Obituaries

Mary Lee Throesch, 90, of Anderson, passed away on May 28, 2022 at Community Hospital in Anderson, IN following a brief illness. She was born on October 1, 1931 in Corning, AR to the late Omer and Nellie (Strobel) Arnold. Mary was a homemaker and drove a school bus for 15 years. She loved to play cards, hated to miss an episode of “Young and the Restless,” loved ice cream and started each day with a Honey Bun.

Geraldine McPherson, 86, of Reyno, Arkansas passed away at Corning Therapy and Living Center in Corning, AR, on Saturday, June 4th, 2022. Geraldine was born on Sunday, September 8th, 1935, near Engleberg, Arkansas to Charles Edward Yancy and Lee McMurtry Yancy. Geraldine is preceded in death by her parents, Charles, and Lee; brother, El Yancy; sister, Pearl Yancy; and son, Danny Roy McPherson.

William “Bill” Ray Johnston passed away May 28, 2022. He was born November 29, 1936, in Little Rock, Arkansas to Ray Dennison Johnston and Willie Jasper Bloomer Johnston.

David Charles Jansen, 66, of Reyno, Arkansas passed away at St. Bernard’s Medical Center, in Jonesboro, on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. David was born on Tuesday, November22, 1955, in Pocahontas, to Frank and Clarice Pettigrew Jansen.

Dorothy Hart, 80, of Corning passed away May 19, 2022 at home surrounded by her family. Mrs.

Mary Ann Swann, 94, of Pocahontas, Arkansas passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at her home. She was born May 2, 1928, in Pocahontas, Arkansas to George and Mary Anna Thennes Sorg.

Jeffrey Allen Watson, 39, of Pocahontas, Arkansas passed away on Tuesday, May 10th, 2022. Jeffrey was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri to Charles and Sharon Medley Watson on September 20th, 1982. Jeffrey is preceded in death by his father, Charles Watson; grandfathers, Luther Medley, and Doyle Watson; and his grandmother, Reba Crofford. Jeffrey is survived by his mother, Sharon Medley Watson; wife, Libby Watson; two sons, Ethan Frankenberger (McKenzie Smith) and Andrew Dunnivant both of Pocahontas; daughter, Bailey Frankenberger (Scoob Higginbotham) of Pocahontas; mother-in-law, Bonita and Don Busch of Mammoth Springs; father-in-law, Clyde and Jeannie Hutson Jr. of Springfield, Missouri; sister-in-law, Marcia Kerley; brother-in-law, Tony Kerley; grandmother, Bonnie Medley; brother, Charles Watson Ruff; a special little girl, Brynlee (BB) Higginbotham; and his furbaby, Roxy. All services will be held in the chapel of Hope Gardens Funeral Home. A visitation will be held on Saturday, May 14th, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Jeffrey’s funeral service will be held on Sunday, May 15th, 2022, at 2:30 p.m., Nathan Kirkley will be officiating, and a procession will follow immediately after to New Hope Cemetery. Honored to carry Jeffrey to his earthly resting place are Mark Johnson, Raymond Renfro, Tony Kerley, Shawn Ashcraft, Joseph Jansen, and Eric French. Honorary pallbearers are Ethan Frankenberger, Andrew Dunnivant, David Medley, Scoob Higginbotham, and Greg Chesser. Jeff will be forever remembered by many things. Things that aren’t found in many people, but these are the things that Jeff was loved the most for. He had a wonderful and contagious smile that would spread to everyone’s faces. Jeff was full of life and cared about others deeply. He was passionate about the things he enjoyed, such as sports and cars, and last, but most certainly not least, Jeff was a hard worker who did everything he could to take care of his family that he loved so much.