Staff

Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.

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Doug Wortham Owner, Funeral Director & Embalmer

Doug and his wife Tammy along with their two children Danielle and Seth moved to Cherokee Village in 1998. Although new to the area they have long family ties to Sharp county. Doug began working in the funeral profession in 1989 at Heath Funeral Home in Paragould. He attended Southern (now Williams) Baptist College in Walnut Ridge with a degree in Pastoral Ministry, and then moved on to attend Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, graduating in 1992. He attended U of A with a major in Crime Scene Investigation. Graduate of the St. Louis School of Medicine in Medicolegal Death Investigation. He also graduated from the Leadership Arkansas program in 1994 under the late Governor Jim Guy Tucker. Doug is also a National Registered EMT-A, and assists the local ambulance service when needed. He has been very active in the community, serving as the Lt. Governor for the District 19 Kiwanis Clubs and Past President of the Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Gideon. Doug is also a U.S. Army Veteran, serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom , having 33 years of service with the Army and Army National Guard, And a member of the Disabled American Veterans. Doug became member of the Disaster Mortuary Response Team (DMORT) in July of 2000. Doug also serves as a Deputy Coroner for Fulton County. In 2011 he became a Deputy Registrar for Arkansas Department of Health. Doug and his family are members of Cherokee Village First Baptist Church. “I believe that the funeral profession is a ministry of helping people in grief and to assist them in a troubled time of their life. When not working I love to spend time with my family and grandchildren.”

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Wade Bellah Funeral Director & Embalmer

Wade is a native to the Pocahontas area. He is a graduate of Pocahontas High School and The Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. He began his career in the funeral profession in 1973 at Heath Funeral Home in Paragould.

In 1979, he left Paragould and moved to Northwest Arkansas where he worked until he retired to Alabama. In 1995 he moved back to this area and he started working part time at Heath Oak Hill Chapel. Wade is a member of Imboden Baptist Church where he also serves as Sunday School Director.

Wade and his wife Pearl live in Imboden.

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Seth Wortham Funeral Director shwortham93@gmail.com

Seth Wortham, son of Doug & Tammy Wortham, is a 2011 graduate of Highland High School and a 2017 graduate Arkansas State University and has his Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis on History and Criminology. Seth has been involved with the funeral home since he was a junior in high school; assisting with funerals, cremations, as well as helping with the upkeep of the funeral home. Seth also serves as a Deputy Coroner for Fulton County and is also certified as a Medicolegal Death Investigator for the state of Arkansas. Seth is also a member of the Hardy and Highland Fire Departments. 

Seth is a former member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop #639 out of Cherokee Village and served as an archery instructor at Camp Kia Kima. He is a former member of the co-ed band sorority Tau Beta Sigma and is an alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity, as well as “ The Sound of The Natural” marching band and the “ Howlers” pep band.

Seth lives in Cherokee Village.

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Richard "Dick" Alexander Funeral Assistant

~In Memorial~

Richard L. Alexander

January 7th, 1933 - March 17th, 2023

 

Before beginning his career in education Dick worked for eight and a half years with T.B. Smith Funeral Homes in Ridgway, Omaha and New Haven, Illinois, Klinger Funeral Home in Springfield, Missouri and Rainey’s Chapel of the Ozarks.

Dick is a former Methodist Minister in Missouri East Conference of the United Methodist Church. He retired from the Hoxie School District where he served as Elementary Counselor with an overall experience in the field of education as School Psychological Examiner, Principal, Superintendent and classroom teacher.

Dick was a valued member of the Heath and Wortham Funeral Home family and he will be forever missed by us all.

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Harvey Smith Funeral Assistant

~In Memorial~

Harvey Marion Smith Jr.
November 27th, 1938 - August 9th, 2020

Harvey and his wife Wanda are natives of Thayer Missouri. Harvey served 20 years in the U.S. Navy. After retiring from the Navy he and his family moved to Cherokee Village where he worked in rental property management for another 28 years. Harvey began working with Heath Funeral Home in 2000.

Harvey was a valued member of the Heath and Wortham Funeral Home family and he will be forever missed by us all.

