Patsy Corkill Strode

Patsy Corkill Strode, age 74, of Pine Bluff, died Saturday, January 31, 2015. Patsy's career in education spanned over 50 years, teaching business education at Pines Vocational Technical School (now SEARK), and leading college accreditation processes with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). As an employee of ADHE, she also served as the coordinator for the STAR (State Teacher Accreditation Assistance Resource) program, which provides scholarships to college students who are pursuing teacher licensure in critical areas of shortage, both subject area and geographical area, throughout the state of Arkansas. After retirement, she taught high school high school Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) classes and English-As-A-Second-Language (ESL) classes at UAPB. She was an active member of the Pine Bluff community through annual service to numerous activities including the Salvation Army Angel Tree and as a long-time Board member of the Southeast Arkansas District Fair. Survivors include Thomas Leon Strode, her husband of 54 years, and their two children: Kathryn Strode Downs of Stafford, Virginia and Thomas Corkill (Corky) Strode of Maumelle, Arkansas; her son-in-law, Robert Griffith Downs and her one grandchild, Emily Estelle Downs; and her three siblings: Connie Corkill Fuller of Pine Bluff, Ann Corkill Crossett of Waldron, Ark., and Charles Corkill of Austin, Texas. Funeral services will be Wednesday, February 4, 2015, 3:30 p.m. at Fuller Hale-South Chapel. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Salvation Army Angel Tree of Pine Bluff, 501 East 12th Avenue, Pine Bluff, Ark. 71601. Or you may log on to https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org. and make a donation in Patsy's memory. Online condolences: FullerFunerals.com.