Hazel Lucille Gray Brodie

Hazel Lucille Gray Brodie, age 94, a resident for 64 years of Cammack Village, Arkansas, died June 20, 2010. Mrs. Brodie, a life-long resident of Arkansas, was born on January 14, 1916 near Cave City (Sharp County). She was a baptized Christian and member of the First Baptist Church in Monette, Arkansas, and under Watch Care at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church. She grew up in Monette (Craighead County) and was one of five children of John Cleveland Gray (1965)(a former Monette mayor) and Nola Cleo Albina (Barrett) Gray (1968) both of Monette for whom she cared in their latter days. For most of her 94 years she attended the Annual Gray Family Roll Call in Batesville (held in late June) where 17 families, representing the 17 children of her paternal great-grandparents Elisha Columbus Gray (1909) and Anne Spencer Meacham (1906), renew 260 year old Gray family history and ties. Mrs. Brodie graduated from Monette High School in 1934, attended Arkansas State College (now Arkansas State University) in Jonesboro, before going to the University of Arkansas (UAF) in 1936 where she met her husband and graduated in 1938 with a degree in Education. As a UA graduate, she is on the Senior Walk in 1937 (Gray) and 1938 (Brodie). She was especially proud that her husband, her three children, son-in-law and grandson, were all UA graduates, too. Her family takes great pride in her love for them and in her full life as a devoted wife, mother, homemaker, seamstress and family cheerleader. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Frank T. Brodie (March 6, 2001); her sister, Laurene Gray Baird (1993); three brothers, William Braxtol Gray (1936), Bernard Osborne Gray (1959) (also a former Monette mayor), and Bartus Monroe Gray (2002) of Jacksonville; and one nephew, William Braxtol Gray, Jr. (1994). Affectionately called "Mama Hazel" by her grandchildren, she is survived by a family to whom she was devoted and who loved her dearly; one son, Ralph Gray Brodie a lawyer in Little Rock; her twin daughters, Marilou Brodie of Little Rock, a registered dietitian and clinical nutritionist at Arkansas Children's Hospital; and Marilyn Brodie Archer of DeQueen, a librarian at Cossattot Community College of the University of Arkansas and her husband Michael Archer; a granddaughter, Meredith Lynn Archer of Frisco, Texas, a grandson, Mark Alan Archer and wife, Aneta of Dardanelle, and two great-grandsons, seven-year old, Carter Alan Archer and three year old, Austin Brodie Archer. Other survivors include her first cousins: Mary Ellen Hopkins of Paragould, Mary Ann Gray of Batesville and Ken Patterson of Northville, Michigan; many nieces and nephews including: John G. Gray in Hot Springs, Sandra Baird Nall in Lake City, Fred Baird in Round Rock, Texas; Ginger Gray Price, Bartus Gray, Jr., and Thad Gray all in Jacksonville; and Pat (Brodie) Low and Charles "Chuck Brodie both in Michigan. The Brodie family extends a special thank you to her faithful caregivers: Janice Lee from Home Instead Sr. Care; Deborah Meeks, Penelope Briggs, Rosa Marshall and many part-time home health-care helpers all from Elder Independence who made it possible for her to remain at home during her final years. Special thanks also go to Dr. Ken Johnston and Arkansas Hospice. Family visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday evening June 22, 2010 at Griffin Leggett Healey and Roth Funeral Home, 5800 West 12th Street, Little Rock, Phone (501) 661-9111. Graveside service at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday morning June 23, 2010, will be conducted by Rev. Carolyn Staley, PHBC associate pastor at Pinecrest Memorial Park on Highway 5, Alexander phone 847-0265. Directions: from south Interstate 430, turn right on Stagecoach Road (Hwy. 5) and go approximately 5 miles or from Interstate 30 take exit 126, County Line and go north and left onto Highway 5 approximately 2 miles. Memorials may be directed to Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, 2200 Kavanaugh, Little Rock, Arkansas Rice Depot Backpack for Kids program, Youth Home or your favorite charity. To sign the online guest book, please visit www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.