Herbert A. Littleton Memorial fundraiser is successful

By Ethan Nahté

The Herbert A. Littleton Detachment

No. 1261 Marine Corps League (MCL) assembled for their monthly meeting at the American Legion on Sept. 16. Following roll call, commandant Ed Anderson was invited to speak first to talk of the success the MCL had in raising funds for Littleton’s plaque.

“You know, I remember thinking that Herbert A. Littleton’s from Mena — Medal of Honor — and he’s represented at the Medal of Honor Memorial. And I just wanted Mena, Polk County, to take care of HAL’s plaque. Since he’s our native son. So, we set out to raise funds for Herbert’s plaque, and if there is anything left it would go to the commission and construction of the other memorials.

“We were really pleased. At first, we set a goal of $2,500. And then we raised it. And something I want to hint at, there were two things. One was Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, [Injury Lawyers] in Little Rock. They found us because we had created a Facebook GoFundMe page. That’s how channel 11 found out about us. Because it just doesn’t go out on Facebook. It’s actually categorized in the family/emergency/funeral veteran-related items, etc., and then different organizations monitor it, and then if they see something that’s interesting, and that’s what happened was channel

11 saw and thought it was an interesting story that a local small town would be trying to raise funds for their native son for his plaque. They contacted Rainwater, Holt & Sexton.”

The law firm donated $1,000 toward the replacement of the plaque on KTHV 11’s “Saluting Heroes” that honors local heroes each month. Reporter Rolly Hoyt of KTHV 11 did a segment in June after he visited Mena on June 21 to speak with Anderson in front of the Polk County Court House where there is a memorial marker for HAL.

The following day, Anderson, along with Paul Garrett and John Smallwood of the Sydney S. McMath Detachment [No. 532] Marine Corps League of Little Rock, traveled to Little Rock to accept the check from the law firm, as well as to visit the Medal of Honor Memorial. Hoyt included those visits in the original segment that aired in June.

Hoyt also included an update in August about the local Marine Corps League raising enough funds for HAL’s plaque. The update was included at the end of the Saluting Heroes segment on KTHV 11 following a story on Garland County’s Memorial.

“We were able to receive that thou- sand-dollar check,” Anderson said.

“We went to Little Rock. Paul and John were there.

We kind of started off with a thousand dollars right off the bat.

“Long story short, locally we’ve raised $2,510. Adding the thousand dollars is a sum of $3,510. Right now, I’d like to present this cashier’s check to the representatives from the Medal of Honor Commission, Paul and John.”

Garrett said, “This check for Herbert A. Littleton will be matched by the Sydney S. McMath Detachment out of Little Rock. If any of you other detachments feel moved, we’re still a few thousand dollars away from our goal to complete this project. The goal number is $120, 000 and we’re at about $106,000-$107,000. We’ll be just north of $10,000 short when we match this check.

“Our guest is Erica Watts,” Anderson said. “She’s with Pulse Multi-Media.”

Providing some background, Anderson explained, “I’m the past coordinator for Toys for Tots. This fundraiser wasn’t my first effort in the community to raise funds for different items. Man, all I’ve got to do is go into The Pulse and someone is there. That’s extremely helpful and now we have Erica. We want to welcome her if she’ll come up.

“We have a certificate of appreciation to Pulse Multi-Media. Thank you for your coverage of our plaque replacement project for Medal of Honor recipient Herbert A. Littleton.”

Anderson invited Larry Wakefield, Commandant of the Marine Corps League Department of Arkansas to present Watts with a token of gratitude. Wakefield said, “Thank you very much for your service and helping us because PR is really what makes or breaks almost everything that we do. All the coverage that we can get, we appreciate it.”

Anderson also read the engraving of a plaque that was presented at a later time to Pulse Multi-Media editor and production manager Ethan Nahté. Wakefield said, “It’s always a good time to see a presentation like that. It’s a lot of work. We’re happy to be the beneficiary of that.”

Anderson said afterwards, “When I first heard about the damage at the Memorial, I told the Medal of Honor Commission that Mena/Polk County would take care of Herbert A. Littleton’s plaque replacement. I want to thank all of the individuals and businesses that helped us achieve our goal.”

Domestic violence is often shrouded in silence and stigma. It transcends age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and geography. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This time of awareness stands as a call to action and a promise of support for those affected.

Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional abuse.

