The following Obituary appeared on page A6 in the Jonesboro Sun Newspaper on September 10, 2019.
Jo Ellen Stevens
Picture
Stevens
JONESBORO - Jo Ellen Haddock Stevens, 82, of Round Mountain community (past five years in Jonesboro with her daughter) donned her wings and serenading angels escorted Jo Ellen to her heavenly home on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. Nettie McCoy delivered Jo Ellen on April 1, 1937, to Coy and Flossie Viola Wallace Haddock, in Beaver Township near Big Flat. She is second of their five children.
She married Edward Silvester Stevens, Jr. on Nov. 21, 1955, in Craighead County. They were blessed with 11 children, Sharon (Sonny) Sartin,
Jonesboro; Arnold "Danny" Hutchinson, Judsonia; Sarah Stevens (Ron Boren), Mountain View; Richard Stevens, Jonesboro; Ronnie (Kelly) Stevens Sr., Walnut Ridge; Jamie (Wayne) Russell, Hoxie; Sandra Wallis, Jonesboro; Joseph (Zelda) Adams, Sedgwick; Nicholas (Sheila Honeycutt) Stevens, Marshall; and raised granddaughter, Cindy (Kevin) White Sr., Duncan, Ariz.; 45 grandchildren; 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Jo Ellen grew up in the Big Flat/Lake City/Lunsford areas. She, her father and two brothers worked in logging woods and sawmills including a portable sawmill owned and operated by her father. Her brother stated, "Daddy worked Jo Ellen just like a man. She outworked any man I ever knew."
She and her family were migrant workers through 1970 before settling in Jonesboro. Jo Ellen became a certified nursing assistant and worked at Craighead County Nursing Center. Upon retiring she and Jr. moved to Round Mountain community, near her birthplace.
She loved children. With her own, she fostered, nurtured and guided numerous children and teenagers - homeschooling many of them. She loved studying her Bible, singing and all her family, especially those babies. She'd fight you over her baby (doll).
She enjoyed her flowers, plants, sewing, embroidering, quilting, croqueting, and knitting until no longer able to do them. She really enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren trying to solve riddles and jokes. A favorite was "Stack those five chairs on top of each other. I'll take off my shoes and jump over them." She'd laugh so hard when the kids argued she was supposed to jump over the chairs. (An English lesson ensued.)
She and her brothers, Charles Ray and Jimmy Lee (aka The Haddock Children) played various instruments and sang in numerous venues around Lake City, Mountain View and surrounding areas until the mid 1950's.
She was first in helping anyone in need regardless of how little she had. Jo Ellen could've been the inspiration for the tree in the book "The Giving Tree". She had the sweetest disposition displaying good manners with her Angelic voice until the very end. She inspired all who knew her. For her there were no halves/steps just family. She loved everybody and they love her.
Jo Ellen experienced many challenges, some being: at age five her little brother died; within days of her sixth birthday her mother died and her grandmother took her baby sister; a degrinatory stepmother; placed in an orphanage; abusive husband (then met the live of her life, Jr.) non-accepting mother-in-law; lost twins; father died just days after her 26th birthday; overcame breast cancer in 1990; and death of three grandsons and a daughter in tragic circumstances.
Educated in one room schools on Long and Cedar Creeks, whenever possible, believing an education could not be taken away and with determination she obtained her GED on May 13, 1991, from Ozarks College in Melbourne. With self-reliance, honesty, integrity, sense of duty, a love of God and family, Jo Ellen embodied the best of the Greatest Generation.
She honored God, family, fellow man and her country. She had a positive attitude and found the best in everybody. Modesty prevented boasting of any good deed or accomplishment. Through it all, a devout Pentecost, Jo Ellen never forgot to praise her Lord or pray for her family.
After 20 plus years, early onset Alzheimer's triumphed as she peacefully transitioned from home to heaven. She'd tell you her Lord stayed by her side through the good and bad.
