Joan was born the fifth child of the late Willie Frances (Martindale) and Dolph Hancock in Scranton, Arkansas, on April 28, 1935. She gave birth to five children and was preceded in death by her loving son, Michael Allen McBurnett. She raised, loved, and is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth Litwa of Little Rock and Deborah Elwood of La Quinta, Calif.; and two sons, Kevin McBurnett of Little Rock and William McBurnett of Conway. She is also survived by five sisters, Patsy Davis of Scranton; Barbara Griffith, Carol Harwood, and Brenda Yusko of Fort Smith; and Janice Owen of Little Rock; as well as two brothers, Harold Hancock and Jerry Hancock, both of Van Buren. She was preceded in death by three siblings: sisters Judy Richison and Billy Schriver, and brother David “Snookie” Hancock. She is survived by seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
A private visitation and celebration of life service were held on Thursday, February 13, 2020, at the chapel of Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth in Little Rock. Following the service, burial took place at Riverwood Memorial Gardens, 301 Carnahan Drive in Maumelle.
