Past Grand Matrons <BR>and Past Grand Patrons

Past Grand Matrons & Patrons who have died since 1991

- - - - - 2009 - - - - -

1959/1960
Mrs. Eva Vogel
800 West Broadway, West Memphis 72301

1987/1988
Mrs. Georgia M. Milam
3908 Bristol Lane, Fort Smith, AR 72908

Georgia Milam,PGM

Georgia M. Milam, 86, of Fort Smith, died march 8, 2009 in Fort Smith. She was a former employee of the Whirlpool Corporation, a Member of the Greenwood United Methodist Church and the Order of Eastern Star. She a Past Grand Worthy Matron of the state of Arkansas for the Order of Eastern Star and former Worthy Matron of the Greenwood Chapter. Georgia was proud to have been an employee of Dillard’s Department Store in Fort Smith at the age of 82. She truly loved sales and knew what true customer service meant.

She is survived by two sons, Bill and his wife Patty Milam of Fort Smith, and Tony and his wife Martha Milam of Greenwood; four grandchildren, Brent Milam, Steva Coleman, Chris and Greg Milam; and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents Tony and Ruby Farrante, her husband, Harry Milton Milam, and her sister Rita Farrante.

Funeral service will be Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM in the Greenwood United Methodist Church with burial to follow in the Greenwood Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Greg, Brent, and Chris Milam, Ronnie Terry, Mike Cobb, and Harry Edward Johnson.

The family will greet friends at Edwards Funeral Home on Wednesday evening from 5-7 PM

Memorials may be made to the Greenwood United Methodist Church P.O. Box 548 Greenwood, AR 72936 or the O.E.S. of Greenwood P.O. Box 1922 Greenwood, AR 72936

2006-2007
Mrs. Jan Jackson
32 McKee Circle, North Little Rock, AR 72116

Jan Jackson

With her children by her side, Janice Carol Jackson walked into her Lord’s loving arms on the morning of March 8, 2009. Jan enjoyed being around people and she had a heart warming smile for everyone she met. In her last years, she refused to let her increasing chronic ailments hinder the pursuit of her goals. She will forever be remembered as a person who savored every last drop of life she could get.

Jan was born to the late Marcus and Gertrude Blackwood on December 7, 1939, in St. Louis, Missouri. She spent most of her childhood years in Paragould, Arkansas, and later moved to North Little Rock where she was a 1957 graduate of North Little Rock High School.

Deciding to follow her true calling to become a teacher, she enrolled at Arkansas State Teacher’s College and graduated in 1961. Her first job as a school teacher was with the North Little Rock School District at North Heights Elementary School.

After a brief period managing the family owned Blackwood’s Beauty Salon, in the Belwood subdivision of North Little Rock, she eagerly went back to the world of teaching. Her next assignment as a teacher was with Bayou Meto Elementary School in the Pulaski County Special School District where she taught until she retired.

Throughout her life she had been a member of the Order of The Eastern Star. Jan was originally installed into the organization on May 19, 1967 as a member of the Florence Chapter. This organization provided to her the friendship, support, and love that she cherished and held close to her heart for all of her days. The culmination of her membership took place on December 8, 2006, when she was installed as the Worthy Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of Arkansas. She took her appointment seriously and with a fiery ambition she saw to it that the organization ran successfully.

Jan is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Kevin Nichols of North Little Rock; a son and daughter-in-law, Kip and Robin Jackson of Sherwood; one twin brother and sister-in-law, James and Dee Blackwood of Sunnyvale, Texas; two grandsons, Jackson and Jared Nichols of North Little Rock; two nephews, Mark Blackwood and his wife Janie of Spring, Texas; and Jay Blackwood and his wife Sonya of Cypress, Texas; her traveling companion and best friend, Georgia Graham of North Little Rock; and her good friend and doctor, Dr. Joe Buford of North Little Rock; and many other friends.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to Dr. Buford’s office and nursing staff for their sincere love and care throughout these past years. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 11, 2009, at Levy Baptist Church, (501)753-7347. Internment will be at Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Roller – Owens Funeral Home, 5509 John F Kennedy Blvd, in North Little Rock, (501-791-7400).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in honor of Jan, be made to the Children’s Wing Renovation Fund at Levy Baptist Church, 3501 Pike Avenue, North Little Rock, AR 72118.

- - - - - 2008 - - - - -

1977/1978
Loyd Reese
208 Ada, Trumann, AR 72472
Phone: 870.483.0454
Entered into rest July 23, 2008

Mr. Loyd Franklin Reese (July 28, 1933 - July 23, 2008)

Mr. Loyd Franklin Reese was born on Friday, July 28, 1933, the son of the late Elmer and Ruby Blunt Reese. Mr. Reese died Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at St. Bernard's medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark., at the age of 74 years 11 months and 25 days.
He was born in Bay, Ark., and had lived in Trumann for four years. Mr. Reese was the former director for the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in Camden, a veteran of the U. S. Army, retired deputy sheriff and a former member of the Trumann Police Department.

