Classmate Obituaries - Letter F

These obituaries correspond with the yearbooks that are listed on this website. Whenever possible, the source of the obituary will be shown as well as the date.

Farrell, Brenda

4 Benton Residents Die in I-30 Crash Of Car, Horse, Truck
Four Benton residents 18 to 21 years old were killed Monday night when a car hit a horse on Interstate 30 highway northeast of Benton and veered into the path of a semi-trailer truck.
Killed were:
Bradley Maxey, 20, of 2011 Durwood Dr.
Brenda Faye Farrell, 18, of 518 First St.
Wanda Kay Wilson, 19, of 214 Magnolia St.
Shareen Mont Eubanks, 21, of 2211 W. Lakeview.
State Trooper Ronny Burke, the investigating officer, said the accident occurred at 11:44 p.m. the site was right in front of the Prickett Dairy, near the Bryant interchange on I-30.
Burks said the four victims were in a white 1957 Plymouth owned and driven by Maxey. The car was going south toward Benton from Little Rock.
Miss Farrell was in the right front seat, Miss Wilson in the left rear seat and Miss Eubanks in the right rear seat.
The car was in the left lane of the southbound section of the highway when it struck a horse that was on the highway, Burke said.
Burke said the car then veered out of control across the median into the northbound lanes, where it collided with a trailer truck which was carrying another truck and trailer.
The truck driver was identified as Eulogio Gonzales of Dallas, Texas. The truck belonged to Texas Tool Trailers.
The car came to rest in the median between the highway and the south service road, upside down. Two of the passengers were thrown out of the car. Passers-by right the car and pulled Maxey and Miss Farrell from it.
Miss Wilson was killed instantly, according to Burke. Maxey and Miss Farrell were taken to Saline Memorial Hospital and were pronounced dead there at 12:35 a.m. Miss Eubanks was taken to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock and was pronounced dead there at 1:10 a.m. Head, chest and internal injuries were the apparent causes of death.
The truck driver was not injured at all. Two other employees of the truck line who were passengers in the truck were injured slightly, one with a sprained wrist and the other with a bump on the head.
A few seconds after the fatal collision another car hit another horse at about the same location.
The second car was a 1964 Lincoln Continental driven by Preston Read of Athens, Alabama. He and his wife were not injured.
The Reads were southbound and Read observed part of the preceding collision, Burke said.
Both horses were killed by the impacts. The one that was hit by the Read car was a small horse, Burke said.
State Trooper Harry Troutman from Little Rock assisted Burke at the scene of the accident.
Funeral plans and survivors of the victims are listed in the obituary section elsewhere in The Courier. Photos of the victims are on Page 10A.
Trooper Burke said the horses were the property of Freddie Prickett, who lives beside the highway at the scene of the accident. Burke said he had conferred with the prosecuting attorney and no criminal charges will be filed in connection with the accident. [from the Benton Courier, Thursday, June 27, 1968, page 1]

Miss Brenda Farrell
Miss Brenda Faye Farrell, aged 18, died June 24 as a result of an automobile accident. She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. V. L. Farrell; two brothers, Gary and Kenneth, both of Benton; and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Farrell of Dermott and Mrs. Ora Brown of Benton. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Fairplay Baptist Church with burial at Fairplay Cemetery by Ashby. [from the Benton Courier, Thursday, June 27, 1968, page 10A] [Benton Class of 1968]

Fikes, Austin Ramsey

Austin Ramsey Fikes of Benton died Thursday, August 1, 2002, of cancer. He was 74.
He was born December 15, 1927, to John and Austrilla Fikes. He was retired from Alcoa after 35 years of service, which included supervision of the Sinter plant operation. He was a deacon of First Baptist Church of Benton. He was a volunteer for Churches Joint Council of Human Needs. He was a licensed pilot who gave flying lessons and served on the county airport commission.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Eleanor Fikes; three children, Nancy, Cindy and John; his other "daughters," Chris Covey Fikes and Cindy Marie Hogue; two grandchildren, Anne Fikes and Austin Fikes; a brother, Stuart Fikes; a brother, Stuart Fikes; a sister, Marion Carttar of Benton; and severe nieces and nephews.
Funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist church. Arrangements are by Roller-Ballard Funeral Home in Benton.
Following the service and a private luncheon, the family will be at 1618 Lynnwood.
Memorials may be made to CJCOHN, 308 West Narroway, Benton, AR 72105, or the First Baptist Church of Benton building fund. [from the Benton Courier, August 2, 2002] [Benton Class of 1945]

