J.L. Moreland was born on April 3, 1924 to Joe and Rena Moreland in the Pine Snag community of Cleburne County. He passed away on Tuesday, June 28, at 1:45 a.m. at his home in Heber Springs. He served in the Navy during World War II, on the U.S.S. Intrepid, an air craft carrier, from March 9, 1943 until April 4, 1946 as an electrical worker. He served in the South Pacific. His ship was hit and damaged on four occasions. It now has been refurbished and is in the harbor in New York City. He attended their reunions there several times.
After returning from the Navy, he attended the Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, and worked on the West Coast area for several years.
In the state of Washington, he worked on the Hanford Project. While there he met and married Nancy Stinson in 1952.
They returned to the South with a job in South Carolina, then back to Arkansas. They had two daughters, Kathryn Moreland and Sandra Moreland, and they grew up in Heber Springs, Arkansas. His wife Nancy died in 1978.
J.L. was a member of the First Baptist Church in Heber Springs, a member of the Masonic Lodge, and was active helping with the Folklore Society in Heber Springs.
He met a wonderful lady, Marie Bain, and they married on his birthday in 2005 having known each other for several years. She has been a wonderful mate and caregiver during his illness.
He is survived by his wife, Marie Moreland, and her four children, Marsha, John, Lisa and David and his two daughters, Dr. Kathryn Moreland and Dr. Sandra Moreland; and two sisters, Oleta Snow, Heber Springs and Maxine Roop of Conway, AR. Also many nieces and nephews of this area.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his brother, Oscar (Boots) Moreland; sisters, Retha Garrison and sister, Bobbie Smith.
Funeral Services will be 2:00 Friday, July 1, 2011 at the Heber Springs Funeral Home in Heber Springs, Arkansas, with a visitation beginning at 12:00 p.m. going until service time at 2:00 p.m. Please sign online guestbook at www.heberspringsfuneralhome.com.
