Melva Hester

Melva Sue Hester, of Arkadelphia, died December 31, 2016.  She was born in Friendship, Arkansas on February 8, 1929.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Jeff Davis and Susie Jane (Duncan) Johnson; husband, Clyde Doyce Hester, and son, Phillip D. Hester; brothers, Orlin Johnson, Melvin Johnson, Elvin Johnson and JD Johnson.             
 
She was a member of First Baptist Church, Arkadelphia.  She married Clyde Doyce Hester on September 7, 1952 in Malvern, Arkansas.  She attended nursing school at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock and worked at the Hot Springs County Hospital in Malvern.  She and her husband, Doyce, lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, for over 50 years.  She came to Arkadelphia three years ago to be near family. 
 
She is survived by brother, William M. Johnson and sister-in-law, Joyce Johnson of Arkadelphia; daughter-in-law, Joan Hester of Austin, Texas; grandson, William S. Hester of Boston, Massachusetts; sister, Velma Bussey of Waldo, Arkansas; sister-in-law, Ann Johnson of Benton, Arkansas; nieces, nephews, and friends at The Plaza Assisted Living Facility in Arkadelphia; and niece, Beverly Hankins of Arkadelphia who was her care giver for the past three years.   
 
The graveside service will be at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 3, 2016, at Shadowlawn Cemetery in Malvern with Will Thompson officiating.  Viewing and family visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday at Ruggles- Wilcox Funeral Home in Arkadelphia.    
 
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 623 Pine Street, Arkadelphia, or the Pregnancy Resource Center for Southwest Arkansas, 911 Clinton Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.