Blanche Elizabeth Holifield

Blanche Elizabeth Holifield, 97, of Fayetteville, Ark., went to be with her Lord on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at Katherine's Place in Fayetteville. She was born July 2, 1915 in Elk Garden, W. Va. to the late William and Grace Schwinabart. Blanche was a registered nurse and received her nurse's training at Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Cumberland, Md. As a nurse, she worked at her profession primarily in the area of labor and delivery. Over the years she assisted in numerous births and at times did the actual delivery when the doctor could not get to the hospital in time. Her most memorable delivery came in the middle of an ice storm in the back seat of a new father and mother's car. The doctor was iced in at home, but both mother and baby did well and came through the crisis in fine style. Blanche was a graduate of Asbury College in Wilmore, Ky., where she met the love of her life and husband to be, Pharis Holifield. They were married on Dec. 16, 1944. Pharis was studying at Asbury Theological Seminary to become a United Methodist minister, and after he obtained his degree in 1947, they moved back to his home state of Arkansas. Here they served Christ in ministry together in numerous United Methodist churches across the years until his death in 1978. As a hobby, Blanche loved gardening and specialized in growing roses which were her favorite flowers. She was a faithful pastor's wife, a diligent homemaker, a loving mother and grandmother, a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, and a committed member of Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. Blanche was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 34 years, the Rev. Pharis Jerome Holifield; her parents and two brothers, Albert Lynn and John Howard. Left to cherish her memory are two sons, the Rev. Tony Holifield and his wife, Sarah, of Fayetteville, and Jim Holifield and his wife, Theresa, of Lexington, Ky.; a daughter, Carol Ringold and her husband, Scott, of Carmel, Ind.; five grandchildren, Rob Holifield and his wife, Julie, of Wilmore, Ky., Julie Carpenter and her husband, Chris, of Winchester, Ky., Mary Beth Bomar and her husband, Austin, of Lexington, Ky., Stephanie Ringold of Carmel, Ind., and Mark Ringold of Carmel, Ind.; five great-grandchildren, Wes and Siah Holifield of Wilmore, Ky., Ben and Makayla Carpenter of Winchester, Ky., and Sean Bomar of Lexington, Ky., and a number of special nephews and nieces. Blanche was beloved by her family and looked up to as a spiritual mentor and exemplary model of a Christ like life. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5, in the Sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville with Dr. Steve Pulliam and the Rev. Carl Palmer officiating. Burial will be on June 6, at 3 p.m. in Piggott Cemetery in Piggott, Ark., under the direction of Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville. Visitation with the family will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening, June 4, at Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Arkansas Asbury Scholarship Fund or Central's Count Me In! Program c/o Central United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1106, Fayetteville, Ark. 72702. To sign the online guest book, visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.