Welcoming Jo Ellen into heaven were her Lord; parents; daughter, Mary Jo Ellen Stevens Curtis; son-in-law, Richard "Ricky/Rick" Lee Curtis Sr., grandsons, Rodney Stevens, Richard Lee Stevens Jr. and Hank Lynn Stevens; brothers, Carroll Eugene Haddock, Charles Ray Haddock and wives, Betty Fern Sutterfield Haddock Latham Chisamore and Mattie Jo Rhymes Haddock; sister, Florence Iva Haddock Mosby Daugherty; brother-in-law, James Daugherty; sisters-in-law, Christene Foster Haddock Fox, Nancy Ellen Daffern Haddock; half brothers, Donald and David Haddock; half brother-in-law, Bruce McClanahan; sisters-in-law, Hazel Jeanne Dickerson Haddock, Verda Lou Ann Jackson Haddock Hankins; grandparents, John W. P. and Ida Rosa "Rosie" Middleton Haddock Mize, the Rev. Tobias "Tobe" B. and Nettie Viola Jane "Janie" Passmore Wallace; great-grandparents, John W. and "Pink" Haddock, Mathew "Math" and Mary Adaline Shelton Balentine Middleton Mize, Josepheus ""Cephe/Cephus" Luther and Margaret Sutterfield Wallace, and Asa "Ace" and Mary Elizabeth Smithee Passmore; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other loved ones and step-mother, Josephine Hattenhauer Haddock McClanahan.
Remaining to honor her are her husband; nine children; 42 grandchildren, 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Jimmy Lee Haddock, Kansas, Okla.; brother-in-law, Carl Mosby, Jonesboro; half siblings, Theo Gene Haddock, Fayetteville; Alice Haddock Stevens Roble and Rudy Haddock, Round Mountain; Roy Haddock, Marshall; Tommy Haddock, Arizona; Coy (Debra) Haddock Jr., Harriett; Carolyn Watts, Jacksonville Miss.; Judy Haddock McClanahan (Brandal) Johnston, Nashville, Tenn.; Carl (Linda) Haddock, Big Flat,; Betty (Charles) Hafner Jr., Lorando, Miss., half sisters-in-law, Linda Haddock Cobb, Mountain View; Louise "Sissy" Haddock West, Northwest Arkansas; Peggy Horton Haddock, Marshall; Wilma Holliman Haddock, Clarksville; Penny James Luster, Jonesboro; Lois Thomas Haddock, and a multitude of children of the heart, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, extended family and friends.
Pallbearers are grandsons and great-grandsons: Kevin Sartin, Gerald Hutchison, Rodney Feezor, Josh Stacy, Ronnie Stevens Jr. , Steven McCoy, Kevin White Sr., Preston Bova, Jacob Adams, Herbie Stevens, and Jessy Neal.
Honorary pallbearers are: Sonny Sartin, Wayne Russell, John Wallace and Shane Mullins.
Visitation will be 5 to 6 p.m. today for the family and 6 to 8 p.m. for all others at Roller Farmers Union Funeral Home, 1900 W. Washington Ave., Jonesboro. Visitation/service will be 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, at 407 Old Enterprise Church, Craighead Road 348 off Hasbrook Road, Jonesboro, 72401, with Chaplin Bill Becker officiating. Interment will follow, with Rodney Feezor presiding, in Rock Creek Cemetery, under direction of Rolller- Farmers Union.
Many thanks and much appreciation to Dr. Homer Brooks, Dr. Charles C. Dunn, St. Bernard's Hospice staff, especially, Alishia and Rhonda, and Bethany/John Wallace, Pam Jennings, Mary Beth Lee, Julie Hines, Sammy Leisure of Salvation Ministries and Chaplin Bill Becker for love, compassion and care shown to Mom; Lena Martin for making Mom's beautiful handmade dress; Katie, Kayla, Diane and James of Walgreen's on Southwest Drive for knowledge of their job and especially, patience with me. Also Floyd of Caring Caskets for the unique one-of-a-kind casket.
Memorial donations:. Alzheimer's Association Chapter, 210 N. Walton Ave., Bentonville 72712 or The Susan G. Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 526, Dallas 75224.
VARIATIONS of the above Obituary appeared in the Stone County Leader newspaper of Mountain View, Arkansas and online:
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com
NOTE:
Jo Ellen worked at Craighead County Nursing Home. Later the name was changed to Craighead County Nursing Center.
