Mary Alice Furr

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 and his wife Jennifer Elizabeth 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 Caitlyn 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.