Onella Childers

Onella Childers, 89, a resident of Lamar left this earth for her journey to the Promised Land on Friday, February 8, 2008. She died peacefully at home with the most important people in her life, her family, by her side.

Onella was born Onella Bray on October 17, 1918, in the Coal Hill, Hartman area but resided in Lamar most of her adult life. She was a homemaker, a loving mother, a devout Christian and a lifelong member of the Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her parents, David Newton (Newt) and Eulalah Moore Bray; her husband of 52 years, Dewey Childers; a daughter, Brenda Childers Bittle; a stepson, Harold Dean Childers; and four brothers, Jack, Kenneth, L.B. and Eugene Bray.

She is survived by four children, David Don and Dain Childers, Janice Over, and Rita Cline; a very special son-in-law, Charles Over; a sister Betty Mitchell; ten grandchildren; sixteen great grandchildren; one great great granddaughter; her niece and caregiver, Denise Matheny, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, February 12, 2008, at the Lamar Church of Christ with Mr. Todd Rabalais and Mr. John Ballard officiating. Burial will be in Lamar Cemetery under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service.

Active pallbearers will be Adam Moore, Grant Childers, Chad Over, Ryan Moore, John Eichenberger, and Tony Davis. Honorary pallbearers will be Charles Over, Jack Cline, Sr., Selby Brown, Darren Downs, and the members of the Lamar Church of Christ.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday evening at the Hardwicke Funeral Home in Clarksville.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, Post Office Box 1653, Topeka, Kansas 66601-1653 or the Clarksville Church of Christ Youth Ministry, Post Office Box 117, Clarksville, Arkansas 72830.