Jo Ellen Stevens
Picture
Stevens
JONESBORO - Jo Ellen Haddock Stevens, 82, of Round Mountain community (past five years in Jonesboro with her daughter) donned her wings and serenading angels escorted Jo Ellen to her heavenly home on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. Nettie McCoy delivered Jo Ellen on April 1, 1937, to Coy and Flossie Viola Wallace Haddock, in Beaver Township near Big Flat. She is second of their five children.
She married Edward Silvester Stevens, Jr. on Nov. 21, 1955, in Craighead County. They were blessed with 11 children, Sharon (Sonny) Sartin,
Jonesboro; Arnold "Danny" Hutchinson, Judsonia; Sarah Stevens (Ron Boren), Mountain View; Richard Stevens, Jonesboro; Ronnie (Kelly) Stevens Sr., Walnut Ridge; Jamie (Wayne) Russell, Hoxie; Sandra Wallis, Jonesboro; Joseph (Zelda) Adams, Sedgwick; Nicholas (Sheila Honeycutt) Stevens, Marshall; and raised granddaughter, Cindy (Kevin) White Sr., Duncan, Ariz.; 45 grandchildren; 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Jo Ellen grew up in the Big Flat/Lake City/Lunsford areas. She, her father and two brothers worked in logging woods and sawmills including a portable sawmill owned and operated by her father. Her brother stated, "Daddy worked Jo Ellen just like a man. She outworked any man I ever knew."
She and her family were migrant workers through 1970 before settling in Jonesboro. Jo Ellen became a certified nursing assistant and worked at Craighead County Nursing Center. Upon retiring she and Jr. moved to Round Mountain community, near her birthplace.
She loved children. With her own, she fostered, nurtured and guided numerous children and teenagers - homeschooling many of them. She loved studying her Bible, singing and all her family, especially those babies. She'd fight you over her baby (doll).
She enjoyed her flowers, plants, sewing, embroidering, quilting, croqueting, and knitting until no longer able to do them. She really enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren trying to solve riddles and jokes. A favorite was "Stack those five chairs on top of each other. I'll take off my shoes and jump over them." She'd laugh so hard when the kids argued she was supposed to jump over the chairs. (An English lesson ensued.)
She and her brothers, Charles Ray and Jimmy Lee (aka The Haddock Children) played various instruments and sang in numerous venues around Lake City, Mountain View and surrounding areas until the mid 1950's.
She was first in helping anyone in need regardless of how little she had. Jo Ellen could've been the inspiration for the tree in the book "The Giving Tree". She had the sweetest disposition displaying good manners with her Angelic voice until the very end. She inspired all who knew her. For her there were no halves/steps just family. She loved everybody and they love her.
Jo Ellen experienced many challenges, some being: at age five her little brother died; within days of her sixth birthday her mother died and her grandmother took her baby sister; a degrinatory stepmother; placed in an orphanage; abusive husband (then met the live of her life, Jr.) non-accepting mother-in-law; lost twins; father died just days after her 26th birthday; overcame breast cancer in 1990; and death of three grandsons and a daughter in tragic circumstances.
Educated in one room schools on Long and Cedar Creeks, whenever possible, believing an education could not be taken away and with determination she obtained her GED on May 13, 1991, from Ozarks College in Melbourne. With self-reliance, honesty, integrity, sense of duty, a love of God and family, Jo Ellen embodied the best of the Greatest Generation.
She honored God, family, fellow man and her country. She had a positive attitude and found the best in everybody. Modesty prevented boasting of any good deed or accomplishment. Through it all, a devout Pentecost, Jo Ellen never forgot to praise her Lord or pray for her family.
After 20 plus years, early onset Alzheimer's triumphed as she peacefully transitioned from home to heaven. She'd tell you her Lord stayed by her side through the good and bad.
