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By Norma Blanton Guest Columnist
Early morning lightning, thunder, rain and fog hampered travelers and was not good for the Bismarck Bar-B-Que Bash on Saturday morning. Officials moved the beauty pageant event to the Bismarck school area, and the United Methodist bake sale was in the church activities room.
The Malvern-HSC Library Bookmobile was parked in the usual spot, and the children’s rubber-like play buildings were rocking. About sixty were present for the 17th annual Calvin Monterville Copeland Family Reunion in the Alpine Community Center on Saturday. Charline Knight and I were late, but in time for the potluck lunch. From Arkadelphia were Beulah Copeland Roberts and her daughter, Diane Crist and Mildred and John Small and their daughters, Letha Duke and Sharon. Sitting with Beulah were George and Evelyn Herron of Mountain Home. Beulah is a granddaughter of C. M. Copeland, and the only other surviving grandchild is Clarence Copeland, who is in a Malvern care facility and his family did not attend. Hughie and Mary Lambert of Hot Springs were present, as were Freda (Copeland) York and Bill York, Jr. of Conway and Virginia (Looper) and Arlo Copeland of the Beaton community. From Hurst, Texas, were Skeeter and Don Copeland. J. P. Copeland started for the reunion from Grapevine, Texas, but after a flat in New Boston and a waiting period in the rain for repair service from Texarkana, he returned home. Ora Copeland and many of her children and grandchildren were present. They are from the Sweet Home community, Amity, Caddo Gap and Kirby. Martha Stroope Lambert was present and several of this group will be with her at the Stroope reunion on Oct. 11. Betty (Copeland) and William Ray Lambert, their daughter, Charlotte Watson and her children, Brandi, Randi and Chad Jones were there; as were Stan, Della (Copeland) Mitchell and Joshua;Joyce Copeland York, her two daughters and their children, Brenda and Karmen Cooksey and Zoe Cox, Denise Deputy with Loren, Zach, Hannah and Matthew. Also, Lillie Copeland Garner with Samantha, Sarah and Sylvia Garner; Beverly (Copeland) and T. J. Smith; Dalton, Brittany, Victoria and Timmy Todd; Margaret (Wilson) Sims and Brilynn Faith Sims, born in December 2007. Others included James and Penny (Copeland) Wright with Amy and Fern (Copeland) Wehunt and granddaughter, Santana Coranado. Deaths since the last reunion included Chloie Runyan and Eugene Bartley of Arkadelphia who died in August. He sometimes came to the reunion with Beulah Roberts. There are usually babies, and the smallest was great-granddaughter of Joyce York. Zoe was born prematurely at about two and a half pounds, and at three months is still small, but all right. Family members and relatives of the late Sarah Frances “Sally” (Hammock) and George Lambert met on Sunday at the Point Cedar VFD activities room to visit and enjoy a pot luck lunch. About 75 were present. The nine children of this couple were Jasper, Winnie (Griffith), Lola (m. Clinton Lambert), Hazel (Ross), Franklin, William, Bob, Virgie (Johnson) and Hobson Lambert. Most are deceased. Bob and Wanda Lambert live in the community, and Winnie Griffith will celebrate her birthday next weekend. Edith (Griffith) and James Olen Lambert were at the reunion, as were Wynona Lambert, Bennie Lambert, Johnny Ross and grandson, Johnny Ross and others from these major families. Extended family included Lavern Lambert Ashley, Florence Lambert Rosenbaum and her son of Nashville, Charlie, Clyde and Sam Martin. Several of the late Frank Lambert children were on a trip, but were returning so Hilda and husband, Russel Welch could attend funeral services for his brother, Preston A. Welch, 77, of Glenwood, who died Oct. 3. Burial was Monday in the Jones Cemetery. Benny F. Dickerson, 73, of Hot Springs, a native of Oklahoma, died Sept. 30. He was predeceased by his wife, Alma Chancellor Dickerson. Survivors are five children, Ben K., Charlie, Bonnie (Maggert), Ree Guess, Nancy (Wilson) and a brother, William. Burial was in the Oak Bower Cemetery, Bismarck. Paul Lorntzen, 79, of Point Cedar died Oct. 3. He and Jane moved here about 20 years ago, and in early 1990 Paul was helping with the organization of the Point Cedar Volunteer Fire Department. Statistics are not available on Monday morning. The memorial service will be at the Caruth-Hale Funeral Home in Hot Springs.
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