I suppose I will try to cover all the bases and spark as much conversation as possible! I am an art student from Minnesota who is working to revitalize a very depressed Main Street for a town I did not grow up in. This town has 3 blocks of prime Main Street shop fronts of which 11 are empty, 3 just burnt down and 2 will be closing before 2011. It is a very sad situation, but I am working with a group of enthusiastic ladies and we are doing our best. Currently, I am collecting data and information about what other small towns are doing to combat the poor economy, empty storefronts and lack of people in their communities. I know that there is pride in these communities and I want to do everything I can to bring rural America back to where it once was :) After all, one person can start a revolution.
Hello Tina! My family built the Matthews/McNeill house! It's been a while since I've been past the house, but the last time I drove through Holly Grove, I really loved seeing the exterior work done on it. I'm so glad it was bought by somone who wanted to renovate it and live in it. So many old homes and buildings get torn down these days. I have a lot of fond memories of the house...
Hello, my name is Westina "Tina" Arnold, referred to most as Lil'boon. I currently live in Little Rock and am married with one daughter and one son. My parents are Weston "Boon" Arnold and the late lovely Viola Arnold. I am the little sister of Joice Arnold and the big sister of Derrick Arnold and Tiara Ladd. I am a proud graduate of the class of 1987, graduation class of about 22 students. I visit Holly Grove often, it is nothing like it was when I was growing up, but it has always has been and will be one of my favorite places. My family still lives there now. They own the old Matthews-McNeill house across from Dr. Stone's house and my dad still works at the Holly Grove Flying Service .
Hey everyone, I'm Michelle Padgett. I lived in Pine City growing up. I attended Holly Grove Schools. I have friends there still. I have been there since moving away and it's nothing like it was when I was growing up.
-- Edited by michelleleigh_27 at 19:52, 2008-08-10
My mom runs Maddox Bay Landing...I guess you all know that now though....welcome to the Bay! Please don't mind my son and our doggies walking down the road. He's a great kid and Ginger follows him wherever he goes.....Have a great summer!
My name is Calvin Daniels. My mother is Billie Daniels. She is known by many in Holly Grove as Bobby Foster. My grandmother was Noble Lee Nunn. I am proud to have graduated with the class of 1996 from Holly Grove High School. There was a total of 28 students in my graduating class. I now live and teach in Little Rock. My wife is a pediatric resident at UAMS/Children's Hospital.
Hello, my name is Sharon Nothern Skinner. I grew up and graduated in Holly Grove in 1973. My parents were Margaret and James Nothern. He was the master plumber in our area, as well, as working on the railroad in Clarendon. I grew in a large family outside of Holly Grove. I would love to hear from some of my old classmates.
I am totally amazed at this website. A friend told me about it. I get really excited when I read some of the names on here, of people I used to know, or their families. It brings back alot of memories. Holly Grove was a small town, but a great place to grow up.
My name is Joan (Lawson) Schleicher. I was born in Holly Grove in the Mayo Clinic delivered by Dr. Stone in 1952. My parents are Jessie Mae (Dunavan) Lawson & TJ (Peewee) Lawson. I was curious to see if anyone knew them. I have heard many old stories from my Mom, Grandparents and even my older syblings who knew people and places in Holly Grove, Blackton, Monroe and other nearby area's. While my parents and Grandparents have all passed my older sister's still talk of the things they remember and the things they were told by family members. I still have family in the area and my husband wants to retire in Hot Springs. Funny we would go there every year as kids to see family, but I never thought I would live there. Just shows how things come around. I look forward to hear from anyone who may know my family.
Your grandmother was my mother's sister. My name is Pat (Hagar) Brown and my mom is Lillie Hagar, Aunt Eula's sister. I don't get to see Jeanette very often (seems like funerals are the only thing to bring families together anymore!). I remember you, Debbie, Eddie and Michelle as little kids. I graduated from Holly Grove in 1961 and have lots of memories of the town while it was a thriving place. If you haven't been back in a while, let me warn you it is very depressing and very sad. It breaks my heart to see it as it is now. Most of my teen year memories are of your aunt, Mary Ann (Kelly) Morris. She and I were not only cousins, but best friends. I married Butch Brown and we left Holly Grove right after graduation and moved to Memphis. We now live in a rural area close to Searcy. Your mom, Sissy and Mary Ann visited me here several years ago. I hope you see my response; if you do, please tell your mom "hello" for me.
My name is Billy Bishop I live in DeQueen,Sevier Co. AR
My grandmother was born in Holly Grove her name is Cornelia (Nelie) Kerr,her father was John M. Kerr. I have never been to Holly Grove, plan to go some time.Looking for info. on the Kerrs & Sutton.
