Dr. Howell R. Clark
Dr. Howell R. Clark, 98, of Murray, Kentucky, passed away Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, at the Hickory Woods Senior Living Community in Murray.
He was born Aug. 9, 1926, to Joseph Howell and Susie Compton Clark, an unusual marriage due to a 40-year age difference.
He grew up in the Shiloh community of Calloway County. He attended Faxon High School and graduated in 1944. He was the last survivor of that class. He was drafted into the US Army in early 1945 and completed Infantry Replacement training, during which the European conflict ended. He applied for and received a Dependency Discharge, thus beginning seven years as the principal support for his parents. Following his father’s death in 1952, he continued support for his mother while completing requirements for the bachelor of science in chemistry at Murray State University. Graduate study at Vanderbilt University for the master’s of science ended in 1958 coincident with marriage to Rebecca Clark (nee). Five years as a chemist for Shell Oil Company in Houston, Texas followed, during which Robert Van and Susan Elise were adopted as infants. To provide a better environment for their upbringing, a move back to the Murray area occurred in 1963 with employment in the Chemistry Department of Murray State College. Four years later he returned to Vanderbilt to gain his Ph.D. in chemistry. He retired from Murray State in 1986, having received multiple awards during his years as a chemistry professor. Retirement years were spent on the family farm growing cattle and amateur wood working.
Preceding him in death was Rebecca, a wonderful wife of 60 years, despite the late stage of marriage; two half-brothers, Olva and Van; three half-sisters, Lillie Ross, Emily Jones, and Grace Seaford; and a son-in-law, Keenan Mayfield.
Dr. Clark is survived by one son, Van Clark (Cindy) of Cerulean; one daughter, Susan Elise Mayfield of Murray; three grandchildren, David Clark (Jaycey) of Fredonia, Daniel Clark of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Scott Mayfield (Carrie) of Murray; and eight great-grandchildren, Hutson Clark, Annistyn Clark, Paisley Clark, Mason Clark, Lily Clark, Makaidyn Clark, Downs Ty Mayfield, and Brooke McClain.
The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at the J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services with John Dale and Steven Hunter officiating. Burial will follow in Murray Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at the funeral home.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Howell and Rebecca Clark Scholarship, checks made payable to the MSU Foundation, 200 Heritage Hall, Murray, KY 42071.
Online condolences may be left at www.jhchurchill.com.
The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.
John M. Loftis
John M. Loftis, 75, of Murray, Kentucky, passed away Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, at the Ray and Kay Eckstein Hospice Care Center in Paducah, Kentucky.
He was born Feb. 1, 1949, in Marion, Indiana, to Clarence Edward Loftis and Inez A. (McCullough) Loftis.
Before retiring, he worked as a Realtor and a plumber.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Lt. Col. John Darin Loftis; one grandson, Jeffrey Austin Carson Adams; and five brothers, Dale, Ivan, August, James, and Gerald Loftis.
Mr. Loftis is survived by his spouse, Peggy Adams of Murray; three stepsons, Jack Todd Adams and wife Michelle of Mobile, Alabama, Jeffrey Scott Adams and wife Heather of Springfield, Illinois, and Huey Richard Adams and wife Patty of Lexington; three brothers, Norman, Ben, and Michael Loftis; 10 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
There will be no public visitation or service.
Online condolences may be left at www.jhchurchill.com.
The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.
Joseph ‘Joe’ Benjamin Creel
Joseph “Joe” Benjamin Creel, 59 of Murray, Kentucky, formerly of Knoxville and Madisonville, Tennessee, passed away Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at his home surrounded by his loved ones.
He was born Jan. 29, 1965, in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
He was employed by Progress Rail Services for more than 25 years. He served in many roles over the years, most recently as a Regional Human Resource Manager. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Madisonville, Tennessee. He graduated from Madisonville High School, attended the University of Tennessee Knoxville, received an associate degree from Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. His passions included University of Tennessee football, four-wheeler riding in the mountains, snow skiing, motorcycles and later in his life, horseback riding and working on his small family horse farm in Kentucky. His biggest and greatest accomplishment was being “Pappy-Doodles” to his granddaughter and spending time with her on his farm, teaching her, as he would put it, how to be “cultured.”
He was preceded in death by his father, the Rev. Albert “Bennie” Benjamin Creel; maternal grandparents, Clay and Margaret Watson; and paternal grandparents, Alford and Edith Creel.
Joe is survived by his wife, Angela (Epps) Creel of Murray; whom he married Aug. 26, 1989, in Knoxville; a son, Alex Benjamin Creel and wife Jenna Dawn (Ross) Creel of Murray; one granddaughter, Collins Lane Creel of Murray; his mother, Donna Clay (Watson) Creel of Petal, Mississippi; in-laws, Lawrence and Bobbie Epps of Knoxville; sister-in-law, Lisa Spitzer of Leesburg, Florida; one nephew, Christopher Spitzer of Leesburg; two nieces, Adrienne Roberts and Kelli Jo Mobbs, both of Petal, Mississippi; one lifelong best friend whom he considered a brother, Robert Joe Lee of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and one sister, Gina Ginn of Petal.
The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at the J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services with Dr. Lon Shoopman officiating. Burial will follow in Murray City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, at the funeral home. For those who cannot be in attendance, the funeral service will be live streamed on the J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/j.h.churchill.home/.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Anna Mae Owen Residential Hospice House, 803 Poplar St., Murray, KY 42071, or to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
Online condolences may be left at www.jhchurchill.com.
The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.