Welcoming Jo Ellen into heaven were her Lord; parents; daughter, Mary Jo Ellen Stevens Curtis; son-in-law, Richard "Ricky/Rick" Lee Curtis Sr., grandsons, Rodney Stevens, Richard Lee Stevens Jr. and Hank Lynn Stevens; brothers, Carroll Eugene Haddock, Charles Ray Haddock and wives, Betty Fern Sutterfield Haddock Latham Chisamore and Mattie Jo Rhymes Haddock; sister, Florence Iva Haddock Mosby Daugherty; brother-in-law, James Daugherty; sisters-in-law, Christene Foster Haddock Fox, Nancy Ellen Daffern Haddock; half brothers, Donald and David Haddock; half brother-in-law, Bruce McClanahan; sisters-in-law, Hazel Jeanne Dickerson Haddock, Verda Lou Ann Jackson Haddock Hankins; grandparents, John W. P. and Ida Rosa "Rosie" Middleton Haddock Mize, the Rev. Tobias "Tobe" B. and Nettie Viola Jane "Janie" Passmore Wallace; great-grandparents, John W. and "Pink" Haddock, Mathew "Math" and Mary Adaline Shelton Balentine Middleton Mize, Josepheus ""Cephe/Cephus" Luther and Margaret Sutterfield Wallace, and Asa "Ace" and Mary Elizabeth Smithee Passmore; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other loved ones and step-mother, Josephine Hattenhauer Haddock McClanahan.
Remaining to honor her are her husband; nine children; 42 grandchildren, 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Jimmy Lee Haddock, Kansas, Okla.; brother-in-law, Carl Mosby, Jonesboro; half siblings, Theo Gene Haddock, Fayetteville; Alice Haddock Stevens Roble and Rudy Haddock, Round Mountain; Roy Haddock, Marshall; Tommy Haddock, Arizona; Coy (Debra) Haddock Jr., Harriett; Carolyn Watts, Jacksonville Miss.; Judy Haddock McClanahan (Brandal) Johnston, Nashville, Tenn.; Carl (Linda) Haddock, Big Flat,; Betty (Charles) Hafner Jr., Lorando, Miss., half sisters-in-law, Linda Haddock Cobb, Mountain View; Louise "Sissy" Haddock West, Northwest Arkansas; Peggy Horton Haddock, Marshall; Wilma Holliman Haddock, Clarksville; Penny James Luster, Jonesboro; Lois Thomas Haddock, and a multitude of children of the heart, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, extended family and friends.
Pallbearers are grandsons and great-grandsons: Kevin Sartin, Gerald Hutchison, Rodney Feezor, Josh Stacy, Ronnie Stevens Jr. , Steven McCoy, Kevin White Sr., Preston Bova, Jacob Adams, Herbie Stevens, and Jessy Neal.
Honorary pallbearers are: Sonny Sartin, Wayne Russell, John Wallace and Shane Mullins.
Visitation will be 5 to 6 p.m. today for the family and 6 to 8 p.m. for all others at Roller Farmers Union Funeral Home, 1900 W. Washington Ave., Jonesboro. Visitation/service will be 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, at 407 Old Enterprise Church, Craighead Road 348 off Hasbrook Road, Jonesboro, 72401, with Chaplin Bill Becker officiating. Interment will follow, with Rodney Feezor presiding, in Rock Creek Cemetery, under direction of Rolller- Farmers Union.
Many thanks and much appreciation to Dr. Homer Brooks, Dr. Charles C. Dunn, St. Bernard's Hospice staff, especially, Alishia and Rhonda, and Bethany/John Wallace, Pam Jennings, Mary Beth Lee, Julie Hines, Sammy Leisure of Salvation Ministries and Chaplin Bill Becker for love, compassion and care shown to Mom; Lena Martin for making Mom's beautiful handmade dress; Katie, Kayla, Diane and James of Walgreen's on Southwest Drive for knowledge of their job and especially, patience with me. Also Floyd of Caring Caskets for the unique one-of-a-kind casket.
Memorial donations:. Alzheimer's Association Chapter, 210 N. Walton Ave., Bentonville 72712 or The Susan G. Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 526, Dallas 75224.
VARIATIONS of the above Obituary appeared in the Stone County Leader newspaper of Mountain View, Arkansas and online:
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com
NOTE:
Jo Ellen worked at Craighead County Nursing Home. Later the name was changed to Craighead County Nursing Center.