Hi, I am Jeanie Johnson Hill, Class of 1966. I attended the multi-class reunion at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock this past weekend and it was so much fun to see all the people from Class of 1959 -1971. Since HG has virtually disappeared in the last few years and we survivors only seem to be returning for funerals, it was wonderful to reunite with old friends in a happier setting. I hope anyone who missed it this time will make an effort to attend future reunions.
I live in Fayetteville, am a retired lawyer, active volunteer and full-time commuting grandmother to California to see my only child, Eleanor, her husband and my three grandchildren. We have lived in Fayetteville since 1975. My brother, Parker, lives in Maumelle and Julian is still farming in HG.
I'd forgotten about this location until Ted Wong mentioned it during a phone conversation yesterday...I appreciate the work done by the host, moderators and contributors to create a very nice Holly Grove Memorial Web Site.
It's fun reading the articles, posts and looking over the photos posted to date...altho sad to read the obituaries of those who've passed on.
Should any of you wish to chat real time via either text or voice...contact me and I'd be pleased to point you in the right direction for those services. I host an internet radio station that plays oldies by year and today will be 24 hours of the tunes our class of '62 enjoyed back in the day, accessible via this URL:
http://87.117.193.143:9148/listen.pls
if you have a sound card and a media player, either iTunes, RealPlayer or WinAmp (preferred).
btw, Ted's latest phone call was to let me know about the upcoming Combined Class Reunion in LR, and I told him to put me down as a "firm maybe"...will be there if circumstances permit.
Thanks again to the site host and I look forward to re-visiting as time permits.
My name Is Fred Cartwright . I was born In Holly Grove Delivered by and In the Office of the best country doctor since Doc on Gunsmoke , Dr. Herd E. Stone. My foreparents both fraternal and maternal as far as I can remember (at least 5 generations) were all from Holly Grove and the surrounding towns and Hamlets. My Parents are Freeman " F C " Cartwright(deceased in 05) and Earlie Mae "Moore Cartwright ( just turned 75) of The Cross Roads / Bobo Farm near Indian Bay. I matriculated thru all twelve grades In the Holly Grove School System. Emily Perkins ,who has a post on this board, brother Andrew was the valedictorian of my Class In 1983 and I was 4th Honor Graduate. I live In Cedar Hill Texas a suburb Of Dallas Texas . I have been married to the most wonderful thing to come out of East Texas ever, My beautiful wife of 16 years LaTresse a. Cartwright. We have five children. Edward a freshman at Southwestern and Chista, Taylor , Haylie and Collin all students at St. Paul Prepatory Acamedy of Arlington Texas.I own and operate a very successful Real Estate Holding and Development Co. known as The 7 C 'S , Inc.When I retire In the next 9 to 10 years I plan to keep my pledge from verse 2 of our School Alma Mata which Simply says " Holly Grove , Holly Grove home we Love Loud thy praises be On the wings of Loves devotion well come back to thee ' and help rebuild the people and the City .
Thank You . For not forgetting . We are sons and daughters of a common birth.
It's been awhile since I posted anything, but I've seen some familiar names reading this page, so I thought I'd add my info.
I'm Emily Perkins Johnson,a 1981 graduate of HGHS. I'm married to Julian Johnson, who also attended HGHS, but graduated from Marvell Academy in 1976. We live on the Johnson family farm past Ragtown and have since we got married in 1988. Our kids attend Marvell Academy - Halley is about to graduate and Hayden is a sophomore. My parents were H.C. "Perk" Perkins and Mary Perkins. Mom worked at the Bank of HG for 9 years, until 1985. Dad was a retired Lt. Col. in the Marine Corps. His family had spent most of his youth on East Lake, fishing as much as they could. Dad's brother, N.B., still has a place on Green Lake. Julian's parents were P.E. "Buddy" and Bennie Johnson, who lived right behind the post office for many years. His dad was president of the school board for a number of years. My dad was a board member, too, but later on. Both my parents and Julian's parents passed away over the last 10 years. After growing up as a Marine brat, moving from place to place every time we turned around - it was nice to settle in HG, where everyone is friendly and you know everyone. I found out quickly that I'm a small town girl at heart, and I like the sense of heritage that I've been blessed with by living on this farm. My kids are grounded in ways that kids in the city will never experience, and while we do have some disadvantages living in a small town, I think the benefits outweigh them.
Danyelle, you've done a wonderful thing establishing this website. Thanks for the opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones.
Hi, my name is Gail Fluker Cheatam. I was born and raised in Holly Grove. I graduated in 1976. My father Robert "June" Fluker, alone with many relatives still resides in Holly Grove. I have many wonderful memories of growing up in Holly Grove!
