Joseph “Oliver” Durham, age 81, of Lake Village, died Saturday, February 13, 2010, at Chicot Memorial Hospital in Lake Village after a lengthy illness.  He was born April 20, 1928, to Joseph Fletcher and Annie Kate Durham.  He was a retired farmer and co-owner of a gas station, a charter member of Bayou Mason Baptist Church where he was a deacon for 57 years and a Sunday school teacher.

He was preceded in death by his parents and by two brothers, Odell and Edward Rice and one sister, Bonnie Wardlow.  He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Bertha Anderson Durham of Lake Village; 2 daughters, Carolyn Durham Hayes and husband, Carl  of Lake Village and Janice Durham Cranford and husband Dick, of Little Rock; a sister Marie Walker of Lake Village; 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. 

Visitation is from 6 to 8 P.M. Monday at Bishop Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, February 16, 2010, at Bayou Mason Baptist Church with Bro. Ken Johnson, Bro. Bill Goode and Bro. Phillip Payne officiating. Burial will follow in Bayou Mason Cemetery under the direction of Bishop Funeral Home of Lake Village.

Pallbearers are Jim Broach, Phil Hargis, Rodney Wishard, Don Ogelvie, James BoBo Kelley, Robert Rice and Sammy Rice.  Honorary pallbearers are Ken Robinson, Ray McBride

Lawrence Jones, Leroy Craig, Joe Carl Chaney, Kim Moreau and David McNemar.