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Anna "Loucille" Bolinger, was born Nov 8, 1930, to Jesse Clell Bolinger and Jessie Bea Weathers Bolinger, in Loy, Arkansas. Siblings; Jesse B Bolinger, Kenneth Bolinger, Marlene Conant Gill, Ruby Seeber, Calvin Bolinger, Billie Johnson, Pauli Evans, Leota Parsons, and Donald Radach. Loucille spent her childhood on family farmland along the Kings River valley learning things that she loved; to fish, sing and play the guitar, sew, garden, farm, while also cultivating a deep appreciation for family history. She had a favorite companion, her horse Ginger, that she rode to the one room schoolhouse at Loy, often sharing the mount with a younger sibling or two. At the age of 12, at a pie supper in Kingston, Loucille caught the eye of a young man who, in her description, was simply "dashing." His name was Claud M Edwards, a mountain boy from Red Star, the son of William Demps and Melisse Bell Hodge Edwards. A two year courtship followed and they wed on Loucille's 14th birthday, Nov. 8th, 1944, and lived to celebrated 64 years of marriage before Claud's passing on April 4, 2009. The couple lived in Washington State for some time during their early years, but spent the majority of their married life on a farm on Burney Mountain south of Kingston, where they combined skills and determination to make a living and to raise their family. Claud and Loucille sold the farm and moved to Alabam in the early 2000's. The home they built at Alabam remained Loucille's permanent residence until the time of her death at Willard Walker Hospice House, Fayetteville, Ark, on November 15th, 2016, at the age of 86. During much of their child rearing years, Claud's occupation with the State Department of Labor often kept him on the road. Loucille, a homemaker, spent her time working on the farm and tending a large vegetable garden and preserving the produce to ensure there was always plenty to eat during the winter months. A believer in Christ, she was instrumental in getting church and Sunday school services started at Reeves so that those living on the mountain would have a place to worship. She entertained her children by reciting poems passed down from generations before her, singing songs, and by going fishing. With her independent spirit, intelligence, and determination, she figured out how to do just about anything she needed done from minor auto repair to quilt making to building construction. When time permitted, she extensively researched the genealogy of her family as well as her husband's, and recorded volumes of history on their ancestry. Loucille especially enjoyed visiting with old timers in the area that could share stories of oral history. She also had an interest in preserving heirloom seeds. Loucille served as the matriarch for her children, Nina Sue Johnson, Lowell; Barton Henry (the late, Darla) Edwards, Berryville; Max Morris (Caroline) Edwards, Huntsville; Elaine Marie (Steve) Cattaneo, Winslow; Annette B (Earl) Rowe, Lincoln; and Lois Faye (Michael) Cox, Springdale; along with 22 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, 11 great-great grandchildren who are now left to carry on with the gifts of honesty, hard work and compassion she left behind. Loucille was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Claud; siblings Kenneth Bolinger, Billie Johnson, Jesse Bolinger, and Donald Radach; two great grandsons, Blake Anthony Lawson and Dakota Eli Catt, and a daughter in law, Darla Mae Edwards. A celebration of Loucille's life will be held Saturday, November 19, 2016 at 10:00 am at Brashears Funeral Home, Inc., Huntsville, Arkansas. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday, Nov. 18th. Interment will be at Reeves Cemetery. The service will be officiated by Drew Killingsworth. Pall bearers will be grandsons: Justin Edwards, Cameron Edwards, Lamont Edwards, Trenton Edwards, Brandon Catt, Zachary Rowe, Christopher Cox, and great-grandsons: Colby Sharp, Cody Sharp, Kendall Sharp, Dylan VanSandt, Glendon VanSandt, Jacob Edwards.

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Anna Loucille Edwards

November 8, 1930 - November 15, 2016