Kenneth Newcom

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Kenneth E. (Ken) Newcom, 71, of Ash Flat, formerly of Jonesboro and Paragould, passed away Wednesday, December 20, 2017, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House.

Born in Bay, Ken lived much of his life in Jonesboro and was a 1966 graduate of Nettleton High School. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War where he was a helicopter pilot in the 101st Airborne Division. Ken attained the rank of Warrant Officer III and received the following medals, badge and citation: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Aviator Badge, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation and 2 O/S Bars. After his tour of Vietnam, Ken became a Training Officer at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Following military service, Ken operated Medivac Helicopters and owned Ken's Heat and Air in Jonesboro. He was the Walnut Ridge Airport Manager for several years before retiring.

Ken was a member of Calvary Chapel in Jonesboro, Nettleton Masonic Lodge and was a past member of the Civil Air Patrol. He was preceded in death by his parents: Lonnie and Ora Vershel Johnson Newcom, 1 brother, Gary Newcom, brother-in-law: Herman Reece and half brother Bobby Dale Newcom.

Survivors include his wife, Donna Newcom of the home;
2 sons and daughters-in-law: Kelly and Charlotte Newcom of Ash Flat and Brian and Barbara Newcom of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee;
1 daughter, Jennifer Allison of Paragould;
4 sisters and their husbands: Shirley and Bobby Mooneyham and Dorothy Reece, all of Jonesboro, Phyllis and Bobby Scott of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Vanita Morgan of Benton; and
8 grandchildren: Alex Newcom, Colton Allison, Declan Newcom, Landon Newcom, Samuel Newcom, McKenzie Allison, Noah Stone and Jacob Stone.

Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 p.m. Friday in Emerson Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday in Emerson Memorial Chapel with Pastor John Lawrence officiating. A graveside committal service will follow at 2:30 p.m. in Wiles Cemetery in Ash Flat.

Active pallbearers include Maxie Stem. George Stem, Travis Grissom, III, Brian Newcom, Jeremy Sydorenko and Jamie Dorton. Honorary pallbearers include members of the NHS Class of 1966, Charles Hansen, Collin Williams, Bobby Mooneyham, Tommy Morgan, Johnny Honnoll, Johnny Woods, Joel Mason, Greg Smith, Harold Johnson, Frank Wilson and Emerson Ambulance Service personnel.

For lasting memorials, the family asks that consideration be given to Mission Aviation Fellowship, P.O. Box 47, Nampa, ID 83653 or Gideon's International, 500 N. Defiance St., Archbold, OH 43502.