Frances Thornsberry

Frances Louise Flemister Thornsberry, age 100, was born at home on the family farm on Smokey Lane, North Little Rock on December 11, 1925 to Martha (Richards) and Solomon Flemister. She died on October 28, 2026 at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.

She is survived by Marilyn Wheeler of Sherwood, Brynda Pappas (Doug Howard) of Fayetteville, and Deborah Papadakis of LIttle Rock.

During World War II, Frances enjoyed the USO dances at nearby Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, and at one of those dances, she met Nick Pappas of Brooklyn, New York. They married before the war was over. Mr. Pappas died in 1959.

In younger days, Frances worked at Democrat Printing and Lithograph and as a switchboard operator for SW Bell Telephone. In later life, she worked in home health care. She was a member of Geyer Springs Baptist Church.

In addition to her daughters, Frances is survived by numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, including Steven Wheeler and Ashlyn Wheeler of North Little Rock, Geoffrey Howard (Juliet Casanova), Felicia Howard, Turner Howard, Ronan Howard, and Cambric Howard of Columbia, Maryland, Jennifer Sappington, Cherub Penny and Zeta Sulzmann of Salem, Oregon, Yiannis Finch of West Melbourne, Florida, and Daniel and Zoey Fraser of North Little Rock, and Stephanie Fraser, also of North Little Rock.

She was predeceased by brothers Clarence, Fielding ("Nick") and Carl Wendell Flemister, and sisters Ruby McCraw and Celeste Pounders, and by grandson Nick Wheeler.

A visitation is scheduled from 2-3pm on Friday, November 6, 2026 at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main Street, with a memorial service to follow at 3pm.