Lurline Birkhead

Lurline Stewart Birkhead, 96, of Little Rock, passed away on August 4, 2016, at her home. Lurline was born December 17, 1919, in England, Arkansas, to James C. and Alma S. Stewart. In 1940, she graduated with a BA in home economics from Ouachita Baptist College where her father was Dean of Men. During WWII, she worked in Los Angeles at Northrop Corporation typing the production squawk sheets for the P-61 Black-Widow night flier airplane. While there in 1945, she christened the USS Ouachita Victory ship, representing Ouachita College. She married Bonnell C. Birkhead, Jr., in 1946 in Arkadelphia, AR.

She retired in 1981 with 22 years of service as a secretary, then agent for the Internal Revenue Service in Little Rock, returning to Arkadelphia for retirement. In Arkadelphia, she was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Arkadelphia Philharmonic Club, and the Women's Library Association. She was an avid reader and bridge player who enjoyed entertaining friends and family, travel, and photography.

She is survived by two daughters, Nancy Birkhead Clark, of Tallahassee, FL, and Vada Birkhead Hopper of Little Rock; two grandsons, Robert B. "Clay" Clark (Carolyn and son Riley) of Beebe, and Stewart B. Clark (Jill) of Little Rock; and two great-granddaughters, Audrey and Amelia Clark.

She is preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Pearl Garrett, Ruby Hanlon, and Jimmy Lee Hill; and her husband of 65 years, Bonnell Birkhead.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, September 8 at 2 PM in the Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Chapel. The family will greet friends from 1 PM till service time at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 204 Executive Court, Unit 301, Little Rock, AR 72206, or to Arkansas Hospice, 14 Parkstone Circle, North Little Rock, AR 72116.