Melissa Ann Griffith Stanley

Melissa Ann Griffith Stanley passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on March 24, 2016. She leaves behind her husband of five years, Dr. J. Scott Stanley, and three sons whom she cherished and adored: Charles Matthew Jackson (23), Pierce Griffith Jackson (19) and Louis Cameron Jackson (16). Melissa Ann Griffith was born October 25, 1961, in Tucson, Arizona, to Col. James C. Griffith and Rosemary Davidson Griffith. The daughter of an Army officer she lived as a child in many places around the United States including Indiana, Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Her family settled in Little Rock when she was a teenager and she graduated from her parents' alma mater, Little Rock Central High School in 1980. Upon graduation she attended Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., where she earned a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Religion and Psychology in 1984. Her love of working with children began in her teens as a babysitter, swim instructor and camp counselor. She worked as a Youth Director at both Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church and at the First United Methodist Church in Rome, Ga. She also worked with the Adult Ministries at Little Rock First United Methodist Church. More recently she worked as an administrative assistant at Kid Source, Kids SPOT, Integrity, Inc. and for the past 9 years was Secretary for the Health Services Coordinator at the Little Rock School District where she was much beloved and will be greatly missed. Previously Melissa served on the Day Care Board and Board of Stewards at Pulaski Heights UMC as well as the Wesley Fellowship at UALR and the board for Ozark Mission Project. She was an avid reader as well as a huge fan of the Arkansas Razorback Football team. She had a gentle soul and great love of life and will be dearly missed by a multitude of family, co-workers and friends. Melissa was preceded in death by her father, Col. James C. Griffith, in May 2001. In addition to her husband and sons, she is also survived by her mother, Rosemary Davidson Griffith, and sister, Jamie L. Griffith both of Little Rock; sister, Kristi Griffith Koch and, her husband John of Northborough, Mass.; nephew, James E. Koch of Washington DC; niece, Kristin E. Koch of Northborough, Mass.; father and mother-in-law, Jack & Roselyn Stanley of Little Rock, Ark. Visitation will be Saturday, April, 2, 2016 from 3-5 at Ruebel Funeral Home in Little Rock. Services will be held at 11 am on Monday April 4th, 2016, at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock with the Reverend Jay Clark presiding, assisted by Dr. Jeffery Hampton, Reverend Vic Nixon, Reverend Lynn Lindsey and Bishop Kenneth Hicks. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Pulaski Heights PEEPS Program (Pulaski Heights UMC Evening Excursions for Parents of Children with Special Needs) 4823 Woodlawn, Little Rock, Ark. 72205 and Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway, Ark. 72032. Arrangements by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.