In Memoriam

On August 22, 2025February 16, 2026 By besonstIn Obituaries

The following friends from the class of 1976 are reported to have died since graduation. If you know of other classmates who have died or have more information about these lives that you would like us to add, send a note to FayettevilleClassof76@gmail.com. Two FHS graduates, Kevin Cunningham and Conrad Odom, maintain a Facebook group — Fayetteville Friends — In Memoriam — dedicated to the remembrance of all FHS graduates who have died.

Ricky Ahart, 1958-2002, Obituary.

Cheryl Allred, 1958-2013, Obituary.

Cristina Antonia Arias, 1959-2019, Obituary.

Keith Banks, 1958-1980, Obituary.

Mark Basset, 1958-2010, Obituary.

Paula Sue Bibbee Richardson, 1956-2022, Obituary.

Linda Bixby Vandagriff, 1958-2011, Obituary.

Kirk Bradley, 1958-1999, Obituary.

Robert “Bob” Brandt, 1957-2022, Obituary.

Phillip Brown, 1957-2023, Obituary.

Mike Bryant, 1957-1976. Obituary.

Michael Buchanan, 1957-2019, Obituary.

Morton “Skip” Carnes, 1958-2014, Obituary.

Donnita Gayle Carney, 1959-2018, Obituary.

Charles Edwin Cash, 1958-2021, Obituary.

Lynn Chandler, 1958-1976, Obituary.

Angela Childress West Lies, 1957-2013, Obituary.

Brooks Clower, 1957-2010, Obituary.

Sandi Coffin, 1957-1993, Obituary.

Linda Colwell Stewart, 1958-2024, Obituary.

Patricia Gaye Coston, 1958-2016, Obituary.

Dianne Cross, 1858-2007, Obituary.

Michael Davidson, 1957-1997, Obituary.

Dennis Davis, 1958-1982, Obituary.

Diane Davis, 1957-2010, Obituary.

Jeff Day, 1958-2011, Obituary.

Nancy Dodson Peters, 1958-1998, Obituary.

Steve Dolan, 1957-1973.

Duane Dunn, 1958-2019, Obituary.

Greg Flowers, 1957-2017, Obituary.

Mike Garner, 1958-2007, Obituary.

Barry Gilbow, 1958-2024, Obituary.

Jerry Gilbow, 1958-2022, Obituary.

Weeda Gooding, 1958-2008, Obituary.

Nicky Gyles, 1957-2010, Obituary.

Gary J. Harris, 1958-2010, Obituary.

Stephen Lee Harris, 1958-2018, Obituary.

Shirley Jo Henson, 1958-2025.

Alan Hepler, 1958-1986, Obituary.

Matt Holtzen, 1958-2009, Obituary.

Michael Jackson, 1958-2015, Obituary.

Dyke Jennings, 1957-2016, Obituary.

Steve “Country” Jones, 1957-1977, Obituary.

Beverly Jo Kreie, 1958-2018.

Mike Lyman, 1958-2021, Obituary.

Rick McClelland, 1958-2009.

Stephen McGinnis, 1958-2018. Obituary.

Brian McGreevy, 1957-2008, Obituary.

Pat Miller Simpson, 1958-2006, Obituary.

Lori Mitchell Cochran, 1957-2022.

Donna Moore, 1958-2004, Obituary.

Brian Noland, 1958-2024.

Lisa Michelle Osburn Mackey, 1958-2025.

Gregg Parker, 1958-2020, Obituary.

Miles Lynn Patrick, 1957-2017, Obituary.

Jeff Allen Rand, 1957-2018.

Paula Sue (Richardson) Bibbee, 1956 to 2022, Obituary

Terry Riddle, 1957-2024.

Naoto Sekiguchi, 1958-2021, Obituary.

Jan Skarda, 1957-1994, Obituary.

Dwaine Spears, 1958-2002, Obituary.

Sheri Starr Keen, 1958-2015, Obituary.

Richard Steel, 1957-2000, Obituary.

Jimmy Stout, 1958-2007, Obituary.

Misty Veasey Luck, 1957-2021.

Craig Venema, 1958-1993, Obituary.

Robert “Bobby” Waterson, 1958-2014, Obituary.

Myra Wesson, 1958-2003, Obituary.

Daniel Lee Wickliff, 1958-2022, Obituary.

Claude Williams, 1958-2021.

“Ricky” Witherspoon, 1957-2016.

Dennis Wohlford, 1957-2016, Obituary.

Large Group

On September 27, 2016May 26, 2018 By besonstIn Yearbook Images

Mrs. Mary Jane White takes her turn at the stand during her last semester on the senior English large group team.

Aaron Karp seems to be taking notes but look closely at how much he has written down.

Mike Bihn explains to Mrs. Kathy Roy why he was late to large group while Steve Yancey thinks up a good excuse.

Duane Spears, Tony West, Mike Buchanan and Read Hudson found that tilting the wheel helped their team in a senior English large group game.

High School Nap Time

To the casual observer, large group was a room full of 50 to 150 students — some sleeping, some taking notes, some reading day old assignments and others daydreaming the hour away.

