Rick D. Griffin

Rick Griffin passed away at age 63 in Kansas City, Kansas at KU Medical Center on July 24, 2020 surrounded by his family.

Rick was the son of Clifton and Jannie Mae (Wells) Griffin. He was born on September 18, 1957 in Harrison, Arkansas.  He is preceded in death by his father Clifton Griffin and several aunts and uncles.

Rick is survived by his spouse, Gelica Tramell Griffin and his three children, Jason Jones of Springfield, Missouri, Greg Jones and his wife Erin of Harrison and Laura Jo Wilburn and her husband Robert of Valley Springs, Arkansas.  He was also survived by his mother, Jannie Griffin; 8 grandchildren, Katie, Clayton, Hunter, Greta, Mason, Walker, Hailey and Baby Ada. Rick was also survived by his special aunt Billie Brisco.

Rick graduated from Harrison High School and went on to attend classes at North Arkansas College.  He retired from the Harrison Fire Department and North Arkansas Regional Medical Center.

He loved the County and City Government which he served on for several years.  Rick attended Elmwood Baptist Church and had a love for Miracle Lighthouse Church.  Rick had a tremendous love for people which led him to the calling of service to people.  He loved hunting, fishing, and spear fishing.  He enjoyed and truly loved working with his son at the gun shop, Hilltop Armory.

Rick loved his children and grandchildren with all of his heart.

Services for Rick will be held Wednesday July 29, 2020 at 10:00 am at the Coffman Funeral Home Chapel in Harrison with Sam Kaunley and Arvin Adams officiating.  Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Tuesday evening from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the funeral home.

Pallbearers include Doug Wasson, Terry Sims, Bryan Unruh, Ron Thomas, Willie Brown and Cliff Barnett.  Honorary pallbearers are Johnny Savage, Dr. Allen Jackson, Jim and Karen Conner, Dr. Bill Mears, Dan Harness and Rick Bell.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Miracle Lighthouse Church, 1114 Ridgeway Loop, Harrison, AR 72601.

Joe Burton Powell

Buster

Joe B. Powell of Green Forest, Arkansas, was born February 4, 1929, in Green Forest, Arkansas to Jess and Una (Coxsey) Powell. Joe passed away and was united with his heavenly Father on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in Springfield, Missouri, at the age of 91.

Joe lived most of his life tending to the family farm in Green Forest, where he and his wife Freida raised chickens and cattle. When he wasn’t working on the farm, he operated bulldozers and heavy equipment for over 50 years, leveling the pads for over 1,000 poultry houses. He loved the Lord with all his heart, and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Green Forest, serving the Church with many years of commitment and wisdom. He was completely devoted to his family and was always there for them in unconditional love, purposeful teaching, and everlasting support.

Joe enjoyed spending time with those he loved - family, friends, and so many others he knew and cared for. Whether it was in sharing a meal, a cup of coffee, or a drive through the countryside, he wanted everyone he spent time with to feel important, cared for, and loved. Joe had a way of touching the lives of everyone he came into contact with. He had a way of showing kindness that inspired everyone. He loved to share stories of his life, his family, and most importantly, the story of Jesus. While we’re brokenhearted to let him go from this earth, we’re comforted in knowing he finished the race, kept the faith, and is now in his spectacular heavenly home - and we can only imagine it’s become even more spectacular since he arrived.

Joe is survived by daughters, Sandra Powell of Green Forest and Cindy Luebbering and husband Gregg of Green Forest; two grandchildren, Nick Luebbering of Berryville and Anna Luebbering of Green Forest; one sister, Frances (Powell) Blanchet, along with several nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Freida Powell, an infant daughter Cherri Kaye, and his siblings Carm, Vernon, Gene, Clint, Mattie Lee, R.T., Mary Katherine, D.K., John, and Barbara.

Funeral Services for Joe B. Powell will be 10:00 am, Saturday, June 13, 2020, held in the field across from Joe Powell's home located at 4450 Hwy 62 E., in Green Forest. The family encourages everyone to bring their own chairs for the service. Social distancing should be observed. Memorial donations for Joe B. Powell may be made to the Pickens Cemetery, c/o Anstaff Bank, PO Box 1900, Green Forest, AR 72638 or First Baptist Church, PO Box 550, Green Forest, AR 72638.

