Wilma Marie Russell Kirkpatrick

Wilma Marie Russell Kirkpatrick, age 87, (formerly of Jonesboro and Beebe) passed away on Feb. 13, 2016. She was born March 9, 1928 in Sand Springs, Okla. to the late John Oliver and Winnie Annie Russell. The family moved to Little Rock when Wilma was a small child. She attended Woodruff Elementary School and Pulaski Heights Junior High School. Wilma graduated from North Little Rock Senior High School in May, 1946 and then graduated from Draughon Business College in Little Rock. On Sept. 4, 1948, she was united in marriage to the late Garland Kirkpatrick and they were married for 65 years until his death in February 2014. Wilma's employment began with Miles & Amseler law firm in Little Rock. Through the years, she worked for the U.S. Army ROTC Department at ASU in Jonesboro, the Arkansas Legislature, and Arkansas Real Estate & Insurance. She and Garland lived in Jonesboro for 26 years, Beebe for 29 years. In 2010, they moved to Texas to be close to their daughters. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents; one brother, J.W. Russell; and two sisters, Juanita Lamuel of North Little Rock and Mary K. Dockins of Tulsa, Okla. Wilma is survived by two daughters, Marilyn (Mrs. Vince) Lyden of Cypress, Texas and Carolyn Watkins of Katy, Texas. She was blessed with four grandchildren, Laura & Russell Palmer and Olivia & Garland Marie Watkins of Houston, great-grandsons, Hunter Hayden McCabe and Jackson Palmer Thompson, and nephews Daniel Russell of Upland, Calif., Ray Russell of Navarre, Fla., and Wayne Zulpo of Tulsa, Okla. Klein Funeral Home-Houston-is entrusted with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital-Memphis, Tenn. www.stjude.org, click Donate.