The following Obituary appeared on page A6 in the Jonesboro Sun Newspaper on September 10, 2019.
Jo Ellen Stevens
Picture
Stevens
JONESBORO - Jo Ellen Haddock Stevens, 82, of Round Mountain community (past five years in Jonesboro with her daughter) donned her wings and serenading angels escorted Jo Ellen to her heavenly home on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. Nettie McCoy delivered Jo Ellen on April 1, 1937, to Coy and Flossie Viola Wallace Haddock, in Beaver Township near Big Flat. She is second of their five children.
She married Edward Silvester Stevens, Jr. on Nov. 21, 1955, in Craighead County. They were blessed with 11 children, Sharon (Sonny) Sartin,
Jonesboro; Arnold "Danny" Hutchinson, Judsonia; Sarah Stevens (Ron Boren), Mountain View; Richard Stevens, Jonesboro; Ronnie (Kelly) Stevens Sr., Walnut Ridge; Jamie (Wayne) Russell, Hoxie; Sandra Wallis, Jonesboro; Joseph (Zelda) Adams, Sedgwick; Nicholas (Sheila Honeycutt) Stevens, Marshall; and raised granddaughter, Cindy (Kevin) White Sr., Duncan, Ariz.; 45 grandchildren; 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Jo Ellen grew up in the Big Flat/Lake City/Lunsford areas. She, her father and two brothers worked in logging woods and sawmills including a portable sawmill owned and operated by her father. Her brother stated, "Daddy worked Jo Ellen just like a man. She outworked any man I ever knew."
She and her family were migrant workers through 1970 before settling in Jonesboro. Jo Ellen became a certified nursing assistant and worked at Craighead County Nursing Center. Upon retiring she and Jr. moved to Round Mountain community, near her birthplace.
She loved children. With her own, she fostered, nurtured and guided numerous children and teenagers - homeschooling many of them. She loved studying her Bible, singing and all her family, especially those babies. She'd fight you over her baby (doll).
She enjoyed her flowers, plants, sewing, embroidering, quilting, croqueting, and knitting until no longer able to do them. She really enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren trying to solve riddles and jokes. A favorite was "Stack those five chairs on top of each other. I'll take off my shoes and jump over them." She'd laugh so hard when the kids argued she was supposed to jump over the chairs. (An English lesson ensued.)
She and her brothers, Charles Ray and Jimmy Lee (aka The Haddock Children) played various instruments and sang in numerous venues around Lake City, Mountain View and surrounding areas until the mid 1950's.
She was first in helping anyone in need regardless of how little she had. Jo Ellen could've been the inspiration for the tree in the book "The Giving Tree". She had the sweetest disposition displaying good manners with her Angelic voice until the very end. She inspired all who knew her. For her there were no halves/steps just family. She loved everybody and they love her.
Jo Ellen experienced many challenges, some being: at age five her little brother died; within days of her sixth birthday her mother died and her grandmother took her baby sister; a degrinatory stepmother; placed in an orphanage; abusive husband (then met the live of her life, Jr.) non-accepting mother-in-law; lost twins; father died just days after her 26th birthday; overcame breast cancer in 1990; and death of three grandsons and a daughter in tragic circumstances.
Educated in one room schools on Long and Cedar Creeks, whenever possible, believing an education could not be taken away and with determination she obtained her GED on May 13, 1991, from Ozarks College in Melbourne. With self-reliance, honesty, integrity, sense of duty, a love of God and family, Jo Ellen embodied the best of the Greatest Generation.
She honored God, family, fellow man and her country. She had a positive attitude and found the best in everybody. Modesty prevented boasting of any good deed or accomplishment. Through it all, a devout Pentecost, Jo Ellen never forgot to praise her Lord or pray for her family.
After 20 plus years, early onset Alzheimer's triumphed as she peacefully transitioned from home to heaven. She'd tell you her Lord stayed by her side through the good and bad.