Doug Wortham

Owner, Funeral Director & Embalmer
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Doug and his wife Tammy along with their two children Danielle and Seth moved to Cherokee Village in 1998. Although new to the area they have long family ties to Sharp county. Doug began working in the funeral profession in 1989 at Heath Funeral Home in Paragould. He attended Southern (now Williams) Baptist College in Walnut Ridge with a degree in Pastoral Ministry, and then moved on to attend Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, graduating in 1992. He attended U of A with a major in Crime Scene Investigation. Graduate of the St. Louis School of Medicine in Medicolegal Death Investigation. He also graduated from the Leadership Arkansas program in 1994 under the late Governor Jim Guy Tucker. Doug is also a National Registered EMT-A, and assists the local ambulance service when needed. He has been very active in the community, serving as the Lt. Governor for the District 19 Kiwanis Clubs and Past President of the Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Gideon. Doug is also a U.S. Army Veteran, serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom , having 33 years of service with the Army and Army National Guard, And a member of the Disabled American Veterans. Doug became member of the Disaster Mortuary Response Team (DMORT) in July of 2000. Doug also serves as a Deputy Coroner for Fulton County. In 2011 he became a Deputy Registrar for Arkansas Department of Health. Doug and his family are members of Cherokee Village First Baptist Church. “I believe that the funeral profession is a ministry of helping people in grief and to assist them in a troubled time of their life. When not working I love to spend time with my family and grandchildren.”

Wade Bellah

Funeral Director & Embalmer
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Wade is a native to the Pocahontas area. He is a graduate of Pocahontas High School and The Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. He began his career in the funeral profession in 1973 at Heath Funeral Home in Paragould.

In 1979, he left Paragould and moved to Northwest Arkansas where he worked until he retired to Alabama. In 1995 he moved back to this area and he started working part time at Heath Oak Hill Chapel. Wade is a member of Imboden Baptist Church where he also serves as Sunday School Director.

Wade and his wife Pearl live in Imboden.

Seth Wortham

Funeral Director
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Seth Wortham, son of Doug & Tammy Wortham, is a 2011 graduate of Highland High School and a 2017 graduate Arkansas State University and has his Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis on History and Criminology. Seth has been involved with the funeral home since he was a junior in high school; assisting with funerals, cremations, as well as helping with the upkeep of the funeral home. Seth also serves as a Deputy Coroner for Fulton County and is also certified as a Medicolegal Death Investigator for the state of Arkansas. Seth is also a member of the Hardy and Highland Fire Departments. 

Seth is a former member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop #639 out of Cherokee Village and served as an archery instructor at Camp Kia Kima. He is a former member of the co-ed band sorority Tau Beta Sigma and is an alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity, as well as “ The Sound of The Natural” marching band and the “ Howlers” pep band.

Seth lives in Cherokee Village.

Richard "Dick" Alexander

Funeral Assistant
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~In Memorial~

Richard L. Alexander

January 7th, 1933 - March 17th, 2023

 

Before beginning his career in education Dick worked for eight and a half years with T.B. Smith Funeral Homes in Ridgway, Omaha and New Haven, Illinois, Klinger Funeral Home in Springfield, Missouri and Rainey’s Chapel of the Ozarks.

Dick is a former Methodist Minister in Missouri East Conference of the United Methodist Church. He retired from the Hoxie School District where he served as Elementary Counselor with an overall experience in the field of education as School Psychological Examiner, Principal, Superintendent and classroom teacher.

Dick was a valued member of the Heath and Wortham Funeral Home family and he will be forever missed by us all.

Harvey Smith

Funeral Assistant
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~In Memorial~

Harvey Marion Smith Jr.
November 27th, 1938 - August 9th, 2020

Harvey and his wife Wanda are natives of Thayer Missouri. Harvey served 20 years in the U.S. Navy. After retiring from the Navy he and his family moved to Cherokee Village where he worked in rental property management for another 28 years. Harvey began working with Heath Funeral Home in 2000.

Harvey was a valued member of the Heath and Wortham Funeral Home family and he will be forever missed by us all.