Mr. Dwight Devine passed away Saturday, January 5, 2019, at his home. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the P.K. Miller Mortuary.
Anna Hopper
Anna Joe (Balentine) Hopper age 89 went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, January 6, 2019, in Shreveport, LA. She was born on November 12, 1929, in New Edinburg, AR to the late James C. (Bud) Balentine and Emma Bryant Balentine.
Anna Joe grew up in New Edinburg/Emmaus Arkansas. She graduated with honors as Class Valedictorian from New Edinburg High School in 1947.
She retired in 1986 from Urology Associates working as Office Manager and Office Accountant in Ann Arbor, MI. Anna Joe married the love of her life Bob Hopper on September 20, 1948, and they moved to Detroit and lived in Michigan until they retired and moved to Cape Coral, FL.
They later lived for several years in LaFayette, GA and Warren, AR, prior to making their home in Shreveport, LA. No matter where Anna Joe lived she worshipped and served the Lord setting a life pattern and example for her daughters. Since moving to Shreveport in 2004 she and her husband Bob have been faithful members of Rose Park Baptist Church. Anna Joe loved her church family dearly. She and Bob loved to sing about the Lord and took part in nursing home ministries wherever they lived.
While living in Georgia they participated in prison ministry sharing the love of the Lord. Anna Joe and Bob had many friends throughout the country that they loved and with whom they shared good times and happy memories. She was a devoted fan of the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves baseball. She enjoyed counted cross stitch, reading, cooking and baking for her family and many friends. No matter what she did she gave 100%. Anna Joe was considered to be a very “special lady” by many. She was always willing to go the extra mile to lend a helping hand.
She had great capacity for loving and deeply loved her husband who she was devoted to for 70 years as well as her girls and all her grandchildren.
Anna Joe is also preceded in death by brothers Charles, Jimmy and Bobby Balentine and an infant sister Martha Nell. She is survived by three daughters Sharon Darnell and husband Ray; Nancy Wyrybkowski and husband Phil; and June DeLong and fiancée Ron Steele. Grandchildren Nickie Rowsey (Carl), Amy Collum, Larry Arnold (Jennifer), David Arnold (Jennifer), Joshua DeLong (Katie), Keith DeLong and Samantha DeLong. Greatgrandchildren Sydnie, Jacob, Kyle, Ryan, Sean, Hannah, Sarah, Taylor, Blake, Case and Colton; and her nephews and nieces who held a special place in her heart. The family is especially grateful for the tremendous outpouring of love and support from the Rose Park Baptist Church family as well as the care staff at the Bradford Senior Care Center.
Funeral service will be 1:30 p.m. Thursday, January 10 at Frazer’s Funeral Home with Dr. B.J. Maddox officiating. Burial will be in Moseley Cemetery by Frazer’s Funeral Home. Active pallbearers will be Josh DeLong, Keith DeLong, Jacob Ezell, Ray Darnell, Monty Balentine and Charles Ramsey. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. until service time on Thursday, January 10 at Frazer’s Funeral Home.
Shelby Ashcraft
On May 29, 1930, on a hill farm in Rye, Arkansas, James and Edith Ashcraft welcomed Shelby Gene Ashcraft, their only child, into the world.
In 1940, the Ashcraft family moved into the Union Community. They settled in and became active in Greenlee Memorial Baptist Church, where he served as a Sunday school teacher, Sunday School Supervisor, and deacon. Shelby lived a full life and wore many different hats throughout. He worked at Mead Dairy as a teenager, at a local DDT chemical plant until it shuttered its doors, at Joe Lee Supply Company until they closed, and settled at Hixson Lumber in retail sales until retirement. He continued figuring blueprints from home until his health stopped him from being able to do so. Shelby enjoyed sharing his history of the Union Community with family and friends until his final days.
Shelby Gene talked endlessly for his love of hunting, horseback riding, calf roping, skating and domino slinging. He loved to be surrounded by loved ones at all times.
Shelby was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 33 years, Evelyn Hankins Lunsford Ashcraft.
He is survived by his second wife, Wanda Hankins Taylor Ashcraft; granddaughter, Whitney Geniece Lunsford Lee (James Evan); stepson, Andy Taylor; stepdaughters, Rachel Taylor Boyd (Robert) and Debbie Taylor Angel; 6 step-grandchildren, and 5 step great-grandchildren. He also left behind many beloved friends and relatives, especially his church family at Greenlee Memorial Baptist Church.
Services were held at Ralph Robinson and Son Funeral Home. Funeral service was held January 7th, 10 a.m., burial followed in Union Cemetery, Rye, AR.
Online condolences: www.ralphrobinonandson.com.