Welcoming Jo Ellen into heaven were her Lord; parents; daughter, Mary Jo Ellen Stevens Curtis; son-in-law, Richard "Ricky/Rick" Lee Curtis Sr., grandsons, Rodney Stevens, Richard Lee Stevens Jr. and Hank Lynn Stevens; brothers, Carroll Eugene Haddock, Charles Ray Haddock and wives, Betty Fern Sutterfield Haddock Latham Chisamore and Mattie Jo Rhymes Haddock; sister, Florence Iva Haddock Mosby Daugherty; brother-in-law, James Daugherty; sisters-in-law, Christene Foster Haddock Fox, Nancy Ellen Daffern Haddock; half brothers, Donald and David Haddock; half brother-in-law, Bruce McClanahan; sisters-in-law, Hazel Jeanne Dickerson Haddock, Verda Lou Ann Jackson Haddock Hankins; grandparents, John W. P. and Ida Rosa "Rosie" Middleton Haddock Mize, the Rev. Tobias "Tobe" B. and Nettie Viola Jane "Janie" Passmore Wallace; great-grandparents, John W. and "Pink" Haddock, Mathew "Math" and Mary Adaline Shelton Balentine Middleton Mize, Josepheus ""Cephe/Cephus" Luther and Margaret Sutterfield Wallace, and Asa "Ace" and Mary Elizabeth Smithee Passmore; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other loved ones and step-mother, Josephine Hattenhauer Haddock McClanahan.
Remaining to honor her are her husband; nine children; 42 grandchildren, 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Jimmy Lee Haddock, Kansas, Okla.; brother-in-law, Carl Mosby, Jonesboro; half siblings, Theo Gene Haddock, Fayetteville; Alice Haddock Stevens Roble and Rudy Haddock, Round Mountain; Roy Haddock, Marshall; Tommy Haddock, Arizona; Coy (Debra) Haddock Jr., Harriett; Carolyn Watts, Jacksonville Miss.; Judy Haddock McClanahan (Brandal) Johnston, Nashville, Tenn.; Carl (Linda) Haddock, Big Flat,; Betty (Charles) Hafner Jr., Lorando, Miss., half sisters-in-law, Linda Haddock Cobb, Mountain View; Louise "Sissy" Haddock West, Northwest Arkansas; Peggy Horton Haddock, Marshall; Wilma Holliman Haddock, Clarksville; Penny James Luster, Jonesboro; Lois Thomas Haddock, and a multitude of children of the heart, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, extended family and friends.
Pallbearers are grandsons and great-grandsons: Kevin Sartin, Gerald Hutchison, Rodney Feezor, Josh Stacy, Ronnie Stevens Jr. , Steven McCoy, Kevin White Sr., Preston Bova, Jacob Adams, Herbie Stevens, and Jessy Neal.
Honorary pallbearers are: Sonny Sartin, Wayne Russell, John Wallace and Shane Mullins.
Visitation will be 5 to 6 p.m. today for the family and 6 to 8 p.m. for all others at Roller Farmers Union Funeral Home, 1900 W. Washington Ave., Jonesboro. Visitation/service will be 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, at 407 Old Enterprise Church, Craighead Road 348 off Hasbrook Road, Jonesboro, 72401, with Chaplin Bill Becker officiating. Interment will follow, with Rodney Feezor presiding, in Rock Creek Cemetery, under direction of Rolller- Farmers Union.
Many thanks and much appreciation to Dr. Homer Brooks, Dr. Charles C. Dunn, St. Bernard's Hospice staff, especially, Alishia and Rhonda, and Bethany/John Wallace, Pam Jennings, Mary Beth Lee, Julie Hines, Sammy Leisure of Salvation Ministries and Chaplin Bill Becker for love, compassion and care shown to Mom; Lena Martin for making Mom's beautiful handmade dress; Katie, Kayla, Diane and James of Walgreen's on Southwest Drive for knowledge of their job and especially, patience with me. Also Floyd of Caring Caskets for the unique one-of-a-kind casket.
Memorial donations:. Alzheimer's Association Chapter, 210 N. Walton Ave., Bentonville 72712 or The Susan G. Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 526, Dallas 75224.
VARIATIONS of the above Obituary appeared in the Stone County Leader newspaper of Mountain View, Arkansas and online:
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com
NOTE:
Jo Ellen worked at Craighead County Nursing Home. Later the name was changed to Craighead County Nursing Center.
