Betty Jo Lancaster Fowlkes

Betty Jo Lancaster Fowlkes, 80, of Sheridan passed away on Saturday, August 29 at St. Vincent Hospital in Little Rock. Born on April 30, 1935 in Sheridan, she was the daughter of the late Joe and Pauline Speck Lancaster. After graduating from Sheridan High School in 1953 and attending Draughon School of Business, Betty moved to Little Rock and part of her career included work in the tax revenue division, State of Arkansas. On December 22, 1956, she married Joe Fowlkes of Quitman and later retired to become a stay-at-home mother of two sons, enjoying their band and other school activities and those of their many friends. She was a charter member of Parkview Christian Church in Little Rock, where she became active in the library, choir, record-keeping, women's and youth activities. She served on the committee appointed to guide the project of gathering and assembling information included in Dr. Lester McAllister's book, Arkansas Disciples, a history of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Arkansas. After moving back to Sheridan in 2002, she attended First Christian Church. Betty is survived by her husband of 58 years, Joe Fowlkes of Sheridan; two sons, Brian (Donna) Fowlkes, Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and Bruce (Carolyn) Fowlkes, Chaplain at Eureka College, Eureka, Illinois; two grandsons, Rob and John Fowlkes of Eureka; two granddaughters, Nicole (Clayton) Ballreich of Dimondale, Michigan, and Sarah Fowlkes of Ann Arbor; three brothers, Jim Lancaster, Bob Lancaster and Bill Lancaster, all of Sheridan; a sister, Nita Webb of Sheridan. She was predeceased by a brother, Harold Lancaster and a sister, Joy Greer Roberts. Memorial services will be held on Thursday, September 3 at 2 p.m. at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home in Sheridan, with a graveside service to follow. Visitation will be available Wednesday, September 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heifer International or First Christian Church of Sheridan. Arrangements by Memorial Gardens Funeral Home of Sheridan, 870-942-1306. To sign the online guestbook, www.memorialgardenssheridan.com.