Virginia Spears Ellzey

Virginia Dare (Spears) Ellzey, 83, of Conway, Arkansas, passed away Sunday, May 1, 2011, in Conway, Arkansas. She was born August 7, 1927, in Greenbrier, Arkansas, a daughter of the late Samuel Virgil and Mary Ruth (Ward) Spears. She was also preceded in death by a sister, Geneva Monteen Hegi, and a brother, Daniel D. Spears. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, William Ellzey; three brothers, Thomas N. Spears (Marjorie) of Lexington, Kentucky; Virgil F. Spears (Betty) of Dover, Arkansas; James D. Spears (Billie) of Atmore, Alabama; many nieces and nephews dear to her heart. After graduating Conway High School, Miss Virginia Dare Spears married William Ellzey, a student at Arkansas State Teachers' College. She had a great desire to become a teacher, so in 1951, she enrolled at A.S.T.C. She began teaching with a two-year certificate at schools in Arkansas and southeast Missouri. Eventually she earned her degree: a BSE in 1968. She continued teaching at North Little Rock Elementary until 1976, when due to declining health, she was forced to retire from teaching. This did not stop her from serving in some way at her local church, First Baptist Church of Sherwood, Arkansas, and was currently a member of Central Baptist Church of Conway. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m., until service time at 10 a.m. Funeral service will be 10 a.m., Thursday, May 5, 2011, in the chapel of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home, with the Reverends Don Chandler and Ed Stephenson officiating. Burial will follow in Springhill Cemetery, at Springhill Baptist Church, with Wayne Nixon, Joe Ellzey, John Clifton, Sr., Bob Williams, Jerry Nichols, and Randy Wilcox, serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are the Barnabas Sunday School Class of First Baptist Church in Sherwood, Arkansas. Services are under the direction of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Conway. 501-327-7727. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Central Baptist Church Building Fund, Conway, Arkansas 72034.