Melva Florine Herring

Melva Florine Herring, 85, of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, found peace in her new home Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She was born October 5, 1925, in Mineral Springs, Arkansas, to Joe Lee Hardin, Sr. and Lannie Edwin Dossey Hardin. She grew up in the Buck Range Community and was a member of Liberty Baptist Church in Mineral Springs. As a young lady she sang with her family "The Hardin's" on gospel radio. Mrs. Herring had worked at Frougs Department Store as a seamstress and later, she did free hand monogram service from her home. She did everything from beautiful hand stitched quilts to rodeo costumes. She also worked at the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant and was employed by Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, where she met her husband Robert C. "Bob" Herring, Jr., whom she married on May 26, 1952 in Texarkana. She was a Baptist and enjoyed sewing, quilting, crafts, working in the yard with her flowers and was an avid fisherwoman where ever she found a honey hole of goggle eye. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Laverne Hardin, Joe Lee Hardin, Jr., J.L. Hardin and a sister, Wanda Faye Threat. Survivors include her husband and their daughter, Melva Anne Herring Kell and husband, David of Sheridan, Gayle Schooley Dodd and Vicki Schooley Bearden, both of Heber Springs; sisters, Mary Alma Bell of Mineral Springs, Glenda Kaye Roberts of Pampa, Texas; grandchildren, Michael Dodd, Le Anne Gilliam, Jay Moore, Tonja McDaniel, Renee Bunting, Sarah Kell; great-grandchildren, Jared Gilliam, Jordan Gilliam, Garrett Bunting and Gavin Bunting. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, May 13, 2011, at Robinson's. Funeral service will be 2 p.m., Saturday, May 14, 2011, Chapel of Ralph Robinson & Son with Reverend Jimmy Herring Jr. officiating. She will be laid to rest in White Hall United Methodist Church Cemetery. The family will be at the home of Melva and David Kell, Highway 270, on the Grant County line. Online register at www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.