Jane Hartfield

With an aching heart, we share the news that Jane Routh Lee Hartfield, 80, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, passed away on May 28, 2026, after a brief illness. She was a Christian, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, fiber artist, and friend.

Jane was born on Easter Day, April 21, 1946, in Winnsboro, Louisiana, to Samuel Edgar (Ed) Lee, Jr., and Routh Merle Brackett Lee. She graduated Winnsboro High School as valedictorian and went on to attend Mississippi State University. At Mississippi State, Jane met her husband of over 60 years, Jerry Hartfield, Jr. She eventually attended nursing school at Westark Community College and scored #1 in the state on her nursing boards.

Jane worked over 20 years as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at Sparks Regional Medical Center before moving to Jennifer’s Gift Shop management for several years. She retired so she could pursue her passion to be a full-time fiber artist in 2012. She transformed white fabric with dye, paint or screen-print, and then stitched it and changed its shape. She wanted to create a variety of colors and textures to brighten the world. As a fiber artist, she traveled the United States taking classes and making friends. Jane taught classes here in the River Valley while mentoring and encouraging other fiber artists. When she talked about her art, Jane would smile and talk about playing with colors and bringing more color into the world.

She will be missed by her husband, Jerry Hartfield, Jr., her daughter, Eleanor Wallace of Greenwood, AR; her daughter-in-law, Cara Hartfield of Fayetteville, AR. Additionally, she has five grandsons Benjamin Richards and his wife Christian of Benton, AR.; Michael Wallace and his fiancée Megan Griffin of Greenwood, AR; Jerry Allen Hartfield and his wife Naomi of Anchorage, AK; Alex Richards and his wife Brooke of Bremerton, WA; and Samuel Hartfield and girlfriend Blakely Hudson of Fayetteville, AR; and four great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings Mary Eleanor Sweet of Tallahassee, FL; Samuel Edgar (Sam) Lee of Diamondhead, MS; and John David Lee and his wife, Joy of Diamondhead, MS. She was preceded in death by her son, Jerry Hartfield, III, and son-in-law, Windell Wallace. She will also be missed by her fabric friends, bridge buddies and many church friends.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, June 6, at First United Methodist Church main sanctuary. A private interment of cremains at First United Methodist columbarium will be held prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First United Methodist Church, 200 North 15th Street, Fort Smith AR 72901, OR to Arts on Main, 415 Main Street, Van Buren AR 72956. Additionally, the family requests you wear bright colors to celebrate Jane’s life and her love for colors.

The family would like to thank Janice Sudbrink, Melissa Curry and the staff at Methodist Nursing Village, and Lisa Williams and Mercy Hospice for their care in Jane’s last days.