He was 32nd degree mason and past Grand Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star.
He was the senior elder and member of the First Christian Church in Trumann.

Mr. Reece was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Billy Reese and one sister, Dortha Holmes.

Suvivors include his wife of 55 years, Glenda Pipkin Reese of the home; one son, David Reese of Ocala, FL; one daughter, Faith Reynolds of Trumann; one brother, Darrel Reese of Trumann; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

- - - - - 2007 - - - - -

Opal Woodall Ryals

1971/1972
Mrs. Opal Woodall Ryals
600 Hickerson - Apt. # 12, Conroe, TX 77301
Phone:936-756-5302
Entered into rest July 19, 2007

Opal M. Woodall Ryals (June 23, 1915 - July 19, 2007)

Mrs. Opal M. Woodall Ryals passed away on July 19, 2007 at the age of 92.
She was born on a farm outside of Jacksonville, Arkansas, on June 23,1915,
daughter of the late Joe Daniel and Minnie Stevens Aldridge. Mrs. Woodall
Ryals was a resident of Stuttgart, Arkansas, for 54 years and spent the
last three years with her son in Conroe, Texas.

She was a Past Grand Matron, Order of the Eastern Star, General Grand
Chapter Committee Member, Past Matron, Stuttgart Chapter #102, and a
dual member of Pines Chapter #517.
She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Charles R. Woodall; her
husband of 7 years, Felix W. Ryals, Sr., and her great-grandson,
Tyler Gray.

Mrs. Woodall is survived by her son, Raymond Woodall and wife, Dorothy, of
Montgomery, Texas; daughter, Barbara Gray of Fort Worth; and grandchildren,
Sharon Woodall Hewitt and husband, Stan of Slidell,
Louisiana; Scot Woodall and wife, Colleen of Denver, Colorado;
Terri Gray Kane and husband, John of N. Richland Hills, Texas; and
Jeffery Gray and wife, Deana of Van Nuys, California. She is also survived
by 13 great-grandchildren and several nephews and nieces.

Services will be held on Wednesday, July 25 at Little Rock Funeral Home,
8801 Knoedl Ct. (NW corner I-630 and Barrow Rd.), with visitation beginning
at 1:00 p.m., followed by the funeral service at 2:00,
officiated by Rev. Stan Parris of Immanuel Baptist Church.
Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to O.E.S. or the Heart Association.

Bill Diederich
1975/1976
O.W."Bill" Diederich
Entered into rest May 22, 2007
Otto W. Diederich 3/18/1919 - 5/22/2007

Otto W. “Bill” Diederich, 88 of North Little Rock, AR left this life,
Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at his home. Bill was born at 2716 Pike Avenue,
North Little Rock, then known as Levy, AR, on March 18, 1919 to the late
Otto William Diederich and Carrie Jane Sullivan Diederich who lived at
this address all the rest of their lives. Bill Diederich was a
successful independent business owner in North Little Rock. He provided
industrial and commercial refrigeration service in Central Arkansas for
47 years with the support of his wife LaNora.

Bill was a member of Park Hill Christian Church, Crescent Masonic Lodge
#403 and Florence Chapter #15 Order of the Eastern Star. He and LaNora
served as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron together in 1969. In 1975 he
served as Master of Crescent Lodge. Bill served as Worthy Grand Patron for
the Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Arkansas in 1976.
Following his term as Worthy Grand Patron, he received several General
Grand Chapter appointments.

He married LaNora Mae Bryant in 1942 and together raised four children
with great love for each one.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Sylvia Diederich
Phillips of North Little Rock.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, LaNora Mae Bryant Diederich of
North Little Rock; two sons, Otto William Diederich, Jr., and his wife,
Ginger of North Little Rock, Joe Paul Diederich and his wife, Jan of
Fayetteville, AR; two daughters, LaNora Jeanne Diederich Oholendt and
husband, Phil of Vail AZ, Zola Jane Diederich Oholendt and her husband,
Ron of Black Forest, CO; six grandchildren, Dr. Brian Oholendt and his
wife Samatha of Sherwood, AR, Dave Oholendt of Durham, NC, Tiffany
Diederich Culbertson and her husband, Charles of Lewisville, TX,
Dr. Andrew Diederich and his wife, Jenny of Little Rock, AR,Matt Oholendt
and his wife, Melissa of Minneapolis, MN, Steve Oholendt of Fort Collins,
CO; and four great-grandchildren, Michael and Gabriel Culbertson and
Hayden and Benjamin Oholendt.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 26, 2007, at
Roller-Owens Funeral Home Chapel (501-791-7400) in North Little Rock.
Service will be conducted by Reverend Miles Cook of Park Hill Christian
Church. Masonic graveside service will be at Bayou Meto Cemetery at
Jacksonville, AR.