C.A. 'Al' Casey

C.A. "Al" Casey, 86, of Gravette, died Jan. 14, 2014, at his home in Gravette.

He was born Jan. 23, 1927, in Miami, Texas, to Alton B. Casey and Inez Bryant Casey. He was raised and educated at Miami, Texas. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. He married Ellen Featherston on May 27, 1950, in Bentonville. He worked in Wichita, Kan., for Cessna Aircraft from 1950 until 1961. They moved to Arkansas, where he worked as a carpenter and farmer.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ellen Casey of Gravette; one son, Frank Casey and wife Linda of Gravette; one daughter, Carol Wills and husband David of Gravette; two grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

A graveside service was Jan. 16 at Bethel Cemetery in Gravette. Arrangements were by the Bella Vista Funeral Home & Crematory, Bella Vista.

Carl Chism, Sr.

Carl Eugene Chism, Sr., 74, of Tahlequah, Okla., died Jan. 16, 2014, at his home.

He was born March 27, 1939, in Delaware County, Okla., to Carl Bee Chism and Elizabeth Stout Chism. He was a lifelong resident of Oklahoma. He worked in law enforcement and was a deputy in Tulsa, Okla., and the chief of police in Colcord, Okla. He was a bull rider and IPRA judge. He was a mason. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Kansas, Okla.

Survivors include one son, Carl D. Chism, Jr., of Tahlequah; four grandchildren; and one sister, Carol Sue Baker, of Colcord.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Jan. 24, at First Baptist Church, Kansas, Okla., with Terry Wofford officiating. Burial will follow at Kansas Cemetery.

Loretta Denard

Loretta B. Denard, 80, of Siloam Springs, died Jan. 16, 2014, at Quail Ridge Living Center, West Siloam Springs, Okla.

She was born March 3, 1933, in Oilton, Okla., to Oliver B. Craig and Carrie Marie Trammel Craig. She taught elementary and secondary school and was a librarian.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Veston R. Denard; and one son, Leland Denard.

Survivors include one daughter, Sheryl Dalke and husband Chuck of Gentry; one son, Darrell Denard and wife Ging of Fayetteville; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one sister, Jacki Swain; and one brother, Wendel Craig of Austin, Texas.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014, at Wasson Memorial Chapel, Siloam Springs.

Paul Girndt

Paul R. Girndt, 93, of Gentry, died Jan. 16, 2014, at Circle of Life Hospice, Springdale.

He was born Sept. 25, 1920, in Chicago, Ill., to Paul Reynold Girndt and Clara Hoby Girndt. He was an Army/Air Force veteran of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. He retired from the military in 1969 and moved to Jacksonville. In 1999, he moved to Gentry. He was a lifelong member of the Memphis Lodge No. 118 and a member of the First Baptist Church in Gentry. He married Gladys Mardell Martin in Southaven, Miss., on Sept. 21, 1970.

He was preceded in death by his wife; two brothers, Robert Girndt and Clifford Girndt; one sister, Dorothy Berti; and one daughter-in-law, Joann Horton.

Survivors include two sons, Paul Girndt, Jr., of Cabot, and Charles Girndt and wife Kathy of North Little Rock; one stepdaughter, Shirley Sue Smith and husband Cliff of Northwest Arkansas; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were Jan. 20 at First Baptist Church, Gentry, with Robin Cowin officiating. Burial followed at Gentry Cemetery. Arrangements were by Wasson Funeral Home, Siloam Springs.

Thomas Holland

Thomas James Holland, 49, son of William Earl Holland and Glenda Gibson, was born on Aug. 23, 1964, in Tulsa, Okla., and died on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014, in Decatur.

Tom liked to hunt, fish and be outdoors.

He was preceded in death by his father, William Earl Holland; stepfather, Cary Ennis Sr.; brother, William D. Holland; and sister, Penny Rhodes.

He is survived by his mother, Glenda Ennis of Decatur; grandmother, Frances Golden of Gentry; siblings, Lisa Myers and husband Kirt of Broken Arrow, Okla., Bart Ennis and wife Tonia of Westville, Okla., Elizabeth Ennis of Bristow, Okla., and Annette Siegel and husband Rick of Bristow, Okla.

Gathering of family and friends was Jan. 18 at the home of Bart and Tonia Ennis, Westville, Okla., with Lance Unger officiating.

Roger Kirk

Roger Charles Kirk, 71, of Helotes, Texas, died Jan. 14, 2014, in San Antonio, Texas.

He was born on Jan. 11, 1943, in Lincoln, to Chester Kirk and Avis West Kirk. He was a retired rural mail carrier who served the Northwest Arkansas area for 25 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step-father, Virgil Talbot; and brother, Ray Kirk.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Gail Kirk of the home; son, Roger Wilson (Rocky) Kirk and wife Laura of Colcord, Okla.; daughter, Dorinda Anderson and husband Donovan of Gentry; step-daughter, Jackie Logan and husband Billy of Helotes; and seven grandchildren.

Services are pending at Wasson Funeral Home.

Florence (Boyd) Mason

Florence Marie (Boyd) Mason, 84, of Augusta, Kan., died Jan. 19, 2014, in Augusta.

She was born Aug. 22, 1929, to Samuel Elmer and Hazel Lela (Flanary) Boyd in Decatur. She grew up in Hiwasse and married Alan Keith Mason on Dec. 13, 1948, in Gravette. She worked at Beech Aircraft and at Andover (Kan.) School District upholstering seats and for buses. She worked for Land Manufacturing as a sewing machine operator and at Marie's Gallery, a gift shop in Augusta. She was a bookkeeper for her husband's business, Alan's Auto Service, in Augusta. She loved to crochet, sew and paint pictures.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Jerry Boyd; and a son, Ronald Mason.

Survivors include her husband, Alan of the home; son, Kenneth Mason of Protection, Kan.; daughter, Sherry Mason of Augusta; sisters, Bonita Powell (Van) of Goddard, Kan., and Lela Boyd of Wichita, Kan.; two granddaughters.

Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 24, from 1 to 2 p.m., with funeral services at 2 p.m., both in the Dunsford Funeral Home Chapel in Augusta. Interment will follow in Elmwood Cemetery.

Eddie Morefield

Vonnie E. "Eddie" Morefield, 99, died Jan. 7, 2014.

In 1917, at age 3, he was abandoned by his parents and adopted by a family in the hills of Mountain City, Tenn. At age 9, as a result of his stepfather's abuse, he ran away from home. At 10 he was working in a coal mine. At 11 he hopped the trains and hobo'd for the next six years. In 1934, as a U.S. Army soldier, he was honored to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. He next served in the Merchant Marines during World War II and then worked in the California shipyards and on WPA projects until a serious fall. In 1954 he came to Oklahoma and found refuge at the Tulsa John 3:16 Mission where he worked as a cook. There he met and fell in love with his wife of 60 years, Daisy Irene Coulson. He lived in Gentry for 35 years. He was a business owner and owned a dog kennel in Gentry. He was a volunteer who helped build the West Siloam Springs Assembly of God.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Bart T. Morefield and Frank Morefield.

He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Mary Francis Morefield-Allen and husband William Patrick Allen; a stepchild, Billy Joe Colson and wife Nita Marie; two grandsons, five great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Jan. 18 at North Park Trinity Baptist Church in Claremore, Okla.