Hurshel L KEITH (VETERAN WWII)

Hurshell
US Navy
World War II
August 27, 1921 - December 13, 2010

*Obituary
Benton County Daily Record
Wednesday, December 15, 2010

HIWASSE — Hurshel Keith, 89, a lifelong resident of Hiwasse, Ark., passed away at home Monday, Dec. 13, 2010. He was born on Aug. 27, 1921, to Lloyd and Pearl (Banks) Keith in Hiwasse.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and one sister, Geneva Dreisoerner.

He proudly served in the U.S. Navy during WWII.

He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Billie I. Keith; five children, Larry Keith and his wife, Regina, of Hiwasse, Ark., Paula and the late Gary Hutcheson of Bentonville, Ark., Sally Bennett and her husband, Carl, of Rogers, Ark., Alan Keith of Hiwasse, Ark., and Betsy Meek and her husband, Mike, of Gravette, Ark.; seven grandchildren, Sherry Stalls and her husband, Brent, of Bentonville, Ark., Paul Keith and his wife, Kristin, of Hiwasse, Ark., Christy Slocum and her husband, Joe, of Bella Vista, Ark., Andy Keith and his wife, Rachel, of Smyrna, Ga., Ashley and her husband, Scott McKenzie of Broken Arrow, Okla., Brett and Brandon Meek of Gravette, Ark.; and four great-grandchildren, Raef Stalls of Bentonville, Ark., Katie and Eli Keith of Hiwasse, Ark., and Jake Slocum of Bella Vista, Ark. He is also survived by a cousin, J.H. Keith of Pryor, Okla.; and a special cousin, Dan Taylor of Powell, Mo.; and numerous nieces, nephews and many friends.

Hurshel, a retired turkey and cattle farmer, enjoyed fox and wolf hunting, tractors and mule shows, farm auctions, whittling on the front porch and talking to everyone. He never met a stranger.

Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Callison-Lough Funeral Home in Bentonville, Ark.

A visitation will be held prior to the service from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.

Interment will be held in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Hiwasse, Ark., John Dyas will officiate the service.

Pallbearers will be Lonnie Phelps, J.W. Ramsay, Don Robins, Gary Galyean, Dale Merget, Jerry Easley and Hank Kilgore.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Hiwasse Church of Christ.

Services are under the care of Callison-Lough Funeral Home of Bentonville, Ark.

Online condolence may he made at www.callisonlough.com.

Billie
November 1, 1921 - June 24, 2012

*Obituary
Benton County Daily Record
Tuesday, June 26, 2012

HIWASSE — "Billie" Louella Irene Douglas Keith, age 90, entered into rest on June 24th, at Highlands Health Care in Bella Vista.

Billie was born Nov. 1, 1921, in Centerton, Ark., to Paul Oliver Douglas and Ella Matt Callis Douglas. Other than short periods of time in Jacksonville, Fla., and San Deigo, Calif., she lived her entire life in Benton County. She married Hurshel L. Keith on Dec. 9, 1941, in Bentonville. They started farming on the home place south of Hiwasse where she was still living prior to her Last illness. She was preceded in death by her mother and father; one sister, Eveline Curtis; her husband of 69 years, Hurshel Keith; and son-in-law, Gary Hutcheson.

Billie is survived by five loving children, Larry (Regina) Keith of Hiwasse, Paula Hutcheson of Bentonville, Sally (Carl) Bennett of Rogers, Alan Keith of the home and Betsy (Mike) Meek of Bella Vista; seven grandchildren, Sherry Stalls of Bentonville, Christy Slocum of Bella Vista, Paul Keith of Gravette, Andy Keith of Smyrna, Ga., Ashley McKenzie of Broken Arrow, Okla., Brett Meek of Bella Vista and Brandon Meek of Bella Vista; four great-grandchildren, Raef Stalls, Katie and Eli Keith and Isabella McKenzie; two brothers, Gene Douglas of Centerton, Calvin Douglas of Bentonville; niece, Marie Garrison of Springdale; cousin, Dan Taylor of Powell, Mo.; and numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins.

Billie was well-known for her delicious cooking, feeding her family home-cooked meals three times a day, drop-in family and friends as needed, and farm workers every day at noon. She worked alongside Hurshel in the many chores that farm life required, then went inside to take care of a home for a family of seven and often one of their parents would be in the home also.

She was a master gardener, both vegetable and flower. She truly loved all flowers and would bring home a sprig of any plant that she could get hold of. She cooked for neighbors if they needed and did bunny cakes every Easter for fun. One year she did 12 cakes and gave one to each child in her Sunday school class as a gift. She was a faithful member of the Hiwasse Church of Christ, where her last attendance date was Wednesday evening, June 13, 2012.

Also, in her youth, she was an accomplished seamstress. After she and Hurshel first married, they spent some time in Jacksonville, Fla., and San Diego, Calif., where he was stationed while serving in the Navy during World War II. When they were younger they did what many Arkansans did and traveled to Washington state to pick apples in the fall for extra income.

Funeral service will be held at the Hiwasse Church of Christ on Wednesday, June 27, at 10 a.m. with Gene Roberts officiating.

A visitation will be held today, June 26, from 5 until 7 p.m. at Callison-Lough Funeral Home in Bentonville. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, west of Hiwasse.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Southern Christian Children's Home, P.O. Box 649, Morrilton, AR 72110.

Married December 9, 1941

Contributed on 9/2/20 by wfields55
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