The statistics surrounding domestic violence are staggering. In Arkansas, 40.8% of women and 34.8% of men experience intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes.

Nationwide, local domestic violence hotlines receive approximately 19,159 calls a day, an average of approximately 13 calls every minute.

The Arkansas General Assembly consistently reviews legislation designed to prevent domestic abuse, hold abusers accountable, and support victims.

In the 2023 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed ACT 849. This act adds aggravated assault on a family member or household member to past conduct that qualifies a person as a repeat offender for purposes of domestic battering in the first degree and domestic battering in the second degree.

In the 2021 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed ACT 800, the Arkansas Phoenix Act. This act amends the statute of limitations for offenses involving domestic violence and provides for training to be given to law enforcement officers on additional topics that arise in which domestic violence is suspected.

Legislators will continue to review our laws regarding domestic violence in future legislative sessions. Domestic violence is preventable. By raising awareness and providing education, we can work towards changing societal norms and behaviors that perpetuate violence.

If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic violence, visit www. laurascard.ar.gov to find resources near you.

The state Department of Education has released its annual school report cards, which allow parents to evaluate how well their children are being taught and whether they are learning at grade level.

The school report cards provide a wealth of data and create an effective system of accountability for public education.

Soon after the report cards were released, the state Secretary of Education appeared before legislators on the Joint Senate and House Committees on Education to explain the components of Arkansas’s school accountability system.

He opened his remarks by saying that he has heard from some educators who question the advisability of using letter grades. However, he said he’s a strong believer in grading schools from an A to an F because people are familiar with letter grades and understand them.

The data that includes school report cards can be found by searching the Internet for “My School Info.” The secretary later closed his remarks by saying Arkansas officials are studying web sites in other states looking for ways to improve ours and make it more user friendly. He conceded that sometimes educators tend to express themselves with “jargon” that they can understand but ordinary people cannot.

Most schools, 72.4 percent, earned the same letter grade as in 2022. Of the 1,020 schools that were awarded a letter grade 76 earned an A, compared to 77 last year.

Last year 92 schools failed and were given an F grade, and that number improved to 77 schools this year. The importance for Arkansas families is that students who attended a failing school last year are now eligible for financial help through Education Freedom Accounts, which the legislature created earlier this year.

The number of schools getting a D has gone up over the past year from 232 to 252, according to information presented to senators on the Education Committee.

The number of schools that earned a C is almost the same as last year, going up slightly from 414 to 416.

The Education Secretary told legislators that new data available this year allowed him to identify teachers whose students are improving beyond the usual measure of academic growth that is to be expected from one year to the next. He then identified 28 of those successful teachers who work in failing schools.

He asked them to discuss their strategies with Department officials, who are analyzing the characteristics that set them apart from less successful teachers.

Visiting their classrooms he witnessed methods that should not surprise any successful teacher, he said.

They teach “from bell to bell” and thus don’t waste valuable class time on non-essential activities. They have high expectations of every student and they keep them all engaged. No student had on earphones and none had their heads on their desk.

The Department also identified individual schools that showed the most continuous improvement in various indicators of student achievement. Called Schools on the Move Toward Excellence, they’re spread out in all parts of the state and not concentrated in prosperous areas.

Academic improvement ought to continue because the legislature approved the LEARNS Act earlier this year. It enhances literacy programs for elementary students. LEARNS stands for literacy, empowerment, accountability, readiness, networking and safety.

Karla

It is with rejoicing that we announce the passing of Karla “Faye” Geiger, better known as Faye, who peacefully left us on October 6, 2023, to be with the Lord. Born on August 20, 1932, Faye spent life as a beacon of love, generosity, and adaptability. Her resilient faith and flexibility were legendary, and her talents and strength were a source of inspiration to all who knew her.

Faye was a devout Christian who lived according to scripture, sharing vital lessons of love, faith, resilience, generosity and adaptability in her witness for Jesus. Her life was a testament of her unwavering faith, setting a rare example of true Christian values, and living according to them at every turn.

Faye’s legacy is characterized by her remarkable influence in the Baptist community. For many years, she was the voice of reason and guidance, effectively keeping the Baptist ministers in her life aligned with their calling. She embraced an adventurous spirit, which served her well since she was destined to move many times in her life; being married to a career Navy officer being stationed in various places over his 22-year career. Moving wasn’t a stranger to her even before marrying, her father was a Baptist minister who served in many churches throughout her childhood.

