MARY OLETA BARNES, 88, of Spiro, died Sunday, March 11, 2001. She was born March 18, 1912 at Hartford, Ark. She was a retired schoolteacher having taught at Wister High School for 15 years; Drumright for 17 years; and Spiro for 11 years. She graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1939 and received her M.S. from Oklahoma State University in 1950. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Educational Fraternity, Spiro First Baptist Church, director of Women’s Missionary Union and a Sunday School teacher for many years. She was preceded in death by six brothers, O.A. Joseph F., H. Carroll, Charles, Vernon L. and A. Herman Barnes. Survivors include one brother, J. Hovey Barnes of Fort Worth, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 14 at the Spiro First Baptist Church with the Rev. Rex Blankenship and the Rev. John Flanagan officiating. Burial will follow in Hartford Memorial Cemetery under the direction of the Mallory Funeral Home of Spiro. Memorial contributions may be made to the Heart Association, favorite charity or church. WILLIAM HAROLD MCKOSKY, 76, of Talihina, died Wednesday, March 7, 2001. He was born Aug. 29, 1924 in Tulsa to Michael J. and Ethel Taylor McKosky. He was a resident of Talihina for 65 years. Mr. McKosky worked at Talihina Public Schools for many years, he served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II and was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Bunkerhill. He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother, Michael Martin McKosky. Survivors include two sons and one daughter-in-law, William Harold McKosky Jr. and Matthew Martin and Sarah McKosky; five grandchildren, Casey Courtney, William III, Tanner, and Shania McKosky, all of Talihina; one sister, Emma Jo Oliphant; and several nieces and nephews. Services were held on Saturday, March 10 at 2 p.m. at the Talihina School Auditorium with the Rev. Jerry Grammar officiating. Burial followed at the Old Talihina City Cemetery under the direction of Talihina Funeral Home. JOHN I BAXTER, 76, of Spiro, died Sunday, March 11, 2001, in Talihina. He was born Feb. 21, 1925 at Cartersville to George and Effie Farris Baxter. He was a welder, a member of Harvest Hill Assembly of God Church and loved gardening, carpentry, and iron collecting. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Audrene McKinney and Irene Lester; one brother, William Roland Baxter and one grandson, Dwight Craig. Survivors include his wife Marna of the home; two daughters, Paula Reif and husband Richard of Poteau, and Peggy Eng and husband Joe of Grenada Hills, Calif.; one son, George William Baxter and wife Bonita of Oklahoma City; one sister, Georgia Oliver of Fayetteville, Ark.; six grandcildren, Kyle Craig, Twyla McDaniel, Ryan McDaniel, Mathew Reif, Alyssa Reif, and Christina Baxter. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 14 at the Harvest Hill Assembly of God with the Rev. Robert Stuart officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery under the directioon of the Mallory Funeral Home of Spiro. Pallbearers will be Raymond Lester, John Harrison, Bruce Oliver, Lee Monks, Joe Watkins, Ronald "Skip" Baxter. Honorary pallbearers will be Joel Cavness, George McClelland, Rick Fowler, and Mark Martin. merl e burk, 65, of Poteau, died Sunday, March 11, 2001. Mr. Burk was born on Oct. 9, 1935 in Billings to Lawrence and Sarah (Moore) Burk. He moved to Poteau from Billings in 1959. He was a veteran of the Korean War serving in the U.S. Army. He joined Trinity Baptist Church in 1976. He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother Loren Burk. He is survived by one daughter, Gwen Hatcher of Bokoshe; one brother, Donald Ray Burk of Lake Charles, La.; two grandchildren, Krystin Hatcher and Dylan Richardson; and one special friend, Carmen Duncan of Howe. Services for Mr. Burk were held at 1 p.m. Monday, March 12 at the Grace Manor Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. LeRoy Billy officiating. Mr. Burk will be cremated following the service and a graveside service will be announced at a later date. The family suggests donations be made to Professional Home Hospice in Poteau. Services were under the direction of Grace Manor Funeral Home in Poteau. BEARICE PARKS, 85, of Poteau, died Friday, March 9, 2001. She was born Jan. 24, 1916 in Cauthron, Ark. She was a homemaker and attended The First Assembly of God Church in Poteau. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard R. Parks; one great-granddaughter, Christel Moore; two brothers and an older sister. Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie and Robert McCoy of Lubbock, Texas; one son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Willie Mae Parks of Lubbock, Texas; four sisters, Odell Skinner of Poteau, Ophelia Plummer of Idabel, Jimmie Baldwin of Wister, Jean Shaw of Lafayette, Colo.; one brother, Cornell Latta; six grandchildren, Donna Moore, Rhonda Landsman and Cathy Rumfield and Robert McCoy Jr., all of Lubbock, Richelle Lundberg of Little Field, Ronald Parks of Paducah; and 13 great-grandchildren. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 13, at Evans Chapel of Memories with the Rev. Jim Cook officiating. