Marene Coker

Dovie ‘Marene’ Coker, 65, of Ward, AR, passed away on October 9, 2023, after a long, hard fought battle with lymphoma.  Marene was born on August 13, 1958, to Edward and Adell Hill of Cocklebur, AR.   After Marene graduated from Cabot High School in 1976, she started her first job at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as a secretary. She then worked as a stay-at-home mother taking care of her family. She last worked for the city of Ward before her retirement in April 2023.

In 1977, Marene met James ‘Buddy’ Coker at a friend’s wedding. They married in 1979. Marene and Buddy went on to have 3 children, Jamie Amanda (married to Nick) Gleason, Monica Beth (married to Tyler) Griffin and Cara DeAnn (married to Ryan) Cloninger. Marene and Buddy celebrated 44 years of blessed marriage on August 3rd of this year.

Marene was a devoted wife and mother who loved Jesus. She was strong and stoic in all that she did. She loved fishing, gardening, playing with her grandchildren, and hanging out with her sweet husband. 

Marene was predeceased by her father Edward, her mother Adell, and her brother Randy.

She is survived by her brothers Jimmy Hill, Kenny Hill, and her sister Vernia Armstrong; her husband, Buddy, 3 daughters, and 7 grandchildren; Loralei and Sam Gleason, Barrett and Owen Griffin, Emory, Isaac and Eleanor Cloninger.

Services will be held at Charity Baptist in Ward, AR on Friday, October 13, 2023. The visitation will be at 10:00am, followed by the funeral at 11:00am. A graveside service will be at 2:00pm at Cave Creek Cemetery in Batesville, AR.

In lieu of flowers, Marene and her family requests donations be made to St. Jude’s Children ‘s Hospital.

Arrangements by Smith Westbrook Funeral Home, 404 W Dewitt Henry, Beebe, Arkansas.  Visit www.smithfamilycares.com/westbrook to view the online register.