Dorothy Lee French Monroe

DOROTHY LEE FRENCH MONROE, age 88, of Jacksonville, Ark. died on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015 at Woodland Hills Nursing Home in Jacksonville. Dorothy was born Jan. 13, 1927 to Walter and Jennie French of Keo, Ark. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur William Monroe and her sister, Lillian Jeannine French Cobb. Dorothy is survived by her daughters, Kathy Monroe Breckenridge (Bob) of Tigard, Ore., Karen Monroe Edmondson (Wayne) of Jacksonville and her son, Lee Monroe (Cathy) of Lynn Haven, Fla. Dorothy is also survived by her sister, Patricia French Reeves of Prince Frederick, Md. Mrs. Monroe has five grandchildren, Erik Kropf (Lezlie) of Yukon, Okla., Ashley Kropf of Jacksonville, Diana Zoellner of Tucson, Ariz., Jennifer Hardy (Brian) of Tualatin, Ore. and Jeffrey Zoellner (Rose) of Winston, Ore. She also has six great-grandchildren, Hailey and Gianna Bennett and Angela Hardy of Tualatin, Ore., Emma Zoellner of Winston, Ore. and twins, Addyson and Cohen Kropf of Yukon, Ore. Mrs. Monroe was raised in Keo and was valedictorian of Keo High School Class of 1944 and she was accepted to St. Vincent's School of Nursing in Little Rock, Ark. upon graduation. Immediately after her nursing graduation in 1947, she joined the U.S. Navy as a R.N. and was stationed at Jacksonville Naval Station in Jacksonville, Fla. It was there that she met her future husband, Art, who was a U.S. Navy Corpsman. After serving and receiving an honorable discharge, Art and Dorothy were married March 12, 1950 in Keo. After the birth of their three children, Kathy, Karen and Lee in Alexandria, La., they returned to Jacksonville, Ark. in 1960, where Dorothy accepted the position of director of nurses at the new Rebsamen Memorial Hospital. Then In 1968, she accepted the position of night shift supervisor at the Little Rock V.A. Hospital, where she remained until her retirement in 1987, giving 30 years of service both to the nursing profession and serving her country honorable as a veteran. Dorothy was active in many organizations in Jacksonville and Little Rock. She was past president of Jacksonville Business and Professional Women's Club, secretary of Jacksonville Chapter AARP, TOPS, NARF, Daughters of the Nile and was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville and the Mary Martha Circle. She was a 50-year member Order of Eastern Star, which was her most loved affiliation. She held many offices within the organization, including Worthy Matron and Grand Representative to Maine. She loved the people and worked tirelessly for the order. She also participated with her late husband in the Shriner Club of Jacksonville and the Little Rock Shriners Clown Unit. The friendships she made and cultivated have lasted through the years and will always be in her heart. We are grateful to all fellow OES members who kept her in their thoughts and prayers throughout this time. Dorothy loved to travel, crochet, play bingo and go to the casino along with watching her favorite sports teams, which are the San Antonio Spurs and Arkansas Razorbacks. If you knew her well you would know she tried never to miss a game and if you called her during a game she would let the voicemail take your call so she didn't miss a thing. Dorothy will be greatly missed by her friends and family. Her kindness and service will always be remembered. Special thanks to her granddaughter, Ashley Kropf and nieces, Sandra Cobb and Brenda Huskey (Barry), for always being there to see after her when we could not and the love they showed her was immeasurable. Also another special thanks to her roommate at Woodland Hills, Erma Johnston, whose family became Mom's extended family. Thank you to all the staff at Woodland Hills Nursing Home, Gentiva Hospice Care and Dr. Mark Smith, who took excellent care of our mother. Cremation arrangements are by Griffin Leggett Rest Hills in North Little Rock. Visitation with family and friends will be Monday, Jan. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville, Ark. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville. Burial with military honors to follow at Keo Cemetery. The family asks that remembrances be made to Alzheimer's of Arkansas in Memory of Dorothy Lee French Monroe or to the First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville, Ark. Online guestbook is available at www.griffinleggettresthills.com.