Upon retiring, Faye and her husband became missionaries serving first in the state of Alaska; then internationally in Aman, Jordan, and Ghana, Africa, and then later returned to the United States to serve as Home Missionaries in the Baptist Association serving the Midwest section from Texas to Canada; in the process also using the Bible to teach English as a second language to Mexican and Russian immigrants. This unique experience enriched her life tremendously and allowed her to touch many more lives in her path as she loved and served God’s people. She was a member of the Cherry Hill Baptist Church where she served as Sunday School superintendent where she kept up with all the church records and was part of the WMU.

Amongst her numerous leisure interest, Faye was a talented pianist, a collector of family pictures and she had a passion for journaling; doing so every day since she was a small child.

She is preceded in death by her parents; Karl Stonewall and Della Faye Clark McClendon; her loving husband, Robert Geiger; brother, Lewis McClendon; sister, Ruth Fite and granddaughter, Alicia Geiger.

She is survived by her three sons and daughters-in law; Grant and Judy Geiger of Yocana, Arkansas, Lewis and Charlotte Geiger of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and John Geiger of Jasper, Georgia; five grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren and a host of other family and friends.

We invite all who knew and loved Faye to join us in celebrating her life and legacy at her funeral service on Monday, October 9, 2023, at 2:00 PM, at Cherry Hill Baptist Church with Brother Jerry Taylor presiding. Interment to follow at the Cherry Hill Cemetery. As we come to terms with her loss, let’s remember Faye’s life not as a loss, but as a precious gift that made a profound impact on us all. Arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home, Mena, Arkansas.

Ann Frost

Shirley Ann Frost, age 75, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, September 28, 2023, in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

She was born on January 14, 1948, in Bailey, Texas, and was married to Ronald Dean Frost. She was a certified nurses assistant but had many passions including reading, gardening, playing cards and decorating. Shirley’s biggest joy was spending time with her family especially, shopping with her Aunt Margie. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and a friend and mother figure to many. She will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her husband, Ronald Frost; sons, Kenneth Frost (Martha) and Chad Frost; daughters, Ronda Frost, Kelly McCartney (Jeff), Petra McCleskey, Priscilla Strother (Stacy) and Kayla Davis (John); grandchildren, Ashley Hogan (Brison), Joshua Estel (Morgan), Brenden Estel (Tarra), Samantha Hurst, Alyssa Hunter (Zack), Blake Strother (Megan), Brock Strother, McKenzie Strother, Jaelyn Frost, Logan Frost, Zachary Frost, and Rebecca Frost; many great-grandchildren; her aunt, Margie Barker, and her niece, Shannon Ruiz.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Stiles, a son, Dion Frost, a brother, Ronnie Downing and three sisters, Debra, Terry and Carolyn Downing.

Mrs. Frost was sent for cremation under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Beasley Wood Chapel with Brother Stacy Strother officiating.

Joyce Marie Hughes, age 89, passed away Sunday, October 1, 2023, in New Braunfels, Texas. She was born September 28, 1934, in Mena, Arkansas, to the late James and Idabel Crawford.

Joyce was a devoted Mother, Wife, Sister, and friend to many. Even in her later years, she would brighten any room with her smile and happy nature. Everyone who met Joyce came away adoring her sense of humor and delightful attitude toward life. The majority of her career was spent as an expediter for Lyondel Petroleum in Houston, Texas. She loved to visit her family in Mena and raised a son who fondly remembers her love and support.

Mrs. Hughes is preceded in death by her loving husband, Bobby F. Hughes; sister, Claireen Crawford; mother, Idabel Crawford; and by her father, James Crawford.

She is survived by her son, William B. Hughes; granddaughter, Elizabeth Joyce Hughes; and by her brothers, Terry Crawford, and Steve Crawford. Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Randolph

Allen Cannon, 70, of Brinkley, Arkansas, passed away on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at the Forest City Medical Center in Forest City, Arkansas. He was born on October 16, 1952, to Harmon Randolph and Irene Mary Cannon in Roseburg, Oregon.

Randy was a man who found joy in the simplest things and shared his happiness with everyone around him. Randy was known to be a lover of a variety of music and a fan of Western movies. His love for Moonpies was legendary, always bringing a smile to the faces of everyone he shared them with. Randy’s favorite hobbies included raising chickens, fishing, duck hunting, and gardening. He was never one to shy away from getting his hands dirty, always tinkering and building things. His favorite vacation spot was on the Little Red River staying at a cabin with all his family.

