Ray Mitchell Holmes, 91, of Trumann passed away on Friday, March 4, 2005 at St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro of natural causes.

He was born and raised in Harrisburg. He moved to Trumann in 1974 when he and his Martha were married. He served as Poinsett County Sheriff from 1963 to 1972, he was a graduate of the FBI school in Washington, D.C. and he was an agent with the Alcohol Beverage Control from 1949 to 1954. In 1955 he became Chief Deputy Sheriff for Poinsett County for his then father-in-law, C.T. Sullivan. In 1963 he was elected Sheriff and held the office until 1972.

He was a 50 year member of the Harrisburg Masonic Lodge, a former deacon of the First Baptist Church in Harrisburg and present deacon of First Baptist Church in Trumann. He was past president of both the Arkansas Sheriff's Association and the Arkansas Senior Golf Association.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marguerite Sullivan Holmes; a daughter, Rita Rae Johnson; one sister and his parents, john Mitchell and Inis Bell Holmes.

He is survived by his wife, Martha Petroff Holmes of the home; three daughters, Dorothy Ione Beckner of Trumann, Betty Inez Wess of Harrisburg and Diane Thomas Plunk of Santa Ana, Calif.; seven grandchildren, Kim Muse, Toni Maurizi, Kay Bowman, Mitchell Johnson, Shannon Wess, Alex Thomas, James Thomas, "JT" Wess; 11 great-grandchildren and 4 great-greatgrandchildren.

Funeral services were Monday, March 7, 2005 at the First Baptist Church in Trumann with Dr. Tad Rogers officiating. Burial followed at Harrisburg Memorial Park Cemetery.

Active pallbearers were Tom Wimpy, Jerry Wimpy, Merle Williams, Tom Hill, Hank Ihnfeldt and Bill Cook. Honorary pallbearers were Bennie Bibb, Gaylon Muse, James B. Baker, Roy Murphy, Charles Givens, Kirk Baker and the First Baptist Church Men's Bible Class.

Memorial can be made to the First Baptist Church, PO Box 575, Trumann, AR 72472.