Patsy Jean McPeace

Patsy Jean Webb-McPeace, the only child of the late Willie and Clara Webb, was born on June 28, 1936, in the South End of Little Rock. A quartet of maternal aunts—Maggie, Dorothy, Helen, and Henrietta—formed her village, providing early examples of motherhood, sisterhood, love, nurture, and mutual support. These women helped Patsy find solid ground, guiding her as she navigated the world while making her mark.

Patsy attended South End Grammar School, Dunbar Junior and Senior High School, and, later, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

On June 11, 1964, Patsy made history by becoming the first Black woman hired as a Meter Enforcement Officer for the Little Rock Police Department. While breaking new ground professionally, she was also a loving wife and mother to five children: Deborah Denise, Kenneth Weil, Sheila LaVerne, Felita Marie, and Lela Beatrice. Alongside her husband, the late Walter McPeace, an employee of the legendary Jackson Cookie Company, she worked to cultivate and support their beautiful family.

In 1970, Patsy left her position with the City of Little Rock and became a licensed psychiatric technician nurse (LPTN) at Arkansas State Hospital. Over the years, she rose through the ranks to become a nursing supervisor before retiring in 1992.

While Patsy loved caring for her patients, her passion for the community ran deep, as well. She, along with her Aunt Maggie, volunteered at the now-defunct Girls Training Center, offering kind words, guidance, clothing, and other essentials.

Patsy was baptized and accepted Christ as her Savior at an early age and served her church, St. Andrew AME, as president of the Usher Board and secretary of both the Young Adult Choir and the Rose Johnson Missionary Society.

Patsy also found time to serve as a Girl Scout troop leader. A former member of her troop recently recalled Patsy taking the scouts to see their very first ballet—a memory that resonates to this day.

Patsy was also a dedicated member of the National Dunbar Alumni Association Class of 1953, serving as its secretary and designated photographer. During those years, she attended numerous reunions and enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, the Bahamas, California, and New Orleans with the class.

Those who knew Patsy cherished her authenticity. She was a straight shooter. She was always eager to help and opened her heart and home to others. Her meals—whether turkey and dressing, homemade cheesecake, or canned jellies—were always made with love. Her legendary chow-chow created indelibly sweet memories for countless people all across the country.

In her later years, as life slowed down, Patsy spent much of her time lounging at her kitchen table, sipping coffee, clicking and swiping while reading the headlines on her iPad.

When family and friends would come to visit, her face would light up as she said with a warm smile, “Is that my [fill in your name] coming in here?”

Patsy was preceded in death by her beloved children, Deborah Talley and Kenneth McPeace; and granddaughters, Anqunette Talley and Sara Robinson.

She leaves to cherish her memory Sister/Aunt Helen Suttles of Cleveland, OH; daughters, Felita McPeace and Sheila Garmon of Little Rock, AR, and Lela (Lloyd) Hodges of Conway, AR; bonus daughters, Jackie (Lawrence) Abrams of Madison, AL, and Marcel (Major) Banks of Sherwood, AR; grandchildren, Anthony McPeace and Stacie Walker of Little Rock AR, Nibra (Kreig) Robinson of Huntersville, NC, Leah (Yerik) Henderson of Benton, AR, LJ (Khadijah) Abrams of Greenville, SC, Ariel Abrams of Madison, AL, Shemedia Johnson of Little Rock, AR, ReeVedia (Brent) Mitchell of Dallas, TX, and Major Banks III of Sherwood, AR; 14 great-grandchildren; and a host of family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, 2025, at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W. 12th St., Little Rock, Ark., 72204. A Memorial Gathering, with the family, will begin an hour prior to the service, 10 a.m., at the funeral home.