Jo Ellen Stevens
Picture
Stevens
JONESBORO - Jo Ellen Haddock Stevens, 82, of Round Mountain community (past five years in Jonesboro with her daughter) donned her wings and serenading angels escorted Jo Ellen to her heavenly home on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. Nettie McCoy delivered Jo Ellen on April 1, 1937, to Coy and Flossie Viola Wallace Haddock, in Beaver Township near Big Flat. She is second of their five children.
She married Edward Silvester Stevens, Jr. on Nov. 21, 1955, in Craighead County. They were blessed with 11 children, Sharon (Sonny) Sartin,
Jonesboro; Arnold "Danny" Hutchinson, Judsonia; Sarah Stevens (Ron Boren), Mountain View; Richard Stevens, Jonesboro; Ronnie (Kelly) Stevens Sr., Walnut Ridge; Jamie (Wayne) Russell, Hoxie; Sandra Wallis, Jonesboro; Joseph (Zelda) Adams, Sedgwick; Nicholas (Sheila Honeycutt) Stevens, Marshall; and raised granddaughter, Cindy (Kevin) White Sr., Duncan, Ariz.; 45 grandchildren; 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Jo Ellen grew up in the Big Flat/Lake City/Lunsford areas. She, her father and two brothers worked in logging woods and sawmills including a portable sawmill owned and operated by her father. Her brother stated, "Daddy worked Jo Ellen just like a man. She outworked any man I ever knew."
She and her family were migrant workers through 1970 before settling in Jonesboro. Jo Ellen became a certified nursing assistant and worked at Craighead County Nursing Center. Upon retiring she and Jr. moved to Round Mountain community, near her birthplace.
She loved children. With her own, she fostered, nurtured and guided numerous children and teenagers - homeschooling many of them. She loved studying her Bible, singing and all her family, especially those babies. She'd fight you over her baby (doll).
She enjoyed her flowers, plants, sewing, embroidering, quilting, croqueting, and knitting until no longer able to do them. She really enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren trying to solve riddles and jokes. A favorite was "Stack those five chairs on top of each other. I'll take off my shoes and jump over them." She'd laugh so hard when the kids argued she was supposed to jump over the chairs. (An English lesson ensued.)
She and her brothers, Charles Ray and Jimmy Lee (aka The Haddock Children) played various instruments and sang in numerous venues around Lake City, Mountain View and surrounding areas until the mid 1950's.
She was first in helping anyone in need regardless of how little she had. Jo Ellen could've been the inspiration for the tree in the book "The Giving Tree". She had the sweetest disposition displaying good manners with her Angelic voice until the very end. She inspired all who knew her. For her there were no halves/steps just family. She loved everybody and they love her.
Jo Ellen experienced many challenges, some being: at age five her little brother died; within days of her sixth birthday her mother died and her grandmother took her baby sister; a degrinatory stepmother; placed in an orphanage; abusive husband (then met the live of her life, Jr.) non-accepting mother-in-law; lost twins; father died just days after her 26th birthday; overcame breast cancer in 1990; and death of three grandsons and a daughter in tragic circumstances.
Educated in one room schools on Long and Cedar Creeks, whenever possible, believing an education could not be taken away and with determination she obtained her GED on May 13, 1991, from Ozarks College in Melbourne. With self-reliance, honesty, integrity, sense of duty, a love of God and family, Jo Ellen embodied the best of the Greatest Generation.
She honored God, family, fellow man and her country. She had a positive attitude and found the best in everybody. Modesty prevented boasting of any good deed or accomplishment. Through it all, a devout Pentecost, Jo Ellen never forgot to praise her Lord or pray for her family.
After 20 plus years, early onset Alzheimer's triumphed as she peacefully transitioned from home to heaven. She'd tell you her Lord stayed by her side through the good and bad.
