Miriam Belle "Penny" Graves Ralston

Miriam Belle "Penny" Graves Ralston, 94, of El Dorado, Ark., passed away Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014, at Hudson Memorial Nursing Home. Penny was born Sept. 20, 1919 in Rutland, Vt. to Morris Julius Graves and Carolyn Elsie Clifford. She was a graduate of the Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in New York City. She was a member of First United Methodist Church where she was a former Sunday school superintendent. Penny was the first woman to chair the El Dorado United Way, a former member of the El Dorado Service League and one of the co-organizers of the SAAC Lunch. She was a former board member of Barton Public Library which hired our present librarian Nancy Arn. Before Alzheimer's took control of her life, she loved traveling with her husband and spending countless days at their lake house with friends and family. Most of all, she loved her family and was deeply devoted to them all. Penny was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband of 61 years, Jesse G. Ralston; and sisters Elsie Brown and Libby Huebner. She is survived by sons, John G. Ralston (Sandy) of El Dorado, Dr. Jim Ralston (Terry) of Hot Springs Village; and daughter, Jane Bowles (Don) of Dallas, Texas. She is also survived by grandchildren: Jennifer Miller (Steve) of El Dorado, Julie Fite (Jody) of El Dorado, Lisa Johnson (Greg) of Dallas, Texas, Ryan Bowles (Helen) of Dallas, Texas and Stuart Ralston of Amarillo, Texas. Survivors also include 14 great-grandchildren: John Michael, Addison and Melanie Miller, Jesse, Jackson and Jace Fite, Zachary, Jacob and Keller Ralston, Xander and Gavin Bowles and Will, Grady and Rebecca Jane Johnson. Penny's brain was donated to Alzheimer's research and cremation services were entrusted to Young's Funeral Directors. A celebration of her life will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014 at Young's Funeral Director's Chapel with Brother Jack Webb and Rev. Keith Dodson officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the John & Jesse Ralston Scholarship, % Union County Community Foundation, P. O. Box 148, El Dorado, Ark. 71730, or First United Methodist Church, 201 S. Hill, El Dorado, Ark. 71730.