Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Mary Forthman-Harper

Mary Irene Forthman-Harper, 85, of Benton, died Wednesday, February 27, 2002.

Harper was born on October 2, 1916, in Gurdon, to James and Rozetty Forthman.

She worked as a licensed psychiatric technician nurse at the Benton Service Center until her retirement in 1980. She was a member of the West Bauxite Missionary Baptist Church and the Saline County Quilters Guild. Harper was an avid deer hunter and fisherman.

Those preceding Harper in death were her husband, Olan A. Harper; one son, Jerry Olan Harper, and an infant daughter, Rose Marle Harper.

Survivors include one son, Steve Harper and his wife, Judith of Jessieville; three daughters, Shirley Green and her husband, Bob, of Benton, Virginia Harper of Benton and Catherine Smith and her husband, Carroll of Ozark; one daughter in-law, Linda Harper of Benton; one sister, Estelle Bear of Gurdon; eight grandchildren, Jerry Green, Robert Green, Laura Greer, Melissa Brown, Donna Harper, Jeremy Harper, Holly Harper and Ira Smith; three step-grandchildren, Jessie Green, T.D. Green, and Wyatt Smith; eight great-grandchildren; and numerous loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at West Bauxite Missionary Baptist Church in Bauxite on Friday, March 1, with Rev. Melvin Burris officiating. Graveside services were held at Bethlehem Cemetery in Gurdon.

Serving as pallbearers are grandsons, Jerry Green, Robert Green, Jeremy Harper, Ira Smith, Terry Brown and Jamey Greer.

Honorary pallbearers are Arrita Sadler, Agnes Baxley, Marie Towsend, Irene Bowers, Martha Crain, Aueen McClain, Hazel Stroud, Delena Peterson, Jo Stockton and Charlotte Pinkerton.

Special honorary pallbearers are her doctors and friends, Dr. Mark and Joe Martindale.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Saline Memorial Hospital Hospice or West Bauxite Missionary Baptist Church.

Arraignments made by Ashby Funeral Home Chapel.