Ray Walters Shared Pictures

 Bert Bunch and Nellie Mae Powell Bunch in Colorado probably 1930’s.  In about 1934, Nellie awoke in the middle of the night to find Bert packing a bag.  What are you doing she asked to which he answered—leaving.—and he did.  He returned to Missouri, McDonald County, and remarried in 1936 to Rebecca Cox.  He may have never divorced Nellie.

Ralph Walters married Rose Bunch.  He was a blacksmith and then a welder who did pipe line work.  They spent time in Canada.

 Below is Ray Walters and wife, Sandy.  Nellie Powell was his grandmother.

 Rose Walters

 Rose Bunch and Ralph Walters on 50th wedding anniversary.

 Ralph and Rose’s Family Ruby Rose and Ray and I forget the other girl’s name...maybe Ida.

Jesse Powell

 Jesse Powell with Bible and below clipping about him.

 I can tell which is Grandma Powell and I think Aunt Una is next to her in the flowered dress.  There are six ladies and five ladies.  If sister Patsy was still with us she could name them.

Seventy Five Years ago today

Willis Powell was on a ship just off the island of Iwo Jima waiting for his number to come up.  He said for the invasion, each sailor was assigned to a landing craft. Each landing craft was assigned a number.  The numbers were then called up in random or unknown order to leave the ship and join the invasion.  

Below are the pages from his Navy records that were sent to me from the US Archives.

Truman Powell Family

 L to r Donnie, Aunt Frances, Kenny, Truman, Jimmy
Frankie and Virginia in front of Truman.

Interview with Aunt Thelma

Not long before Dad passed in 1988.  Aunt Thelma was a faithful sister.  She visited him often and when you are in your last days you love to see those who care.  The following year my sister Fleta interviewed Aunt Thelma and sent me a copy of some memories Aunt Thelma shared.  If you know someone who is old, interview them and record what they say.  These words will become a treasure to many.  When Dad and Thelma were small their house blew away in what Daddy always called a “cyclone”.  Today we say tornado. 

House Grandpa built in 1927.

If you know an elderly person go interview them.  They have a lot to share.
Interview with Aunt Thelma Powell Gwaltney May 21, 1989 by Fleta Powell Aday

Aunt Thelma said.....Grandpa Richard Powell was well liked and respected by his sons.  He was a very honest man.  That carried a lot of weight with my Dad.  “Grandpa never spoke a word to me.  He hardly ever said anything.”

My Dad Melton, Jesse, John, and Worthy were all at Grandpa’s helping him make something.  He was using a drawing knife on a piece of wood.   Grandpa was pulling the tool toward him when it slipped and sliced all the way down his leg.  The sons tried to see how bad it was, but Grandpa just shouted “get me in the house, get me in the house”.  They tried to get him to let him look at his leg but he said just cut the leg of my overalls.   I feel the blood in my shoe.  They cut the leg of his new overalls and there was only a little scratch and a few drops of blood. He jerked the pant leg down and said “let’s get back to work”.  Aunt Thelma said he was a big baby.

When Richard and Betty Powell moved to Nowata, OK, Thelma said her Dad and mother and all the children went to Berryville, AR and stayed over night and saw them off the next day.  They went by train.

The night the tornado (March 18, 1927) hit their house, Truman and Thelma held the back door shut and their Dad held the front door shut.  They couldn’t keep the door completely closed but kept the house from being completely destroyed they thought.  The storm damaged the house.  Several large oak trees were blown down in the front yard. They were right in front of the house.  This may have helped block the wind from the house.  The next day Melton set out for Green Forest to check on his brother, Jesse, and his family.  The storm picked Uncle Jesse’s house up from the foundation and set it back crooked.  The next day Aunt Thelma had to follow a hen turkey around all day to find its nest.  The turkey and Aunt Thelma were scared because of all the confusion.  Grandpa Melton Powell went to Alpena the next day to get shingles to fix the roof, but he came home with lumber to build a new chicken house.  Thelma thought maybe the frame of the house was damaged because Grandpa decided to build a new house.  The storm completely destroyed the old chicken house so Grandpa built a new chicken house first.  The family lived in the new chicken house while he built the house.  He tore the old house down. The chicken house had a dirt floor.  They had a wood stove in it.  Grandpa had built a platform across one end and the children slept on that on mattresses.  Winter came before the house was finished.  Snow would blow in the chicken house through the cracks.
End of interview

I know I have switched verb tense in what I copied.  It was in first person partly and third the rest so,it was hard to interpret.