Obituaries

Ophelia Wagnon Williams

Ophelia Wagnon Williams, age 88 of Warren, Arkansas joined family and friends into the presence of the Lord on Tuesday, January 22, at Chapel Hills Nursing Home, Warren. Ruth Ophelia Wagnon was born August 26, 1924 in the Blue Springs Community of Bradley County, Arkansas to John Robert and Mildred Chambers Wagnon. She graduated from Banks High School at the young age of sixteen and married the love of her life Burgess Williams on June 1, 1941. Ophelia and her husband established and operated Burgess Sales and Service a family owned business still operating in Warren. She worked at the business daily from 1950 until her retirement in 2007 and by example taught her children and grand children the work ethics and dedication necessary to succeed in the work force and in life. For 56 years she and Burgess operated a mail contracting business in Southeast Arkansas from the US Postal Service. They were awarded the Eagle Spirit Award from the US Postal Service in recognition of the many years of exemplary service. Ophelia was a charter member of Calvary Baptist Church in Warren where she was active in the choir and a Sunday School teacher. For over 50 years she sang in the Warren Quartet with her husband Burgess, brother-in-law Bruff Hudson and friend Alvin Doggett. The quartet had a daily radio show in the 1950's that aired at noon on KWRF-AM in Warren. Ophelia was a caring, compassionate and wise woman with a great sense of humor and beautiful smile. She raised her family in a home full of love, faith, good values and lots of fun and laughter. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Ophelia is preceded in death by a son, Robert Williams, daughter, Patsy Ruth Williams Trammel, and grandson ,Will Alpe. She is also preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Edward, Travis, and Delbert Wagnon; a sister, Marjorie Wagnon Cathey Miller. Ophelia is survived by her husband of 71 years, Burgess Williams, a daughter, Gloria Williams Alpe and husband Dick of Bentonville, grandchildren, Mike Williams and wife Sandra of Warren, Ladonna Williams Hammons and husband Joe of Warren, Robin Alpe Wright and husband Dan of Bentonville, and Kristel Williams Ashcraft and husband Craig of Rye. She is also survived by seven great-grandchildren, Chris, Christina, Jaclyn, Austin, Drew, Emily, and Katie and two great-great-grandchildren, Cole and Jaxson and many precious cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family members including the Nathan Moore family and the community of Cornerville where she and Burgess lived for 40 years and a daughter-in-law, Pat Williams, Warren. Funeral services 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, at Frazer's Chapel. Burial in Oakland Cemetery by Frazer's Funeral Home. Visitation 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 23, at Frazer's. Memorials may be made to Calvary Baptist Church, 605 Sturgis Street, Warren, Ark. 71671; Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Little Rock, Ark. 72202-3591; Life Touch Hospice, El Dorado, Ark. Online guestbookwww.frazerfuneralhome.com.

Published January 23, 2013

Upcoming Events