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Submitted: 4/20/20 • Approved: 4/21/20 • Last Updated: 6/29/23 • R1311662-G1311661-S3
August 29, 1916 - January 31, 2016
Rebekah Hunnicutt Smith, age 99, of Camden, formerly of Cotton Plant, Bald Knob, and Little Rock, passed quietly from this life on Sunday, January 31, 2016 in Camden, AR.
Rebekah was born August 29, 1916 in Cotton Plant, AR, she was preceded in passing by her parents, Clarence and Addie Whitley Hunnicutt; her first husband, Robert B. Wunnenberg, her second husband, Sinclair Smith; her sisters, Donna Sue Haisty and Kathleen Green; her brother, Doyne Hunnicutt; and her son, Michael Cramer Wunnenberg.
Rebekah is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Amanda Tate Wunnenberg of Camden; her daughter and son-in-law, Tom and Becky Bryant of Monroe, LA; and her bonus-daughter and husband, Judy and Herman Veselka of Arlington, Texas. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Robert Tate Wunnenberg, Mary Elizabeth Mulligan (Sam), Tracey Stark (Brandon), Amy Garland (Kreg), Dean Bryant (Tricia), Amanda Courville (Stoney), Laura Richard (Tim), Cathy Gann, and Carolyn Hasten (Barry) She is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren. Rebekah had a most loving relationship with each individual member of her family, including cousins, nieces, and nephews.
During her long life, Rebekah performed many jobs, beginning at about age ten when she wrote news columns for the local newspaper. As her life proceeded, she would be a local correspondent for the Arkansas Gazette; a teacher of public speaking; secretary for a group of engineers, and her brother’s automobile dealership; and finally, wedding director at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock. As wedding director at PHUMC for 14 years, she directed 375 weddings.
Rebekah was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church, and lived every day of her life in accordance with her faith. Therefore, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 121 Harrison St., Camden, AR 71701. Memories of Rebekah may be shared online at www.proctorfuneralhome.com
As Rebekah’s son, the responsibility for writing her obituary fell to me. I wrote the above following a basic format, but when I got to here, I realized I had not told who she really was. Who was she? She was my mother, and had loved me with a mother’s love from the moment I took my first breath until she took her last, seventy-four years later. Then, as I thought about it, I realized that she had loved every member of her family with that same intensity, and furthermore, loved everyone she ever called friend in the same way. She always saw the best in everyone. So, that is who she really was.
Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at First United Methodist Church, Camden, AR. Funeral services will follow the visitation at 2:00 p.m. at the church. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in
Camden. Arrangements are by Proctor Funeral Home of Camden.
Contributed on 4/20/20 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 1311662