Obituaries

Johnnie Wesley, Sr., affectionately known as “Coal Oil” and “Shoe Shoe” was born March 2, 1931, in Poplar Grove, Arkansas to the late Robert Wesley and Helen Phillips.  He departed this life on June 19, 2025.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Pine City, Arkansas.

As a child, school was not an option, because he had to help provide for his family financially; not limited to picking cotton, working in bean and corn fields, driving a tractor and anything related to farming.  He was an architect in his own right; he would take wood from abandoned houses and extend rooms to his family home. He could find scrap wood and make furniture.  He loved gardening and fishing.  He worked on his own car, moped scooter and wheelchair. Family was very important to him, but his Coffee (beer) was a part of everyday life.  Johnnie’s life journey was not perfect, but God allowed him to stay on this earth for 94 years because of favor.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Everline Louise Starr Wesley; daughters; Annie Irene Wesley Lowery, Versie Parker and a son, Curtis Starr.

He leaves to cherish his memory his son; Johnnie Wesley Jr. (Reba), step sons; Willie C. Starr, Willie J. Starr; step daughters; Mary (Louise) Starr, Early Hill, Lula Starr, Novella Starr, Effie Wallace, Annie Hicks, Brenda Star, Mary Elizabeth Starr and Dorothy Bennett, grandchildren; Reno Wesley, Roscoe Wesley, Brian Lowery, Bernard Lowery, Brandon Lowery, Stefan Lowery, Johnnie Wesley III, Delilah Wesley, Claudine Wesley, December Wesley, Antwan Hawkins, Marcus Stevenson, Markel Stevenson, Cecilia Stevenson, James Melvin and Keifran Melvin; Special Friends, Kim Smith and Charles Hoskins; and a host of great grands, nieces, nephews and cousins.