In his interactions with others, Randy exuded an indomitable spirit of happiness and outgoing warmth. His compassionate, selfless nature was immediately evident, and he was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone or any organization that needed it. This led to his legacy of kindness, honesty, and understanding, which will always be remembered by his loved ones and the school systems in which he worked over the years.

Randy was especially fond of his children and grandchildren, considering them his greatest accomplishments. He made it a point to attend all their school events and games, creating precious memories and demon- strating his unwavering support. His pride in his work was also infectious, inspiring teachers and staff at all the schools he ever worked at. He believed there were no “bad” children, but they were just lacking something in their life. Randy cared very much and always tried to understand and help all the school kids he could.

In passing, Randy Cannon leaves behind a legacy of love, generosity, and boundless spirit. His kind heart, jovial personality, and enduring lessons of kindness, honesty, and compassion will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Randy was preceded in death by his parents.

Randy is survived by his loving wife of 23 years, Pam Cannon of Brinkley; four sons and daughters-in-law, Kyle and Gretchen Cannon of Hatfield, Mark and Luci Cannon of Mena, and Matt and Hillary Cannon of Watson, Oklahoma, and Adam and Stella Musgrave of Little Rock; two daughters and son-in-law, Christy and David Henry of Prairie Grove, and Stacey Musgrave of Mena; twelve grandchildren, Carson, Cason, and Caroline Cannon of Hatfield, Hunter, and Annie Cannon of Mena; Olivia, Cadie, and Avery Cannon of Mena, Kaylee, Alex, Nicole, and Emma Henry of Prairie Grove; and a soon to be great-grandchild; one brother and sister-in-law, Rodney and Shirley Cannon of Mountain Valley; two sisters, Karen Sexton of Fort Smith, Tina Coplen of Arkadelphia; his motherin-law, Louise Price of Grannis; his school family from over the years; several nephews and nieces and a host of other relatives and friends.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at 2:00 PM at the Christ Community Fel- lowship Church in Mena, Arkansas, with Brother Bobby Blasingame officiating. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena, Arkansas.

Pierce

Frances Joann

Pierce, age 90, of Vandervoort, Arkansas, peacefully passed Saturday, October 7, 2023, at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on Sunday, May 28, 1933, to Corbit Francis and Nettie Ann Ralls Randall in Vandervoort, Arkansas.

Frances Joann was a dedicated member of the First Baptist Church in Vandervoort, where she passionately attended services and participated in various ministries of the church. After becoming a Christian, Frances Joann faithfully read her Bible cover to cover each year, finishing for the 45th time this past September.

Frances Joann was a woman who truly loved God and had a deep desire for others to have a personal relationship with God. Her personality, so deeply rooted in faithfulness, served as an inspiration to all who knew her.

Throughout her life, Frances Joann took great pride in quilting, growing and canning food, and tending to her immaculate garden, flowers, yard, farm, and rock collection.

Today we remember Frances Joann for the wisdom she imparted, for the kindness she showed, and for the remarkable legacy she leaves behind. Frances Joann’s favorite Bible verse was 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Frances Joann is now in the loving embrace of the God she loved and served so faithfully. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all those she touched, and her lessons will guide us as we strive to follow in her footsteps.

Frances Joann is proceeded in death by her parents, Corbit Francis and Nettie Ann Ralls Randall; her husband, Frank Lloyd Pierce; and five siblings. Frances Joann is survived by her three loving daughters, Sheila Pierce of Vandervoort, Arkansas, Sally Kesterson and husband, Ricky of Grannis, Arkansas, and Selinda Salem and husband, Mike of Fayetteville, Arkansas; one brother, Coy Randall of Vandervoort, Arkansas; one sister, Margie Harper of Lone Star, Texas; seven grandchildren, Joshua Canada and wife, Daniela, Matthew Nelson and wife, Kelli, Jennifer Hill and husband, Jason, Shannon McDonald and husband, Mark, Andrea Toupin and husband, Justin, Micah Mansilla and husband, Hernan, and Erin Truax and husband Travis; thirteen beautiful great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, along with a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

No services are planned at this time with cremation arrangements are entrusted to the Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena.

The family asks in lieu of flowers for donations to be sent to Vandervoort First Baptist Church for purchase of Bibles.

Online Guestbook: bowserffh.com