Ruth Collins Hankins

RUTH COLLINS HANKINS After a long, blessed life, Ruth passed away on Oct. 25, 2017 in her home in North Little Rock, Ark., at the age of 93. She was born on Nov. 20, 1923 in Palmyra, Ark., to Ollie and Calvin Collins. She was raised in a large family of 11 brothers and sisters on a small farm near Palmyra and graduated from nearby Glendale High School in 1942. Ruth met Philip Thomas Hankins during high school and married him on June 23, 1946. She gave birth to three sons, Gary Alan Hankins (1950), Daniel Collins Hankins (1952), and Tommie Harrison Hankins II (1957). Ruth was a member of Park Hill Baptist Church for over 50 years and held a strong Christian faith…serving as a role model for her children. She was devoted to her husband, Phil, for 71 years, supporting his long career as a traveling salesman while maintaining a beautiful home and nurturing environment for the family. Always positive, her graciousness and selfless demeanor endeared her to all she met. She and Phil developed strong, life-long friendships with countless individuals. Ruth loved gardening and beautiful flowers. Ruth's selfless, giving nature was evidenced by her serving as a volunteer at Baptist Health Medical Center in North Little Rock for 40+ years. Her passion in life was doing things for the betterment of others and making people happy. She fulfilled that passion to the end, by donating her body to the Genesis Legacy Program (in Memphis, Tenn.) for medical education and research. Ruth is survived by her loving husband Phil, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; son: Dan (wife Cathy) of Midlothian, Va; granddaughter: Connie Hankins Pfeiffer (husband Tony) of Houston, Texas, great-granddaughters: Catherine and Caroline; granddaughter: Shelly Hankins Ueberroth (husband Peter) of Midlothian, Va.; great-granddaughter: Stella and great-grandson: Jackson. Son: Tom (wife Hope) of North Little Rock, granddaughters: Stephanie Hankins of North Little Rock, Savanah Hankins of New Orleans, La., and Madeline Tate of Jackson, Miss. Granddaughter: Hayley Ford Hankins Malone (husband Josh) of Hot Springs, Ark., great-grandsons: Ethan and Evan and great-granddaughter: Elizabeth. Ruth is also survived by 28 nieces and nephews and four sisters-in-law. Ruth was predeceased by her oldest son, Gary Alan Hankins and her daughter-in-law Elizabeth Griffin Hankins (parents of Hayley), and her sisters and brothers: Inez Hamilton, Mary Owen, Eunice McBryde, Polly Mann, Etta Owen, Roy Collins, Joseph Collins, John "Jack" Collins, Walter "Mutt" Collins, Eugene "Dick" Collins, and James "Bit" Collins. A memorial service will be held on Friday, Nov. 10 at North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock, Ark., at 10 a.m. To see additional photos and information, go to the Tributes section of www.northlittlerockfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association.