Obituaries news

Col. James H. Burress Jr., 87, of Panama City, Fla., passed away Friday, May 27, 2016. Col. Burress was born in Fort Smith and lived in Bay County since 1994. He retired as a senior aviator at the rank of colonel after 31 years in the U.S. Army, serving in Okinawa, Korea and Vietnam. Col. Burress was awarded many medals and honors for valor and meritorious service, including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Meritorious Service, Army Meritorious Service, four awards of the

Jewell A. Highman of Fort Smith passed away May 29, 2016, at Butterfield Place in Fort Smith. She was born Feb. 13, 1924, to Floyd and Alma Foote in DeRidder, La. She was one of 13 children. She met and married Lester Highman during WWII at DeRidder Air Force Base. She later relocated to Evansville, Ind., to live and start a family. She was preceded in death by Lester; her son, Alan, her parents and all of her siblings. She is survived by two daughters, Pat Hacker of Sylvania, Ohio, and Pam Yane