Jessie Erlene Greer Ross

Jessie Erlene Greer Ross, 86, of Fort Smith died Saturday, December 3, 2016. She was born July 6, 1930 in Rock Island, Oklahoma to Jess and Edith Spradley, one of eight children. Her maternal grandparents were King David and Mary Elizabeth Driver, her fraternal grandfather was William Alfred Spradley. She graduated from Cameron High School in 1949. She worked at the telephone company in Fort Smith for several years, met the love of her life, Dallas Greer, who was stationed at Fort Chaffee. They married March 8, 1952 at a church in Van Buren, Arkansas. They lived in Fort Smith until 1959, and then were assigned to Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Following a four year tour there, they were reassigned to Fort Hood, Texas. Four years later, in 1967 they returned to Arkansas, where she lived for the last 50 years. She began working alongside her husband at Greer’s Coin and Pawn, the business they established. After retirement from the business, she and her husband traveled, visiting Germany, France, Switzerland and many islands and returning to revisit Alaska. They loved spending time with friends at their lake house at Sugar Loaf Lake.

Jessie was preceded in death by her husband, Dallas Wayne Greer on September 18, 1989. After his death, she volunteered at Sparks Hospital and also at Fairview Elementary School in Fort Smith. She married Gene Ross on December 8, 1992, who passed away three years later on July 12, 1995. She loved the family traditions of Sunday meals together. She loved to sew, needlepoint, crochet, quilt and garden. She was a member of Eastside Baptist Church in Fort Smith.

She is survived by daughter, Tara Johnson and husband, Larry of Fort Smith; and daughter, Kara Frye and husband, Bob of Fort Smith; one brother, Paul Spradley of Hackett; four grandchildren, Lucia Loyd and husband, Daniel and Sam Johnson both of Fort Smith and Aaron Frye and wife, Laurel and Gayla Berg and husband, Ryan both of Greenwood; six great grandchildren, Arianna, Eli, Gavin, Paisley, Boeing and Isaac, whom she loved; several sisters-in-laws and many nieces and nephews. She was also preceded in death by four brothers, Gene, Benny, Ralph and Ed Spradley and two sisters, Pauline Hampton and Lorene Nelson.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at Greenwood First Baptist Church with burial at Mountain View Cemetery in Hackett under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home of Greenwood. Viewing will be Monday at Edwards Funeral Home in Fort Smith from 2 – 8 p.m., where the family will visit with friends from 6 – 8 p.m.

The family would like to thank the caregivers for their wonderful care and support, especially Barbara Totz, her caregiver for the last year, also the staff of Mercy Crest Assisted Living in Barling and the nurses at the Peachtree Palliative Care Unit.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or to Peachtree Hospice, 2910 Jenny Lind Rd., Suite #4, Fort Smith, AR 72901.