of Jonesboro, AR

April 1, 1937 - September 5, 2019

Jo Ellen Haddock Stevens, 82, of Round Mountain Community (past five years in Jonesboro with daughter) donned her wings and serenading Angels escorted Jo Ellen to her Heavenly home, Thursday, September 05, 2019. Nettie McCoy delivered Jo Ellen Thursday, April 01, 1937, to Coy Lee and Flossie Viola Wallace Haddock, Beaver Township near Big Flat. She's second of their five children.
She married Edward Silvester Stevens, Jr. on November 21, 1955 in Craighead County. They were blessed with eleven children: Sharon (Sonny) Sartin - Jonesboro, Arnold "Danny" Hutchison - Judsonia, Sarah Stevens (Ron Boren) - Mountain View, Richard Stevens, Sr. - Jonesboro, Ronnie (Kelly) Stevens, Sr. - Walnut Ridge, Jamie (Wayne) Russell - Hoxie, Sandra Wallis - Jonesboro, Joseph (Zelda) Adams - Sedgwick Nicholas Stevens (Sheila Honeycutt) - Marshall and raised granddaughter, Cindy (Kevin) White, Sr. - Duncan, Arizona; 45 Grandchildren; 141 Great-Grandchildren and 13 Great-Great-Grandchildren.
Jo Ellen grew up in Big Flat/Lake City/Lunsford areas. She, her father and two brothers worked in logging woods and sawmills including a portable sawmill owned and operated by her father. Her brother stated, "Daddy worked Jo Ellen just like a man. She outworked any man I ever knew." She and her family were migrant workers through 1970 before settling in Jonesboro. Jo Ellen became a CNA and worked at Craighead County Nursing Home. Upon retiring she and Jr. moved to Round Mountain Community, near her birthplace.
She loved children. With her own she fostered, nurtured and guided numerous children and teenagers - home-schooling many of them. She loved studying her Bible, singing and all her family, especially those babies. She'd fight you over her baby (doll). She enjoyed her flowers, plants, sewing, embroidering, quilting, croqueting, and knitting until no longer able to do them. She really enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren trying to solve riddles and jokes. A favorite was; "Stack those five chairs on top of each other. I'll take off my shoes and jump over them." She'd laugh so hard when she jumped over her shoes and the kids argues that she was supposed to jump over the chairs. (An English lesson ensued.) She and her brother, Charles Ray and Jimmy Lee (aka The Haddock Children) played various instruments and sang in numerous venues around Lake City, Mountain View and surrounding areas until the mid 1950's. She was first helping anyone in need regardless of how little she had. Jo Ellen could've been the inspiration for the tree in the book The Giving Tree. She had the sweetest disposition displaying good manners with her angelic voice until the very end. She inspired all who knew her. For her there were no halves/steps just family. She loved everybody and they love her.
Jo Ellen experienced many challenges some being: At age five her little brother died, within days of her sixth birthday her mother died and her grandmother took her baby sister, a denigratory step-mother, placed in orphanage, abusive husband (then met the love of her life, Jr.), non-accepting mother-in-law, lost twins, father died just days after her 26th birthday, overcame breast cancer in 1990 and death of three grandsons and a daughter in tragic circumstances. Educated in one-room schools on Long and Cedar Creeks, whenever possible, believing an education could never be taken away and with determination she obtained her GED May 13, 1991 from Ozarka College in Melbourne Arkansas. With self-reliance, honesty, integrity, sense of duty, a love of God and family Jo Ellen embodied the best of the Greatest Generation. She honored God, family, fellowman and her country. She had a positive attitude and found the best in everybody. Modesty prevented boasting of any good deed or accomplishment. Through it all, a devout Pentecost, Jo Ellen never forgot to praise her Savior or pray for her family. After 20 plus years, Early Onset Alzheimer's triumphed as she peacefully transitioned from home to Heaven. She'd tell you her Lord stayed by her side through the good and bad.