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery at Poteau under the direction of Evans and Miller Funeral Home of Poteau. ANNA LOUISE POPE MCCAFFERTY, 86, of Fort Worth, Texas, formerly of Poteau, died Friday, March 9, 2001. She was born Dec. 27, 1914 in Stigler. She was a homemaker. Survivors include one son, Michael Gilbert McCafferty of Rancho Mirage, Calif.; one sister, Nina Madge Scrivner Fricke of Fort Worth; one grandson, Frederick Michael Armanino of Walnut Creek, Calif.; one granddaughter, Dana Louise Armanino of Greenbrae, Calif.; two nephews; two grandnephews; one grandniece; and three greatgrandnephews. Services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 12 at the First United Methodist Church in Poteau. Burial followed at Oakland Cemetery in Poteau with the Rev. Scott Scrivner and the Rev. Marcus Barnett officiating. Mrs. McCafferty was a former resident of Poteau and moved to Fort Worth in September 1999. Anna grew up in Poteau, graduated from Poteau High School and married Earl, son of Herman and Faye McCafferty of Poteau on Sept. 23, 1934. Poteau was their home except for brief residencies in Louisiana and abroad in Africa on assignment by her husband's employer, Amerada Petroleum Corp. In Poteau, they were members of the First Baptist Church, but following her husband's death, Anna returned to the First United Methodist Church of her childhood. She was active in her children's education and activities, a skillful bridge player and member of various bridge clubs and women's organizations, and did volunteer work at the LeFlore County Hospital. She remained very active until the week before her death. In February, she had traveled with her son, granddaughter and son-in-law on a cruise to South America and visited the ancient Incan City of Machu Picchu high in the Andes. Her lifelong signature was "enjoy each day." Any gifts may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Poteau. NINA GLADYS DENNIS, 95, of Salina, died Saturday, March 10, 2001. She was born Nov. 21, 1905 in Rose, Indian Territory to William Oscar and Fannie Lee (Gillum) Hale. She grew up and attended school in Rose. She was a teacher in Mayes and Delaware counties. She married Omar Vandeventer and after his death, she married Truman Dennis, who also preceded her in death. She enjoyed crocheting and tatting and was a member of the Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husbands and one grandson, Phillip Gene Vandeventer; three brothers, four sisters; and her parents. She is survived by one son, Morris Vandeventer of Southerland, Ore.; two daughters, Dolores Shepard of Poteau and June Aspden of Fremont, Calif.; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; four sisters, Hazel Duncan of Kenewick, Wash., Willie Neal of Richland, Edna Littlefield, and Louise Baker, both of Pryor. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 14 at First Baptist Church of Salina with the Revs. Louis Maxwell and Johnnie Faught officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. in the G.A.R. Cemetery in Miami under the direction of the Key Funeral Home of Pryor. TAMMY RENEE DAVIS, 36, of Wister, died Sunday, March 11, 2001, in Fort Smith. She was a homemaker. Mrs. Davis was preceded in death by her sister, Teresa Kay Burton of Spiro and her paternal grandparents, Burl and Ella Ford. Survivors include her husband Michael Douglas Davis of the home; three children, Krystal Renee Davis, Bobby Douglas Davis and Makayla Joy Davis, all of the home; her mother and father, Bob and Vernoyise Ford of Wister; four brothers, Tony Ford of Oklahoma City, Jeff Ford, Maury Ford, and Kim Ford, all of Wister; maternal grandparents, J.C. and Marie Kuykendall, mother and father-in-law, Randall and Mary Davis, all of Wister; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and loved ones; and a host of beloved friends. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 14 at Ellis Chapel Church in Wister with the Rev. Jimmy D. Cook and the Rev. Jack Covey officiating. Burial will follow in Ellis Chapel Cemetery in Wister under the direction of Evans and Miller Funeral Home of Poteau. Pallbearers will be Ryan Green, Ross Green, Randy Davis, Dylan Ford, Bradley Sumpter and Bobby Pearson. CLEO RUTH WILSON, 69, of Poteau, died Sunday, March 11, 2001. She was born Jan. 31, 1932 in Haywood. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her father, Otto Cravines; her sister, Lois Jean Cravines; two brothers, Theodore Cravines and Bobby Otto Cravines. Survivors include her husband, Gerald of the home; four daughters, Linda Pitsco of Pocola, Laura Wilson of the home, Joyce Mirus of Mountainburg, Ark., and Karen Aary of Spiro; one son, Dean Dewitt of Pocola; her mother, Mattie McCartney of Poteau; two sisters, Yvonne Carpenter and Donna Moore, both of Phoenix, Ariz.; four brothers, Johnny Moore of Phoenix, Bill Cravines of Marlton, N.J., Chester McCartney of Poteau and David Cravines of McAlester; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and loved ones and a host of beloved friends. Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 14 at United Pentecostal Church of Poteau with the Rev. Don Perry officiating. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery in Poteau under the direction of Evans and Miller Funeral Home of Poteau. Copyright © 2001