Mildred Layman

Mildred Layman, 88, of Fredericksburg, VA., died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002, at Fredericksburg.
Born at Beech Grove, she was a homemaker and a member of First United Methodist Church in Paragould.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Richardson of Marion, Va.; a brother, Paul Stallcup of Paragould; and a grandson, Keith Richardson of Marion.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Robert Layman; her parents, Edward and Vira Ellen Taylor Stallcup; and several brothers and sisters.

Funeral services have been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Heath Funeral Home Colonial Chapel in Paragould, with the Rev. Earl McKelvey officiating. Burial will follow at Greene County Memorial Gardens in Paragould.
Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until service time Saturday at the funeral home.

Richard Philip Herget

Paragould has lost a longtime resident

Richard Philip Herget, 88, of Paragould died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould.

He was born Dec. 16, 1913, in Paragould. He attended Paragould public schools, completing his high school coursework at 15 and continued his education at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell.

Herget enrolled at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and graduated in 1934 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He then entered Georgetown University Law School, graduating in 1937 while working in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal in Washington, D.C.

He worked in the White House office of Education, forerunner to the federal Department of Education.

He volunteered in the U.S. Army and was assigned as a lieutenant in the 729th Ordinance Co. in the 29th Infantry Division. Herget remained with the 729th throughout the war and was awarded the Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters for bravery and Legion of Merit for improving the acuracy of the 81-mm mortar.

Following the war, he joined the Paragould law firm of Kirsh and Cathey until he was called up for the Korean War in October 1950. He remained in the U.S. Army through two decades.

Herget was assigned to the headquarters of Judge Advocate General Corps at the Pentagon in 1955, where he was posted for all but three years until 1968.

In 1961, he served in Newfoundland, Canada and West Germany (1966-68). He retired with the rank of colonel in 1968.

The next 10 years he was legal counsel of the Ford Corporation's Aeronautics Division in Newport Beach, Calif. Herget retired from Ford in 1978 and returned to Paragould. He was active in civic affairs, serving as chairman of the city's Parks and Recreation Commission.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred George and Mabel Jackson Herget.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Esther Herget of Paragould; three sons, Barlow Herget of Raleigh, N.C., Dick Herget of Heber Springs and Harry Herget of Jonesboro; two daughters, Rebecca Ann Bennett of Little Rock and Nancy Wood of Fort Smith: a brother, Alfred Herget of Paragould; two sisters, Mary Cothren of Stillwater, Minn., and Ann Kelly of Gallatin, Tenn.; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

The family requests memorials be made to Arkansas Methodist Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 339, Paragould, AR. 72451

Karen Diane Carr

Karen Diane Carr, 47, of Jonesboro died Saturday, December 7, 2002 at her home.
Born April 9, 1955 in Jonesboro she was a licensed practical nurse at St. Bernard's Medical Center for the past 10 years. She was of the Baptist faith.

Survivors include one son, William Fred Carr Jr., of Bono; one daughter, Shannon Diane Carr of Jonesboro; her parents, Bill and Winnie Hargrave of Jonesboro; one brother, Gene Hargrave of Paragould; two sisters, Sarah Tilley and Eva Owens, both of Jonesboro; and three grandchildren, Katelyn Renee Carr, Meagan Le Ann Carr and Bethany Autumn Carr, all of Bono.

 
Graveside services are Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Finch Cemetery, with Sam Stewart officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Roller-Farmers Union Funeral Home.

 
Active pallbearers will be John Carr, Darrell Sharp, Danny Elrod, Larry Carr, Alton Elrod, and Chris Woodall.
Honorary pallbearers include Vickie Ruminer, Brenda Wright, Barbara Young, Johnnie Faye Phillips and Linda Utley.
Visitation is today from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Sular Hayward Chesser

Sular Hayward Chesser, 78, of Paragould died Saturday, December 7, 2002 at his home.

 
An Army veteran of World War II, he was retired from General Motors Corp. in St. Louis. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and West View Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Rosie Chesser of Paragould; three sons, James Chesser of Wilmington, Del., Donnie Chesser of Monroe City, Mo., and Bill Chesser of Monroe, La.; one brother, Edmon Chesser of Troy, Mo.; one sister, Florence Perry of Light; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

 
He was preceded in death by his parents, Marcus and Myrtle Mae Chesser; and two sisters.
Funeral services are Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the chapel of Mitchell Funeral Home of Paragould. Burial will follow in Chesser Cemetery in Pocahontas.

