OBITUARIES

OBITUARIES

Earl Crafton Beck, Jr.

Earl Crafton Beck, Jr., 83, of Memphis, Tennessee passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016. Raised on Casa Lorraine Plantation near Hughes, Mr. Beck graduated from Hughes High School, then attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Mr.

Beck was a member of Holy Cross Episcopal Church for over 50 years, and also attended Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis. Living most of his life at Horseshoe Lake, He was active in a large farming operation for 25 years before becoming a real estate broker, developer and contractor. In 1978 he purchased an empty cotton warehouse on Court Square and became the first developer to convert a large building of downtown Memphis into apartments and commercial space, provided with assistance from the Center City Commission. Mr. Beck completed several renovations in Midtown and East Memphis, and later with a partner built a number of new homes in Germantown and East Memphis. In recent years he has lived and worked near Horseshoe Lake as well as Heber Springs, where he was involved in the several building developments.

He was preceded in death by his father, Earl Crafton Beck, Sr.; mother, Lorraine Harrington Beck Johnston; wife, RoseAnn Pulley Beck; and former wife Nancy Mann McConnico. Mr. Beck is survived by his sister, Martha Beck Moore of Palm Beach, Florida; former wife, Tommie Tucker Saxon of Memphis; sons Earl Crafton Beck III of Jackson, Mississippi, Lyle Thomas Beck (Leslie) of Jacksonville, FL, James Tucker Beck (the late Liesl) of Memphis and John Beck McConnico (Kristina) of Oakland, California; daughter Elizabeth Lorraine Beck Fioravanti (Mark) of Nashville, Tennessee; former stepchildren, Denise DuBois Taylor of Como, Mississippi and Dean Carlton DuBois, Jr.

of Bethesda, Maryland; and four grandchildren Grace Beck, Anne Fioravanti, John Fioravanti and Henry ‘Ike’ Beck; niece Diana Moore of Boulder, Colorado and nephew John Moore of Darien, Connecticut.

The family will receive friends and relatives at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in West Memphis before the service on Wednesday, March 30th at 10 a.m. with the funeral starting at 11 a.m. and a reception immediately following. A private burial for the immediate family will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery in Midtown Memphis.

Memorial contributions can be made to Holy Cross Episcopal Church in West Memphis.

Frank James

Frank James, 49, of West Memphis was born Sept. 16, 1966, in Wilson and died Thursday, March 24, 2016, in Memphis, Tennessee.

He worked as an insulator for Insulation & Refractories Services in Memphis and was an honorary member of the VFW in West Memphis.

He was preceded in death by his father, Larry Brewer; and by a brother, Jesse James.

Survivors include his wife of 11 years, Lisa Beecroft James; his mother, Betty Brewer; two daughters, Tess Guy of Marion and Taylor James of Hernando, Mississippi; a son, Taylor Guy of Marion; three sisters, Gidget James Patterson (Kerry) of Caraway, Tina Russell of West Memphis and Veronica Montes of Memphis, Tennessee; a brother, Tim James of West Memphis; as well as many other friends and family.

The visitation will be held at Roller-Citizens Funeral Home in West Memphis on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 from 4 to 6 p.m. with a funeral service to follow at 6 p.m. An online guestbook is available at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com /westmemphis.

Roy Felix Sample, Jr.

Roy Felix Sample, Jr., 63, passed away Thursday, March 24, 2016. The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. until 10:20 a.m. today, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m.

at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where he was a member. Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Crittenden Memorial Park in Marion. Hernando Funeral Home has charge. He loved fishing and sports and was a huge Alabama fan. Survivors include his wife, Joy Rathheim Sample of Hernando; daughter, Bridget Christine Sample Blizzard (Michael) of Hernando; granddaughter, Madison Claire Blizzard of Hernando; sister, Patsy Sample Cordell (John) of Columbia, Tenn. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association or to the charity of the donor’s choice.