, Jr. of Lake City died Dec. 5, 2013 at Ridgecrest Health & Rehabilitation in Jonesboro at the age of 77 years 2 months and 15 days. Mr. Echols was born in Mishoba County, Miss. and had lived in Lake City since 1989 and was formerly of Trumann. ...

JONESBORO -- Mr. Joe Melton Wallace, 55, of Jonesboro died Monday, Nov.25, 2013 at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House. He was born Monday, May 5, 1958 in Jonesboro. Mr. Wallace was a general laborer and was of the Methodist faith. He was preceded in death by one sister, Robbie Beal and his father, W.E. "Jack" Wallace...

TRUMANN -- Leta Diane Bowen, 63, died October 20, 2013 in Bay, Arkansas. She was born in Caledonia, Mo, to Pleasant and Ollie Edwards Bowen. She was a homemaker and a member of Living Waters Pentecostal Church of God. She was preceded in death by her parents, one sister Mary Huffman, and one brother Kenneth Bowen. ...

TRUMANN - Lori Michele Collins of Trumann passed away Nov. 25, 2013 at the age of 38 at NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro. She was born in West Memphis to Larry and Carol Herrell. Mrs. Collins was a homemaker and of the Pentecostal faith. She was preceded in death by her parents. ...

BENTON -- Teresa Watkins, 91, of Benton died October 27, 2013 in Saline Memorial Hospice House in Bryant. She was formerly of Dyess and Lepanto. Mrs. Watkins was a homemaker and a member of the Benton area Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband, Barrett Watkins and six siblings. ...

FAIRHOPE, ALA. -- Col. Jerry D. Richards, USAF (Ret) of Fairhope, Ala. died Nov. 18, 2013 in Fairhope. He was formerly of Trumann, was a Memphis State University graduate where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the MSU football team. ...

The 2013 ice storm proved to be less destructive than forecast. Early weather forecasts projected a great deal of freezing rain, which typically leads to accumulation on trees and lines, resulting in power outages. Damage to electric facilities was expected to be extensive. ...

The Marked Tree Rotary Club presented the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research with a check for $1667.62 Dec. 4. The club raised the funds during its annual Peggy Bankston Walk for the Cure held in September in honor of a former member who died from breast cancer in 2005...

A Trumann man is now facing three felony charges after allegedly starting a fire in an abandoned building. Jacque Tyler of Trumann was charged with 1st Degree Arson, Commercial Burglary, and Criminal Mischief. According to the incident report, officer Kevin Holt noticed a fire at 116 West Speedway while on patrol. He dispatched the Trumann Fire Department, and began looking for a suspect he saw disappear into the alley behind the building...

Voters approved a half-cent sales tax Tuesday to fund replacement of about 13,000 feet of galvanized water lines that were installed in the 1920's. Lepanto voters passed the sales tax with 84 voters in favor or the tax and 53 voters opposed to the tax increase...

After spending a semester studying different works, Trumann High School's creative writing class had the opportunity to meet a published author and draw inspiration from him last week. Harold Williams, a local author known as H.R. Williams, visited the class on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Williams shared his own inspirational journey as an author, as well as, the process of getting their works published...