Hi -- My name is Phyllis Simmons Barrett, I graduated from HGHS in 1976, my parents are Jeanette and "Preacher" Simmons of Indian Bay. My mother grew up in Holly Grove and is the daughter of Angus and Eula Kelly, who owned a farm and grocery store. I've lived in Texas for about 30 years. I have such wonderful memories of Holly Grove, you know it's true there's no place like home!
Hello, my name is Linda Smart. My husband and I just bought a house at Maddox Bay. It's the old Helms place. We have spent many summers and winters at Maddox Bay over the last 15 years. We're from Little Rock and my husband retires in 10 months. We really look forward to living there fulltime.
I grew up in Holly Grove and graduated in 1963. Went to college at ASTC,SCA,UCA. That was fun with all the name changes. My parents were Marten and Rae Brown. Daddy owned the lumber company. I live in Bella Vista now and teach school at St. Vincent dePaul Catholic School in Rogers. I'm not too good with computers, so don't know if anyone will see my messages. This is fun and hope to hear from others I know.
Are you kin to Roy Bennett? Roy was an outstanding middle linebacker on our Holly Grove Panther football team of 1945. He would run over anyone in the way to get to the ball carrier. On offense, he was the hardest hitting blocker on our team. I lined up at left guard and he lined up at left tackle. When the play called for Roy to block the guard, I would point at the opposing guard and tell him that if he would lay down on that play, then Roy wouldn't block him. When that guard layed down, roy would go through the line and block the linebacker. He was also a great long distance runner in track. Roy won every race that he entered.
Hi, My name is Betty Bennett, my dad is from Blackton, my mom is from Monoe. My grandparents were; Elmer and Mary Holloway-Bennett, Bradley Sebestian,(moved to Little Rock-but he taught school through out Monroe Country before moving in 1957 (?)) my grandmother and Mary Shepherd-Sebastian-Hood.
I spent summers at my grandparent's Bennett farm and my grandmother, Mary Hood worked in the 'store-(beer joint)' in Monroe for years.
Sorry to jump in on this "introduce yourself" section, but just had to say hi! I haven't seen or heard from you in more than 25 years -- going way back to high school and our horse-showing days. I didn't know where you had settled after leaving HG. Be sure to check out the HG Photos -- you're in the Methodist Church photo, which is on page 1 of Historic HG Photos, about the 8th one over. I also noticed that Cathy Calloway Johnson has found the web page. I'd love to hear from you both -- email me at janedennis@comcast.net -- and we can catch up! - Jane
Hello everyone, this is pretty cool. My name is Sharon Simmons Wilson, I live in Allen Tx, have been here for 20 yrs. My mom and dad were Francis and John E Simmons Sr. My mother is still living, and my dad passed away in October. I grew up in Holly Grove, and graduated from Marvel Academy in 1975. I know of most of your relatives. I really haven't had a chance to look over this forum in debth yet, just thought this was a pretty good place to start. Sharon
I am Nikki Padgett Class of 1995. My family has lived in Holly Grove since 1972. I have lived in HG nearly all my life. I move away, but I always end up back home. I would stay forever if there were just more jobs available here. I am presently preparing to move away "again", but my heart will always bring me "home", even if it's just to visit,
I'm Dennis Williams, gre up in Pine City attended and graduated from
Holly Grove HS. I am living in Enid, Ok until Mar 06 and it's off to
South Korea. I am in the US Air Force and plan to retire within the next 3 years. I do my best to return to HG at least once per year. God could not have chosen a better family or community for me to be raised in...HG!
I am Marvin Gerlach from the class of '68. I come from a huge family of Holly Grove alumni. I currently reside in Russellville, AR with my wife of 33 years who grew up in Arkadelphia. We have lived all over the U.S. and Germany but settled here seven years ago. I have been with Tyson Foods for fifteen years and plan to retire from here in a few years. I am barely young enough to have known Jane and too young to have known your dad; however, I remember him from old yearbooks that my older brother had. Dan was a BMOC. Like everyone else of that era I knew and enjoyed your grandparents. I have a small box with some memorabilia from the '60s that I will dig out of the attic and send you as soon as it cools down up there. Jane got my email from Mrs. Clifton's obituary and told me about this site. Maybe as we spread the word around we will have more activity.
We'd love to hear from all the people visiting the boards! Tell us who you are, where you are and what brought you to the message boards!
I'll kick it off - My name is Danyelle McNeill Fletcher. My dad is Dan McNeill and my grandparents were D.A. and Snooks McNeill. I'm married to the greatest guy in the world (his name is David) and we have no children. We currently live in Little Rock, AR
-- Edited by Danyelle McNeill Fletcher at 21:36, 2007-01-06
