Vera Mae Hamilton, 78, of Spiro, died Friday, July 28, 2000, in Fort Smith. She was born July 26, 1922, in Logan County, Ark., to Andrew Cleveland and Nancy Smith Moore. She was a provider. She was the widow of Granville Hamilton, a member of Panama First Assembly of God and loved to sew and quilt. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two sisters, Viola Johnson and Mildred Brown; and two brothers, Vance and Joe Moore. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Pat and Jerry Gillion of Spiro; her son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Dana Hamilton of Spiro; three brothers, Kenneth Moore of Sallisaw, Sam Moore of Spiro, and O.E. Moore of Panama; and one grandson, Troy Gillion of Broken Arrow. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, at the Panama First Assembly of God, with burial following at New Hope Cemetery. The Rev. Brian D. Smith and the Rev. Bryan Fouts will officiate. Pallbearers will be Cody Tackett, J.R. Jones, Paul Brown, Johnny Moore, Kep Moore, and Joe T. Moore. Arrangements are under the direction of Mallory Funeral Home in Spiro. Pearl L. Sykes, 90, of Buffalo Valley, died Thursday, July 27, 2000. She was born Dec. 1, 1909, in Mena, Ark. She was the daughter of Charlie and Clara Sykes. She had been a resident of the Buffalo Valley area for a number of years. She was of the Assembly of God faith. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Pete Edwards and Ed Gillham; and a daughter, Dorothy. She was very active in her church work. She is survived by her two daughters, Edna Tidwell of Talihina, and Christeen Meeks of Buffalo Valley; four sons, Josh Sykes of Rio Del, Calif., Delbert Sykes of Anadarko, Edmond Sykes of Rio Del, Calif., and Bobby Sykes of Commanche; 16 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. Services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 31, at the First Assembly of God Church in Talihina, with burial following at Laura McGee Cemetery, Buffalo Valley. The Rev. Jerry Grammer officiated. Arrangements were under the direction of Drake-Jones Funeral Home, Talihina. Esther Ruth Caldwell Greene, 78, of Poteau, died Saturday, July 29, 2000. She was born Nov. 5, 1921, in Poteau. She was a housewife. Ruth was an avid gardener and an animal lover. She was especially proud of the fact that she lived at the foot of Cavanal. She truly loved the "Old Hill." Ruth was always doing something for someone else, always thinking of someone else in one way or another. She truly loved to cook for others and to can her own home grown vegetables. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends, and her "critters." She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Baca of the home; her son, Jim Greene of Hot Springs, Ark.; two grandchildren, Jana and Jeff; 7 great-grandchildren; one sister, Marjorie Archueletta of Poteau; and two brothers, Harold Caldwell of Poteau and Ray Caldwell of Topeka, Kan. Services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 31, at Evans Chapel of Memories in Poteau, with burial following at Witteville Cemetery, Poteau. The Rev. Jim Cook officiated. Arrangements were under the direction of Evans and Miller Funeral Home, Poteau. Billy Wayne Beams, 58, of Amarillo, Texas, died Thursday, July 27, 2000 in Amarillo, Texas. He was born Sept. 3, 1941, in Talihina, to Bentley and Radie Graham Beams. He was a member of the Methodist faith. He was an honorably discharged veteran, having served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He served in the army for 21 years, retiring at the rank of E-7 in November of 1982. He then worked for the National Weather Service at various weather stations in the United States and Alaska, as a data acquisition analyst manager. He was married to Mary Hotella on Oct. 27, 1982, in Lawton. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Harold and Thomas Beams; and a sister, Myrma Beams. He is survived by his wife, Mary of the home; son, James Beams of the home; his daughter, Lillian Beams of Albuquerque, N.M.; his sister, Linda Skorodin of Muskogee; and one granddaughter, Emily Ybarra of Yuma, Ariz. Services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 31, at the First United Methodist Church in Talihina, with burial following at New Talihina City Cemetery in Talihina. The Rev. James Ogden officiated. Pallbearers were Otis Hutchings, Vic Rogers, Ian Skorodin, Justin Samuels, Doyle Hotella, Leon Hotella, Jessie Hotella and Mortin Skorodin. Arrangements were under the direction of Drake-Jones Funeral Home, Talihina. A.V. Skinner, 79, of Shady Point, died Saturday, July 29, 2000, in Fort Smith. He was born June 24, 1921, in Booneville, Ark. He was a rancher. Mr. Skinner was a member of the First Baptist Church of Poteau. He graduated from the Naval Academy — Notre Dame — and served as a lieutenant in the navy during World War II, four years of which were on air craft carriers in the South Pacific. He graduated from Southeastern State University. He was past president of the Poteau Kiwanis Club. He was a real estate broker and was a retired insurance representative for Metropolitan Life. He is survived by his wife Nerrissia of the home; two sons, A.V. and Emma Skinner Jr. of Poteau, and Bradley Skinner of Fort Smith; three sisters, Mayme Carter of Heavener, Joyce Henry of Fort Worth, Texas, and Jessie Mae Henry of Oklahoma City; three grandchildren, Tammy, Kristina and Candace; and three great-grandchildren, Amanda, Allison and Matthew. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, at First Baptist Church in Poteau, with burial following at Monroe Cemetery in Monroe. The Rev. Phil McGehee will officiate. Pallbearers will be Eddie McCroskey, Matthew Owens, David Faulkenberry, Frank Dehart, Bob Blake and Paul Rotz. Arrangements are under the direction of Evans and Miller Funeral Home, Poteau. Billie J. Williams, 69, of Poteau, died Monday, July 31, 2000, in Fort Smith. She was born Jan. 17, 1931, in Center, Texas. Mrs. Williams was a retired nurse, having worked at the EOMC in Poteau and the Ouachita Training Center in Hodgens. She is survived by her husband, Gordon of the home; her daughter, Anna Earley of Poteau; her son, Roger Williams of Athens, Ala.; her sister, Hazel Maynard of Fort Worth, Texas; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at Evans Chapel of Memories in Poteau, with burial following in Oakland Cemetery, Poteau. The Rev. Jim Cook will officiate. Arrangements are under the direction of Evans and Miller Funeral Home, Poteau.