Welcoming Jo Ellen into Heaven were her Lord; parents; daughter, Mary Jo Ellen Stevens Curtis; son-in-law, Richard "Ricky/Rick" Lee Curtis, Sr.; grandsons, Rodney Stevens, Richard Lee Stevens, Jr. and Hank Lynn Stevens; brothers, Carroll Eugene Haddock, Charles Ray Haddock and wives, Betty Fern Sutterfield Haddock Latham Chisamore and Mattie Jo Rhymes; sister, Florence Iva Haddock Mosby Daugherty; brother-in-law, James Daugherty; sisters-in-law, Christene Foster Haddock Fox, Nancy Daffern Haddock; (half)-brothers, Donald and David Haddock; (half)-brother-in-law, Bruce McClanahan; (half) sisters-in-law, Hazel Jeanne Dickerson Haddock, Verda Lou Ann Jackson Haddock Hankins; Grandparents, John W. P. and Ida Rosa "Rosie" Middleton Haddock Mize, Josepheus "Cephe/Cephus" Luther and Margaret Sutterfield Wallace and Asa "Ace" and Mary Elizabeth Smithee Passmore; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, other loved ones and step-mother Josephine Hattenhauer Haddock McClanahan.
Remaining to honor her: husband, 9 children, 42 Grandchildren, 141 Great-Grandchildren and 13 Great-Great-Grandchildren; brother, Jimmy Lee Haddock - Kansas, Oklahoma; brother-in-law, Carl Mosby - Jonesboro; (half)-siblings; Theo Gene Haddock - Fayetteville, Alice Haddock Stevens Roble and Rudy Haddock - Round Mountain, Roy Haddock - Marshall, Tommy Haddock - Arizona, Coy (Debra) Haddock, Jr. - Harriett, Carolyn Watts - Jacksonville, Mississippi, Judy Haddock McClanahan (Brandal) Johnston - Nashville, Tennessee, Carl (Linda) Haddock - Big Flat, Betty (Charles) Hafner, Jr. - Loranda, Mississippi; (half)-brothers-in-law; Charles Roble - South Carolina, Benny Watts - Mississippi; (half)-sisters-in-law, Linda Haddock Cobb - Mountain View, Louise "Sissy" Haddock West - Northwest Arkansas, Peggy Horton Haddock - Marshall; Wilma Holliman Haddock - Clarksville, Penny James Haddock Luster - Jonesboro, Lois Thomas Haddock and a multitude of children of the heart, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, extended family and friends.
Pallbearers are Grandsons and Great-Grandsons: Kevin Sartin, Gerald Hutchison, Rodney Feezor, Josh Stacy, Ronnie Stevens, Jr., Steven McCoy, Kevin White, Sr., Preston Bova, Jacob Adams and Herbie Stevens and Jessy Neal. Honorary Pallbearers are Sonny Sartin, Wayne Russell, John Wallace and Shane Mullins.
Visitation: Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 5:00 - 6:00 PM for family and 6:00 - 8:00 PM for all others at Roller-Farmers Union Funeral Home, 1900 West Washington Avenue, Jonesboro, Arkansas. Visitation/Service: Wednesday, September 11, 2019, 1:00 - 3:00 PM at 407 Old Enterprise Church, County Road 348 off Hasbrook Road, Jonesboro, 72401 with Chaplin Bill Becker officiating. Interment following, with Rodney Feezor presiding, at Rock Creek Cemetery, Harriett, under direction of Roller-Farmers.
Many thanks and much appreciation to Dr. Homer Brooks, Dr. Charles C. Dunn, St. Bernard's Hospice staff, especially, Alisha and Rhonda, and Bethany/John Wallace, Pam Jennings, Mary Beth Lee, Julie Hines, Sammy Leisure of Salvation Ministries and Chaplin Bill Becker for love, compassion and care shown to Mom. Lena Martin for making Mom's beautiful handmade dress: Katie, Kayla, Diane and James of Walgreen's on Southwest Drive for knowledge of their job and especially, patience with me. Also Floyd of Caring Caskets for the unique one-of-a-kind casket.
Memorial donations: Alzheimer's Association Chapter, 210 N Walton Ave, Bentonville, AR 72712 or The Susan G. Komen Foundation, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 526, Dallas, Texas 75224.

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