Fikes, Freddie

Freddie Fikes, 58, of Hot Springs, died Wednesday, April 9, 2008, in a local hospital.
Born August 28, 1949, in Hot Springs, to Alvie R. and Josie HIll Fikes, he was a used car salesman, owned Fikes Auto Sales, was a minister and member of Apostolic Faith Tabernacle.
Survivors include his wife, Donna Fikes, of Hot Springs; two daughters and one son-in-law, Tawaynia and J. T. Helms, of Cleveland Tennessee, and Amber Lamb, of Benton, Tennessee; one brother and sister-in-law, Alvie "Snapper" and Janie Fikes Jr. of Hot Springs; and two grandchildren, Zachary Helms and Nicholas Helms.
The service will be 10 a.m. Saturday in Apostolic Faith Church with Brother Dennis Anderson officiating.
Pallbearers will be Milton Yeamon, Mike Bell, Alex Thomas, Glenn Ellis, Obie Staggs, Hank Yeaman, Noah Williams, and Bruce Anderson.
Honorary pallbearers are Larry Parker, John Swisher, Richard Davenport, the Revs. Coy Damon, Charles Hill, Bob Thornton, J. E. Peters, William Lambert, Larry Teas, Bill Dillon, Steve Drury, Dallas Shuff, David Gilmer, Jerry Miller, and Grant Mitchell, Dr. Neeraj Bharany, staff of Cancer Care Center and doctors and staff of St. Joseph's 4-West.
Burial will be in Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. today in the church.
Arrangements are by Hot Springs Funeral Home. [from the Sentinel-Record, April 11, 2008, page 8A] [Hot Springs Class of 1967]

Fletcher, James Louis

Benton - James "Louis" Fletcher, 78 Benton, died October 4, 2001. Survivors: wife, Eloise Fletcher; sons, Jim, M. Bruce Fletcher; daughter, Debbie Gilmore; stepdaughter, Diane Jones; 12 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren; brother, Glenn Fletcher; sister, Dorothy Nayler. Services: 11 a.m. Monday, Church of Nazarene. Burial: McPherson Cemetery. Visitation: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Ashby's. In lieu of flowers, memorials: Church of the Nazarene, 1203 W. Sevier, Benton. [from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, October 7, 2001, page 8B] [Paron Class of 1941]

Foster, Janet Billingsley

Janet Foster would like to let you know that her work on earth is done. She received a call of an offer she couldn’t refuse, for an appointment from which she will not be returning. This assignment comes with a huge sign-on bonus, eternal life with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and a reunion with family and friends she has not seen in a long time.
Janet Lou Billingsley Foster, age 66, of Bryant, was born July 10, 1950, in Prescott Arkansas, and she went to be with her Lord and Savior at his appointed time on July 18, 2016.
Janet was preceded in death by parents, Hazel and Hershel Billingsley; sister, Jeannie Billingsley and brothers, Mickey Billingsley and Edwin Bolleria.
She is survived by daughter Gina and son in-law Kent McVey of Chandler Oklahoma; son, Joseph Leslie Foster III (Trey) and daughter in-law Bobette Foster of Vilonia; grandchildren, Dr. Chelsea Reneé McVey, Foster Brooks McVey, Kyle Joseph Foster and Carter James Foster; sister, Ernestine Starkey; brothers, Roger Urrey, Dan Billingsley, and Rickey Billingsley; a wonderful group of sister in-laws, many nieces and nephews, and countless friends.
In some of the notes left to the family, Janet recited the old quote “actions speak louder than words." No other quote could better describe the many positive attributes of her life. She was a worker and she showed her children and grandchildren that no task was too big that a little determination and hard work couldn't complete. Janet worked until her retirement as an early childhood coordinator working with special needs children, a job that demanded countless hours of patient steadfast instruction which positively affected an untold number of children. In her years since retirement, Janet continued to work hard assisting the homeless; she served as a Red Cross Volunteer and a Pancan member. In Janet’s world nothing was left undone including having mulch put in the flower beds just last week. There is just one exception, she didn't write her own obituary, but all other things TAKEN CARE OF!!!
Janet's presence among us will be greatly missed, but we are confident her presence in heaven was much welcomed.
Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 at Ashby Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 20 at The Church at Rock Creek with burial at Pine Crest Memorial Park. [from Ashby Funeral Home online obituary] [Benton Class of 1968]

Freeman, Charlene Powell

Charlene M. Freeman, 68 of Benton, passed away August 8, 2016. She was born June 18, 1948, in Little Rock to the late Charles Powell and Bobbie Carter. Charlene was a licensed practical nurse. She loved helping people and enjoyed eating out with her family and friends. Charlene’s hobbies were shopping, reading and gambling as well as enjoying a good Diet Coke and a Snickers.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rick Freeman. Charlene was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors, son, Richard Freeman, brothers, Jimmy Powell, Chuck Cornelius, Steve Powell, sisters, Gail Parnell, Sharon Faust and Connie Rudder, grandchildren, Tyler and Tiana Freeman, great grandchild, Jayden Freeman.
Chapel services by Ashby Funeral Home will be 10:00 a.m. on Saturday with burial to follow at Pinecrest Cemetery.
Visitation will be 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday at Ashby’s.
Family comments: She will be greatly missed by family, friends and co workers. [from Ashby Funeral Home online obituary] [Benton Class of 1967]