 
Active pallbearers will be James Chesser, Bill Chesser, James David Chesser, Donnie Chesser, Don Chesser, Bud Watts, Roger Lenderman, John Chesser and Christopher Chesser. Members of his Sunday school class will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Visitation is Tuesday from 6-9 p.m. at the funeral home.

 
Memorials may be made to Hospice.
 

Carol Kennemore Darr

Carol Kennemore Darr, 54, of Paragould died Monday, December 16, 2002, at her home.
Born in Paragould, she was a homemaker and a member of Third Avenue Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Donald Darr of Paragould; one daughter, Carrie Darr of Paragould; and one granddaughter, Haley Darr of Paragould.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Verna Kennemore.
Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Linwood Cemetery, with Johnny Bauer officiating. Mitchell Funeral Home in Paragould is in charge of arrangements.
Visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital.

Patricia Lynne Miller

Funeral services for Patricia Lynne Miller, 60, of Paragould, who died Wednesday, December 18, 2002 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center, will be at noon Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church with the Rev. John Marconi officiating.
Burial will follow in Greene County Memorial Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Mitchell Funeral Home of Paragould.
Pallbearers will be Wayne Starnes, Bobby Richard, Chris Oakes, R.L. Rickard, Bill Blackshear and Authur Hamelin.
Born in Rector, she owned and operated the Plaza Twin Cinema with her husband for many years. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church.
Survivors include her husband, Larry Joe Miller of the home; two sons, Steve Miller of Siloam Springs and Scott Miller of Paragould; one brother, Michael Gordon of Oakdale, Calif.; and four grandchildren, Emily Miller of Paragould, Karagin Miller, Kenzie Miller and Ellis Miller, all of Siloam Springs.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Loretta Gordon, and one brother.
Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Catholic School in Paragould.
Visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Rosary will be said at 7 p.m.
 

Johnny Mitchell Byrd, age 87, of Kennett, Mo.,  passed away Thursday, December 19, 2002 at Senath Nursing Home in Missouri.
Born March 19, 1915 in Russellville, he was a retired cobbler and a member of Arbyrd Church of Christ.
There are no immediate survivors.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Belle Hogland Byrd, and his parents, W.J. "Will" and Fannie Belle Byrd.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. in Mount Zion Cemetery at Walcott with C.O. Evans officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Heath Funeral Home of Paragould.
No visitation has been scheduled.
 

RayAnna Schmuecker

October 1915 ~ December 2002

RayAnna Schmuecker, age 87, of Bethel, CT., passed away on Thursday evening at the Danbury Hospital. She was the wife of the late Leo L Schmuecker.

Mrs. Schmuecker was born October 20, 1915 in Paragould, Arkansas, the daughter of the late Elmer and Enola (Clark) Boyd. In her early years, prior to her marriage to her late husband, Mrs. Schmuecker was an accomplished pianist, and was host to her own radio show in Paragould.

For 30 years, Mrs. Schmuecker and her husband owned and operated Bix Furniture and Restoration, where she held the position of General Vice President. A resident of Bethel since 1950, she served on the Board of Directors of the Danbury Hospital, the Bethel Public Library, and the Bethel Business and Professional women’s Club where she also served as its first president. She was also the proprietor of Farnum Hill Antiques of Bethel for 20 years and was a parishioner of the Church of St Mary, Bethel.

Mrs. Schmuecker lived her life with an open mind, an open door, and an open heart.

She is survived by three daughters Joanna E Gemmell and her husband William of New Fairfield, Rosemary Labella of Perugia, Italy, and Jean M Schmuecker of Bethel; three sons: Michael L Schmuecker and his wife Patricia Loul of Honolulu, Hawaii, John F Schmuecker and Laurie Wright of Bethel, and Thomas E Schmuecker of Paragould Arkansas. Eight grandchildren: Ian and Ryan Gemmell, Luke and Derek Schmuecker, Christopher Schmuecker, Olivia and Michael Labella, Carly Dawson, and several nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Schmuecker was predeceased by her granddaughter, Leanna Dawson, and son-in-law Giullano Labella.

A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday December 24th at the Church of St. Mary, Bethel, at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in St Mary Cemetery, Bethel.

The family will receive friends at the Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Ave, Bethel on Monday evening from 7 thru 9 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Pope John Paul II Center for Health Care, 33 Lincoln Avenue, Danbury, CT 06810

The News-Times Saturday, December 21, 2002

contributed by:     William Dunavin