Welcoming Jo Ellen into heaven were her Lord; parents; daughter, Mary Jo Ellen Stevens Curtis; son-in-law, Richard "Ricky/Rick" Lee Curtis Sr., grandsons, Rodney Stevens, Richard Lee Stevens Jr. and Hank Lynn Stevens; brothers, Carroll Eugene Haddock, Charles Ray Haddock and wives, Betty Fern Sutterfield Haddock Latham Chisamore and Mattie Jo Rhymes Haddock; sister, Florence Iva Haddock Mosby Daugherty; brother-in-law, James Daugherty; sisters-in-law, Christene Foster Haddock Fox, Nancy Ellen Daffern Haddock; half brothers, Donald and David Haddock; half brother-in-law, Bruce McClanahan; sisters-in-law, Hazel Jeanne Dickerson Haddock, Verda Lou Ann Jackson Haddock Hankins; grandparents, John W. P. and Ida Rosa "Rosie" Middleton Haddock Mize, the Rev. Tobias "Tobe" B. and Nettie Viola Jane "Janie" Passmore Wallace; great-grandparents, John W. and "Pink" Haddock, Mathew "Math" and Mary Adaline Shelton Balentine Middleton Mize, Josepheus ""Cephe/Cephus" Luther and Margaret Sutterfield Wallace, and Asa "Ace" and Mary Elizabeth Smithee Passmore; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other loved ones and step-mother, Josephine Hattenhauer Haddock McClanahan.
Remaining to honor her are her husband; nine children; 42 grandchildren, 141 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Jimmy Lee Haddock, Kansas, Okla.; brother-in-law, Carl Mosby, Jonesboro; half siblings, Theo Gene Haddock, Fayetteville; Alice Haddock Stevens Roble and Rudy Haddock, Round Mountain; Roy Haddock, Marshall; Tommy Haddock, Arizona; Coy (Debra) Haddock Jr., Harriett; Carolyn Watts, Jacksonville Miss.; Judy Haddock McClanahan (Brandal) Johnston, Nashville, Tenn.; Carl (Linda) Haddock, Big Flat,; Betty (Charles) Hafner Jr., Lorando, Miss., half sisters-in-law, Linda Haddock Cobb, Mountain View; Louise "Sissy" Haddock West, Northwest Arkansas; Peggy Horton Haddock, Marshall; Wilma Holliman Haddock, Clarksville; Penny James Luster, Jonesboro; Lois Thomas Haddock, and a multitude of children of the heart, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, extended family and friends.
Pallbearers are grandsons and great-grandsons: Kevin Sartin, Gerald Hutchison, Rodney Feezor, Josh Stacy, Ronnie Stevens Jr. , Steven McCoy, Kevin White Sr., Preston Bova, Jacob Adams, Herbie Stevens, and Jessy Neal.
Honorary pallbearers are: Sonny Sartin, Wayne Russell, John Wallace and Shane Mullins.
Visitation will be 5 to 6 p.m. today for the family and 6 to 8 p.m. for all others at Roller Farmers Union Funeral Home, 1900 W. Washington Ave., Jonesboro. Visitation/service will be 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, at 407 Old Enterprise Church, Craighead Road 348 off Hasbrook Road, Jonesboro, 72401, with Chaplin Bill Becker officiating. Interment will follow, with Rodney Feezor presiding, in Rock Creek Cemetery, under direction of Rolller- Farmers Union.
Many thanks and much appreciation to Dr. Homer Brooks, Dr. Charles C. Dunn, St. Bernard's Hospice staff, especially, Alishia and Rhonda, and Bethany/John Wallace, Pam Jennings, Mary Beth Lee, Julie Hines, Sammy Leisure of Salvation Ministries and Chaplin Bill Becker for love, compassion and care shown to Mom; Lena Martin for making Mom's beautiful handmade dress; Katie, Kayla, Diane and James of Walgreen's on Southwest Drive for knowledge of their job and especially, patience with me. Also Floyd of Caring Caskets for the unique one-of-a-kind casket.
Memorial donations:. Alzheimer's Association Chapter, 210 N. Walton Ave., Bentonville 72712 or The Susan G. Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 526, Dallas 75224.
VARIATIONS of the above Obituary appeared in the Stone County Leader newspaper of Mountain View, Arkansas and online:
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com
NOTE:
Jo Ellen worked at Craighead County Nursing Home. Later the name was changed to Craighead County Nursing Center.
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