Archive
January 3rd, 2012
Iris Meeks Silvey, 92, of Jonesboro died Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, at Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House. She was born in Swartz, La., to Charlie L. and Ruth Burford Meeks.
She had lived in Jonesboro for 20 years, moving there from Benton. She was a graduate of Eudora High School and retired after 30 years of service as a licensed psychiatric technician at the Arkansas State Hospital and at George W. Jackson mental health facility in Jonesboro.
She enjoyed watching television and sports and was a member of the Razorback Club for several years.
Jean Wallace Propst, 82, of Lonsdale passed away Sunday, Jan. 1. She was born Oct. 29, 1929, in Navarro County, Texas.
Mrs. Propst retired from Jacuzzi Bros. as a machine operator.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Genevieve Besson Wallace; her husband, Paul “Lucky” Propst; a daughter, Alicia Keltner; a brother, Jack Wallace Sr.; and a grandson, Josh Seamon.
The wife of Alexander Mayor Paul Mitchell pleaded guilty to several drug charges in Saline County Circuit Court on Jan. 3.
Judge Grisham Phillips sentenced Genieve Marie Mitchell, 33, to two years in a Community Correction Center followed by a one-year suspended sentence.
Overall, Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of methamphetamine, failure to appear in Benton District Court and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia stemming from two arrests in 2011.
A Benton man who was out on bond after allegedly using a Taser to kidnap his ex-wife back in October is accused of kidnapping her again on New Year's Eve.
Benton police arrested 52-year-old Gerald Schmidt Jr., who, as of press time, remained incarcerated at the Saline County jail.
Lt. Kevin Russell, public information officer for the Benton Police Department, said officers were called to the 1100 block of English Oak Drive for a disturbance, when they learned that Yin Yan Schmidt, 34, had been taken from the home at gunpoint by her former husband.
Gary Hollis, finance director for the city of Bryant, and Nga Maufouz, city attorney, have resigned their positions at the request of Mayor Jill Dabbs.
The two submitted their resignations to Dabbs on Friday Dec. 30, and by the end of the business day, both had cleaned out their offices at City Hall. Neither Hollis nor Maufouz could be reached for comment at press time.
January 2nd
William Edward “Bill” Pope, 87, of Alexander, passed away Dec. 30. Born in North Little Rock to William E. and Erva Metz Pope, he was a United States Army veteran of World War II. Bill retired from Southwestern Bell after 31 years of service and was an avid hunter and fisherman.
He is survived by his wife, Bess Pope; son Phillip Edward Pope of Little Rock; step-sons, Kenneth L. Jones of Benton and Charles W. Jones, Jr. of Little Rock; sister, Gladys Newcomb of Benton; four grandchildren; and nephew, George Newcomb, Jr. and wife, Mary of Benton.
Sharon LaNan Ottens, 58, of Benton, passed away Friday, Dec.30. She was born August 25, 1953 in Benton, to the late John Horace Hayes, Jr. and Mildred L. Reed Hayes. Mrs. Ottens was a secretary at the Alexander Youth Service Center and a member of the Salem United Methodist Church. Â
She is survived by her husband, Thomas Ottens; son, Scott Ottens and wife Sarah; brother, John Hayes; twin grandchildren, Aubrey and Jackson Ottens all of Benton and numerous aunts, uncles, extended family and friends. Â
William J. (Bill) Jay, 67, of Benton, joined hands with Jesus on Friday, December 30. Bill was born in Newton, Mississippi on June 23, 1944 to Daniel and Lillie Adams Jay. Bill worked for the United States Department of Agriculture for 31 years. He worked his way from egg grader, poultry grades, egg products grader to be Regional Director for Egg Products, covering 10 states and Puerto Rico.
He was a member of Spring Creek Missionary Baptist Church. Because of his generosity of purchasing shoes for needy children, he became lovingly known as “the shoe angel” at Harmony Grove Schools.
Charles Jeffrey "Jeff" Curtis, 66, of Bryant,passed away Thursday, Dec. 29 after a long battle with cancer. Jeff was born on May 27, 1945 in Little Rock to Charles Andrew and Jimmye Raye Ramsey Curtis. He was married to Sondra Sue Haile Curtis in 1974. Jeff graduated from Benton High School in 1963. In 1967 he received a B.A. Degree from Henderson State University, where he was President of the Theta Xi Fraternity. In 1986 Jeff earned a Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration from UALR.
John Ray “Johnny” Brown, 53, of Benton, passed away Friday, Dec. 30. He was born December 27, 1958 in Pontiac, Michigan. Johnny was owner and operator of Johnny Brown’s Barber Shop and a member of New Life Missionary Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his father, John Edward Brown and grandparents, Milton and Ethel Brown and Luda Majors.
He is survived by his son, Colby and Meagan Brown; two daughters, Raelynn Brown and Tai and Clayton Morehead; mother, Loella Brown; brother, Jerry and Donna Brown; his best friend, Tonya Brown and three grandchildren.
