of Floral, AR

June 25, 1933 - July 25, 2016

Hello friends and family, I have moved on to be with the Lord. I look forward to passing through the gates of heaven. I want everyone to know that I am now at peace and all of my pain has been lifted. I love each and every one of you! I will forever be watching over you from heaven!

On Monday July 25th 2016 Emma Jean (Blythe) Lankford passed away peacefully at her daughter's home in Floral Ar. She was born in Kansas City, MO on June 25th 1933. At age 13 her father moved the family to Odessa TX to pursue a new business venture in grocery stores where Jean would then graduate high school. In 1953 she moved to Greenbrier AR and attended AR State Teachers College in Conway (University of Central AR). In 1958 she returned to Odessa and attended nursing school to become an LVN. She then worked as a nurse at the hospital in Big Lake Texas. In 1963 she returned to Greenbrier to provide care for her grandmother. She worked as a Nurse at Conway Hospital and later returned to the AR State Teachers College. In 1969 she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Education and became a school teacher Quitman AR. In 1970 she moved to Duncanville TX and worked for the city of Dallas teaching adult education while attending classes at Texas University. In 1974 she returned to Greenbrier to provide care for her mother. She later served as the first Director of the Greenbrier Senior Citizens program for Faulkner County. In 1978 she began traveling the country with the Holiday Ramblers Camper and RV Club. Jean loved traveling and playing golf and continued to do so while living part-time in Texas and Arkansas. In the 1990s she served as the Arkansas Regional Director for the Holiday Ramblers Club. She continued to travel part-time into the 2000s while living in Greenbrier. Jean became an active member the Red Hat ladies organization. In 2013 Jean moved to Harding Place in Searcy AR where she lived for 3 years until her health required fulltime care at her daughter's home in Floral.

Jean is preceded in death by her parents Charles R. Blythe and Lorena (Snow) Blythe and her Brother Charles Blythe. She is survived by her three children Becky (Lankford) Brown of Floral AR, Cindy (Lankford) O'Toole of Whitney TX, and Douglas Lankford of Waukesha Wisconsin. And her ten grandchildren, Matthew (Lankford) Kennedy of Dallas Texas, Jeremy Robinson of Olathe KS, Gina Miller of Seattle WA, Elaine (Brown) Lambert of Conway AR, Teresa Miller of Seattle WA, Kathy (Miller) Willey of Austin TX, Michael Lankford of Overland Park KS, Barbara (O'Toole) Flores of Whitney TX, Ryan and Haley Lankford of Waukesha Wisconsin. She had 9 Great Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great Grandson.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 29th at 11am at the Floral Baptist Church family life center, in Floral Arkansas.

In lieu of flowers please make a contribution to the Floral Baptist Church; 3950 Floral Rd, Floral, AR 72534 (501)345-2266.

Sign Guestbook

2 Condolence(s)