The following obits appeared in the SW Times today: Ann Pearce Ann Pickens Pearce, 83, of Fort Smith died Friday, Dec. 1, 2000, in Fort Smith. She was a former co-owner of Pickens Pearce Kindergarten, former director of First United Methodist Church Weekday School, former tax preparer for Pearce, Robinson and McCord Attorneys at Law, honors graduate of the University of Arkansas with a bachelor of science degree in business administration, member of First United Methodist Church, Gleaners Sunday School class, United Methodist Women, Chapter AD P.E.O., Chi Omega Sorority and Wednesday Club. She was the widow of Owen C. "Cul" Pearce.Memorial service will be 10 a.m. today at Roebuck Chapel. Private family committal at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith will be under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home in Fort Smith. She is survived by three daughters, Pat Hendricks of Fort Smith, Marcie Scriber of Jonesboro and Mary Stockland of Springdale; one son, Cal of Springdale; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.Pallbearers will be Allen Robbins Jr., David Preston, Chris, Craig and Jeff Scriber, Lloyd Meeks and Joe Henington. George Owen OZARK - George E. Owen, 64, of Ozark died Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, in an Ozark hospital.He was a retired farm manager for Cargill and member of the Freedom of Faith Tabernacle Church.Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Shaffer Funeral Home Chapel in Ozark with burial at Mt. View Cemtery in Ozark. He is surivived by his wife, Clara (Tillary) Owen of Ozark; two daughters, Deborah Haney and Anita Jones, both of Altus and one stepdaughter, Donna Sheppard of Ozark; two sons, Robert and Clifford, both of Stigler and four stepsons, Ricky, Randall, Terry and Timothy Jackson, all of Ozark; one sister, Mae Vaught of Coal Hill; two brothers, Delmar of Tennessee and J.C. of Coal Hill; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.. Richard Zurcher Richard "Mr. Z" Zurcher, 89, of Fort Smith died Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, in a local nursing home.He was a security guard and a Marine veteran.The body will be cremated under the direction of Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith. He is survived by one daughter, Lori Foster of Fort Smith; and two grandchildren, Richard Rackley of Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, Fla. and Robert Foster of Fort Smith. . Ruby Johnson Ruby Geraldine Johnson, 87, of Van Buren died Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, in a local hospital. She was a homemaker and attended the Gospel Assembly Church in Fort Smith.Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Gospel Assembly Church in Fort Smith with burial at Gracelawn Cemetery under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home of Van Buren. She is survived by two daughters, Carol Lamberson of Greenwood and Margaret Johnson of For t Smith; one sister, Ellen Fay Berry of Van Buren; three brothers, Wesley of Kibler, Ray of Muldrow and Manuel of Mountainburg; two grandchildren, Chris Lamberson of Fort Smith and Jeremy Lamberson of Greenwood; and one great-grandchild.Pallbearers will be Chris and Jeremy Lamberson, Clives and Keith Willet, Richard Blake and Ronny Dehart. William Mills William B. Mills, 75, of Van Buren died Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, in a local hospital. He was a member of the North Park Baptist Church, retired from U.S. Forge Craft and an Air Force veteran.Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Ocker Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at the Fort Smith National Cemtery with full military honors. He is survived by his wife, Helen; four daughters, Karen Bailey of Dixon, Tenn., Patty O'Brien of Oklahoma City, Dollie Barnett of Mountainburg and Sheila O'Connell of Atlanta; two sons, Ron of Fort Smith and Jimmy of Van Buren; four sisters, Annie Frank Armstrong of Abbeville, Ala., Mary Julia Parker of Albany, Ga., Ree Howell of Decatur, Ga., and June Carver of Dickerson, Tenn.; one brother, Eddie Mills of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and 13 grandchildren.Pallbearers will be Terry Sharp, Steve O'Brien, Frank O' Connell, Breck Anderson, Nick Mills and Dennis Barnett. Marie Hoffmann Marie Hoffmann, 96, of Fort Smith died Friday, Dec. 1, 2000, in her home. She was a homemaker.Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today at Fentress Chapel. Funeral mass will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Fort Smith with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith. She is survived by three grandchildren, Ronnie Casanova of Fort Smith, Arthur Casanova of Cedarville and Mary Ann Casanova of Alabama; and five great-grandchildren.Pallbearers will be Billy Nelson, Bobby and Billy Tucker, Jimmy Newman, Steve Dyke and Matthew Casanova. Helen Hedge SALLISAW - Helen Bernice Hedge, 82, of Sallisaw died Friday, Dec. 1, 2000, in Sallisaw. She was the former co-owner and office manager of Blue Ribbon Downs Race Track in Sallisaw, a graduate of Central High School in Tulsa and long-time active member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness.Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness, east of Sallisaw with burial at 3 p.m. at Claremore-Woodlawn City Cemetery in Claremore, Okla. under the direction of Agent Funeral Home of Sallisaw. She is survived by her husband, Bill; one son, William B. Hedge Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla.; two sisters, Mary Jo Gandee of Tulsa and Virginia Ann Copeland-Smith of Farmington, N.M.; and four nieces, two nephews and six great-nieces and nephews. Steven Whittmore SALLISAW - Steven (Whit) Whittmore, 48, of Sallisaw died Friday, Dec. 1, 2000, in Sallisaw. He was retired from Union Pacific Railroad.The body will be cremated under the direction of Agent Funeral Home of Sallisaw with burial at a later date at Tahlequah City Cemetery in Tahlequah, Okla. He is survived by two sons, Brian of Fort Smith and David of Tahlequah, Okla.; his paternal grandmother, Ella Whittmore of Muskogee, Okla.; one brother, Tony of Cookson, Okla.; and two grandchildren, Chelsea and Austin. Matthew Porta Matthew Porta, 90, of Fort Smith died Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000, in a local hospital. He was a retired shoe repairman for Porta's Shoe Repair and member of Christ the King Catholic Church.Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Christ the King Catholic Church in Fort Smith with burial at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Putman Funeral Home of Fort Smith. He is survived by his wife, Jeweldean; one sister, Helen Agee of Santa Rosa, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.Pallbearers will be Cleo Moody, Jay Narramore, Harold Geels, Buddy Von Hatten, Bob Stella, Ron Dee Wright and Bill Arnold.. Vera Cole Vera Lea Cole, 82, of Van Buren died Friday, Dec. 1, 2000, in a local nursing home. She was a homemaker and a member of Kibler Free Will Baptist Church. She was the widow of the Rev. James Murl Cole.Funeral will be 10 a.m. today at Ocker Funeral Home Chapel in Alma with burial at Gill Cemetery in Van Buren. She is survived by four daughters, Mickie Smith and Mary Alice Lamb, both of Van Buren, Martha Cole of Wagoner, Okla., and Donna Dodson of Lorton, Va.; one son, Ronald Dean Cole of Barling; three sisters, Virgie Eoff and Marie Fritton, both of Van Buren, and Wanda Frank of California; 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.Pallbearers will be her grandsons. Nellie Barrow Nellie Mae Barrow Baird, 91, died Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000. She graduated from Fort Smith High School as valedictorian, was a member of the first graduating class of Fort Smith Junior College, was active in the First United Methodist Church of Fort Smith, a member of the Fort Smith Rose Society, retired from the Fort Smith Public Library and was the widow of Silas J. Baird.Funeral will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Smith with burial at Garden of Memories in Charleston. She is survived by two daughters, Constance Baird Barnes of Fort Worth, Texas, and Carolyn Baird Sebastian of Springdale and one stepdaughter, Maryann Baird Munroe of Gahanna, Ohio; four grandchildren, Michael John Barnes of San Anotnio, Christopher Barnes of Bedford, Texas, Craig Sebastian of Russellville and Christina Marie Sebastian of Memphis; and two great-grandchildren. Carolyn (Parsons) Smedley angelears@alltel.net ================================= Volunteer for Rootsweb for Obituary, & ODT ======================================== SURNAMES: Brummitt, Clark, DeHart, Eslinger, Heryford, Mincher, Parsons, Smedley ========================================