Wofford Chapel Cemetery

Board of Directors

Shirley Gunnell-Jones

Shirley Ann Gunnell-Jones was born in Keaton Township on October 13, 1934. After graduating from Immanuel School in 1952, she managed her Uncle Gronee Gunnell’s general store for five years.  This experience began preparing Shirley for numerous leadership roles including chairing the Arkansas Picnic Committee and beautifying Wofford Chapel Cemetery.  Shirley lives in Chicago. She was married to the late Jesse Jones and is also an avid flower gardener. Shirley credits her loving family and community for molding her into a community leader. 

Deara Geans-Threat

Deara Geans Threet is a proud resident of southwest Little Rock, AR. Born in Stuttgart. At the age of two her father joined the military. As a result, the family lived across the United States including Hawaii. Deara and her family moved from San Jose, CA to Little Rock in 1991. She worked at the non-profit agency, New Futures for Youth, Inc. in Little Rock for over twenty years; and at Arkansas Children's Hospital Little Rock for 15 years. Deara earned an Associate of Arts Degree from Monterey Peninsula Junior College in Monterey, CA., and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Philander Smith College. Now semi-retired, she works as the Family Life Ministry Director at Longley Baptist Church in Little Rock where she is a member. Married to her high school sweetheart, Leo, they are the proud parents of two and grandparents of five and they have one great-grandchild. She is the daughter of the late Leslie O.C. Geans and Fragelia Gunnell Geans

Shirlene Keaton-Cokes

Shirlene Keaton Cokes was born to James and Queen Ester (Honey) Keaton of Casscoe, AR. She and her husband, Jewel Cokes, Jr., reside in Casscoe, AR. The couple has one son, Dwayne Glover. Shirlene has worked with Stuttgart Public School District for over 32 years. Additionally, she is a licensed funeral director at Relerford Funeral Home. Shirlene is an active member of Wofford Chapel Church. She serves as a board member of Wofford Chapel Cemetery Organization and works tirelessly as a community volunteer.

Elfreda Virjena(Jena) Oates-Henry

was born in Stuttgart and raised in Casscoe, Arkansas beginning at the age of eight. She was baptized at Wofford Chapel Baptist Church at the age of 12. She graduated from DeWitt High School In 1971, then earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in May 1975. After graduation, she worked for Riceland Foods in Stuttgart for three years. In 1978, she and her husband Sylvester (married May 1974) moved to the Houston, Texas area where she worked for various companies in downtown Houston until she retired in 2016. She has two sons and four grandchildren.