Verna Evelyn NIckens McGuire

VERNA EVELYN NICKENS MCGUIRE passed away May 26, 2012 at the age of 90. Born in Brignac, La., on Jan. 14, 1922, she was the third child and the first daughter of Newman C. and Lydia Singletary Nickens. She was raised on the family farm in Galvez and graduated from Gonzales High School. After completing high school, she found work in Baton Rouge as a seamstress for Kean's Laundry and later as a bookkeeper for Kleinpeter Farms Dairy. One weekend Mom went home to see her family in Galvez and while there she was introduced to a young Army Air Corps Sergeant by her cousin Bryan Williams. Bryan and the Sergeant were on leave from Fort Polk, La. Mom would later marry that Sergeant, R.W. McGuire, on June 8, 1946. After a few years they moved their young family to Little Rock, Ark. Here, Mom worked as a bookkeeper for Southern Farmers Association before working in a similar capacity for CAMPA/AMPI. She was a member of Asbury UMC and of the Robert Moore Bible Class. She is survived by her five children - Evelyn (Willie) Jackson of Fayetteville, Ark., Carolyn Williams of Gonzales, La., Ray (Mari) of Dallas, Texas, Tom of Little Rock, Ark., and Lydia of Fayetteville, Ark.; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; a brother, Jim of Galvez, La.; and two sisters, Alice Ayo of Galvez and Bessie Smith of North Little Rock. She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 ½ years, Raymond W. McGuire Sr., her parents, and brothers Hybart, Milbern, Carroll, Wade and Cecil. Visitation will be Thursday, May 31st from 5–8 p.m. at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Ark., (501)224-8300. Funeral services will be held Friday, June 1st at 10 a.m. at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park, 2801 Asher Ave., Little Rock, Ark. Her nephews will serve as pallbearers. Our family would like to thank Dr. Victoria Akins and the staff of the UAMS Thomas-Lyon Longevity Center for the care Mom received these past 20 years. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.