Individual Details

Death

Mary Alice Furr, 73 of Van Buren passed away Sunday, November 6, 2011. She was born September 9, 1938 in Fort Smith to the late John and Ethel Prescott. She was a Transcriptionist for Sparks Regional Medical Center and Dr. Sills. She was preceded in death by her husband Donald Furr. Funeral Services will be will be 10:00 AM Thursday, November 10th at Fentress Mortuary Chapel with burial to follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Fentress Mortuary of Fort Smith. She is survived by her daughter Donna Shipley of Fort Smith, two sons David Wayne Furr of Fort Smith and Kevin Michael Furr of Dallas, TX; her brother Jimmy Prescott as well as seven grandchildren. Visitation will be 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Wednesday, November 9th at the funeral home.

Mary Alice Furr, 73, of Van Buren died Nov. 5, 2011. The daughter of the late John and Ethel Prescott, Mary was born in Ft. Smith in 1938. She graduated high school a year early in 1955 and boarded a train to California to marry Airman Donald Furr, also of Ft. Smith. The couple raised three children while traveling with the U.S. Air Force, living in many of the states across the country from California to Florida, as well as in Germany. But they always called Western Arkansas home, and after Donald Furr retired as a Master Sergeant from the Air Force they returned to settle in Van Buren in 1977. Mary was widowed when Donald Furr passed away in 1982 and never remarried. She was also preceded in death by brothers Gene and Jack Prescott. She is survived by her three children – Dr. Donna Shipley of Fort Smith, Dr. David Furr of Ft. Smith, and Kevin Furr of Irving, TX – and by 7 grandchildren: Abigail C. Reed of Ft. Worth, TX; Kelsey Furr of Van Buren; and Kaitlyn Marie Shipley, C. Alex Shipley, Grayson Furr, Garrison Furr, and Gunner Furr, all of whom she was devoted to and saw on a regular basis. Mary could often be seen rooting for her grandkids at ballgames. She is also survived by her brother, Jimmy Prescott of Muldrow, OK. Mary attended Draughon Business College and Westark Community College. Her work included serving as Assistant Director of Medical Records at Crawford Memorial Hospital, and later as a medical records transcriptionist at the Sparks Alma Clinic for more than 20 years. She traveled extensively across the U.S., as well as to Europe, the Caribbean, and Australia. She was a lifelong member of New Bethel Assembly of God Church in Ft. Smith. Mary also regularly attended church with her daughter Donna and brother Jimmy, and she had in recent years been active with Lee's Chapel in Muldrow. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 9, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Fentress Funeral Home in Ft. Smith. Funeral Services will be will be 10:00 AM Thursday, Nov. 10th at Fentress Mortuary Chapel, with burial to follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Alex Shipley, Grayson Furr, Justin Yauger, Waldo White, Greg Shipley, Larry Winn, and Ian Prescott. Honorary pallbearers will be Reverend Johnny Furr, Reverend Steve Furr and Jimmy Prescott. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be directed to Hillcrest Children's Home, 2325 Malvern Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 71901.