Oscar Marks

Oscar Marks was born into this life on May 5, 1949 in Gurdon, Arkansas to James Garfield and Lucille Hawthorne Marks. He was a life-long member of Mt. Canaan Baptist Church having joined as a little boy under the leadership of Rev. S. L. Boyd.

Oscar was a 1966 graduate of Bell High School where he played basketball and was the shortest player on the team. He later moved to Rockford and attended trade school where he studied to be an electrician. He married Damita McClelland and to this union two children were born, Darnell and Shanna.

He worked as a Journey Lineman with AP&L for over 30 years until his retirement. He had a heart of gold. He enjoyed hanging at the “The Shed” on 3rd street sharing stories of yester-year and discussing current events.

Oscar was a die-hard fan of the Dallas Cowboys, he enjoyed watching basketball. Being a race car enthusiast, he would spend time at the drag strip in Prescott.

Oscar passed into the Lords embrace on Saturday, March 16, 2019 with his family gathered at his bedside. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Terrence Darnell Marks (August 26, 2017); his brothers, James Marks, Jr., Johnnie Lee Marks, Julius Marks (2013), Henry Louis “Louie” Marks (2017) and Willie Lee Marks (2018).

His memory will live on  in the hearts of his daughter, Shanna Marks of Little Rock, AR; his wife, Damita Marks of Little Rock, AR; four grandchildren, Keyshawn Marks of Little Rock, Kaylan Marks of Houston, Christopher Young of Washington, D.C., and Kendra Sims of Prescott, a great-granddaughter, Iayanna Sims of Prescott; three sisters, Annie J. (Billy) Lockhart, Annie McNeil and Fannie Sheppard all of Gurdon; an uncle, David (Ruth) Hawthorne of Arkadelphia, AR and an aunt, Geraldine Marks of Atlanta, GA. He also leaves a legacy of nieces, nephews, cousins, a special friend Rodney “G” Stuckey, the “Shed Crew” and several other friends and acquaintances.

Visitation will be Friday, March 22, 2019 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Mt. Canaan Baptist Church. A celebration of his life will be shared at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at Mt. Canaan Baptist Church with Rev. Rufus Hatley, eulogist. Interment will be at Rose Hedge Cemetery.