Archive - Apr 2012
April 4th
BENTON - The Benton Panthers came into Friday’s match against the conference leading Sheridan Yellowjackets looking to continue their winning ways after routing Texarkana on Tuesday. That is exactly what the Panthers did as they beat the Jackets 5-0 to move into a tie for first in the 6A South.
Though the Panthers got past the Jackets, the scoreboard was full of zeros until the bottom half of the sixth inning. Coulton Lee shut down Sheridan for seven innings on his way to tossing a complete-game shutout to get Benton to 3-1 in conference play and 10-4 overall.
April 3rd
Maurine Hankins McGugan, 95, of Benton died Sunday, April 1. She was born April 13, 1916 to Arthur and Carrie Hankins in Pine Bluff.Â
Maurine graduated from Ouachita Baptist College and taught second grade for several years. She lived 50years in Benton and the last 11 years at Fox Ridge of Bryant.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Ernest McGugan in May of 1995.Â

Betty Lou Van Horn Barnett, 83, of Ten Mile Community died Saturday, March 31. She was born Aug. 31, 1928, to Gladys Mills Van Horn and Ross Van Horn in Edinburg, Texas. Betty moved to Lonsdale at an early age. She married Vester Barnett on Dec. 7, 1947. She was a charter member of TOPS Arkansas No. 296 in Benton and a member of Lonsdale Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 52 years; brothers, Robert and Richard Van Horn; and two daughters, Sharon Clark and Carla Miller.
Jacob David Jordan, 23, of Bryant passed away March 30. He was born Oct. 4, 1988, to Todd and Dana Jordan in Little Rock.
On Friday evening, March 30, 2012, Flora May Linz, 83, of Bryant passed from this earth surrounded by family and friends.
She was born Sept. 2, 1928, in Bauxite to the late Nick and Alice Rodgers Patrick.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Central Church of Christ in Bryant.
Flora enjoyed the nature of her yard, writing poetry, working crossword puzzles and spending time with her family.
Debra R. Bodiford, age 56, of Benton passed away Sunday, April 1, 2012, at Saline Memorial Hospital. She was born Aug. 16, 1955, in Little Rock.
Debra worked at the Arkansas Health Center and was of the Jehovah's Witness faith.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert J. and Anita Faye Pruitt; and a daughter, Jessica Wooten.
Ella Louise Gatlin, 79, of Traskwood passed away Friday March 30, 2012.
She was born January 30, 1933 in Lake Village, Ark. Ella was a retired shift coordinator for the Alexander Human Development Center and a member of Traskwood Assembly of God Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ardell and Ethel Melton Williams; husband, Houston Gatlin; and a son, Ricky Gatlin.
Charles “C.W.” Cockman, 81, resident of Mayflower, passed away Friday, March 30, 2012.
He was born February 5, 1931 in Mountain Valley, Ark. to the late Charles Augusta Cockman, and the late Opal Lee Graves Cockman.
Mr. Cockman served in the U.S. Marines. He was a veteran of the Korean War, and earned medals in National Defense Service, Korean Service, and United Nations Service. Mr. Cockman was a telephone technician for Southwestern Bell Telephone for 38 years. He was proud of being a music director for many churches in the area.Â
Kenneth Rae Ball, 62, of Alexander, passed away March 31, 2012 at his home.Â
He was born June 5, 1949 in Huntington, West Virginia to the late Lowell and Roberta Ball.
Kenneth was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs in Little Rock in 2007 after working many years as a Safety and Occupational Health Manager.
Kenneth is survived by his wife, Janis Ball; son, Joshua Ball of Bryant; daughter, Anna Jones of Huntington, West Virginia; sisters, Nancy Messinger of California and Evelyn Fae Damron of West Virginia.
John Miller McGinness, 70, of Little Rock, died Thursday, March 29, 2012 at St. Vincents Medical Center in Little Rock. He was born November 5, 1941 in Little Rock the son of the late John and Neva Miller McGinness. He was retired from Maurice Sporting Goods and had served in the United States Air Force from 1960-1966. He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Paul McGinness.
