Lucille Kinley Harper

The spirit and soul of Ada Lucille Kinley Harper was lifted up into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ early Saturday morning May 4, 2013. Born July 11, 1922 in Stuttgart, Ark., she was the oldest of Mamie and Fred Mertin‘s four children, Lucille, brothers, Howard, Fred and sister Wilma. Lucille married Eugene Waddell Kinley in 1940 and were blessed with three children, Betty, Donna and Gene Jr. After her husband's death in 1953, Lucille and her children eventually relocated in England, Ark. where she married Cecil V. Harper. Lucille was a talented individual with great strength, purpose and determination. She began her lifelong career in the health industry first as a nurse for Dr. Champion in Stuttgart and Dr. McEntire in England, then as an administrator of the newly established England Hospital before being named Administrator of Rosecare Nursing Center in Stuttgart where she served for 20 years, retiring in 1995. Her warm managerial style endeared her to patients and staff alike thereby receiving many awards and recognitions of achievement and meritorious service. As fate would have it, several years after retirement, Lucille suffered a severe stroke in 2006. While physically disabled, she was a model for survival and perseverance as she kept her sharp mind, wit and interest in current events intact. She was loved and admired by the staff and other patients within the nursing home and will be greatly missed. As a business person, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Lucille was always a wonderful contributor to her family and others who often counted on her for inspiration, advice, counsel and comfort. She had great insight, understanding, wisdom and compassion for helping anyone who needed or ask for her assistance. Lucille was preceded in death by her parents; brothers; sister and her young daughter, Donna Gene. She is survived by her children, Betty Kinley Majors, husband Don of Atlanta, Gene Waddell Kinley, wife, Johnnie Kay of Lonoke; grandsons, Don Majors Jr., wife, Helen of Atlanta, Greg Majors, wife Chris of Atlanta, Cecil Kinley of Lonoke; great-grandchildren, Stephanie, Bryce, Steven, Melissa and Lydia Majors, all of Atlanta; sisters-in-law, Linda Mertin of Cave Springs, Brenda Mertin of Morristown, N.J. and niece, Nancy Thomason of Stuttgart. Services are set to take place at the Boyd Funeral Home Chapel in Lonoke, visitation on Monday evening May 6, 7 to 9 pm. Funeral service, Tuesday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m. Pastors Danny Loretz of Lonoke and Glenn Lawson of Stuttgart will officiate. Pallbearers will be grandsons, Don Majors, Greg Majors, Cecil Kinley and friends of the family Bill Dunlap, Jim Bailey and Willie Burrow. Burial will follow at The Lutheran Cemetary in Stuttgart. The family wishes to thank all of the employees and staff of the Lonoke Nursing center for the wonderful care they provided our mother over the last six years. www.boydfuneralhome.net