Bobbye Brinkley

Bobbye June Marler Brinkley passed away on February 21, 2026, in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Bobbye was born March 30, 1928, to Benjamin Edgar Marler & Myrtle Mapp Marler in Harperville, Mississippi. She graduated from Forest High School in Forest, Mississippi, and attended Mississippi State University, where she met her future husband, Roy Arvid Brinkley, Jr. of Dell, Arkansas, a fellow saxophone player in the Famous Maroon Band. They were married February 15, 1947.

In 1951, Bobbye and her daughters, Gwyn & Anne, moved to Dell, Arkansas to live with Roy’s parents when Roy was called to serve in the Korean conflict. Roy’s parents died in an automobile accident in October 1952, and Roy returned from Korea. After selling their family grocery store in Dell, Bobbye and Roy moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where Roy began medical school.

After Roy graduated medical school in 1957, daughters Diana and Judy were born in Little Rock. The family moved to North Little Rock in 1959 where Bobbye remained until her death. She raised her four daughters in the Lakewood neighborhood, attending all their activities, Junior Cotillions, and high school athletics. Bobbye was the recipient of a Lifetime PTA membership, was a member of the Junior League of North Little Rock, where she served as President, and she was a member of Lakewood United Methodist Church for 68 years, where she was a devoted member volunteering for fundraisers, projects, and events. She will be remembered for her kindness, gentle spirit and gracious nature.

Bobbye was predeceased by her husband; her parents; her in-laws, Roy Arvid, Sr. & Verna Ruth Crews Brinkley; her brother James Archie Marler; her sister-in-law, Carolyn Joy Brinkley; her brother-in-law, Charles Brinkley; her brothers & sisters-in-law, Louis & Vera Brinkley Anderson, and Bill and Peggy Brinkley Holman.

She is survived by her children Gwyn (Jim) Wood of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Anne (Jim) Glover of Maumelle, Arkansas; Diana (Todd) Maclin of Dallas, Texas; Judy (DeVoe) Reagan of Midlothian, Virginia. Bobbye is also survived by her grandchildren: David (Crystal) Carroum of Gladewater, Texas; Benjamin Carroum of Dallas, Texas; Leigh Wood (Jonny Funderburg) of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Molly Glover (Zak Knutson) of Burbank, California; Rustin (Gretchen) Glover of Little Rock, Arkansas; Courtney (Joey) Rector of Maumelle, Arkansas; Brinkley (Paul) Schneider of Dallas, Texas; Sam (Jessica) Maclin of Dallas, Texas; Kelly (Brian) Young of Atlanta, Georgia; and Casey Reagan of Richmond, Virginia. She is also survived by her 11 great-grandchildren, her sisters-in-law, Betty Brinkley of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, and Jo Hubbard Marler of Forest, Mississippi and her many nieces and nephews.

Bobbye and Roy spent many glorious days with friends, kids and grandkids boating and camping on Lake Ouachita and taking epic road trip adventures in their motorhome. She shared the love, fun and all the surprises of living with Roy for 68 years.

Our B-Bob will be missed by all who knew her happy and fun-loving spirit, her resilience and her strength. She will live on through her family and friends, who loved her dearly.

A Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home with a Funeral Service following at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be held at Rest Hills Cemetery at 12:00 p.m.

Our family would like to thank JC Cares, who provided care and companionship in her home at the Lakewood House for several years and the wonderful staff at Mira of Maumelle, who also took excellent care of our Mother. We appreciate the care of Lakewood Health and Rehab of North Little Rock and Gentiva Hospice for Bobbye’s care in her final days.

Memorials may be made to Lakewood United Methodist Church of North Little Rock, or the charity of your choice.

“Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality” Emily Dickinson