Adair County: Stillwell Democrat Journal
  Obituaries by  Wanda Elliott jwdre@intellex.com

January 6, 2000

MAYS
Word was received of the death of Amelia Carlisle MAYS, who passed away at her home in Roswell, New Mexico, on October 13, 1999. She was born June 9, 1918, at Greenland, Arkansas, the daughter of Inez and Albert CARLISLE.
She graduated from Westville High School in 1935 and married Ralph MAYS in Stilwell in 1941.
Survivors include one son, Waymon, of New Mexico; one brothers, Parks, of Arkansas; two nieces, Tanya, of Arizona and Cherie, of Arkansas.

ESSARY
Billy Ray ESSARY, son of Shelby Dow ESSARY and Naomi PATTERSON ESSARY, was born December 20, 1942, in Stilwell and departed this life to be with our Lord Tuesday, December 28, 1999 at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, Texas, after a long and courageous battle with leukemia. Billy was married to Joanne SITTON on September 8, 1961 and to this union were born two sons, Danny and Gary. Bill and his family moved to Longview, Texas, in 1976 where he was employed with Kroger Foods as a meat cutter and market manager for the past 30 years. He was preceded in death by his father, in 1998.
He is survived by his wife of the home in Texas; mother, Naomi, of Oklahoma; two sons, Danny, of Kansas, and Gary, of Texas; two brothers, James and Jim, of Oklahoma; and eight grandchildren, Meagan, Daniel, Jeffery, Sean, Shelby, Leah, Samuel and Nathan.
Funeral was held Monday, January 3, 2000 in the Roberts/Reed-Culver Funeral Home Chapel. Interment followed at the Stilwell Cemetery.

GLADDEN
Onva Georgia GLADDEN, daughter of George RAMSEY and Zona BEAN RAMSEY was born March 9, 1923 in Newton County, Arkansas, and departed this life to be with our Lord Tuesday, December 28, 1999 at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa at the age of 76 years, 9 months and 18 days. Onva was married to Joy GLADDEN on March 9, 1968, in Stilwell. She was a homemaker and a seamstress and enjoyed working in her garden and quilting.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Leonard SKITT; two brothers, Harve RAMSEY and Wendell RAMSEY; and two sisters, Frances ROSS and Dessie HANNAH.
She is survived by her husband; two sons, Steve and Robert, of Oklahoma; two daughters, Sharon and Norma, of California; three sisters, Ruby, of Oklahoma, Alyene, of Michigan and Margaret, of California; nine grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.
Funeral services were Sunday, January 2, 2000, in the Roberts/Reed-Culver Funeral Home Chapel in Stilwell with Pastor Newel POTEET officiating. Interment followed at the Rock Springs Cemetery.

GREGORY
Tarlton Reno "T.R." GREGORY, son of Abbott T. GREGORY and Ada SELF GREGORY was born August 29, 1908 in Hartshorne and departed this life to be with our Lord, Tuesday, December 28, 1999 at memorial Hospital in Stilwell at the age of 91 years, 3 months and 28 days. Tarlton was married to Ethel STUFFLEBEAM on February 11, 1929 in Stilwell and to this union were born six children, Elmer, Viola, Ella Mae, Mildred, Deloris and Joyce. He was employed with the Stilwell Canning Factory in 1950 until his retirement. He was a member of the Freewill Holiness Church.
He was preceded in death by both parents; his wife Ethel on May 13, 1999; six brothers, Carl, Arie, John, Cecil, Harvey and George and two sisters, Grace BOLINGER and Lena ROSE.
He is survived by one son, Elmer, of Texas; five daughters, Viola, of Oklahoma, Ella Mae, Mildred and Deloris, of California and Joyce, of Texas; 14 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services were held Thursday, December 30, 1999 at the Stilwell City Cemetery with Rev. Bobby COTHREN officiating under the direction of Roberts/Reed-Culver Funeral Home of Stilwell.