For the students it was an inevitable part of the high school experience, since large group formed an integral part of all English classes as well as psychology, history and accounting.

Most students learned to place each large group session into one of four categories and looked forward to the class with anticipation or dread according to its classification. These were 1) the filmstrip, film, record category including W.C. Fields films and broken filmstrips, 2) the note taking period complete with the date Emily Bronte’s sister’s dog died, 3) the guest speaker, 4) the games, so aptly recalled by Nicky Gyles.

“I feel the large group system stands on a basically sound theory. However, one aspect of large group did cause me emotional anguish. Games involving singling out certain individuals and the social ridicule which followed was quite exasperating, especially when it happened to me.”

According to Mrs. Kathy Roy, senior English teacher, the purpose of large group was to allow speakers to talk to all the students at once as their schedules might not permit them to speak to each class individually. Large group also enabled teachers to shae the work load of offering lectures and showing filmstrips.

“We are not here to entertain,” observed one teacher.

Student opinions, on the other hand, were mixed.

“It’s a good idea,” said John Horn. “One advantage is that it breaks the routine. Students find it boring because it’s to formal and teachers often have uninteresting presentations.”

“Large groups are beneficial when they are used for speakers, film strips and things like that,” pointed out Kathy Bell, “But at times they could be very boring.”

— 1976 Amethyst

Football Team

On February 18, 2016October 26, 2016 By besonstIn Athletics

Bulldog Football Team, 1976

Front Row, from left: Michael Buchanan, Jimmy Luper, William Kimbrough, Phil Harrison, Calvin Tacket, Daran Johnson, T.R. Stewart, Gip Gibson, Mike Smith, Bobby Fitts, Kenny Harriman.
Second Row: Michael Jackson, Gene Geren, Joe Cravens, Nathan McKinney, Charles Duell, George Niblock, Joey Rodman, Lester Niblock, Bobby Martin, John Horn, Andy Lucas.
Third Row: Brian McGreevy, Mark Springer, Randy Williams, David Jackson, Steve “Country” Jones, Billy Frank Harrison, Jeems Love, Darrel Carr, Bill Gatewood, Wayne Jenkins, Dwaine Spears, Gary Ricks, Mike Patrick.
Fourth Row: Victor McPherson, Joe Bond, Kim Agee, Steve “City” Jones, Bill Tyner, Steve Baird, Lewis Moore, Mike Garner, Milton Scott Woelk, Bruce McLeod, Danny Ward, Jim Elliot, Bobby Waterson, Tim Smith.
Fifth Row: Coach Doyne Davis, Coach Ken Ramey, Coach Whit Fowlkes, Vernon Wayne Mitchell, Brooks Clower, Read Hudson, Darrell Strange, Ned Parette, Brett McLeod, Gary Streigler, Coach Larry Parnell, Coach Carl Fox

Riggs to Steward

On January 6, 2016August 2, 2016 By besonstIn Senior Portraits

riviere-marc-portrait-web — Marc Riviere

robbins-phil-portrait-web — Phil Robbins

rolloff-nina-portrait-web — Nina Rolloff

sagers-sharon-portrait-web — Sharon Sagers

scarbrough-ann-portrait-web — Ann Scarbrough

sekiguchi-naoto-portrait-web — Naoto Sekiguchi

sherman-janet-portrait-web — Janet Sherman

simpson-teena-portrait-web — Teena Simpson

smart-luanne-portrait-web — Luanne Smart

smith-michael-portrait-web — Michael Smith

smith-sherman-portrait-web — Sherman Smith

spears-dwaine-portrait-web — Dwaine Spears

springer-mark-portrait-web — Mark Springer

spurlock-debbie-portrait-web — Debbie Spurlock

starr-sherri-portrait-web — Sherri Starr

steel-richard-portrait-web — Richard Steel

stephenson-susan-portrait-web — Susan Stephenson

steward-steven-portrait-web — Steven Steward

Obituary for ‘Dwaine’ Spears

On January 1, 2016April 29, 2016 By besonstIn Obituaries1 Comment

Kenneth “Dwaine” Spears, 43, of Springdale died Wednesday, July 31, 2002, in Fayetteville. He was born Aug. 1, 1958, the son of Charlotte Woodward and Kenneth Charles Spears.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1980 to 1984. He was a service writer for BMW of Northwest Arkansas and Jim Jard Volkswagen of Rogers. He was an avid racecar and Razorback fan, he liked darts and thoroughly enjoyed coaching his son’s baseball team.

Survivors included his son, Spencer L. Spears of Fayetteville; his mother, Charlotte Woodward of Springdale; his father, Kenneth Charles Spears of Goshen; his paternal grandmother, Pearlie Spears of Prairie Grove; and his mathernal grandmother, Virginia Lybarger of Springdale.

Graveside services were held August 3 at the Mount Comfort Cemetery in Fayetteville with Buel Curtis officiating. Arrangements were by Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory.

Fayetteville Class of 76

Tag: Dwaine Spears