Betty Jo Malone

BETTY JO MALONE, 92, went to be with her Heavenly Father on Good Friday, March 30, 2018. She was born on July 29, 1925, in Pottsville, Arkansas to Lee and Hazel Rackley. Betty was a compassionate and loving mother, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to all. Her sweetness and loving ways were apparent upon first meeting her and her guidance, encouragement and support of all her family is her most enduring legacy. Though she accomplished much in her life on earth, she was most proud of her family and of her contributions to her church home of almost 60 years, Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. She was a talented and passionate artist who loved to draw. She was married to Cecil L. Malone for 71 years, and they traveled the world together for business and pleasure. She was happiest and most content, however, at home surrounded by her family and her art. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Carroll, her step-mother Zerle Rackley and her daughter Cecilia Kelly. She is survived by her husband, her children, Linda (Buddy) Pledger. Teresa (Mike) Bechtel, and Brenda (Kenny) Breckling; her grandchildren, George (Meme) Toney, Tabatha Toney, Kelly (Matt) Weeks, Matt (Brandy) Pledger, Tonya Smith, Jonathan (Christina) Bechtel, Amanda Breckling, and Stephanie (Chris) Brown; and her great-grandchildren, Savannah and Forest Pledger, Avery and Hayden Weeks, Mason and Josie Brown and Madeline Bechtel. The family would like to thank Hospice Home Care and especially Angela for their loving care, the many people at the church who loved and were loved by Betty for almost 60 years, and most importantly her granddaughter, Stephanie Brown who unfailingly made her last years happy and full of love, laughter and prayer every day of her life. Our lives will be a little less bright with her passing, but Heaven is measurably brighter today. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to PHUMC Foundation, Malone Older Adult Endowment for the Malone Archives 4823 Woodlawn, Little Rock, Ark., 72205 or to Hospice Home Care, 2200 S. Bowman, Little Rock, Ark., 72211. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 3rd at Pulaski Heights UMC. Committal services will be at 10:00 a.m. in the Columbarium at the Church with Reverend Vic Nixon officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Monday, April 2nd at the Church. In her own words about her own mother, she wrote: Our Mother The past lies before me, spread over the miles. Reminiscing is painful, except for the smiles, The happy occasions, the love we all knew; The heartache and sorrow were evident, too. You gave us a mother, Dear Lord, hers to share For a while with our Father life's struggle and care. We release her, dear Father. Please hold her with love. Take gently her spirit to her home above. Betty Jo Malone May 28, 1980 Arrangements by Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., Little Rock, Ark., 72205 (501)224-2200. Mrs. Malone's online guestbook may be signed at www.littlerockfuneralhome.com.