May 19, 1929 - August 26, 2023

Frances Birtie Beasley Pike passed from her earthly home to her heavenly reward on August 26, 2023, at the age of 94 years young. She was a resident of Marion, AR and passed after her battle with ongoing health complications.

Frances was born on May 19, 1929 in Wallerville, MS to John Spencer Beasley and Pearlie Lenora Beasley. She had two brothers, Clarence Lamar Beasley and Johnnie Keith Beasley, all of whom preceded her in death. She married the love of her life, her soldier, Edward Talmage Pike Sr. in 1966. They were married for 34 years before he preceded her in death in 2000. She was also preceded in death by her twin sons and her daughter that were stillborn. She was a proud graduate of the class of 1948 from Hughes High School in Hughes, AR and later went on to Beauty Operator School. She began waitressing at the Coffee Cup in West Memphis, AR at 14 and later she retired as a beautician after 36 years of service.

Frances loved life and telling stories of her life's journey. She was a child of the Great Depression and grew up on a farm picking cotton, which she hated. She would often reflect on all that these old eyes have seen, including the bombing of Pearl Harbor, D-Day, JFK shooting and even Elvis dying. She loved being around her family and her dog, Selina, telling a good joke, sharing memories of her life including her childhood friendship with Elvis and later serving him before he went to boot camp and even laughing at her past mistakes. She even enjoyed the simple pleasures of good food and always asked for peel-them-and-eat-them shrimp, even in her final days. She always loved to talk about her Jesus and to talk about those gone before her and how she longed for the day to join them in heaven. She was an active member of Second Baptist Church in West Memphis, before it merged and became Cornerstone Baptist Church, where she was a founding member. She looked forward to church every week and even on her final days she wanted to know where she would be going to church if she stayed in Missouri. When her health allowed, she enjoyed singing in the choir at church, playing her guitar, mandolin and banjo and singing with her brother, Lamar. Her and her brother, Keith always made up songs and changed the lyrics of some of their favorites to make them silly. She taught 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School for years and served faithfully at her church. She was the church sweetheart and everyone enjoyed being around Mrs. Frances. In later years, Frances' pastimes included fishing with her brothers and her husband, Ed, visiting her family in Missouri, watching classic westerns and game shows, taking walks with Sharon and pickin' her instruments. As a young woman she looked forward to USO dances, going to Hernando's Hideaway with her girlfriends to dance on their lunch breaks and she even took belly dancing lessons at one time. She would always yodel for everyone and had such a sweet disposition and love for everyone who was around her.

She was very proud of her 4 nieces, her one nephew and her favorite nephew in law, that she called her boyfriend. She bragged that Sarah had followed her footsteps into the beauty industry, how Abby would one day be a world-changer and how John Michael was her young soldier boy. She cherished Sharon, Jonica and Michael and wanted nothing but the best for their lives.

Although her children weren't biologically hers, she always referred to them as her own. She helped to raise them despite not knowing about all of them when she said "I do". Dating her beloved Ed was quite the whirlwind romance and they married after just 10 days of seeing each other.

Frances leaves behind a treasured family that included her oldest niece, Sharon Beasley and her daughter, Sarah Estrada of Marion AR and Springfield, MO, her youngest niece, Jonica Hope, her husband, Michael Hope and their children, Abigail and John Michael Hope of Nixa, MO. She also leaves behind her children through marriage, Ed. Jr and Carolyn Pike of Sikeston, MO and their children, Chrissy Pike Chouinard and Edward Pike III, Judi and Ronnie Atherton of Dexter, MO and their children Shannon Atherton and Nicholas Atherton, Danny and Lynn Pike of Memphis, TN and their son, Eric Pike and Bobbi and Doyle Hadley of Sikeston, MO and her church family that she held dear. She had a total of 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

In passing her final message to her family and friends was "when you think of God, do business with God, show reverence to Him and don't play games with your faith". She wanted her family to know that she is partying in heaven and wants them to all join her one day, so make sure you are ready to meet Jesus face-to-face.

Services will be held on Friday, September 1, 2023 at Cornerstone Baptist Church located at 1105 Balfour Road, West Memphis, AR 72301. Visitation begins at 10:00 AM and services start at 11:00 AM. She will be interred at Crittenden Memorial Park located at 2206 US-64, Marion, AR 72364 directly after services conclude.

The family requests that any memorials be made in honor of Frances Pike to Cornerstone Baptist Church in West Memphis, AR so that the work of the Lord can continue.

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