Jonesboro- John Paul Masner, 92, passed away Monday, June 27, 2016 at St. Bernards Medical Center.

He was born December 12, 1923 in Poplar Ridge Community near Monette to the late Elmore and Meldora Reeves Masner. At the age of two, his parents moved to Monette, where he lived the next eighty years before moving to Jonesboro. He was a graduate of Monette High School and Arkansas State College. John served in Army during World War II. He was in Europe and fought in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was surrounded for several days before escaping. After that he joined General George Patton and remained with him until the end of the war. He earned three bronze stars and several other medals. When he got out of the service, he came home and started farming and continued until his retirement. On August 22, 1953, he married Ann Murrell and enjoyed fifty-seven years together until her death in 2010. He was a member of the Monette First Baptist Church, Monette American Legion Post 136 and was a mason and a Shriner. He also served as treasurer for the Monette High School Alumni Board for many years.

He is survived by a sister, Billie Wilkes of Virginia; two nephews, Joe Masner of Jonesboro and Tommy Berry of Dallas, Texas; a niece, Carolyn Sockwell of Jonesboro and a host of friends.

He was also preceded in death by his wife, Ann Murrell Masner; five sisters, Emma Jo Conner, Stella Wallace, Minnie Kaplan, Jessie Jance and Mabel Berry and two brothers, Elmer Masner and Nath Masner.

A celebration of his life will be 2:00 pm Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at Monette First Baptist Church with Rev. Rusty Bird officiating. Burial will follow at Monette Memorial Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from noon until 1:30 pm Wednesday at Monette First Baptist Church.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Clay Stewart, Bob Blankenship, Bob Hurst, Ed Dunbar, Jerry Lynn Halsey Jr. and Bobby Flannigan.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to the Monette First Baptist Church.