Betty Joyce Hankins

Betty Joyce "BJ" Hankins, age 81 of Harrison, Arkansas, passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at the Hospice of Hills Hospice House in Harrison. The daughter of Ezra and Cleathel (Drake) Clark was born October 8, 1933 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Betty grew up on 200 acre dairy farm in Buckeye, Arkansas with her older sister, Geneva Basham. She attended high school at the University High in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She went on to attend the University of Arkansas and got her Associates Degree from North Arkansas Community College in Harrison, Ark. She was a secretary for the Plant Pathology Department at the University of Arkansas. She also worked as an operator in the plant department and business office at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Fayetteville for 13 years. She took care of the family farm "Rock Hill Farm" a beef cattle in Harrison, AR. She worked in the administrative offices as a bookkeeper/district treasurer for Harrison, Bruno Pyatt, and Valley Springs School districts and retired in 2003. Betty was very active and was a member of the Arkansas Teachers Retirement System. She was a lifetime member of AR Association Educational Office Professional where she served on the executive board. She was also a member and officer of Ozark Unlimited Resources of AEOP in Harrison, a member and certified of the AR Association of School Business Officials and a member of First Christian Church. She later went to Little Rock, Ark. to help care for her granddaughters for 8 years. They loved their Nanny very much. She enjoyed traveling all over the world in her retirement. Her favorite place was New Zealand. She also enjoyed gardening and spending time with her grandchildren. She loved going to the lake with her girlfriends. She was a fabulous cook and specialized in pies, jams and peanut brittle. Betty was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Robert L. Hankins. She is survived by her son, Doug Hankins and his wife Kelli; her daughter, Ann Hankins Kline and husband Nathan; her niece, Melissa Theodore; her grandchildren, Olivia and Ava Kline; and step grandchildren, Mary, CJ and James. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Coffman Funeral Home in Harrison, Ark. There will be a private burial at Buckeye Cemetery in the spring time. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of the Hills Hospice House, 501 E Sherman Ave., Harrison, Ark. 72601 or Buckeye Cemetery, (Madison County) c/o of any Arvest Bank. Online condolences may be left at www.coffmanfh.com.